I am messing around with Avid, the free video editor, just to get "the feel of it".

When exporting to AVI, I get a default frame size of 720x486. I am coming from the Adobe world where NTSC AVI is 720x480... why is Avid doing it a different way?

Thanks,

When you go to export your file, when it asks you to name the file, there should be an options button. Thats where you would be able to set it to export 720x480, as well as choose file type etc.

Read this for a good explanation of the difference:

http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=324428&sliceId=1

Sorry, perhaps I should have put a little more effort into detailing my question.

I am well aware of image sizes in DV/HDV in different TV standards, and have the pixel aspect ratio, image aspect ratio and all that good stuff under my belt - been doing digital video for years and years. My question was WHY is Avid set to 720x486 BY DEFAULT when all other apps I used before, have it set to 480?

Yes, I can set it manually to 720x480, but WHY is it not set this way by default? I did choose NTSC when I started my project...

Is it because on the computer running Avid only has the codecs that came with Windows and Avid reverts automatically to D1 instead of DV? Would it go to 720x480 if I had some other, specifically DV codec installed in addition to the Microsoft Video 1 codec?

Another question: is this free version going to expire in two weeks or a month? I have not seen anywhere mentioned that it's a trial version...

Thanks,

Okay, it's just an opinion, so feel free to disagree, but:

"D1 is an international television standard"

Sounds like a professional editing program SHOULD follow that standard. But I'm only guessing. I do not know the reason. Good question.

As for AVID FreeDV, it does not expire. It's a true fee editing program. Just be aware, however, that if you decide to buy AVID later, the projects won't be compatible, though projects between the differing non-free AVID versions are indeed compatible.

Hi Vito, thanks for replying. We're probably getting close to clearing the confusion: while it is true that D1 is an international digital television standard, DV is also an international standard with a broader application not for television, but for digital video in general.

So it looks like Avid follows the D1 standard; all other video editing programs I used so far, follow the DV standard.

So it looks like Avid follows the D1 standard; all other video editing programs I used so far, follow the DV standard.

Avid is pretty flexible - you'll find six different ways to insert and trim in your timeline and you just have to choose what works for you. Similarly with export you have options. While the default template may be set to 720x486 you can quickly make a custom template that will be available to all projects with your user profile for 720x486. After changing this option simply choose "save as" andname the template something like NTSC QT DV. You can even rename the existing template as NTSC QT D1. I don't know if these options exist in FreeDV - I believe it's pretty crippled.

Actually the software is a lot LESS CRIPPLED than I expected (yes, the "save as" option IS available).

Really, the only other free video editor available (not counting the trial versions of big programs like Premiere Pro) is Windows Movie Maker... talk about crippled! WMM has no luma/chroma adjustments, no multitrack editing, very basic titling, no audio editing and is very limited in export formats. So thanks, Avid!