Top 5 Reasons Editors Are Making the Move from Avid Xpress to Media Composer

Avid by Marianna Montigue

We’re closing quickly on the last chance to upgrade your old Avid Xpress DV or Xpress Pro system to Media Composer. The really good news here is the promotion has been extended until June 30, 2013.

Last week I had folks digging into their equipment storage closets to find a dongle, or dusting off an old system and finding the dongle still attached. In this week’s update, let’s dive into the Top 5 reasons editors are making the move to Media Composer.

1: Open to Almost Anything

We love the old Avid Mojo hardware with its composite, component, and SDI connections for Xpress. But nowadays, editors need more flexibility for more formats and the ability to mix and match different formats. Fortunately, beginning with Media Composer 5.5, Avid editing has opened up to some of the best names in the business—AJA Video Systems, Blackmagic Design, MOTU, BlueFish444, and Matrox.

As part of the Avid Open I/O program, third-party manufacturers now bring Avid video editing compatibilities to their own hardware I/O cards and devices. But you’re not on your own. We’re working closely with each partner to keep their hardware certified and to make sure the 3rd party control software and drivers stay up-to-date.

Want to learn more? The Complete Your Suite forum on Avid Community is packed with Avid Open I/O partners waiting to answer your questions, offer advice and share their unique insight into the Avid eco-system of plug-ins, software and hardware.

2. More Macs

From the Mac Mini to the Mac Pro, from the MacBook Air to the MacBook Pro, there are more Mac laptops and workstations qualified for use with Media Composer than ever before.

3. Plenty of PCs

PC-based editors new to Media Composer are learning that our range of qualified PC laptops and workstations is much larger than they remember and getting bigger all the time. Meet any budget and project size with your choice of HP, Dell, and Lenovo qualified systems.

If you prefer to get hands-on building and tweaking a system to your exact needs, we have a brand new forum dedicated to helping you do just that. Join us on this Avid Pro Video Community thread: Building your Media Composer Suite.

4. Total Training

Moving to Media Composer can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be. You need to get up to speed fast, with no downtime between jobs. Thankfully Avid created free training tutorials that have helped many an Xpress editor make the transition to Media Composer.

Avid customers have gotten into the training act too. Douglas Bruce, long standing Avid Pro Video Community moderator, started the customer-based tutorial craze with 200+ free tutorials. See more tutorials by Douglas Bruce on Media Composer, Avid FX, Avid DVD, and Boris FX.

Kevin P. McAullife, also a Pro Video Community moderator, added his own 75+ tutorials on Creative COW. Kevin covers Media Composer, Marquee title tool, working with PhotoShop, basic color correction and more.

5. Customer Community

A world of knowledgeable editors is at your fingertips. The Get Started Fast forum has six customer moderators and several Avid employees. The moderators volunteer their personal time and share their considerable knowledge and experience with all of you—offering the best advice and direction possible for those going from Xpress DV or Xpress Pro to Media Composer. Several of the moderators even have experience with FCP to Media Composer migration and workflows. Learn how the Pro Video Community forums work by diving into Getting Started with Community.

6. Marianna! (Videoguys bonus)

As Director of Online Communities and Forums at Avid, she is "your advocate" inside the walls of the company. Nobody does it better. We have hundereds of stories we couild share about Marianna going the extra mile to make sure Avid customers and editors are taken care of.

Check out these items featured in this post and available to BUY NOW at Videoguys.com.
Avid Media Composer 6.5 Upgrade (with FREE MC7) from Avid Xpress DV / Pro $488.00 Avid Media Composer 6.5 Upgrade from MC5.5 or older (w FREE MC7) $399.00 Avid Symphony 6.5 Upgrade from MC/Xpro/XDV with FREE MC7 Upgrade with Symphony Option $999.00

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