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Wow! Avid Sells Consumer Audio, Video Divisions


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During 25 years in the video business, I have watched Avid acquire many companies and technologies that quickly fade into oblivion. This is about the best result M-Audio and the others could hope for. They have an opportunity to survive.

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This is about the best result M-Audio and the others could hope for. They have an opportunity to survive.

 

 

Given that Alesis and Akai had both been given up for dead by the industry, I'd bet that Jack O'Donnell and crew will be able to resuscitate M-Audio as well.

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It looks like Apple and Adobe video post-production software is undercutting Avid severely. Avid Media Composer still looks archaic even after the latest overhaul, compared to Premiere Pro and FCP. You can get Apple's FCP X, Motion and Compressor all for under $400, or get Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Encore, Audition and SpeedGrade along with Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator plus much more from the Adobe Cloud Subscription for $30 a month. Avid's Media Composer sells for $2500 and it doesn't really do anything that the competition can't. No wonder Avid isn't doing so good.

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, compared to Premiere Pro and FCP. You can get Apple's FCP X, Motion and Compressor all for under $400, or get Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Encore, Audition and SpeedGrade along with Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Illustrator plus much more from the Adobe Cloud Subscription for $30 a month. Avid's Media Composer sells for $2500 and it doesn't really do anything that the competition can't. No wonder Avid isn't doing so good.

 

 

Good insights, Ed A. I've wondered about this too, as AMC remains out of the reach of most video folks, except for those at the highest level of production, in editing houses with multi-stage workflows. It makes me wonder if Avid will now start to devote more attention to AMC, the way it did to Pro Tools, starting with version 7.4. There was a renewed approach and a flurry of upgrades--all good, all with the idea of being more inclusive, and all showing an awareness of the competitive landscape. Perhaps we'll see a similar renaissance with AMC, now that Avid has fewer product lines competing for its resources.

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Any word how this will affect development for the newish Venom platform?

Does the new company plan on continuing its development?

 

 

M-Audio is probably wondering the same thing right now. If it's selling well, which I believe it is, then it will probably continue being developed. Bear in mind that I'm guessing.

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I imagine there will be a lot of restructuring under new ownership, making it hard for even insiders to know yet which products will survive and which will thrive in the new environment. There are a lot of factors to consider, including the bottom line, how well people work together, and the potential new ownership sees in each product. I'd bet it'll take time to sort it all out.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

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as AMC remains out of the reach of most video folks, except for those at the highest level of production, in editing houses with multi-stage workflows. It makes me wonder if Avid will now start to devote more attention to AMC, the way it did to Pro Tools, starting with version 7.4.

 

 

Avid was AFAIK, the first with NLE for video about 20+ years ago. Their problem is that they still think it's 1992 and they can charge top dollar because they think they are the only player out there. Their problem parallels the video (and audio) industry in general. I know of editing and production houses that would charge $300 an hour way back, now they're lucky if they can get $90 an hour. They wouldn't have had a problem buying several $75,000+ Betacams back in the 80s or 90s, but they can't spend that kind of cash now. These places are either hemorrhaging money or they're totally out of business.

That's what happens to inefficient companies that aren't flexible enough to change with the times.

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That's what happens to inefficient companies that aren't flexible enough to change with the times.

 

Someone from Avid called me (companies like to pick my brain) and asked which company I thought presented the greatest challenge to Avid. My answer was "Avid." :)

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They know what the problem is. It's spelled put pretty clearly in last year's financial statement....

 

 

The rapid evolution of the media industry is changing our customers' needs, businesses and revenue models, and if we cannot anticipate or adapt quickly, our business will be harmed.


The media industry has rapidly and dramatically transformed in the last five years and is continuing to do so as free content, minimal entry costs for creation and distribution, and the expansion of mobile devices have become prevalent. As a result, our traditional customers' needs, businesses and revenue models are changing, often in ways that deviate from our core strengths and traditional bases. If we cannot anticipate these changes or adapt to them quickly, our business will be harmed.

 

 

Uh... their business has been harmed.

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I imagine there will be a lot of restructuring under new ownership, making it hard for even insiders to know yet which products will survive and which will thrive in the new environment. There are a lot of factors to consider, including the bottom line, how well people work together, and the potential new ownership sees in each product. I'd bet it'll take time to sort it all out.


Best,


Geoff

 

 

In my opinion that kind of uncertainty is bad for Avid customers and thus bad for Avid. Who will plunk down 5 figures on an AAX system when you don't even know if Avid will be around in a year? If their new high-end audio platform is a dud, they are in big trouble. And telegraphing this kind of instability makes it more likely that it will be a dud.

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I will sell tacos.

Anyone wants tacos, authentic mexican style?

 

 

Great idea! Come to DC. There aren't enough good taco trucks here since the food truck craze blossomed and now you can get sushi, lobster rolls, gourmet $12 sandwiches, quiche, and squid salads.

 

It's much easier to deal with customers with real heartburn than customers who can't get a plug-in to work on their new Mac. You deserve a break from the rat race.

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