Avid 1996 Annual Report Download - page 4

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Products
The Company’s products may be divided into six categories: video and film editing products, audio products, digital news
gathering (DNG) systems, newsroom computer systems, graphics and special effects products, and storage systems. A
description follows of the major products and product families in each of these categories.
Video and Film Editing
Media Composer. The Media Composer system is Avid’s original product offering and still accounts for a substantial
majority of its revenues. Since its initial shipment in December 1989, more than 12,000 Media Composer systems have
been sold. The Company believes that the Media Composer product line holds a greater unit market share than any other
digital non-linear editing system in professional video editing markets. The Media Composer product line now includes four
models (the Media Composer Off-line, 1000, 4000, and 8000), which provide various levels of capability and functionality.
The Media Composer is a disk-based digital, nonlinear editing system designed primarily for use by professional film and
video editors. The Media Composer system converts visual and audio source material on tape to a digital format and stores
the converted material on a range of hard disk storage devices. Once digitized, the stored media can be previewed, edited, and
played back. The Media Composer family of products is used to create high-quality productions such as television shows
and commercials, feature films, music videos, corporate videos, and other non-broadcast finished videos.
Film Composer. The Film Composer system is a 24 frames per second (“fps”) editing system for projects that originate
and finish on film. Film footage can be converted to video signals for editing, but because video runs at 30 fps and film at
24 fps, a standard 30 fps video editing system will not yield an accurate 24 fps film cut list from which to cut a master. The
Film Composer includes software that determines which frames on the videotape are actual frames from the film source
material and allows the creation of a frame accurate cut list. The Film Composer software also includes special features to
meet the specific needs of film editors. The Company believes that Film Composer holds a greater unit market share than
any other digital non-linear editing system in professional film editing markets.
MCXpress for Macintosh. MCXpress for Macintosh is a digital, nonlinear video editing system designed to meet the needs
of professional media entrepreneurs involved with video and multimedia production for CD-ROM and Internet distribution.
MCXpress for Macintosh is based on Avid’s Media Composer software, providing a familiar user interface and editing
feature set appropriate for this category of user. This attribute also allows digital media files to be shared between
MCXpress for Macintosh and Media Composer and for the MCXpress for Macintosh to be upgradeable to the Media
Composer family of systems.
MCXpress for Windows NT. MCXpress for Windows NT is a digital, nonlinear video editing system designed for the same
market as MCXpress for Macintosh, but is targeted to users who prefer Windows NT-based computers. MCXpress for
Windows NT offers professional picture quality and editing features, support for multiple media delivery options, including
MPEG-1 and AVI output, integration with third-party Windows applications, a built-in titling tool, and a plug-in effects
architecture.
Avid Cinema. Avid Cinema is a desktop editing product designed for people who have no previous video editing
experience. Avid Cinema, which consists of a PC board and nonlinear video editing software, is targeted at users in home,
school, and corporate environments. A simple interface guides users through the process of making their own, near-VHS-
quality movies to save to videotape, put in a slide presentation, or post on a web page. These movies can include video,
transition effects, narration, titles, and music. Avid Cinema employs Apple’s QuickTime technology and allows users to
save QuickTime files for various distribution formats.
Audio
Pro Tools. Pro Tools is a multi-track random access digital audio workstation developed by Digidesign for the professional
music, audio post-production, and radio production markets. Pro Tools features include audio recording, advanced waveform
editing, mixing, signal processing, and automation. Pro Tools is an open architecture in which more than 100 Digidesign
Development Partners provide additional solutions that expand the functionality of Digidesign’s systems, enhancing their
appeal to customers. Pro Tools software is compatible across a range of Digidesign hardware platforms, from high-end Pro
Tools III down through PT Project and Audiomedia III. Pro Tools PowerMix software runs without Digidesign hardware on
Power-PC Macintosh computers using host audio capabilities. More than 12,000 Pro Tools systems have been sold since