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Review Summary
Avid DNxHD 444:
All DNxHD 444 Formats
Avid DNxHD:
All DNxHD formats
Avid Compressed SD Resolutions:
AVR (playback only)
15:1s, 4:1s, 2:1s
20:1, 10:1, 3:1, 2:1
35:1p, 28:1p, 14:1p, 3:1p, 2:1p
4:1m, 10:1m, 3:1m(p), 8:1m(p)
Avid Proxy Formats:
Interplay MPEG-2 proxy, MPEG-4 proxy, 720p H.264 proxy (transcode service only)
Canon XF:
50 Mb/s, 4:2:2
DV:
DV25 / DVCAM (25 Mb/s): 4:1:1 NTSC, 4:1:1 PAL, 4:2:0 PAL, 24p
DV50 (50 Mb/s)
HDV:
JVC HDV (19 Mb/s) 720p
Sony HDV (25 Mb/s) 1080 at 24p/25/50i/59.94i
Canon HDV 1080 at 24p/50i/59.94i
Native project formats: 1080i/59.94, 1080i/50, 720p/23.976 (with support for 24p material), 720p/25, 720p/29.97, 720p/50, 720/59.94
Capture over IEEE-1394, edit, playback, export to file without timecode
Ikegami GFCAM:
GFCAM 50 Mb/s
GFCAM 100 Mb/s
JVC ProHD:
Microsoft VC-1: VC-1 (edit/playback on Intel Macs only)
Panasonic AVC-Intra
Panasonic DVCPRO (SD):
DVCPRO 25 Mb/s
DVCPRO50 50 Mb/s
Panasonic DVCPRO HD:
DVCPRO HD 100 Mb/s
AVC-Intra (baseband capture over HD-SDI requires AVC-Intra encoding module with Avid Nitris DX-sold separately)
Native project formats: 1080i/59.94, 1080i/50, 720p/59.94, 720p/50, 720p/25, 720p/23.976
ProRes:
ProRes encode (Mac only) and decode
Full metadata support
Sony XDCAM (SD):
DV 25 Mb/s
IMX30 30 Mb/s
IMX40 40 Mb/s
IMX50 50 Mb/s
Full ancillary data support through AMA
Sony XDCAM EX:
MPEG 25 Mb/s CBR
MPEG 35 Mb/s VBR
Full ancillary data support through AMA
Sony XDCAM HD:
MPEG 18 Mb/s VBR
MPEG 25 Mb/s VBR
MPEG 25 Mb/s CBR
MPEG 35 Mb/s VBR
MPEG 50 Mb/s CBR
MPEG-4 Proxies
Full ancillary data support through AMA
Audio:
RTAS (Real-Time AudioSuite)
AudioSuite
Video:
AMA (Avid Media Access)
AVX 2 (Avid Video Extension)
SD:
1:1 interlaced 8/10-bit
1:1 progressive 8/10-bit
HD:
1:1 8/10-bit
YUV 4:2:2
RGB 4:4:4 (via dual link HDSDI)
ARRI ALEXA MXF:
AVCHD:
Full native direct access to AVCHD media and metadata
Native editing of all listed formats
Canon XF:
Full native direct access to Canon XF media and metadata
Native editing of all listed formats (see "Native Codec Support")
Ikegami GFCAM:
Supports MXFand OP-Atom Wrapper
Full native direct access to GFCAM material and metadata
Native GFCAM editing of all listed formats (see "Native Codec Support")
Direct edit of GFCAM media from GFPAK cards or disk drive
JVC ProHD:
MXF:
Full native direct access to MXF media and metadata
Native editing of all formats
Panasonic P2:
Supports MXF and OP-Atom Wrapper Full native direct access to P2 media and metadata
Native DVCPRO HD and AVC-Intra editing of all listed HD formats
Direct edit of P2 media from cards or disk drive
Support for P2 Store
Write-back of finished program to P2 media (Windows only)
QuickTime
Full native direct access to QuickTime media and metadata (including Canon 5D and 7D media)
Full native ProRes encode (Mac only) and decode support
Native editing of all listed formats (see "Native Codec Support")
Direct edit of QuickTime movie files
RED:
Full native direct access to RED (.R3D) media and metadata (frame size scaled to HD)
Full native direct access to RED ONE, EPIC, SCARLET-X (5K/4.5K/3K2K RAW, 1080p RGB and 720p RGB) material
Native editing of all listed formats
Direct edit of RED (.R3D) files from a RED-FLASH card or RED-DRIVE
Sony HDCAM SR / HDCAM SR Lite / HDCAM SR-SQ:
Full native direct access to HDCAM SR Lite media and metadata
Native editing of all listed HD data rates (see "Native Codec Support")
Sony XDCAM / XDCAM EX / XDCAM HD / HD420:
Supports MXF and OP-1A Wrappers for all but XDCAM EX; XDCAM EX supports MP4 wrapper
Full native direct access to XDCAM media and metadata
Support for optical media and SxS cards
Native editing of all listed SD and HD data rates (see "Native Codec Support")
Full ancillary data support
Import via File Access Mode (FAM) over IEEE-1394
Ingest via FTP client over Ethernet
Play-out and Write-back of finished program to XDCAM media
Avid-qualified Windows- or Mac-based computer.
Windows 7 Professional SP1 (64-bit), Windows 8 Professional or Enterprise (64-bit)
Mac OS X Lion and Mountain Lion (64-bit).
Intel Quad Core i7 or Quad Core Xeon processor
4 GB RAM minimum (6+ GB recommended)
8 GB RAM minimum required to support Interplay Sphere, background transcoding and Dynamic Media Folders
16+ GB RAM recommended to support full-frame stereoscopic 3D, simultaneous background transcoding, Dynamic Media Folders, FrameFlex 4 K workflows, Raw format AMA plug-ins, Long GOP media editing and other high-performance workflows
Mac:
NVIDIA GeForce family (recommended), Intel HD4000, or ATI Radeon family (as supported by Apple)
Windows:
NVIDIA Quadro FX family3 (Q600 or higher recommended), Intel HD400
Minimum 250 GB, 7,200 rpm SATA drive or 128 GB SSD
QuickTime: Avid has tested and qualified Apple QuickTime X for Mac users and QuickTime 7.6.9 for Windows users
Windows Media Player: Microsoft Windows Media Player 11 is required to export certain formats and to work with VC-1 material
The Avid Media Composer 8 is proven and trusted by professional editors in every segment of film, television and broadcast. Designed to handle high volumes of disparate file-based media, Media Composer delivers accelerated high-res-to-HD workflows, real-time collaboration and powerful media management, eliminating time-consuming tasks so you can focus on telling a great story. And now the choice is yours-edit on premises, remotely through the cloud, on demand, through a low-cost subscription, or purchase a license outright-making Media Composer the most versatile and accessible tool for professional creative editorial.
The choice is yours
Media Composer now gives you more choices in how you acquire and use the software. Edit on premises or remotely through the cloud. Work on a Mac or PC. Access the software through a monthly or annual subscription or on demand with a floating license. Or own the software outright forever with a perpetual license. In addition, you can configure it your way with the options you need to get the job done, from real-time remote collaboration through Media Composer, Cloud (formerly Interplay Sphere), to advanced color correction and mastering tools, iNEWS and ENPS integration and software for creating effects, titles and more. It's the only professional editing solution that's available everywhere you need it, the way you want it.
Deploy licenses on demand
For large-scale media enterprise, post-production houses and educational institutions, Media Composer now offers floating licensing, enabling you to purchase a "pack" of shared licenses to deploy across your entire facility using a single system ID. This enables multiple editors to use Media Composer on any number of workstations when licenses are available (not actively in use).
Stay up to date with the new application manager
Media Composer comes with a new application manager that keeps you up to date with your software. See what Avid software, AMA plug-ins and related third-party applications you have installed on your system. Get notified when new updates, upgrades and renewals are available. Activate and download new software, updates and upgrades from the interface. And if you're interested in a new product or upgrade, you can even see if a software trial is available to try it out first. It will even alert you about special offers, upcoming webinars and events.
Accelerate your high-res workflow
More content today is shot with high-res cameras, but the majority of programming is still HD. With the new FrameFlex tools, you can immediately start working in HD directly from high-res sources and maintain full creative control of the image reframing and keyframing, from beginning to end. In addition, 1D/3D Look Up Tables (LUTs) and Color Decision Lists (CDLs) make it easy to perform real-time RAW and LogC to Rec. 709 color space conversions.
Automate your media management
Gain more time for creativity with new features that accelerate and simplify file-based workflows. With Dynamic Media Folders, noncreative media tasks such as transcoding, copying and consolidating can be automated in the background, without disrupting your editorial flow. Plus, you'll get peace of mind as Media Composer now fully manages AMA-linked media as reliably as it does with native Avid media.
Edit and collaborate remotely in real time
Edit, share, tag, track and sync media and projects with everyone on your editing team-no matter where you are in the world. Media Composer enables you to connect to Interplay, Production systems through Media Composer, Cloud (formerly Interplay Sphere), making remote cloud-based collaboration easy and cost-effective. What's more, you can edit just as efficiently as you would if you were all at the home facility, using the same tools and workflows you know and trust.
Gain total audio control
Forget wasting time mixing down audio levels by trial and error. With the new Master Audio Fader, you can insert RTAS plug-ins to tweak tones and optimize the overall program loudness, making broadcast regulation adherence quick and easy. You can also now make audio adjustments to any clip directly in the timeline-independently of any track-based automation-with the Clip Gain control.
Streamline the video workflow with Pro Tools users
Video Satellite is now included with Media Composer, enabling audio editors and mixers to play Avid HD and SD video sequences directly in sync with their Pro Tools session, while maintaining full system power. In addition, Pro Tools, Software now includes the Avid Video Engine, enabling Pro Tools sound editors and mixers to play HD video of the latest Media Composer cuts directly in the Pro Tools timeline.
Expand your creativity with options
Edit with the exact tools you need by simply adding options for the workflows you want. Add advanced and secondary color correction tools, mastering tools and the Boris Continuum Complete Lite effects pack with the Media Composer, Symphony Option for online editing. Integrate Media Composer into iNEWS and ENPS workflows with the Media Composer, NewsCutter Option for news editing. And capture, monitor and output video with a hardware-accelerated Media Composer, Nitris DX or Media Composer, Mojo DX video I/O interface.
Full 64-bit power
Fast gets even faster with native 64-bit operation, so even when you layer together the most complex effects, things will still feel snappy. Experience smoother playback, faster rendering performance and better handling with large bins-and say goodbye to the old memory limitations of 32-bit operating systems.
Work with any media
File-based media, 2K/4K/5K footage, analog and digital tape, stereoscopic 3D material, film-bring it on. Media Composer offers ACE-certified editing tools and a wide range of features, workflows and options that enable you to work with everything, from old-school media to the latest camera technologies. Plus, you can work in HD from a high-res source without having to transcode or resize files.
Open to anything
You never know what kinds of media, projects and people will arrive at your desk or doorstep. That's why Media Composer offers open workflows, so you can take on whatever challenge awaits. Work with high-res sources, file-based media, tape and film. Capture and monitor with your choice of powerful and reliable Avid or third-party interfaces. Accelerate editing with Artist Series control surfaces. Integrate into any professional production pipeline. And collaborate seamlessly with Pro Tools editors.
Experience cutting-edge storytelling
It doesn't matter how you learned to edit-Media Composer goes where others leave off, enabling you to work the way you want. Trim and manipulate on the fly using the Smart Tool, or perform ultra-precise edits using traditional tools. Mix and match media formats, frame rates, resolutions and more in the same timeline without rendering. And edit HD material in real time-in mastering picture quality-using Avid DNxHD or DNxHD 444.
Experience the "waitless" workflow
With AMA (Avid Media Access), you can instantly access and edit file-based media-including ARRI ALEXA MXF, RED (EPIC, SCARLET-x and ONE), AVCHD, ProRes, QuickTime (including footage from HDSLR cameras), XDCAM, P2, Canon XF and other formats-without transcoding or copying files. Preview footage without the wait. And as new cameras and formats emerge, manufacturers can create and release their own AMA plug-ins independently from a software release.
Edit 3D
Edit stereoscopic 3D material as quickly and easily as you do with standard 2D footage, with a full set of features and workflows. Capture, edit and manage the complete 3D end-to-end workflow. Mix and match 2D and stereoscopic 3D clips on the same track. Plus, work with full frame and frame-compatible sources, dedicated 3D editing tools, video effects and more.
Accelerate performance with Avid hardware
For the fastest capture/edit/monitor/output workflows, pair Media Composer with a Media Composer, Nitris DX or Media Composer, Mojo DX video interface and experience hardware-accelerated power that's second to none. You can even customize Nitris DX with up to two Avid DNxHD or AVC-Intra chips to fully support stereoscopic 3D and HD RGB 4:4:4 workflows.
Collaborate with everyone, everywhere
Share media, projects and bins-locally and across the world-to complete projects on time and on budget. With Avid ISIS, you and your team can access the same assets and capture media to the same volume simultaneously, without copying. Collaborate across mixed editing platforms, including Final Cut Pro, through AMA, which supports ProRes encoding (Mac only) and decoding. Share audio mixes with Pro Tools editors-and vice-versa-using AAF. And extend real-time production everywhere with Media Composer, Cloud (formerly Interplay Sphere).
Work with the hardware you have
Media Composer is fully open thanks to Avid Open I/O, so you can work with your choice of powerful and reliable Avid audio and video interfaces or third-party video I/O cards, including those from AJA, Blackmagic Design, Bluefish444, Matrox and MOTU. Manufacturers can simply create plug-ins using Avid Open I/O to have their hardware work with Media Composer, meaning you'll have even more choices to come.