September 11, 2010

Avid offers software-only DS finishing system

AMSTERDAM – Avid (www.avid.com) introduced a software-only version of its DS finishing system. Avid DS 10.5 is geared toward budget-conscious post facilities of all sizes, and provides tools for handling visual effects, finishing and conforming.

The system offers support for full DI workflows for Red, 2K, 4K, DPX and ArriRaw projects; compositing and paint toolsets for high-end graphics and color work; and integration with Avid’s ISIS shared storage and Interplay production management solutions.

DS 10.5 software will be available October 21, with pricing starting at $6,995 for educational institutions and $9,995 for pro licenses. Each includes a copy of Media Composer 5 software too. The software is recommended for use with the HP Z800 workstation series and can be purchased as a turnkey system for an additional cost.

In related news, Avid’s EUCON protocol is now being supported by Autodesk’s Smoke for Mac, The Foundry’s Storm and Red’s RedCine-X color software applications. Content creators can use the MC Color to control the color grading features of each application.

MC Color features high resolution optical trackballs, track wheels, displays, encoders and programmable keys typically only found in hardware grading solutions that are much more expensive. The EUCON protocol is already supported by Apple, MOTU and Steinberg.