Comparison Chart – Avid Media Composer | First vs. Media Composer
By Jim Bask
Easily compare Media Composer | First with Media Composer using this chart.
It’s a fact that over 95% of all mainstream movies released in 2016 were edited on Media Composer. And so were most TV shows, too! Media Composer | First is a completely free version of the same video editing application, available on either Mac or PC. If you are an aspiring filmmaker or vlogger looking to get a start in editing, there’s no better way to bring your imagination to life.
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MEDIA COMPOSER ® | FIRST* |
MEDIA COMPOSER |
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AUDIENCE AND AVAIL ABILIT Y |
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Ideal for… |
Aspiring video professionals and beginners |
Professional editors, movie makers, and journalists |
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Availability |
Available for free for anyone to download and use |
Subscribe monthly or annually, purchase a perpetual license (you own the software), or get it bundled with Avid Artist™ | DNxIQ |
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SUPPOR TED TRA CK S |
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Video tracks |
4 |
24 |
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Audio tracks |
8 |
64 |
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Data tracks |
Not supported |
Fully supported |
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VIDE O AND COLOR SUPPOR T |
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Linked file support |
Full decode SD, HD, >HD File, Volume, and third-party export not supported |
Full encode and decode SD, HD, >HD |
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Video file formats |
See avid.com/mediacomposer_formats |
See avid.com/mediacomposer_formats |
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Project formats |
SD PAL, SD NTSC, 720, 1080 |
SD PAL, SD NTSC, 720, 1080, 2K, UHD, 4K, Custom |
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Frame rates |
23.978p, 24p, 25i, 30i/p, 50i/p, 59.94i/p No progressive support for SD rasters |
23.978p, 24p, 25i/p, 30i/p, 50i/p, 59.94i/p, 60p |
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Native compression |
JFIF, DV, ProRes (encode on Mac only), XDCAM, AVC-I, IMX, DNxHD, XAVC-L, AVC-LongG, J2K |
JFIF, DV, ProRes (encode on Mac only), XDCAM, AVC-I, IMX, DNxHD, DNxHR, XAVC-L, AVC-LongG, J2K |
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Color spaces |
601/709 |
601/709, RGB 709, S-Log3, SMPTE-2084, DCI-P3, Rec. 2020, ACES Proxy |
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Desktop display LUTs |
Rec. 709 |
Rec. 709, DCI-P3, sRGB, Rec. 2020, ACES Proxy |
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AUDIO SUPPOR T |
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Audio resolutions |
32, 44.1, on-the-fly conversion to 48 kHz; 24-bit |
32, 44.1, 48, and 96 kHz; 16- and 24-bit |
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Audio channels |
Mono, dual mono, stereo |
Mono, dual mono, stereo, 5.1 and 7.1 surround |
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GENERAL |
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Projects |
Unlimited |
Unlimited, with support for Custom Projects |
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Bins |
5 bins per project |
Unlimited bins, Shared bins and projects, Volume bins, Favorite bins |
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Video and audio plug-in support |
AVX and AAX plug-ins purchased through the Avid Marketplace only |
All AVX and AAX plug-ins |
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Transcode |
Limited |
• |
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Consolidate |
Limited |
• |
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MEDIA COMPOSER | FIRST* |
MEDIA COMPOSER |
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FEATURES |
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Video editing |
Best-in-class Trim tools, Smart Tools, Create sequence based on selection |
Best-in-class Trim tools, Smart Tools, Create sequence based on selection, Script-based editing, Auto-Sequence |
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Multicam editing |
Group Clips, 4-Way Split Display, Swap Banks, Previous/Next in Group, Group by Audio Waveforms |
Group Clips, MultiGroup, 4-Way Split Display, 9-Way Split Display, MultiCam Editing mode, MultiCam Accelerator keys, Swap Banks, Previous/Next in Group, Group by Audio Waveforms |
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Video effects |
Limited core set, Source Side Motion Effects, TimeWarp, Stabilize (see avid.com/mediacomposerfirst for details) |
Full core set, Source Side Motion Effects, TimeWarp, TimeWarp Fluid Motion, Stabilize (see avid.com/mediacomposer for details) |
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FrameFlex |
• |
• |
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Timecode tool |
• |
• |
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Print Timeline |
• |
• |
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List tool |
• |
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Film workflows |
• |
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Stereoscopic 3D |
• |
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Color Correction |
CC Effect, Predefined CC Effects, HSL Controls, Hue Offsets, Luma Range |
CC Effect, Predefined CC Effects, HSL Controls, Hue Offsets, Luma Range, Curves, Color Info, Channels (Secondary and Relationships available through the Symphony® Option) |
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Audio editing |
Audio Tool, Audio Ducking, Audio Punch-in |
Audio Tool, Audio Ducking, Audio Punch-in, Audio Subframe Slip, Audio Grouping, Read Audio Timecode, Audio MultiMix, Change Sample Rate |
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Audio effects |
Limited core set (see avid.com/mediacomposerfirst for details) |
Full core (see avid.com/mediacomposer for details) |
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Workspaces |
Custom, Single View, Source/Record Editing, Full Screen Playback, Effects Editing, Color Correction, Audio Editing |
Custom, Single View, Source/Record Editing, Full Screen Playback, Effects Editing, Color Correction, Audio Editing, Capture |
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Titles |
Classic Title tool |
Classic Title tool, Marquee tool, NewBlueFX Titler Pro |
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Video and audio plug-in support |
AVX™ and AAX plug-ins purchased through the Avid Marketplace only |
All AVX and AAX plug-ins |
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Background render, transcode, and consolidate |
• |
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Keyboard Mapping |
Limited |
Full |
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Source/Record color differentiation |
On by default |
Off by default |
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Avid Marketplace |
In-app AAX and AVX Marketplace and software upgrade |
In-app AAX and AVX Marketplace and software upgrade |
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INGEST |
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Source Browser |
• |
• |
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Drag-and-Drop Import |
• |
• |
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Drag-and-Drop Link |
• |
• |
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Photoshop w/Layers |
• |
• |
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Capture |
• |
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MEDIA COMPOSER | FIRST* |
MEDIA COMPOSER |
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INGEST |
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Dynamic Media Folders |
• |
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AAF Import |
• |
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EDL Import |
• |
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ALE Import |
• |
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Shot Log Import |
• |
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SCC Import |
• |
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Edit While Capture |
• |
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EXPOR T |
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QuickTime (.mov) formats |
Limited: H.264, DNxHD, PCM, WAV |
• |
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Publish to YouTube |
• |
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Publish to Vimeo |
• |
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Publish to Facebook |
• |
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Graphic Export |
Limited: TIFF, JPEG |
• |
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AAF Export |
• |
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ALE Export |
• |
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AFE Export |
• |
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Shot Log Export |
• |
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SCC Export |
• |
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TTML Export |
• |
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AMA File Export |
• |
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DPX Export |
• |
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AS-11 MXF Op1a Export |
• |
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DNxHD MXF OP1a Export |
• |
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DNxHR MXF OP1a Export |
• |
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J2K MXF OP1a Export |
• |
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Export to Device |
• |
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Send to… |
• |
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HARDWARE INTERFACE SUPPORT |
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Avid Artist | DNxIQ / DNxIO |
• |
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Avid and third-party audio interfaces |
Limited to 2-channel I/O |
• |
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Third-party video interface |
• |
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SOFTWARE OPTIONS |
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Media Composer | Symphony Option |
• |
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Media Composer | NewsCutter® Option |
• |
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Media Composer | ScriptSync® Option |
• |
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Media Composer | PhraseFind™ Option |
• |
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Media Composer | Production Pack |
• |
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AVID SOLUTIONS SUPPORT |
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Interplay® | Production |
• |
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Interplay | MAM |
• |
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MediaCentral® Platform |
• |
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MediaCentral | UX |
• |
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Avid NEXIS® shared bins and projects |
• |
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iNEWS® |
• |
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MEDIA COMPOSER | FIRST* |
MEDIA COMPOSER |
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CONTROL SURFACE SUPPORT |
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Pro Tools® | Control |
• |
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Pro Tools | Dock |
• |
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Artist® Control |
• |
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Artist Mix |
• |
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Artist Color |
• |
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Artist Transport |
• |
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MAC |
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System |
Avid-qualified Apple computer (visit avid.com/mediacomposerfirst for the latest details) |
Avid-qualified Apple computer (visit avid.com/mediacomposer for the latest details) |
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OS |
OS X 10.11, 10.12 |
OS X 10.10, 10.11, 10.12 |
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RAM |
6 GB minimum, 8 GB or more recommended; 16 GB or more when working with UHD or high frame rate media |
8 GB minimum, 16 GB or more recommended; 24 GB or more recommended when working with UHD, large projects, or in an Interplay environment |
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WINDOWS |
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System |
Avid-qualified Windows-based computer (visit avid.com/mediacomposerfirst for the latest details) |
Avid-qualified Windows-based computer (visit avid.com/mediacomposer for the latest details) |
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OS |
64-bit OS: Windows 10 (Professional and Enterprise), Windows 8.1 (Professional and Enterprise), or Windows 7 Professional (Service Pack 1) |
64-bit OS: Windows 10 (Professional and Enterprise), Windows 8.1 (Professional and Enterprise), or Windows 7 Professional (Service Pack 1) |
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RAM |
6 GB minimum, 8 GB or more recommended; 16 GB or more when working with UHD or high frame rate media |
8 GB minimum, 16 GB+ recommended; 24 GB or more recommended when working with UHD, large projects, or in an Interplay environment |
* Please note that the information provided above is subject to change without notice