JVC HD vs Avid Xpress pro

Antony Michael Wilson · October 24th, 2006, 07:59 AM

That's pretty rotten. So, it may well be the case when other frame rates are supported that low bit rate DNx are the only non-native options. That would be very disappointing. There is a DNx 175 for 720p/24 but I wonder if we'll get anything like that. There is already a DNx 720p/25 codec but it's DNx 60. Oh dear. I'm working at 1080p DNx 185, which is quite simply a superb codec. 60 seems stupidly low, even for 720p. Add to this that existing support doesn't give you SD preview via Mojo and there are grounds for serious concern.

I guess we shouldn't get our hopes up on full HDV1 support from Avid at this stage. Even when it does come, it may well be inadequate.

Here's hoping I'm wrong!

Jiri Bakala · October 24th, 2006, 04:25 PM

Let's face it, Avid just released their MOJO SDI, which does NOT support HD preview of any kind. Only SD and only for interlaced HD formats. What are the chances that they would wake up from their extended sleep and quickly bring to the market some sort of hardware interface allowing HD preview and possibly hardware supported HD capture? I say - nil.

The only possiblility would be opening up to third party manufacturers and allowing AJA and Decklink (and others) to adapt their hardware to work with Avid. I am not very technical at this level so I am not even sure why the cards can work with Adobe and Apple product and not with Avid. Perhaps it's some driver or programing inside Avid software? In either case, Avid will say that they have their own hardware support with Adrenaline and other high-end product and that's that. Heck, even Adrenaline won't support HD unless it has the DNxcel card installed - I think somewhere around $6k for the card alone...

Am I hearing some really loud snoring? Ah, it's just Avid back in bed napping away, I am afraid...:-(

Antony Michael Wilson · October 25th, 2006, 02:40 AM

I hear you Jiri. As you say, there's not a snowball's chance in hell that Avid will ever support third-party I/O hardware. They will have to sort out the feature/price paradigm at some point before all their customers wonder what's going on. IMHO, Avid does still have by far the best cutting interface out there as well as a handful of other major advantages for professional work and those advantages make it worth paying a premium. The problem is the premium is so far outside the bounds of reason that it's completely ridiculous and it's hard to make a case against FCP based on this.

Avid often been slow to adapt in the past and to be fair, this is because they usually take the time to do things right where other NLEs rush features/products to market. However, in the case of HDV1 support the Avid situation is beyond farcical now. As I've said many times, Avid reps told me 'soon' in September 2005...

October 24th, 2006, 04:25 PM	#32
Jiri Bakala Major Player Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kelowna BC Canada Posts: 706	Let's face it, Avid just released their MOJO SDI, which does NOT support HD preview of any kind. Only SD and only for interlaced HD formats. What are the chances that they would wake up from their extended sleep and quickly bring to the market some sort of hardware interface allowing HD preview and possibly hardware supported HD capture? I say - nil. The only possiblility would be opening up to third party manufacturers and allowing AJA and Decklink (and others) to adapt their hardware to work with Avid. I am not very technical at this level so I am not even sure why the cards can work with Adobe and Apple product and not with Avid. Perhaps it's some driver or programing inside Avid software? In either case, Avid will say that they have their own hardware support with Adrenaline and other high-end product and that's that. Heck, even Adrenaline won't support HD unless it has the DNxcel card installed - I think somewhere around $6k for the card alone... Am I hearing some really loud snoring? Ah, it's just Avid back in bed napping away, I am afraid...:-( __________________ www.ascentfilms.com

October 24th, 2006, 07:59 AM	#31
Antony Michael Wilson Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 343	That's pretty rotten. So, it may well be the case when other frame rates are supported that low bit rate DNx are the only non-native options. That would be very disappointing. There is a DNx 175 for 720p/24 but I wonder if we'll get anything like that. There is already a DNx 720p/25 codec but it's DNx 60. Oh dear. I'm working at 1080p DNx 185, which is quite simply a superb codec. 60 seems stupidly low, even for 720p. Add to this that existing support doesn't give you SD preview via Mojo and there are grounds for serious concern. I guess we shouldn't get our hopes up on full HDV1 support from Avid at this stage. Even when it does come, it may well be inadequate. Here's hoping I'm wrong!

October 25th, 2006, 02:40 AM	#33
Antony Michael Wilson Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: London, UK Posts: 343	I hear you Jiri. As you say, there's not a snowball's chance in hell that Avid will ever support third-party I/O hardware. They will have to sort out the feature/price paradigm at some point before all their customers wonder what's going on. IMHO, Avid does still have by far the best cutting interface out there as well as a handful of other major advantages for professional work and those advantages make it worth paying a premium. The problem is the premium is so far outside the bounds of reason that it's completely ridiculous and it's hard to make a case against FCP based on this. Avid often been slow to adapt in the past and to be fair, this is because they usually take the time to do things right where other NLEs rush features/products to market. However, in the case of HDV1 support the Avid situation is beyond farcical now. As I've said many times, Avid reps told me 'soon' in September 2005...