Hi

I have used xpress pro 4.6 for many years in a small editing set up at home making one regular programme using DVCAM footage in and out through the firewire.  I have dabbled with v5 HD and Media Composer but have always found trouble with annoying and highly time consuming issues such as  green lines on titles and an almost pathological tendency to halting a digital cut within just a few minutes of the end of the playout.  This would be OK if I was cutting to a digibeta..........!!

I use a modern Dell computer with Intel dual core 2.4Mhz.

What is the general concensus out there as far as the most stable version of software is concerned and are there major benefits over good old 4.6 ??  (I dont need HD).

Or shall I just stay in the past and dust off my Duran Duran records?

Well, the main reason to upgrade this month would be that you can move up to MediaComposer rather cheaply, unlocking all those MC features. With that you'll get the new software, that has some nice new features, like RT multi-window TC burnin. I've always felt that the 5.7 / 2.7 software and later has been very stable and worthwhile.

Clive Lawrence:

Or shall I just stay in the past and dust off my Duran Duran records?

I still have 4.6 and it still works fine. I have also had and used almost every update from 4.6 to present. As with 4.6 all have had various quirks. Non have been show stoppers for me. 5.8 has a lot of advantages over 4.6 even without the need for HD.

If your Dell meets the criteria for 5.8 I would move to it.  Or better still for $395 download you can update to MC 2.8 and be elidgible for MC version 3 when it comes out (my reading of update from any version of Pro to MC).  You can still run 4.6 from the updated to MC dongle and or any version in between 4.6 and 5.8 that you choose to download.

Xpress Pro 5.8.x has been very good to me (while the 5.2 and 5.5 series were a little troublesome in some ways). I'm also finding MC 2.8 to be rock solid for me.

Nothing wrong with Duran Duran though.

I was stuck in the 1990's a couple of years ago - doing online conforms in a linear suite with an Accom Axial controller, GVG switcher, Inscriber, Quantel Paintbox and a 2-channel DVE... That was truly being stuck in the 90's. I've never loved Confidence view on Digibeta decks as much as I did then (and Preread was a live-saver). Nothing seems that hard once you've made do with three disk-based recorders each only capable of 30 seconds storage...

Well there is that whole issue of not being able to capture audio on any version past 5.2, but, I guess that's no big deal, right?

Thanks to everyone so far - my main concern is that I use a  lot of title tool graphics and have to digital cut to a DSR11 to meet a tight deadline so my previous attempts at 5.2 and MC2.7 have been abortive.  Any more thoughts/recommendations (apart from my record collection) would be appreciated. 

Ah, yes.  The DSR-11.  Take note of my earlier post here and be sure to read these posts that started a few years back:

http://community.avid.com/forums/t/37849.aspx?PageIndex=1

http://community.avid.com/forums/t/26620.aspx?PageIndex=1

http://community.avid.com/forums/t/41275.aspx?PageIndex=1

And, according to recent information from BLKDOG, Avid (despite its "new focus" on the customer) has no intentions whatsoever to address or fix this problem.  Use caution, Clive, and best of luck.

 I'm still using 3.5 and it is rock solid. Although I am getting some requests for HD, but no jobs big enough to upgrade the whole system.

Greg

BTW: I don't think there was any AXP 4.6 in the 90's; that was released well into the 21st century. And Duran Duran lists as an 80's band in my book.