Great News!

Avid has just released today - Avid Media Composer v3.5, Avid Symphony v3.5 and Avid NewsCutter v7.5 - and the new editors are now available for purchase.

Just to wet your appetite, here are a couple of new features:

·         End to End Support for  XDCAM EX and XDCAM HD

·         Avid Media Access:

                  - End to End XDCAM workflow

                  - Full native P2 & XDCAM  EX card or disk access

·         Stereoscopic format support

·         Fluid stabilizer

·         Software–based license activation for single-user licenses

·         Many other product enhancements

How do I get the software?

1. Customers can upgrade their Xpress DV, Xpress Pro or Media Composer software to Media Composer v3.5 on the avid.com webstore.  Please note that there is no longer Xpress Pro to Xpress Pro upgrades offered on the webstore.
2. Customers can upgrade their Avid Media Composer, Avid Symphony or Avid NewsCutter product directly from Avid or their reseller.   To find a reseller near you go to: http://www.avid.com/products/howtobuy/Index.aspx
3. Customers with a valid service contract can access the new software on the Download Center. 

Ah! (Hit forehead like in the V8 commercials) I just bought M.C. v 3.1.2! Do I have to pay again?

Read on:

Any Media Composer v3.x, Symphony v3.x or NewsCutter v7.x if you purchased a new system after February 1, 2009 you are entitled to a free upgrade of Media Composer v3.5, NewsCutter v7.5 or Symphony v3.5.   This offer will be available until March 31st, 2009.   If you are eligible to receive this offer, you must act before March 31st, 2009.  All customers will be required to register their system before downloading their software. If this applies to you, you should visit www.avid.com/protect

Can I run this software on my G4 Powerbook?

Prior to ordering and installing any software, you should check the system requirements for your system to make sure you have the necessary hardware and software to run the new Editor.

http://www.avid.com/products/Media-Composer-Software/system-requirements.asp

How do I found out about all the cool new features (and limitations)?

Prior to installing any new software, you should always read the ReadMe document that pertains to your editor.  The latest ReadMe documents can be found:

avid.com/mcreadmewww.

www.avid.com/ncreadme

www.avid.com/snreadme

Can I order this upgrade if I'm in Europe?

The US and Canada Webstore will reflect pricing and availability for Avid Media Composer v3.5 and associated upgrades today.   Europe and Asia will follow shortly and we will alert you when those sites have been updated and product can be ordered and purchased.   

Now, check this out....

New - 14 day Media Composer v3.5 Trial

One of the most requested options for the Avid software has been the ability to try before you buy. With the release of Avid Media Composer v3.5, we have introduced a trial version of the editor that activates for 14 days at no charge.  Customers can obtain the Media Composer 3.5 software from the avid.com Download Center Trial Software page or from the avid.com additional software updates page.  Once downloaded, the user will be asked several questions and one of these is whether they would like to use the editor as a trial version.  If they select this option, they must register the product to activate the 14 day period.  After the 14-day period has expired, customers may purchase the complete Avid Media Composer product from the Avid.com webstore as a software download only or as a physical shipping kit with manuals and third-party applications, or they can uninstall the software.    

There are several important articles listed on both the Knowledge Base and the Download Center surrounding the new editors and software licensing so you all (especially if this is a trial version for you) should read the web pages before downloading and of course read the ReadMe file(s) before installing. 

How much for the upgrade?

The upgrade from M.C. 2.7 and below is $395 without the 3rd party software kit and $495 with.

The upgrade from M.C. 2.7.5 and up is $295 without the 3rd party software kit and $495 with.

Still have more questions?

 A comprehensive FAQ will be available on the www.avid.com/go  page with answers to common questions surrounding the new Software Licensing process introduced in the v3.5 and v7.5 software.  This information, as well as additional upgrade information, FAQ’s and more will also be posted to the forums on avid.com.

Well, that's it. I've been using this new software for a while now and it is really great. A lot of improvements under the hood and a lot of feature requests included (such as the ability to adjust aduio levels on import). So come and get it and we'll be here to help if anyone should need it.

I'll correct the typos when the forum is working correctly again!

Sorry BLKDOG, I', still a little confused.  Does that mean if you're running 3.1.2 but bought it a while ago, you don't get a free upgrade?

The link says that you pay for an upgrade from 2.7.

Cheers,

Ra-ey

BLKDOG:

Just to wet your appetite, here are a couple of new features:

·         End to End Support for  XDCAM EX and XDCAM HD

What is new? There is mention of new/better support for EX in the readme but it's not specific at all and says to look in the help file.

It also says there is support for quicktime exports with timecode, is there support for quicktime TC import as well?

Just went through the read me.  29 pages of Limitation and Issues.  Maybe they should have waited a week before releasing this?  Up to this point I'v been stuck in the 2.X world.  Have all the 3.X read mees been like this?

No more dongle.  Does that mean an end to having the software on a laptop and a desktop which I can move the dongle between?  What happens when I re-install a system?  The read me mentions potential licensing issues with network settings and laptops switching between wireless and ethernet. Sounds like fun.

Hi Blkdog

This is great news and will save me a lot of tears on my next projects. In Germany XDCam HD projects are popping up all over the place.

I note that the cheapest upgrade to v3.5 is from v2.7. Will there be a fairer price for all of us true blue Avid users who have already paid for the upgrade from v2.7 to v3.1?

If not, why not?

Cheers from Munich

Rodney

Hello,

AMC ver. 3.5 is great news for me, since it enhances Pro Tools 8 co-installation... fantastic!

Is the upgrade price for ver. 3.x to 3.5 the same as ver. 2.7.5 and above for sure? I couldn't find a specific answer on the Avid site.

Also, is the 3rd party software any different than what would have shipped with the 3.0 version?

Thanks, Phil

According to the Boris website, there will be a new version of BCC AVX coming out this quarter.  Will this upgrade be included in the full upgrade package?

Since it has not yet been released, then there's no way to know. I can tell you that it is not in the current bundle. Avid's bundle will, most likely, be updated with the new version when it is released but there is no way to know when that will be.

1)  is the cost   $ 395 to  upgrade from 3.1.2   to 3.5   I already paid to upgrade to 3.x ?

2)  Is the locator problem fixed so we can have more than one line of text beside the images.

3)   If I use the software key now being offewred  instead of using a  dongle can I move back and forth between my laptop  and my Mac Pro tower like I do now by moving  my dongle or do I nbeed to buy another MC package ?

mr dave:

1)  is the cost   $ 395 to  upgrade from 3.1.2   to 3.5   I already paid to upgrade to 3.x ?

No, if you bought 3.x, then the cost is $295

mr dave:

2)  Is the locator problem fixed so we can have more than one line of text beside the images.

 Not sure. Maybe if Terry Curren check in here (or anyone on the beta team) they can tell us

mr dave:

3)   If I use the software key now being offewred  instead of using a  dongle can I move back and forth between my laptop  and my Mac Pro tower like I do now by moving  my dongle or do I nbeed to buy another MC package ?

No, fi you want to move between systems, just deactivate the first system and then reactivate on the second.

Thank you Avid.  MC 3.5 can exist with Pro Tools 8 now, even though you cannot open them at the same time.

I have been waiting for this one.

So it looks like we can run OS 10.5.6 (or 5.5) but the quicktime version is still 7.5.5?  Tiger not supported?

The read me states that QT 7.6 is supported.

README_AvidMediaComposerv3.5_03-02-09.pdf

I'm bummed b/c I bought a new version a week before Feb1. I didn't even install it until mid Feb. Ugh! Hit head like V8 commercial.

Oops I clicked on every document except that one.