Avid Media Composer on NON-qualified systems???

[Steve Kahn]

How many are able to run Xpress Pro or Media Composer on a non-qualified computer or workstation?

[Jeff Clegg]

I've been able to run Media Composer on the same non qualified machine on which I was running Xpress Pro. I did try to build it with Avid specs in mind. I don't think I have had too many problems in the couple years I have been running it.

[Steve Kahn]

Thanks Jeff.

When you built your system do you think there was anything that you did that was critical to your success?

That is... did you just use say an Avid recommended video card and try to stick to the board socket placement they required?

I would like to use Avid but would rather not set up a whole HP workstation if I could buy a HP personal computer off the shelf.

[Jeff Clegg]

The most critical thing has most probably been sheer luck, though I did try to go with Avid specs as closely as I could (video card, processor, etc.). I ended up buying the parts individually from a (now out of business) internet dealer and putting it together myself. I did originally try to run Xpress Pro on a cheap gateway that was also my personal computer and had a lot of problems, though that may have been due to it being my everyday computer. I think there are a few threads on the Avid forums detailing home built/non approved systems, you may want to take a look there.

[Ervin Farkas]

I tested the Xpress Pro trial version (fully functional just time limited as far as I know) on an office Dell (Intel dual core @ 2.3 GHz, 1GB RAM, 128 MB ATI Radeon X1300 video card) and worked fine.

[Mike Meyerson]

I haven't upgraded to MC yet, but I have built 2 computers for use with XPRO w/ mojo with very few problems. From what I hear, if XPRO works on your computer, so will MC.

The most important aspects seem to be...stick with a Pentium CPU or CPU's, use an approved video card w/ avid approved drivers (mostly Nvidia), an approved firewire card, use the right operating system, service pack, and correct versions of quicktime and windows media player. And of coarse, it goes without saying...have at least a gig of RAM (the more the better) and at least a 7200rpm (the faster the better) hard drive dedicated for your media storage.

A lot of the problems people have are when using mojo and/or external storage with a home built system, if you don't use either, you'll run into less headaches.

Also, on my Avid, I like to keep it away from the internet...less potential problems. I don't have anti-virus on it and never run any windows updates. It only has what I need on it for video and DVD work...very bare-bones. I basically got it running and left if alone.

I can understand not spending the $$$ on an approved system (not a lot of computer for the money)...but if you earn a living editing, at least spend the $$ on the right parts.

[Peter Moretti]

IMHO, the most important thing is the video card. I have an nVIDIA Quadro FX and it works very well.

Look at what Avid recommends for components and you should be fine. Just stay off the net as much as possible. I've heard AVG is a good antivirus for use with Avid, but apparently it's best not use any, as far as MC/AXP is concerned.

[Gary Bettan]

We just released our latest DIY article http://www.videoguys.com/DIY6.html
This time it's a quad core - running Media Composer just great. From the article:

Back in March Avid dropped the bomb on the industry. They cut the price of Media Composer in half to $2,495. Even more significant, they lowered the price of the upgrade to $495! With Xpress Pro owners now able toupgrade to Media Composer software for $495 we knew that we would be bombarded with questions about system compatibility. Even more important, we knew that many users would ask for guidance on building or buying a new machine for Media Composer. We had to make sure that DIY6 ran Media Composer great. So we popped out the Radeon card and went with the latest QuadroFX 1700 card. While not yet approved by Avid, we know that the FX1400 and FX1500 were our go to graphics card recommendations for Media Composer users. In fact, we found that most of our Media Composer software tech calls where graphics card related, and that upgrading to a QuadroFX card fixed the problems over 90% of the time!

We are happy to report that the FX1700 and Media Composer are running GREAT in our DIY6 machine.
For a limited time we are offering an exclusinve bundle of the Avid Media Composer Upgrade, PNY Quadro FX1700 card and Class on Demand Complete Training for Avid Media Composer for just $999.95!

Gary

[Marcelo Lima]

Although i dont know nothing about avid (i'm learning now), i just installed MEDIA COMPOSER (xpress pro too) on CORE 2 QUAD Q6600, 2Gb of ram, video ATI x1600xt, sound card creative x-fi extreme gamer. it works flawless... Now i have to lear how to edit.. lol..

[John Mitchell]

The major problems used to be around bus resources, firewire clashes with Adrenaline and Mojo and the video card (as others have mentioned).

With the move to PCIe a lot of these problems should be avoided as the new motherboards have a lot more resources to draw upon. No more firewire clashes (unless you use the old hardware). Video cards - stick with NVidia Quadro's for the time being on a PC. Sound cards were another common problem where many onboard audio chipsets simply wouldn't work. ussually buying a decent third party card would solve these problems but take up another slot in your PC>

I recently built a dual quad core machine based around Tyan's i5000XT
http://www.tyan.com/product_board_detail.aspx?pid=43
(which has now been superseded by the i5400XT) - this board is basically identical to the boards used in the XW8400's - HP use Tyan MBs with some slight alterations to their specs.

To my mind these boards weren't quite as powerful as the nVidia MB chipsets which had 2 x 16 lane slots as standard and I built a quad core extreme around one of these (mainly as a render and graphics station) but it also appears to run Avid with no problems.

But remember this - if you go the build your own route and it doesn't work there is no point in blaming Avid. They have qualified systems for a reason. You may pay the price in performance or maybe it simply won't run. Personally I would steer clear of anything less than a dual quad core Xeon for serious HD editing in the future.

[Ryan M. Christensen]

Speaking of non-qualified systems. i am looking to purchase a laptop for editing in the field. Does anyone have any experience with the Dell XPS M1530 laptop? it meets the minimum requirements for the MC software-- However it has a GeForce 8600M GT video card, which is a Avid qualified card on the Mac systems, but not on the PC systems.

Any advice?

[Bill Busby]

Originally Posted by Ervin Farkas

I tested the Xpress Pro trial version (fully functional just time limited as far as I know) on an office Dell (Intel dual core @ 2.3 GHz, 1GB RAM, 128 MB ATI Radeon X1300 video card) and worked fine.

Avid? Trial version? Hmm... never heard of such an animal :-\ I didn't think the word "trial" was in Avid's vocabulary.

[Ervin Farkas]

The animal is well and alive, and trial is flourishing in the Avid vocabulary.

Please go here and see: http://www.avid.com/products/tryout.html

I might have been wrong on the version though, it might have been a (since discontinued) free version of their NLE - all this happened quite a while back. At least as of now, XPress Pro is not on the tryout list, but Liquid is!

[Devin Termini]

Originally Posted by Ervin Farkas

The animal is well and alive, and trial is flourishing in the Avid vocabulary.

Please go here and see: http://www.avid.com/products/tryout.html

I might have been wrong on the version though, it might have been a (since discontinued) free version of their NLE - all this happened quite a while back. At least as of now, XPress Pro is not on the tryout list, but Liquid is!

I wouldn't expect to see a trial for Xpress as it has also been discontinued. As far as I know they will still offer support for it, but they are not selling any new copies of it.

[Marshall Leaman]

There used to be a free version of Xpress that was limited in it's ability but gave an introduction to the Avid family. They discontinued that about 3 years ago or so. Probably what you remember working with.