Avid DS|HD Review

Extrude text and objects with true 3D power.

Text Features
Given the heightened role text has in today's short-form productions, Avid has nicely equipped DS to handle lots of sophisticated tasks, like the ability to kern text and then animate that kerning using keyframes. Or it can turn text to paint strokes and then animate the text so that it writes itself on screen. If you have long lists of text, get a speed typist to bang that out for you on an ordinary computer using MS Word, for example, and then drop all that text into DS for a rolling credits sequence. In this new feature for 4.0, in addition to Word files, you're also able to import eps, html and text files. Beyond that, things start really getting wild when you extrude text and then add lights, just like in a 3D animation application.

Speaking of lights, I really enjoyed playing with the lighting feature, where I was able to make a poorly lit scene presentable by placing two animated lights where the lighting designer should have put them in the first place. But in the middle of all this faux-lighting, something happened to the mighty DS. Yes, it crashed, big time - so hard that I had to restart the computer, an unusual occurrence with Windows 2000. But in the entire time I used the system, that was the only stability problem I saw. Lucky for me DS automatically saved my work, because everything I had done was still there waiting for me when I re-booted and launched the program.

Then there is DS's Paint capability. Considering the high level at which DS edits and composites, the painting is phenomenal. You have a tremendous amount of control over your toolset. All your effects are available inside the paintbrushes, and you can import EPS graphics to create brushes. DS is able to track your paintstrokes, and morph them into something entirely different. I could get used to this!

It does take some getting used to, too - unfortunately the learning curve for DS HD is quite steep. But if you've worked with nonlinear editing systems and you're able to find your way around Adobe After Effects, you should have little trouble learning DS HD. Of course, any application this powerful will require training, so if you do find yourself in charge of a DS HD system, give yourself two full weeks to get comfortable before the meter's running.

Wow
Summing up, I'd highly recommend DS HD to well-heeled production facilities that are looking for an inroad to HD while still doing lots of work in standard definition. Keep in mind that DS HD is also a formidable standard definition editing system, so you'll be able to satisfy those bread-and-butter clients while you're getting ready for the HDTV onslaught. It's hard to beat the way DS HD gives you all your tools at your fingertips -- bringing the tool to the media instead of bringing the media to the tool. And perhaps the best benefit of DS HD is that in the long term, as processor power increases, so does the speed of DS HD. This I gotta see.

Score (Out of a possible 10):
9.7

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Charlie White has been writing about new media and digital video since it was the laughingstock of the television industry. A technology journalist and columnist for the past eight years, White is also an Emmy-winning producer, video editor and shot-calling PBS TV director. Talk back -- Send Chazz a note at cwhite@digitalmedianet.com.