Archive notice: This article was originally published on November 8, 2005. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.The Liquid family originally developed by Pinnacle Systems now also includes Avid Liquid and Avid Liquid Pro in the current version 7. Both software packages contain new features developed specifically for users who want a single application for the creative process and output to tape, DVD and streaming media. In addition to a new price structure, there are also expanded configurations for Avid Liquid Chrome HD (version 6.1), which impresses above all with innovative standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) I/O hardware. All products in the new Avid Liquid family are optimised for Windows XP and available from November 22, 2005. Avid Liquid 7.0 costs 469 euros, and the upgrade 189 euros. Avid Liquid Pro 7.0 is available with USB 2.0-capable hardware for 929 euros, and the upgrade for 649 euros (all prices plus VAT).
The functions of Avid Liquid include native HDV editing, GPU-accelerated effects, background rendering, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround audio with AC-3 encoding, DVD creation directly in the video-editing timeline and high-quality I/O hardware.
The new features of Avid Liquid 7.0 include:
- SmartSound integration – customised music creation directly within the Avid Liquid application;
- new multimedia format support – native editing of common codecs such as WM9, DiVx and MPEG-4 in order to output content on the Internet and use it in versatile ways;
- new effects – real-time timewarp, stabilisation, Dream Glow and more than 50 plug-ins from the Commotion Effect Suite;
- Avid Open Timeline – native HD and SD editing in the same timeline in real time, without transcoding, for fast, flexible editing;
- HDV preview in SD on a client video monitor with Avid Liquid Pro.
The Avid Liquid Chrome HD Plus 6.1 version (Avid Liquid software with SD SDI I/O) costs 4,609 euros; for the “Deluxe” version with SD or HD I/O, Avid charges 7,379 euros. Avid Liquid Chrome HD Elite 6.1 (with professional digital and analogue I/Os for broadcast requirements in the SD and HD field) is offered for 11,069 euros.
