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http://www.macnn.com/articles/03/10/13/avid.free/

Avid Free DV: 'Don't try this at home'

updated 07:15 am EDT, Mon October 13, 2003

 
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The Boston Globe's review of the recently released : "Free video editing programs like Apple's iMovie and Microsoft's Windows Movie Maker don't have anything to fear from Avid Free DV...Avid's offering is a pale version of its robust Express line of editing products...But for the merely curious, this software is a nightmare. It isn't intuitive. It obfuscates its functions with jargon. And its interface is daunting. That's quite a checklist of negatives when you take into account there are no tutorials to explain the workings of the program, its help files are unhelpful, and there's no technical support."


by MacNN Staff

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 software, video editing

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  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    10/13, 07:37am | report spam | Reply |

    The One, The Only-iMovie

    iMovie is the best for the home hobbyist.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    10/13, 08:37am | report spam | Reply |

    Avid Systems

    All their interfaces are belong to c***.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    10/13, 09:23am | report spam | Reply |

    Avid

    I wonder how this free version compaires to the $$$ Avid products? I mean all all the user interfaces this bad? I have not tried Avid yet, but maybe it is not even worth the time.

    Final Cut Express could be a much better deal even though its $300 more and then there is iMovie for free! :)

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    10/13, 09:44am | report spam | Reply |

    Reviewer is [edited]!

    While it may be tempting to review and compare other 'free video editing' products such as iMovie, I find it humorous to have a review say the interface is confusing because of 'jargon'. Sheesh video-editing has been around a long time with its own lingo/jargon.

    Consumer editing software like iMovie may want to 'hide' the language, but Avid is not. I read another person posting on this software as more of a 'trial' to get users to upgrade and learn the software and interface.

    While I haven't downloaded and tried the software, I can only assume it has more features than the free iMovie from Apple. Even if it doesn't, I have a hard time believing they are targeting the neophyte video editor. Their products have been targetted to professionals for quite some time.

    It doesn't look like the reviewer even gave the software a chance, and was expecting something free which is designed to really be a 'trial version' to have all the features and uses of a consumer application.

    I can't stand reviewers to slam a product when they don't understand its market. Sure there are things to learn and new terms as with ANY field that's new to you. Download and try out the software yourself -- don't rely on this guy's lame excuse for a review.

    AND HE'S GETTING PAID TO SAY THAT! I can't believe getting paid to write that review without adequately researching and testing the software.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    10/13, 09:57am | report spam | Reply |

    Re:Reviewer is [edited]!

    You are are right in that nothing about this product lets me think it's targeted at consumers, or the same people who use iMovie or Movie maker.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    10/13, 10:14am | report spam | Reply |

    Nightmare is right.

    It caused a kernal panic in my machine. Totally useless.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    10/13, 10:15am | report spam | Reply |

    Editor needs reviewer

    Avid , in trying to enlarge its' dv market with Avid FreeDV editor, releases this software
    but builds it for 667 mghz g4's or better. I realize how intensive this kind of software is on cpu's but at least other companies who
    try to lure new users to their brand make it accessible to the
    G3 crowd. So you iBook users, don't waste your time downloading this. Apple, and Maya (and yes,their subsidy Digidesign) who have offered free (or reduced) versions of their software at least make it
    usuable across the majority of configurations(ok we're waitng for Free Protools on OSX but it works great in 9) ..I'm complaining
    because I'd like to give Avid a fair shot. But installing it fails at less than it's requirement for a CPU. It's in the specs (dig a little you'll find it) but they are hardly upfront about it. If companies really want to make inroads to a consumer-based audience shouldn't they at least make it obvious who can check it out?
    BTW, FCE runs great on my iMac.

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    10/13, 10:27am | report spam | Reply |

    Re:Reviewer is [edited]!

    Good point. Digi/Avid also makes ProTools Free. No one in their right mind would think that it is meant for the recording novice. It's just a version of ProTools you can use without paying the big bucks for ProTools hardware.

    And then there's Maya Learning Edition (or whatever it's called). Free != easy.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    10/13, 11:52am | report spam | Reply |

    learning Avid

    Can anyone tell me if the interface is the same as other Avid systems. I'm an editor who already knows FCP and Media 100, but a lot of jobs require AVID. I am interested in Free DV JUST to learn the interface.

  1. MacNN.com Reader

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    10/13, 01:03pm | report spam | Reply |

    RE: Learning Avid

    Yes, the interface is the same as the other Avid products. It is the same code base as Avid Express Pro and Media Composer Adrenaline. They have just stripped the effects and other features to a minimum. I think this free solution is a great idea for those wanting to learn the interface and experiment with Avid's products. There is just one huge problem in my opinion. Avid has made the projects incompatible with their other products. So when Joe producer finds that he likes the interface or even more importantly finds he needs some more capabilities and effects, he needs to start his show over from stratch! I sure Avid did this so they can still make money, but this is a horrid approach to that problem.

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