Los Angeles, Dolby Oscar Party

[lexaudio]

Well, tonight cam e and went and I am here to report the feelings about AVID's new policy. AS I promised.

For those who don't know, Dolby Labs in Burbank holds an "oscar nominated sound party" every year to honor those nominated in sound.

These and those around them are the top in the Post business. Mid and mid/high levels as well.

Surprisingly, the one thing that is usually there, wasn't. AVID. Our friends at AVID have been there years, and years before. Many who we have know for decades even before AVID. Yet AVID was absent.
That says A LOT!

After general hobnobbing and hi's, I started to ask about AVID's new policy.

There are a lot of people who don't know about it, so AVID has done a good job of being vague about it.

Large facilities have not made a determination yet on what they are going to do. But full facility adoption is NOT going to happen.

Some of the interesting misconceptions that AVID has spread are as follows.

1) updates will always be free.
Free until Jan 1 2016. It applies to PT11 only.
2) more frequent updates/bug fixes and upgrade features.
Straight told from the inside. 3 releases a year. Those releases will contain any bug fixes.
There will not be constant updates for bug fixes.
3) AVID is working on an HD policy
Yes they are. However, AVID is working on that policy based on the response from their bigger clients.
Ergo, why they aren't and haven't made one.

From those who I know who have spoken to AVID, the internal people we have known for more than a decade, the push is the same.
Same as it is here. Same "here is what you get" speech.

From what I gather, it is more of a forced "speech" than a belief of what AVID is offering.
In other words, they are to convince and believe in this "now policy" regardless if it is hated.
The majority said they were fine sticking with Pro Tools 11 and wouldn't upgrade.

I found it interesting as Dolby complained about AVID's lack of fixing problems with PT11 and often end up using PT10.
The Dolby engineers, have issues as well.

SO as I figured, AVID's "connection" within the community is false. It is a lie. AVID is not "in" with the Post community AT ALL.
And there are many of us who work music as well, and the feeling is the same.

NO ONE cares about the "collaboration" feature. "gimmick" is what was mostly use to describe it.

It really seems that AVID is set in this "support plan feature", even to the point where it sounds like their own employees don't agree with it, that they are willing to risk losing their user base over it.

It is VERY clear that the financial bottom line by 2016 is THE most important "FEATURE" for AVID.
And it is clear they ARE NOT listening.

Take what I tell you, how you will. You weren't there, nor was AVID. AVID wasn't there because they didn't want to have to answer all these issues.

But, AVID was the most unpopular person in the room tonight. And is the most unpopular person of 2015.
This is going to full on backfire on AVID. "extortion" is the popular word.

Take it for what you will. Make your own judgements.

These are facts of this evening.

[25ghosts]

Originally Posted by lexaudio

Well, tonight cam e and went and I am here to report the feelings about AVID's new policy. AS I promised.

For those who don't know, Dolby Labs in Burbank holds an "oscar nominated sound party" every year to honor those nominated in sound.

These and those around them are the top in the Post business. Mid and mid/high levels as well.

Surprisingly, the one thing that is usually there, wasn't. AVID. Our friends at AVID have been there years, and years before. Many who we have know for decades even before AVID. Yet AVID was absent.
That says A LOT!

After general hobnobbing and hi's, I started to ask about AVID's new policy.

There are a lot of people who don't know about it, so AVID has done a good job of being vague about it.

Large facilities have not made a determination yet on what they are going to do. But full facility adoption is NOT going to happen.

Some of the interesting misconceptions that AVID has spread are as follows.

1) updates will always be free.
Free until Jan 1 2016. It applies to PT11 only.
2) more frequent updates/bug fixes and upgrade features.
Straight told from the inside. 3 releases a year. Those releases will contain any bug fixes.
There will not be constant updates for bug fixes.
3) AVID is working on an HD policy
Yes they are. However, AVID is working on that policy based on the response from their bigger clients.
Ergo, why they aren't and haven't made one.

From those who I know who have spoken to AVID, the internal people we have known for more than a decade, the push is the same.
Same as it is here. Same "here is what you get" speech.

From what I gather, it is more of a forced "speech" than a belief of what AVID is offering.
In other words, they are to convince and believe in this "now policy" regardless if it is hated.

The majority said they were fine sticking with Pro Tools 11 and wouldn't upgrade.

I found it interesting as Dolby complained about AVID's lack of fixing problems with PT11 and often end up using PT10.
The Dolby engineers, have issues as well.

SO as I figured, AVID's "connection" within the community is false. It is a lie. AVID is not "in" with the Post community AT ALL.
And there are many of us who work music as well, and the feeling is the same.

NO ONE cares about the "collaboration" feature. "gimmick" is what was mostly use to describe it.

It really seems that AVID is set in this "support plan feature", even to the point where it sounds like their own employees don't agree with it, that they are willing to risk losing their user base over it.

It is VERY clear that the financial bottom line by 2016 is THE most important "FEATURE" for AVID.
And it is clear they ARE NOT listening.

Take what I tell you, how you will. You weren't there, nor was AVID. AVID wasn't there because they didn't want to have to answer all these issues.

But, AVID was the most unpopular person in the room tonight. And is the most unpopular person of 2015.
This is going to full on backfire on AVID. "extortion" is the popular word.

Take it for what you will. Make your own judgements.

These are facts of this evening.

So the general consensus is that the party you attended has the exact same opinion of AVID as this here forum...

Thanks for sharing this. This also goes to prove that AVIDs 'We are the Industry Standard' is hanging in a thin multi-threaded thread !

[JCBigler]

I was talking to my Yamaha rep just a couple of days ago when the topic of Protools came up. He said they are keeping a close eye on what Avid is doing with Protools and the new licensing. And, although, he wouldn't come right out and say it, I think they have something up their sleeve with regards to Nuendo and Nuage.

I think Yamaha is just waiting for Avid to release the details on what they are going to do with HD, before they spring their trap.

If I were Avid, I would be very worried about what kind of crossgrade deal Yamaha may come up with to entice people to move to Nuendo.

[@tention]

Originally Posted by JCBigler

If I were Avid, I would be very worried about what kind of crossgrade deal Yamaha may come up with to entice people to move to Nuendo.

I don't think they will be doing a crossgrade deal.

To be quite honest I think they will just focus working on their platform. The last update brought us an ADR system, complete with a working video engine, including TC burn in and text overlay, status indicator light and running cursor.

I don't know what the next update will bring, but it's clear that they are determined to deliver functions relevant to the audio post world. It's been said that auto conform from within Nuendo is planned...

[Dave Lang]

thanks for the info

[zedhed]

Originally Posted by lexaudio

These are facts of this evening.

Notwithstanding the fact that LA is widely considered the largest 'open' asylum in the world

Jokes aside, it would appear Avid's absence is somewhat revealing.

[JCBigler]

Originally Posted by zedhed

Jokes aside, it would appear Avid's absence is somewhat revealing.

I think this quote from Miles Davis pretty much sums up Avid's position right now:

“If you don't know what to play, play nothing.”
― Miles Davis

[Ienjoyaudio]

I think it would be pretty cool if Dolby purchased Pro Tools from avid. Dolby being a sound company already is focused on the best sound quality for the end customer, the audience.

I think it would be a natural fit. The company that provides the final presentation sound format would also provide the software that goes into making and creating those printmasters.

Dolby Pro Tools, sounds nice. There could also be more immediate emphasis on integration of atmo's panning inside pro tools if it were owned by Dolby.


just thinking out loud. What do you guys think?

[JCBigler]

Originally Posted by Ienjoyaudio

I think it would be pretty cool if Dolby purchased Pro Tools from avid. Dolby being a sound company already is focused on the best sound quality for the end customer, the audience.

What do you guys think?

Hrrmmm...Dolby is also a publicly traded company. I think it's best if they went private.

[Craig F]

Dolby, best sound. funny