12 June 2008

R.I.P. Xpress Pro

Well, it's been known for quite some time, but I thought it would be appropriate to have an official good bye to Xpress Pro. All of us dedicated users of Avid, whom found ourselves constantly using an unsupported product that required an upgrade every couple of months no longer have to feel the anguish and the guilt of living under our bigger cousin Media Composer.

Avid now offers a software-only version of Media Composer (priced at $2495 USD) to compete with the current software only market of Apple Final Cut Pro ($1299.99 USD) , Apple Final Cut Express ($199.99 USD) and Adobe Premiere Pro ($799.00). Obviously, priced higher, as it is a high-class product and we can't have the chaff using it.

So, good bye Xpress Pro. We shall, in some ways miss you. Now Avid does offer a $500 upgrade (for a limited time) for users of Xpress Pro to Media Composer. So, if you're following the Avid trail I'd hurry. I know I plan on having the extra tool around... OH WAIT, the new software is only for Intel Macs, excluding "legacy" G5 users from using any future Avid products. Oh well, I guess I'll just sit here and load Final Cut 5 on my old G3 as an assistant's logging station.

Well, look on the bright side all you assistant editors lucky enough to work on one of these new fangled Media Composers: Avid FINALLY has real-time TC burn in*.



** all prices as of June 12, 2008
*(so they claim)

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