Archive notice: This article was originally published on October 28, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Avid is offering a free upgrade for the current versions of its Media Composer, Symphony and NewsCutter editing software that extends existing XDCAM interoperability to the XDCAM HD 422 format. Users benefit from higher image quality and an improved, faster Full HD workflow with 4:2:2 sampling. Ingest is supported from all Sony XDCAM HD 422 camcorders—the PDW-700 and PDW-HD1500—at bit rates of 50 Mbps for 1080i and 720p and frame rates of 1080 50i, 59.94i and 720p. Existing XDCAM functions such as native MXF support and XDCAM HD proxies are now also available at 50 Mbps.
“Today’s broadcast market depends on interoperability. Sony therefore also places great value on strategic partnerships that ensure smooth workflows between leading manufacturers,” explains Sony Product Manager Gisbert Hochgürtel. “Avid has supported XDCAM since its introduction. Extending this support to XDCAM HD 422, which has had a very successful market launch, was therefore a logical step welcomed by numerous users.”
The upgrade is free for Media Composer and Symphony 3.0 and NewsCutter 7.0. Customers using older versions must upgrade to these releases to use the new XDCAM HD 422 functions. Full XDCAM HD 422 ingest interoperability is provided from Media Composer and Symphony 3.0.5 and NewsCutter 7.0.5. Upgrade information is available on the Avid website.
