Buzz : Broadcast

ABC, Avid Bring Real-world Newsroom Solutions to Students

TUnruh — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:24:00 GMT

This week ABC kicks off the second year of its ABC On Campus initiative - a program designed to provide students with hands-on experience creating and broadcasting news stories. Graduates from last year's program have since secured jobs at various station affiliates (of CBS, NBC, CNN and ABC) and are now working successfully in the broadcast field across the country, as reported by ABC.

The addition of a sixth college bureau and a fresh pool of aspiring newsroom professionals round out the group eager to access the same Avid industry solutions that the network uses.

ABC has all the news online about the 2009-2010 program. Plus, view student-generated stories to get a sneak peek behind these industry up-and-comers.

New Functionality: What You're Missing In Meridien

TUnruh — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:20:00 GMT

For folks who are wondering why they should upgrade to new Avid Media Composer versions, Steve Cohen (Splice Here) has summarized the latest features. Here's an overview (versions 3.0.5 and beyond):

16 tracks of playable audio.
Realtime audio dissolves.
Multiple tracks of realtime visual effects.
Select everything to the right.
Realtime timecode burnin.
Spectramatte.
Faster waveform display
Faster saves, even with big bins.
Timeline responsiveness.
Overall responsiveness.
Stability.
Scroll Wheel support.
OS X Leopard.
Improved locators.
Additional improvements to segment and trim modes.
High Def.

For Steve's full post, check out: Time to Upgrade (Splice Here).

Studio Monthly Q&A: Avid Storage

TUnruh — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:40:00 GMT

Avid's Doug Hynes recently spoke with Studio Monthly about all things storage The interview is available online and presents readers with a high-level snapshot of Avid's product line, storage philosophy and some of the key factors worth considering when evaluating storage solutions.

Exclusive: CBS using new Avid systems for National Convention coverage

TUnruh — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:50:00 GMT

In TV Technology's article 'Avid Accelerates CBS' Convention Coverage,' Walt Leiding (technical supervisor and editor for CBS News) briefly describes the workflow, which includes Avid NewsCutter Nitris DX and Avid VideoRAID storage systems with the Avid DNxHD 145 codec.

"Leiding said the Avid Nitris gave him 'unprecedented' abilities for controlling source and sequence."

"He [Leiding] added, 'Organization is the key to editing, in general, and the ability to cherry pick HD shots that I know will sync up in one of the best parts of the Avid systems. It's like driving a really responsive German sport car. The system goes wherever I point it, and it can stop on a dime. It's a dream."

For more information, check out the Avid news 'CBS Relies on New HD Avid Solutions for National Convention Coverage.'

Newly launched Avid DS 10 is a fast, flexible and effective solution designed to handle FX-online, compositing and graphics, and hi-res conform

TUnruh — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:01:00 GMT

Exciting news from Avid this week. The Avid DS family is alive and kicking -- and better than ever with new features and lower pricing...

This week marks the launch of the newest version of the product: Avid DS 10 - a solution designed to save customers time and money by delivering advanced finishing tools within one application. Avid DS customers will be able to more effectively manage their project pipeline, take on a wider variety of projects, work with the highest quality images and continue to deliver the best end product to their customers.

Check out the recent customer story 'Ironik and Bluefoot Entertainment Team Up for Marquis Programming on ESPN' to learn about the Avid DS 10 system in action -

"The new DS really flies with eight processors churning away. There are lots of real-time effects, and the real-time secondary color correction - the same as in Symphony, makes the whole color experience much more complete and far easier." - Sean Stall (Ironik Design and Post)

What the industry is saying -

"[Avid DS 10 is a] very interactive and very intuitive system to use..." - Declan MacErlane (Piranha Bar, Ireland). In a recent Digital Production Buzz podcast interview, MacErlane dives into a discussion on the new features and flexibility of the Avid DS 10 system.

"...Avid DS is a superior choice for cross platform finishing as well. Access to fast and sophisticated effects is invaluable for feature film HD conforms and DIs. Any shows that require extensive visual effects work such as commercials, promos or music videos can be finished with ease on Avid DS regardless of the offline platform." - Igor Ridanovic, Kappa Studios (HD Head, 'Avid Announces the Release of DS v10')

"This latest DS showed very impressive performance and does it at a much lower price point than before. Avid is reaching out to customers in a way that most of its competitors cannot, and it's offering a complete turnkey system with comprehensive support." - Steve Cohen (Splice Here, 'DSv10')

"Avid DS supports such key functions as conform and color correction. Version 10 includes a new stereoscopic container as well as a redesigned color management tool interface and support for Avid's infrastructure products." - (The Hollywood Reporter, 'Avid advances in the art of 3-D')

"So much of sports content these days is footage shot in competition situations that then needs to be packaged or dressed up for show opens or montages. The broad image-processing toolset within DS version 10, as well as its ability to handle a variety of file-based formats, means that it's a tool that our customers can use to create all of this compelling content right away." - Angus Mackay, product marketing manager for editing products at Avid, in an interview with Sports Video Group, 'Avid's New DS 10 Speeds Hi-Res Online Creative'

Pow! Pix using new Avid Symphony Nitris DX systems for on-the-ground coverage of the Beijing Olympics

TUnruh — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:41:00 GMT

Pow! Pix owner Bob Barzyk is over in Beijing editing on-site at the Olympics with an all-Avid workflow, including three new Avid Symphony Nitris DX systems. In the interview with Studio Daily, Bob talks about why he invested in the new systems:

"These systems are just blazing fast and very stable from what we have seen so far. While we're on the ground in Beijing, there is no room for error. We needed a solution that would allow us to get the media into the system, and start cutting right after the competition ends..."

He continued, "Our decision to upgrade to the [Avid] Symphony Nitris systems for Beijing was mainly driven by the time savings associated with not having to render and the fact that these systems perform like the old workhorse Meridien systems that the industry has come to know and love. Except now, you get the same reliability, stability and speed working in HD."

To check out the full Q&A, go to "Editing On-Site at the Olympics."