Avid Free DV - a Final Cut Express? an iMovie?

francisg3francisg3
Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
Anyone see this:



It's a free version of Avid's video-editing software. I read the feature list, but can't really figure out how powerful it is. Wanted to leave it for you video-editing stars out there.



I was looking to buy Final Cut Express, but if this version looks better, heck, you can save me some money!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    k_munick_munic Posts: 357member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by francisG3

    Anyone see this:



    It's a free version of Avid's video-editing software. I read the feature list, but can't really figure out how powerful it is. Wanted to leave it for you video-editing stars out there.



    I was looking to buy Final Cut Express, but if this version looks better, heck, you can save me some money!



    haven't used it yet, but reading the feature list, it seems to be a kind of iMovie with some extras and some minuses:



    like FC(E), you have the possbility to have more then just one video track. so, (as mentioned, not yet tested), some basic picture-in-picture effects should be possible. in iMovie you need some extra plug-ins, or you have to pre-produce these pic-in-pic effects with qt pro...



    btw: you can get dozends of plug-ins for iMovie, no for avid...-



    on the other hand, iMovie is perfect integrated in the iLife concept: use your iTunes playlists, burn DVDs with chapters etc. ...-



    i will give it a try, i'm a hobbyist, im still in the transition from iMovie to FCE, which is a mighty tool (at the moment, i love best, is the total integration of photoshop files including layers - you can animate every single layer of a chart, so you can realize really faszinating effects!), but has a very high learning curve (no good books in german available) and is for my purposes a little bit overdone (hey, i'm using a Cube450MHz...- what is realtime ?)
  • Reply 2 of 10
    eugeneeugene Posts: 8,254member
    Yeesh, it installs quite a few .kexts. I'll let someone else do stability testing first...
  • Reply 3 of 10
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    It's basically an Avid with limited real time effects, a bare bones set of editing features, and none of the advanced compnents that have been placed into Avid's editors... like advanced audio, color correction, and compositing.



    Who this is good for: Definitely students. You'll be using an Avid, and as such, you'll get to learn the interface. And if this is something you'll be getting into, DV Xpress for students is sitting at around $500, and is a really powerful piece of software.



    If you're going to be trying to use this software commercially, it may not be such a grand idea. Some of the editing features it lacks I don't know if I could live without. But then again, I really am spoiled by my Media Composer...
  • Reply 4 of 10
    kecksykecksy Posts: 1,002member
    Hmm, system requirements list a 667MHz G4. I wonder if it will run on slower machines, namely mine.
  • Reply 5 of 10
    running with scissorsrunning with scissors Posts: 1,124member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Kecksy

    Hmm, system requirements list a 667MHz G4. I wonder if it will run on slower machines, namely mine.



    i installed it on my work mac, currently a 466 g4, and it seems to work fine.
  • Reply 6 of 10
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Free DV actually supports a limited number of real time effects, so the requirements are probably at 667MHz for that reason.
  • Reply 7 of 10
    homhom Posts: 1,098member
    Uh, I wouldn't install this just yet. According to Avid support forums this is causing massive issues for people. Just a friendly heads up from a Happy FCP User?.
  • Reply 8 of 10
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Eugene

    Yeesh, it installs quite a few .kexts. I'll let someone else do stability testing first...



    Indeed. There is absolutely no reason at all that Avid Free should be installing kexts.



    I wouldn't trust it, folks, especially given HOM's post above.
  • Reply 9 of 10
    kecksykecksy Posts: 1,002member
    Yeah, I'll stick with iMovie for now until they fix this thing.
  • Reply 10 of 10
    dmband0026dmband0026 Posts: 2,345member
    I'm stickin with FCP. I'm extremely happy with it.
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