Under $1000 for a way to monitor 1080p with worldwide frame rates using thunderbolt

Allan Tépper at the Pro Video Coalition has a great solution for monitoring video using thunderbolt and a Sony KDL-40BX420E, which will work with US power and supports, both PAL and NTSC frame rates as well as 23.976 and 24 FPS. Very very cool. The monitor is grey market in the US, so he also recommends a third party warranty. This is a inexpensive and great solution for monitoring.

SLC Cut on AVID

SLCCut, has a an interesting letter to AVID on how they need to update to keep it in line with Premiere and FCP X if they want to stay relevant in the future.

Some of it I agree with, but some I don’t. Yes, the interface needs updating in a major way, the title tool needs serious updating (as does handling of still photos and the like, which he doesn’t talk about), but the organization I do like, though it could use more, like Meta search.

Still I do think many of us left AVID because we found something that worked better in many ways, and now are going back and while it has seen some great little updates, there is nothing groundbreaking in the latest version over much earlier versions.

And I know they are trying to please their old customers, but it is true that that will only work for current editors, and new editors may move to other tools if AVID does not add some inovation on top of their old venerable tools.

AVID update Available

Go to AVID’s download’s page for 6.5.0.1 of Media Composer, Symphony and 10.5.0.1 of Newscutter.

New features include:

  • XDCAM and XCAM EX Support
  • FrameChase Editing with Sony XDCam Station (XDS Series)
  • No longer have to uninstall the P2 or XDCAM before performing a legacy P2 or XDCAM import

iChat theater has issues, but is still a wonderful solution that Adobe and AVID need to implement

I know, I know iChat theater is old technology and has been out since Final Cut Pro 7 was was released, but it is still awesome tech. If you have a web camera or iSight you can share what you are viewing in Final Cut Pro 7 using iChat (or messages in Mountain Lion) and you can hear the person on either end and see Timecode as well. It has it’s issues (audio often drops out and you have to restart the computer to get it back, and often it is hard to get the chat to actually start), but overall it works very well and allows for remote monitoring of an edit.

Sure you can share your screen with Skype, but that shared the whole screen, timeline and all, and the video is small. iChat theater allows you to share just what is playing back from Final Cut Pro. It is awesome for editors who like to work at home, and producers who like to do the same. And it works very well overall.

The problem is that Final Cut Pro 7 is EOL and will never be updated again, and is really showing it’s age. Sure many companies have such an investment that they are still using it before the go with AVID (though I prefer Premiere Pro, if only it were more stable). And neither Premier Pro or Media Composer have anything like it.

iChat theater and Final Cut Pro 7 is an elegant solution to a problem that is very relevant today (editors working remotely), and a new solution needs to be implemented in AVID and Premiere Pro.

I wonder if it could be done via a plug in like BlackMagic or AJA, as if it was going out via video to Messages or Skype or a proprietary messaging program? The thing is it is such a great piece of software that the competitors need it (even if FCP X doesn’t have it anymore either).

Working from home means companies need less edit bays, editors get more sanity from not driving, and it is better for the environment not having to drive, so someone please come up with a solution and fast!

StudioDaily on AVID

I realized I hadn’t linked to this Studio Daily Article on the reductions at AVID.

By the third quarter AVID will be down to about 1500 after losing more than 350 more employees, and hasn’t said which facilities it will be closing.

I still say if AVID doesn’t really push there opportunity here they are fools. Look at what Autodesk has done with Smoke. I think it should be cheaper than $4000 ($3500 and $500 a year for upgrades and support), but it has moved into Media Composer Range, and it can do all Media Composer can and much more.

What I think AVID should have done

Personally I think AVID should have bit the bullet and pulled the price of Media Composer to $1000 to fight Premiere Pro (I don’t think they need to fight FCP X) and gain market share back. The $1000 that Apple charged for FCP 7 was really a sweat spot and other apps have gone bellow that).

And have made the cross grade even $500 from FInal Cut Pro, and make symphony a plug in that costs another $300-$500 (Or really just roll it in to Media Composer completely to have a unified product line). Now there sales for this year might be down (though they might have gone up do to the amount of sales they would have made), and there customer bass would have grown back to what it used to be, and they would make a ton of money in the future.

They need to focus on less products and make them less expensive. They have already been making Media Composer so much better, so they don’t have to worry about that, but it is there business decisions that seem iffy.