Digidesign Offers Sneak Peek of Pro Tools|AV

July 26, 1999 -- Digidesign, Inc., in an effort to confirm its ongoing commitment to the post production market, is offering a "sneak peek" of some post-focused Pro Tools options scheduled for release this fall. These options will be demonstrated at the Digidesign booth.

Among the options slated for presentations are key hardware offerings, new post-oriented editing features, and enhanced cross-platform interchange capabilities. They come to the end-user via PCI video cards which run on existing Pro Tools|24, Pro Tools|24 Mix and Pro Tools|24 Mix Plus systems.

The cards will let Pro Tools users import, capture and playback Avid video media providing direct media compatibility with Media Composer and Symphony. New advanced post-oriented editing features include a stationary playhead, object-based selection, and streamlined single keyboard shortcuts to access the most commonly used editing functions. Significantly enhanced OMF interchange functionality for reliable, cross-platform OMF import and export will also be a part of this preliminary look at the new options.

"Pro Tools|AV represents a Digidesign initiative to combine the strengths of AudioVision and Pro Tools into a unified, high-end offering, based on the current Pro Tools code base," says post-products manager Tim Claman. "We are committed to adding more of AudioVision's strategic strengths as options to Pro Tools|AV in future releases. Our objective is to satisfy the needs of all our audio post professionals, including AudioVision users."

By offering support for both ABVB and Meridien hardware, the new options will add Avid video compatibility to the already powerful interchange capabilities of Pro Tools. The new GUI editing features, while not an exact recreation of specific AudioVision features, will carry forward the heritage and essence of many of AudioVision's key strengths.

Visit Digidesign on the web at www.digidesign.com.