Learning Avid Xpress Pro vs Vegas

[satwar]

I've heard a lot of good things about using Vegas as a prosumer. I have an opportunity to learn Avid Xpress HD Pro. Is it a lot harder to learn than Vegas?

[Cornucopia]

What is your background? If you have been a video editor, it should be fairly easy. If a standard computer user and/or hobbyist, there will be some learning curve, but it's still a good idea, especially if you're really serious about getting into editing. XpressProHD is a good industry workhorse.

Scott

[jtoolman2000]

Yes, but not THAT hard. One word of warning. It needs at least one gig of RAM as a minimum otherwise it will try to use virtual memory and that will cause it to become super slow.

We bought an AVID sytem at work but not the Version 5. It is best to have a dedicated computer for it and an external box called a MOJO which is a must for HD work.

Though Vegas will do just about everything you will ever need, however AVID is the industry standard as Photoshop is to image editing, it does not hurt at all to learn the system.

There's actually a set of 4 DVDs covering all the basics of AVID Express 5 DV
but the name of the maker escapes me right this moment.

[satwar]

AVID is the industry standard as Photoshop is to image editing

I think that is really the question I'm asking.

I'm just afraid it will get so complicated that I won't even be able to learn the basics. I have used Photoshop for several years, it is fairly easy to get going with the basics but there seem to be an infinite number of things you can learn to do with it, you use it for as much as the time you're willing to invest in it. That's the kind of learning curve I'm hoping for in video editing.

I have no background in video editing and it will be a casual hobby, so Vegas seems to be better suited for my needs but maybe Avid Xpress has the capability of being more satisfying to learn in the long run. I know I started with Photoshop Elements but it didn't take long before I was admiring other people's work and found out that I needed the full Photoshop application.

[jtoolman2000]

Well Avid is pretty much the same as any other major NLE. You set it up so it works on your PC. Lots of precessing power, lots of ram, high end graphics card Preferably two monitors.

There are several "modes" or modules that yoou use within the program just like in premiere. There is a capture , editing, special effects, sound and color correction modes.Simply it just meants that when you choose these, the proper palettes open up and are automatically arranged for you. Capturing video can be made simple and automatic or as advanced as anything you can think of - scene detection, batch, specific timecode sequences and such.
The time line editing is pretty much the same with as few cosmetic variations. You can load clips in the trim monitor and trim the ends as needed. They are loaded into the line. All sorts of edits can be done regular end to end additions of clicp, slip editing, two and three point edits. It's pretty much unlimited.
Without getting into it all and to answer your concern. Yes, you can learn Avid's basics and get to editing right away. You don't have to learn it all.
If you have the basic concepts of NLE you can start editing with AVID, VEGAS, PREMIERE in day or so. It's all the extra little features that will take you some time to master. The names of certain things will be diferent in AVID but simply puting out a movie with the basic # of clip, transitions / effects will not take more than a couple of days to knock off, once you spend a few days learning the BASIC steps.

[stiltman]

You don't have to learn it all.
If you have the basic concepts of NLE you can start editing with AVID, VEGAS, PREMIERE in day or so..

I know Premier and Vegas....Avid Adrenaline is a WHOLE new ball game.
If you knoiw Avid, give me some hints and shortcuts

[slacker]

And then there is Discreet Smoke! Totally pro ONLY!