Is there a demo for Media Composer software?

[Michael Maier]

Talking to a friend who is an Avid Express Pro user he convinced me to take a look at the new MC software since Avid has dropped the price now. But I couldn't find a downloadable demo on Avid's site. Do they offer one? Knowing Avid, probably not, but I thought I would ask anyway.

[Richard Alvarez]

No, no demo version available. You could google around for a copy of "Avid FREE DV" which is a stripped down 'fisher-price' toy version of the interface.

You could test drive your friends Avid Xpress Pro. MC is very much like AXP, with more features. But the workflow is nearly identical.

[Michael Maier]

I see. That's what I thought anyways, it being Avid and all.
I just wonder why they don't offer a demo. If they are trying to go face to face with Final Cut Studio while charging $500 more without not even offering a comparable toolset, the minimum you would expect would be a demo to get as many people as possible to try it.
I don't want to try a DV only app, as I want to feel how the real thing works with heavier files like 1080p and I wouldn't want to take my friends system, not even if he had any free time for it.

[Doug Okamoto]

Uhm, Michael with that logic you need to also ask why Apple doesn't have a demo version of FCS. They do have FC Express 4 but that is still about $199 retail and is very limited as well.

Also MC software can be run on a mid line PC running XP SP2 while a comparable iMac or Macbook would be roughly $1000 more to run FCS so the Apple product really isn't less expensive than Avid's MC.

Putting all that aside, Avid is offering a educational discount on MC software and the MC Mojo SDI.

To answer your question, my personal opinion as to why Avid (or Apple) doesn't offer demo's is that they are not interested in growing their market share. They are both satisfied with the market saturation that they are at and are only interested in growing the higher end (film and broadcast). For Avid, selling one Symphony Nitris DX seat is worth at least 8 times a Media Composer software license. So that's why they're getting rid of Xpress Pro so that it doesn't compete with Liquid and they'll have less "low end" they'll have to support and develop.

[Michael Maier]

Well yeah. But from a marketing point of view Apple doesn't need to offer a demo. FCS is selling like hot cakes and more and more Avid people are coming to FCS. The inclusion of Color (Final Touch) for free seems to have been the icing on the cake. After that a lot of people just jumped shi. It is Avid who is losing territory and their new MC pricing shows they are getting worried and are finally reacting to the FCS "invasion". If so, they should make MC available to as many people as they can reach. The new generation seems to be going for FCS. FCS user base is way more extensive and accessible than Avid’s.
Yes, you need an expensive Mac to run FCS but to run MC properly you also need a high end PC. I think all in all it will come to the same price when you consider MC is much more expensive. But MC is a cutter only with some extra features added. FCS is a finishing application. To get MC to the level of flexibility FCS offers you need to spend more money on extra applications. FCS is no Autodesk, Quantel or even DS, but it is much better featured than MC. I hope Avid is indeed happy with their market share because it is dropping everyday. But their new pricing structure tells me they are starting to get bothered by losing their leadership.

[Yang Wen]

Looks like you already have your mind made up about MC.. so why bother with the demo? We'd be stupid not to use FCP given the glaring differences you've pointed out.

[David Parks]

Originally Posted by Michael Maier

But MC is a cutter only with some extra features added. FCS is a finishing application. To get MC to the level of flexibility FCS offers you need to spend more money on extra applications. FCS is no Autodesk, Quantel or even DS, but it is much better featured than MC. I hope Avid is indeed happy with their market share because it is dropping everyday. But their new pricing structure tells me they are starting to get bothered by losing their leadership.

I really don't understand people who make marketing comments about a particular software but don't use it themselves. MC is for cutting only. That is hilarious and completely uninformed. With Fluid Motion, you get very smooth slo motion that FCP can't reach with frame blending. SpectraMatte is widely considered the best keyer in the industry. I will key even the worst shot keys. Boris contiuum plug ins, DVD authoring, Sorenson squeeze come with MC for free. The only thing missing is Motion and I prefer AFX anyway.

But I will as an observation say that there are a lot of posts all over DVInfo that like to talk like they're marketing analysts, or marketing pundits who think they know that a certain company is losing this market or should play in that market. Unless you have actual marketing data and numbers from a reputable market research firm like Forrester Data, then these are nothing but hollow assumptions and of no use to me. I guess they make for converstation for people.

I hope Chris would agree with me that this forum is for helping and educating people on issues and not statements that help no one.

If you don't like Avid then go to FCP. I use both and they both have strengths and weaknesses. I like FCP for bullding templates and it is very easy to use.

Anyway, I venting because this is the Avid portion of DVInfo and I get tired of FCP zealots coming over to bash the company when they themselves don't even use the platform.


BTW=======

For those who are interested, I just upgraded to Avid Media Composer 2.8.3 from Xpress. The disc in the package was damaged. Called Avid tech support and pointed me to the new downlaod center the web-site. No problem, I was able to downlaod both PC and MAC versions and download the new Dongle Manager Update file.

The cool thing is NO MORE DONGLE DUMPER. Yea. The upgrade went without a hitch on both platforms and Avid service was great.

All am saying is that what is the point for cheering for one or the other to fail?? I don't get it. You either edit or you don't.

Rest assured people Avid isn't going away and they are profitable. I edit 4 to 6 videos a month, and after this, I don't have time for market observations. I leave that up to the respective marketing depts at Avid and Apple.

Cheers.

[Richard Alvarez]

Avid MC is available for Students at $295.

[Mike Meyerson]

Originally Posted by David Parks

I hope Chris would agree with me that this forum is for helping and educating people on issues and not statements that help no one.

Anyway, I venting because this is the Avid portion of DVInfo and I get tired of FCP zealots coming over to bash the company when they themselves don't even use the platform.

I couldn't agree more...if you really wanted a demo, go to a dealer and take one for a test drive.

1 reason IMO, there's no demo, is because they can't guarantee it'll work flawlessly on every computer...unless they make the demo so stripped down and generic...and what would the point of that be? So in that case a Demo version would probably hurt sales more...say if you got a demo, installed it on a PC with the popular non-approved components that are known to cause problems...like an ATI video card, on-board fire wire and XP/home edition...and the Demo didn't work, are you really going to order a full version? But whose fault is that?

I'm a long time avid owner and it would take a lot for me to jump ship to FCP.

[Doug Okamoto]

Originally Posted by David Parks

All am saying is that what is the point for cheering for one or the other to fail?? I don't get it. You either edit or you don't.

Cheers.

Thanks David, I couldn't have said it better myself!

I am one of those that use both FCS and MC. It all depends on how much the client wants. For the simpler projects I cost out FCP, for the more complex projects I budget in the use of MC.

[Douglas R. Bruce]

Originally Posted by Mike Meyerson

1 reason IMO, there's no demo, is because they can't guarantee it'll work flawlessly on every computer...

Mike, I think that point is extremely important.

If there was a demo.... if someone tried it on an inadequate machine...... if it didn't work correctly.... Where would the person lay the blame? On their computer or on MC software?

The chances of trying it on an inadequate machine are very high. That fact alone seems like a good arguement in not having a demo available.
Regards,
Douglas

[Mike Meyerson]

Originally Posted by Douglas R. Bruce

Mike, I think that point is extremely important.

If there was a demo.... if someone tried it on an inadequate machine...... if it didn't work correctly.... Where would the person lay the blame? On their computer or on MC software?

The chances of trying it on an inadequate machine are very high. That fact alone seems like a good arguement in not having a demo available.
Regards,
Douglas

yeah...every once in a while I say something intelligent.