David, thanks for clearing that for me. However, I would agree that Avid's hardware requirements are still quite expensive.

No doubt Chong. I'm pretty sure everyone would agree with you there.
It is expected that Avid will announce something on the hardware end soon.

After all, who wants to pay the price of a small car for an I/O box??

Cheers.

The "New Thinking" is starting to percolate though every aspect.

People complained that Avid had such a lock on 'proprietary' hardware, that it wouldn't open it's software to third party apps.

But apple is exactly the same way. FCP only runs on MAC's. That would make Final Cut Pros 'hardware requirements still quite expensive' to paraphrase. Why doesn't Apple release a PC version of the software? (Like AVID does.)

Simple. Apple is protecting it's 'high end hardware' - IE it's computers. THAT's where it makes its profit, not on the software, which has always been a 'loss-leader'. If people clammoured for Apple to unlock it's hardware so it could run on cheap PCs... well, never mind.

Avid has, to date, been trying to make a profit on it's software, and it's hardware. They are competing against APPLE and to a certain extent, third party hardware companies that make AJA and Black Magic. In essence, fighting a war on two fronts. (Remember you can BUY a MAC/AVID system directly from Avid. Can you buy a FCP/PC directly from Apple?)

Though maintaining a lead in high-end production film and broadcast houses, they were losing ground in middle market and indy shops - places where an extra five hundred dollars to a grand, makes a LOT more difference.

SO - what will 'the new thinking' bring?

Changes in the pricing of the 'mojo' I/O boxes I expect. But also, new 'boxes' that lie somewhere between the mojos and the adrenaline/nitris boxes. Solutions that will go head to head with Aja BlackMagic Decklink cards. If the thinking is truly NEW - then these new pieces of hardware will run with OTHER NLE apps. Remember, AVID purchased Pinnacle Systems - they used to manufacture the Cinewave Targa, remember??? In essence, Avid will take the fight to other hardware companies. It's either that, or cede the ground and open their coding for them.

Like I said, time will tell. But eighteen months ago, I correctly predicted what AVID had to do regarding AXP and MC.

That's only true to a certain degree, to guarantee Avid's stability you should buy a ceritified system. And if you want some real guarantee for the hardware to work and be replaced if not, you must buy a workstation. To date for example the HP Xw8400 system is more expensive than a equal mac, at least here in Northern Europe.

You can of course run Avid on a cheap homebuilt system, and in many cases that will work just fine, but in the long run with drivers and the possibility for hardware conflict it's not the safest bet.

One idea would be a sort of new mojo with HD capabilities to do simple monitoring and mastering. Then redesign the other DNA's, still for high end use.

Cheaper in the US, but my point remains. You can buy a certified PC or a certified MAC version of AVID. You can't do the same for FCP. Because they're protecting their 'high end' hardware IE the Mac.

I've been ruminating on Pinnacle Systems Targa board,(which is now the intellectual property of AVID) since I saw one sitting in the studio the other day.

I'm speculating - and I'm doing it here cause it's not 'allowed' on the official avid site - that we will see a rebirth of the Cinewave Card... in some incarnation. Call it the AVID CINEWAVE card. But like you said with the capabilities of monitoring HD. Also - imagine if it would run other NLE's as well. So you could have Premiere, with an AVID CINEWAVE card, or whatever. They'd be going head to head with Matrox, and AJA etc.

I really really hope Avid listens to Richard. I'm calling Richard the Avid Prophet.
Richard has a crystal ball with a big "A" on it. Just kidding.

Cool. I didn't know that about the Cinewave card being Pinnacle. I hope that they didn't throw away the technical docs. Avid has so much more potential.

Keep looking into that crystal ball. Maybe we'll an HD mojo for your efforts. I'd be willing to pay $1,500.

I'll second that! I've got two Mojos, and a Mojo-SDI that I'd gladly trade for one HD Mojo that would provide I/O between HD and HDV cameras, decks, and an HD monitor. Making toast and/or coffee too would be a nice plus!

Pinnacle still makes a digital i/o box that will run with Premiere, and liquid but it won't work with AVID.

I'd think this is a doable goal. Not this year perhaps, but by next.