Avid Comes Out Swinging

 

Continuing its “New Thinking” (read “lower-cost”) strategy that pits it head-to-head with

Apple, Avid Technology is now shipping the next generation HD editing systems and

storage solutions that it showed at the NAB convention. The company has cut the cost

of many of its new offerings (Media Composer software can now be bought for under

$2,500 and used on a laptop) and announced new upgrades to its Unity MediaNetwork,

Unity ISIS and Interplay product lines.

 

Avid has also designed a number of specially priced support packages for educational

institutions, which begin as low as $99 per year.

The new products include new versions of Avid’s Media Composer (v3.0), NewsCutter (v7.0),

and Symphony (v3.0) software, as well as new hardware configurations of its Mojo DX and

Nitris DX systems. All Media Composer and NewsCutter systems offer the same software

toolset across their respective configurations – with further capabilities coming from different

hardware options. In addition, all deliver greater speed, responsiveness and reliability.

In a statement, Todd Ulman, Associate Producer of ABC’s Greek called his new beta software

“the fastest Avid has ever been on a Mac.”

For broadcasters producing news, Avid has added a timestamp export tool for the Broadcast WAV

(BWF) format that is available on all Media Composer and NewsCutter systems. Designed to facilitate

fast and easy sync reference, the timestamp export feature enables customers to insert sequence

time code, based on the project type when exporting the timeline audio tracks as BWF files.

Avid is also offering new customer support services, such as technical alerts, monthly "quick tips" and

advanced parts replacement on hardware. Also, customers who purchase a support contract when they

purchase any new Media Composer, NewsCutter, Symphony or DS Nitris product will receive a 15 %

savings on the price of the contract. To be eligible, contracts must range from one to three years and

be purchased between June 1 and December 31, 2008.

For more information, visit www.avid.com.

 

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