It might be possible for you to find a store that actually will demo Avid Xpress DV for you. I have had the pleasure of using for two weeks and I was most impressed with the complete feature set that it contains; but as you say, the price is something that only you can justify. It is far improved of anything Vegas can do.. or any other. The only thing is that all of your video would have to be converted or capture to the Quicktime DV format and would not be easily portable to 'other' windows NLE products. But its a *pleasure* to use.. and so customizable ..

I edited commercials on the AVID system for years and have to agree - it's amazingly easy and can do almost anything you want. On the other hand, it's not cheap, even Express. AVID seems to me to be more "semi-pro" or even "pro", where as VV is something the advanced home user can do a lot with. But I'm new to it, so take that into account.
Max

Totally disagree, I use media composser and Avid symphony ,unless xpress for 1600.00 can do more than a 100K symphony ,I see no benefit over Vegas. Avid simple ? Geez I must be slow, seems pretty clumsy compared to Vegas.

I have to agree with the previous message. I don't think Avid Express wins. To justify $1600 over the VV price it would have to be like Symphony. The one advantage of the other systems over VV is the speed. If you are paying editors by the hour I can justify the additional cost in a couple of months. But unless you have hourly editors working everyday it is hard to beat the portablity of VV.

Before Elysium blasts me as a cult following groupie of VV with no brains, I spend millions of dollars on Video and Audio production. I have edited million dollar 10 minute pieces on Composers and longer HDTV pieces on Symphony. Besides my personal VV system we have a Media 100 and two DPS Velocity's. I do Audio production on Pro-Tools AND VV. There is a right tool for each situation. The quality of the final product is more a function of talent than tool.

K

The price does let it down, I totally agree.. but comparing product-for-product it allows you to be more 'creative' and this shows in the final product.

You can find a review of Avid Xpress DV 3 at the link below:

http://www.digitalvideoediting.com/2002/03_mar/reviews/cw_xpressdv3review.htm

My "take" on Avid, VV3 et all.

I can easily agree that each tool has its uses.

If you are going to be editing your own piece, then pick the tool that fits your budget and the tool that you can use!

I've edited under many different environments, from documentary to news, to commercials, to Corporate high end marketing stuff and each needed a different edit system to work "fastest", "best", (insert your need here).

I currently run a discontinued and older hybrid edit system for much of my work. Why? Because I can edit with decks or in NLE mode or BOTH very quickly and produce a long format show in half the time an Avid can, or a commercial in much shorter time than Final Cut Pro. All of my basic effects are real time, so I don't wait for anything.

So why did I buy VV3? Because it works so well with audio, composites like a dream, allows a ton of "what if's" and has a nice feature set. I can have VV3 rendering multiple layer video content or repairing multiple audio files while I continue to edit on my other system.

Is VV3 an Avid, no....but with some help from us and Sonic Foundry, we can make it the Final Cut Pro alternative in the PC realm. It's that good. My wish is for better media management...and I'm making suggestions to the code guru's in hope that will come about.

The distinct advantage Avid has is the files you produce in their least expensive version can be read and edited by their most expensive system. You'll see this at NAB this year.

So the decision you have to make is simply can you run VV3? Download it and try it out. If it doesn't work then go with Premier or Ulead. They are both available for under $600. But for my moneny, VV3 can outdistance either of those two programs and leave me time to play a round of golf!

FWIW,

David (who is sorry for the long post...hard day shooting since daybreak)

>>>but comparing product-for-product it allows you to be more 'creative' and this shows in the final product.

interesting review. I didn't see much about *audio* though. the main turn-off for me is that AVID is trying to target PC and MAC with this product. that lack of focus might account for the kludgy real-time preview that only works *sometimes* (NOT on an NTSC monitor? lol!), and the fact that AVID has to have a recommended hardware list, which according to the reviewer, actually should be adhered to or you can expect system crashes. it reminds me too much of Adobe's offering (I dare not mention its name) in that respect.

I'd like to know how it allows you to be more 'creative', which implies that Vegas somehow limits you in ways that Avid DV Express doesn't. the same can be said of Vegas... so... which one really *allows* you to be more 'creative'? I don't think there is an answer to that question. both give you PLENTY of creative freedom.

I guess what you are really paying for is the hundred+ video plugins (and the AVID name of course). they better be good ones for that kind of money! but hey I'm just basing these comments on what I read in that review, and on my experience with Vegas and on my experience with programs that target MAC and PC. different strokes for different folks!

The reviewer mentioned digital scrubbing and analog scrubbing as pertaining to audio. what does that mean? anyone know what the difference is?

- ben (cheesehole!)

Bottom line, you really are paying for the Avid name and compatibility. If you're used to using Avid and you need the compatibility, go for it - you'll love it.

But it's a complete waste for everyone else. Difficult to accomplish the slightest things. If company X released it as freeware tomorrow and it had no OMFI support it would flop.