Is there a way to import AVS files into Avid Media Composer 8.0?

[Katie Boundary]

If not, is there another version of Avid that can import, or be made to import, AVS files?

[Frank62]

See here
https://www.videohelp.com/software/Avisynth-Virtual-File-System
and/or google for PISMO.

[Sharc]

^^^^
This, but use the AVFS.exe which is included in the portable Vapoursynth package. It accepts more colorspaces.

[Frank62]

Nice hint, thank you!

[kolak]

Use v210 as output format as this is most likely to work in AVID.
If AVID doesn't read v210 avi then open it in QT 7 Pro on Windows and create reference MOV. This should import to AVID.

[FranceBB]

Use v210 as output format as this is most likely to work in AVID.
If AVID doesn't read v210 avi then open it in QT 7 Pro on Windows and create reference MOV. This should import to AVID.

AVID Media Composer 2018 didn't read v210 4:2:2 lossless in .avi as it was allowing me to link it but the decoded clip was completely green.
I'm not sure about remuxing in .mov and I also have no idea whether anything changed in the meantime given that years passed and new versions have been released, but as far as v210 in .avi and Media Composer 2018 are concerned, it didn't work.
I'll make some tests tomorrow at work with a newer version, though.

[kolak]

Some tools have exactly same "green" video problem with AVI, but MOV works, so try.
Also- old AVID was crap when it comes to any codec which is not AVID's. 2018 is not so old thought (I'm probably thinking 10 years back).

[FranceBB]

Use v210 as output format as this is most likely to work in AVID.

Ok so I tried with a newer version of AVID Media Composer and now it works with either .mov or .avi. ;)

Below you can see both lossless versions muxed in .avi and in .mov as containers being linked without any issues.

https://i.imgur.com/EBoPGoa.png
https://i.imgur.com/3rBh6f7.png

[kolak]

They give different preview?

[FranceBB]

They give different preview?

Yes, 'cause different decoders are involved: one gets it right, one gets it wrong.
It's about levels, but it's easily fixable in the source settings by disabling the auto detection of TV Range/PC Range. ;)

[kolak]

Hmm...which is bit crap as for AVID. v210 is a standard format and should be decoded natively. At least you have a "easy" way of fixing it.

[FranceBB]

Hmm...which is bit crap as for AVID. v210 is a standard format and should be decoded natively. At least you have a "easy" way of fixing it.

Well, the thing with AVID is that while other NLE are meant to be used independently, AVID Media Composer isn't.
I mean, sure, you can use it as a standalone instance, but the overwhelming majority of AVID users work in an AVID Nexis RAID6 storage which is accessed by AVID Interplay Access.

TL;DR they don't link and transcode raw files, but rather drag and drop clips into the bin from Interplay Access and those clips have already been encoded and "checked-in" the system so that they're conformed to a certain standard mezzanine file (XDCAM-50, AVC Intra 100, XAVC Intra Class 300, DNxHR etc). In other words, AVID supports only a bunch of formats natively and it expects the metadata to be in a certain way. Files in the storage are also stored with their uuid (I think it's called mobID if I remember correctly) and not with a human readable name and by dragging the "virtual" clip from Interplay Access you actually get the separate video.mxf, audio mono.mxf (and eventually the proxy) to play as one single clip.


It's a bit complicated to explain word-by-word, but it's a whole infrastructure which works just fine.

[kolak]

I know how AVID works. It fits certain workflow very well, but for others it's bad choice.
Some people buy it because it's AVID and typically it's huge mistake.

[Katie Boundary]

Are there no earlier versions of Avid that can import AVS files, like Premiere could? I'd rather not screw around with Pismo

[kolak]

95% no. Pismo is your only choice.
Have no seen any "bad effects" after installing Pismo.