Avid Studio vs. Sony Vegas Pro/Studio

[HoosierGuy]

I use Sony Vegas Studio and I plan to step up to Vegas Pro very soon. I want to also learn an editing program that professionals use. I read
professionals in TV and Hollywood use Avid Media Composer. I don't want to spend $2,500 on Avid Media Composer so I thought I would try
their home version - Avid Studio.

Has any one used Avid Studio and do you like it? Is it user friendly? How would you compare it to Sony Vegas Studio and Pro? I find Sony Vegas Studio to be very user friendly (once you know how to use it.) Going from Vegas Studio to Avid Studio, would I enjoy it or hate it?

[edDV]

A few years back Avid acquired Pinnacle Systems. Avid Studio is an outgrowth of the Pinnacle Studio product, not the Avid Media Composer/Nitrus lines. According to PC Pro, Avid Studio targets Adobe Premiere Elements and Sony Movie Studio.
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/software/366292/avid-studio

Avid used to have a free demo of their user interface called Avid Free DV. As the name implied, it only worked with DV format in and out. You may still be able to find it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avid_Free_DV

You can get a free Trial of Media Composer here.
http://www.avid.com/US/products/Media-Composer?cmpid=70140000000TgRp

[HoosierGuy]

A few years back Avid acquired Pinnacle Systems. Avid Studio is an outgrowth of the Pinnacle Studio product, not the Avid Media Composer/Nitrus lines. According to PC Pro, Avid Studio targets Adobe Premiere Elements and Sony Movie Studio.

Is there a version of Avid that is under $1,000 (preferably under $400) that is a Jr. version of Avid Media Composer the way Vegas Studio is to Vegas Pro? Or, is there anyway to get Avid Media Composer for under $500 instead of $2,400?

[budwzr]

There's no way you're ready for Vegas Pro. It takes at least a year to get the hang of Studio.

[edDV]

Avid Media Composer is intended for multi user workflow and can have steep hardware and IT support requirements. Unless you think you are going to get a job in an Avid facility, you probably don't want it. You can download the trial to experience it. Pay attention to minimum system requirements.

Avid also has a line of Newsroom edit products intended for TV stations. Easier to get a job there. They used to sell a DV format Product called Avid Xpress DV. I don't see it in their product list anymore. The rest of the edit products came from Pinnacle. Most were acquisitions, not developed at Pinnacle.

[HoosierGuy]

There's no way you're ready for Vegas Pro. It takes at least a year to get the hang of Studio.

Iv'e had Vegas Studio for about a year now, plus have a good DVD (Bill Myers) that showed me how to use it. Plus Iv'e read here and elsewhere that the jump from Studio to Pro is not that difficult.

I'm definitely jumping up to Pro in early 2012. But I also want to learn a program the professionals use (along with Vegas Pro).

[HoosierGuy]

Avid Media Composer is intended for multi user workflow and can have steep hardware and IT support requirements. Unless you think you are going to get a job in an Avid facility, you probably don't want it. You can download the trial to experience it. Pay attention to minimum system requirements.

Avid also has a line of Newsroom edit products intended for TV stations.

Yes, I would be interested in those.

[edDV]

http://www.avid.com/US/products/NewsCutter-Software

[HoosierGuy]

http://www.avid.com/US/products/NewsCutter-Software

It looks like those Avid programs are geared to be sold to companies/stations rather than someone like me who wants to buy a program and learn it. I mean, Sony is sending me emails to get Vegas Pro for a reduced price. That simple. But the Avid programs seem to be a bigger jump.

[edDV]

http://www.avid.com/US/products/NewsCutter-Software

It looks like those Avid programs are geared to be sold to companies/stations rather than someone like me who wants to buy a program and learn it. I mean, Sony is sending me emails to get Vegas Pro for a reduced price. That simple. But the Avid programs seem to be a bigger jump.

Avid mostly sells through VARs and system integrators.

[JimmyS]

Is there a version of Avid that is under $1,000 (preferably under $400) that is a Jr. version of Avid Media Composer the way Vegas Studio is to Vegas Pro? Or, is there anyway to get Avid Media Composer for under $500 instead of $2,400?

DoYou know any elegible students?.

http://www.academicsuperstore.com/products/Avid/Media+Composer/1522372

http://apps.avid.com/academiceligibility/

[budwzr]

There's no advantage in Vegas Pro unless you're needing compositing tools.

And it's not the gear, it's the technique. Same as cameras. Lousy cooking doesn't get better using expensive pots and pans.

Not to say you're not making great progress though. Has it really been a year since you first started posting here? Time really flies, whew.

I know you've got the bug, and that's the most important thing.

Ask yourself the question "What CAN'T I do in Studio, that I need a broader software?". If the answer is "I dunno, I just want to see what I'm missing", then you're not ready.

But in any case, you're lucky you started in Vegas, because Vegas has such a broad collection of tools. The SAME tools PRO compositors use and look for in any software. Add, Multiply, Subtract, Difference, Height Map, Bump Map, etc.

Stick with Vegas!

Here's some cool free stuff: http://hitfilm.com/christmas-message Don't tell anybody else.

[budwzr]

Merry Chrizm!