Hi Atomike: I just read Oliver Peters' article on improving MC, and I agree with 100 % of his points. http://digitalfilms.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/improving-media-composer/

I hope Avid is listening and reading.

Mark Job

kirkenshrir:

By the way, I'm not sure if this page has been mentioned in the 30+ pages of this thread (I'm currently at page 10 in my reading...!) but here is a AMAZING in-depth list of where Avid SHOULD be focusing on:

http://digitalfilms.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/improving-media-composer/

Thanks for the site reference... that seems to say it all and then some...

I think the article sums up nicely this whole whole thread and the "MC5 Interface Settings Referendum - PLEASE PARTICIPATE!" thread/"facebook site blog"... 

The only thing he left out is AVID's inability to create and use a simple and effective proxy-video editing workflow process for HD source material.

Coming from Liquid to MC, I can honestly say that the Smart Tool is a toothache. Fifty million Frenchmen and/or Elvis fans can't be wrong. It needs to be fixed.

Just my 2¢

Atomike:

kirkenshrir:

By the way, I'm not sure if this page has been mentioned in the 30+ pages of this thread (I'm currently at page 10 in my reading...!) but here is a AMAZING in-depth list of where Avid SHOULD be focusing on:

http://digitalfilms.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/improving-media-composer/

I've just read this list, and it is very good.

Excellent list. I agree.

Atomike:

If the author had mentioned "advanced" keyframes, I would have agreed with the article 100%.

Regards,
Douglas

drbgaijin:

I agree 100% with the list as it is.... because I have no problems with the advanced keyframes changes. I would not have had it listed either.

I, on the other hand, would probably suck up almost all the other mistakes in MC5 if they would just restore simple keyframes.  Not saying I would be overjoyed about it, but at least I'd be able to work with it. Second on my list would be restoring keybaord commands . .third would be the ability to keep or remove the not-so-smart tool . . . I could go on and on . . . I'll stop - before I turn into a broken record . .

I forgot to mention: please remove the RTAS plugins from the effect palette, we can already access them via the timeline buttons and the tools menu, there's no need to jam the effect palette, which is in fact the video effects palette, with audio effects.

luca.mg:

I forgot to mention: please remove the RTAS plugins from the effect palette, we can already access them via the timeline buttons and the tools menu, there's no need to jam the effect palette, which is in fact the video effects palette, with audio effects.

Good point. What the heck were they thinking?

BarkinMadd:

What the heck were they thinking?

Probably to provide a certain amount of redundancy to accomodate different workflows for different folks. However, I would agree that having them available in the tools menu and the via the timeline should be in itself sufficient alternatives.

The effects palette is already crowded with the default Avid effects, the Plasma wipes if installed, and, for the boxed version, BCC and AvidFX, if You add to it whichever third party plugins one may own... and the effect palette has always been the place for video effects, mixing audio and video effects makes it more difficult to hunt for a given plugin, especially because there's no way to tell audio from video effects when looking at the palette.

luca.mg:

all the Windows applications, including MC up to version 4, can be minimized using the underscore button at the top right corner of the application itself, MC 5 doesn't stick to this standard

I can confirm now, and I completely agree with you.

Job ter Burg:

luca.mg:

all the Windows applications, including MC up to version 4, can be minimized using the underscore button at the top right corner of the application itself, MC 5 doesn't stick to this standard

I can confirm now, and I completely agree with you.

i don't know about you guys, but it minimize perfectly for me, on the latest version with latest patch: 7.0.3.7r

...during a render...?

no :-(

touché!

OK, here's one that's currently driving me crazy, and I don't remember seeing it mentioned here. Subject: using the darkest interface with white lettering. First, let me say that I've been playing around with this combination and I really like it. I've always thought that bright text on dark backgrounds really "pops" to the human eye much better than the reverse. Far more comfortable over longer periods of time. But, the one HUGE flaw that needs to be addressed is the fact that the all the slider buttons in the various windows are dark gray on dark gray and virtually invisible. The only exception to this that I've found is when you click on a parameter slider inside the effects editor. This really needs to be fixed and those buttons made brighter so you can actually SEE them. And being able to adjust the brightness of the lettering would be helpful as well.

Don't know if these are known or not, but here's some observations:

1. I can't set the windows they way I want as they tend to 'snap' to certain positions.

2. When I set various layouts mapped to 'W' keys, if one of the layouts is colour correction one, then it doesn't stick if I come back to it.

3. When in colour correction mode, I can't change the sequence - I have to come out of colour correction mode, change the sequence and then go back in. I think someone mentioned being able to have multiple sequences on the timeline (yes, I know it's a feature request :)).

4. The re-draw of the screen can be bad at times with holes being left after opening and closing other windows. Even on strart-up, the main box can go completely white leaving you wondering whether it's crashed.

5. When MC5 starts and you get to the project selection box, in the background I seemed to have the source/monitor window half disappearing off to the left and there's a timeline window. I don't know why that's the case but it looks as if something has gone wrong. It would be good to have nothing in the background at all.

6. I don't know if this is possible already, but I sometimes have Digi002R with Mojo running and I would like to disable the 002 but keep Mojo running. Just like the DNA/1394 button I would like to see something for the 002 as well. Is that another feature request? :)

The strange thing with MC5 is that I feel it's going to have an issue but I know I can carry on working because it won't completely crash. I can't think of any other piece of software I've used that can keep on it's feet like that. :)