New in Media Composer v2023.8

What’s New for
Avid® Media Composer® v2023.8
New in Media Composer v2023.8
The following are new for Media Composer v2023.8:•

AI-Enhanced ScriptSync and PhraseFind•

Media Composer Classic User Profile and Workspace•

Panel SDK•

Audio Punch-in Using USB Audio Devices with Video Hardware•

Batch Subclip Tool•

Display Middle Composer Button Panel•

Changing Monitor Configuration Duplicates Current Workspaces•

Apply Sequence Template to an Existing Sequence•

Keyboard Shortcuts Added to Command Button Tooltips•

Clip Gain Extended to 36 dB in Media Composer•“LFE Only” Mono Tracks•

Track Effect Bypass•

Device Selection for Desktop Audio Output•

Multi-Mix Tool Options Added to Pro Tools Session Export Settings•

GOP Options Added to XDCAM Export to Device•

Optimized EDL with Four Audio Tracks

AI-Enhanced ScriptSync and PhraseFind
ScriptSync AI and PhraseFind AI have added new capabilities with a significant technology preview,
including the creation of transcripts using the PhraseFind AI engine. These capabilities are available
in Media Composer | Ultimate, Media Composer | Enterprise, and any perpetual or subscription
Media Composer with the PhraseFind and/or ScriptSync option (purchased separately).
With the new "Create Script from Clip" feature, simply right-click on one or more selected clips in a
bin and choose “Create Script from Clip” to begin analyzing and indexing all audible dialog. Aftertranscribing your clip, the Script window appears with the text automatically aligned to your media.
Just click a line of text to jump to its corresponding location.
AI and PhraseFind AI do not require an Internet connection. All processing is done onn ScriptSync
your local system and no customer data is used by Avid to improve results.

n Currently, 21 languages are supported, although the underlying engine will work with more.

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AI-Enhanced ScriptSync and PhraseFind

are the lined, text items that users can import, sync, and edit with ScriptSync AI, whilen Scripts
transcripts are the text items created from clips and stored in a database using PhraseFind AI. Withthe “Create Script from Clip” operation, transcripts are referenced to generate lined scripts, whichappear in the Script window.
Open the Find window, enter a keyword or phrase, and click on the PhraseFind AI button to searchindexed transcripts and match them to an item in your project. Each result is presented with a“Score”, which indicates the level of confidence in matching the search term and includes closely
related findings, such as misspellings.

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AI-Enhanced ScriptSync and PhraseFind

In addition, a “Transcription” column has been added to the Find window, which conveniently
presents information found using PhraseFind AI. To view the full contents of a field in theTranscription column, double-click the separator (dividing line) between the adjacent column to its
right. Double-clicking in the Transcription column also takes you to its corresponding location in aclip, similar to the Script window.

searching for numbers in a transcription, use Arabic numerals (e.g. 100) instead of spellingn Whenthem out with text (e.g. one hundred).
Transcripts are stored in a central database for projects and their entries can be deleted using a new
window. Click on the gear icon in the lower-left corner of the Find window and choose “Manage
Transcripts” to select and delete transcripts from specific projects. You can also access this featureusing the Script menu.

3Media Composer Classic User Profile and Workspacecreated with 2023.8 are not compatible with older versions of Media Composer.
n Transcripts
However, older scripts, which have already been created, will migrate without an issue.

n Proxy media is not indexed by PhraseFind AI when running Avid NEXIS | EDGE.
Media Composer Classic User Profile and Workspace

The new “Media Composer Classic” user profile brings forward some UI elements and settings fromprevious versions of Media Composer, such as v2018. These additions acknowledge the preferencesof editors using legacy software and help facilitate the transition to the newest version of Media
Composer. Changes include floating instead of paneled windows, as well as Composer and Timeline
toolbars that are similar to legacy versions.

Panel SDK
With the new Panel SDK (software development kit), Media Composer is now more open than everto third-party integration via a set of APIs (application programming interfaces) for customers andtechnology partners.

Audio Punch-in Using USB Audio Devices with Video
Hardware
It is now possible to use a USB audio device as an input source for audio punch-in while video output
hardware is in use. Both audio and video playback from separate devices will remain in sync. Whenusing the HW/SW switch, the “Desktop Audio” checkbox is now available, even when Blackmagic
Design or AJA devices are already selected.
maintain sync over longer durations, audio and video hardware should reference the same clockn To
source.

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Batch Subclip Tool

Batch Subclip Tool
Introducing a new Batch Subclip tool that allows you to easily adjust options for the subclips you
want to create from a master clip, such as track selection and adding or removing of frames fromgenerated subclips. To activate the new tool, right-click on selected clips and choose “Batch Create
Subclips”.

Display Middle Composer Button Panel
In addition to its use in the “Media Composer Classic” user profile, the option to “Display middle
Composer button panel” is available to all users of Media Composer by checking its box in the
Composer Settings window (Settings > User > Composer). With this option selected, an additional 3
or 6 button panel is displayed between the Source and Record monitors, depending on the number of
button rows enabled for the Composer window.

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Changing Monitor Configuration Duplicates Current Workspaces

Changing Monitor Configuration Duplicates Current
Workspaces
When changing the number of monitors in your editing setup, Media Composer asks if you want toduplicate your current settings. If selected, Media Composer automatically creates a new, matchingworkspace based on the active workspace. This new behavior preserves your current window layouts
as much as possible. Previously, Media Composer created a default workspace and reset yourwindow positions.

Apply Sequence Template to an Existing Sequence
Automatically update your existing sequence to match delivery requirements by changing the format,
track layout and names, while leaving other attributes intact. Right-click in a sequence and choose“Apply Sequence Template” from the context menu to update your sequence using the selected
template.

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Keyboard Shortcuts Added to Command Button Tooltips

Keyboard Shortcuts Added to Command Button
Tooltips
Discover new keyboard shortcuts and speed up your workflow by hovering over a tool to see thecorresponding command. Previously, only the name of the tool was displayed.

Clip Gain Extended to 36 dB in Media Composer
The clip gain range has been extended from a maximum of 12 dB to 36 dB, which aligns Media
Composer with Pro Tools and assists users working with clips recorded at low audio levels. Thesenew values are maintained when importing and exporting AAF and Pro Tools Sessions. However,clip gain values >12 dB will reset to 0 dB if opened in an older version of Media Composer that does
not support the extended range. Also, importing an AAF with clip gain between 12 dB and 36 dB
maintains those levels, while importing an AAF with clip gain >36 dB sets the clip gain to 36 dB.

sliders, whether on-screen or on external controllers, will only extend to 12 dB, which meansn Manualhigher values must be typed. Keyboard shortcuts will also continue past 12 dB.

n If a fader is grabbed or moved, it will return to a value of 12 dB or less.
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“LFE Only” Mono Tracks

You can achieve >12 dB clip gain in the following ways:•

In the Audio Mixer, click a fader and type a value >12 dB.

•

In the Audio Mixer fast menu, choose “Adjust Clip Gain/Pan” and type a value into the “ClipGain Adjustment in dB” field of the “Adjust Clip Gain and Pan” dialog box that brings your set
clip gain to a value >12dB.

•

In the Timeline, click the Clip Gain fader icon and type a value >12 dB into the mini fader.

n When extended clip gain is in use, fader knobs and volume level displays will appear yellow.
extended clip gain range allows for loud playback. Use caution when monitoring audio withn The
increased volume levels.
“LFE Only” Mono Tracks
With the addition of a “This track is LFE only” checkmark in the audio mixer’s context menu, any
mono track can be designated as the output for low frequency effects and will not appear in any otherchannels of the surround sound mix. Activating this feature removes the track’s panner and any audio
is automatically “panned” into the selected LFE’s channel when playing, exporting, or creating a
mixdown for a surround mix. Using “Split Tracks to Mono” on a multichannel audio track also
designates the created LFE track as LFE only. If exporting to a Pro Tools Session file, LFE only
tracks are routed to the LFE bus of the corresponding master fader. To ensure compatibility, thebehavior of LFE only tracks are preserved for sequences shared with older versions of Media
Composer as far back as 2014.

using AAF export, tracks designated as LFE only will only work as expected in Median WhenComposer, not Pro Tools.

Track Effect Bypass
Temporarily turn off track effects by using the new “Track” button in the “Effect bypass” section of
the Effects tab, located in the Audio Project Settings dialog box.

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Device Selection for Desktop Audio Output

Device Selection for Desktop Audio Output
The “Peripheral” menu, located in the Hardware tab of the Audio Project Settings, now allows you toselect a connected audio device that Media Composer will use for desktop audio and save with yourproject settings. On macOS, the default behavior is “Follow System Preferences”, although you canselect any other installed audio output device from the dropdown menu. On Windows, the first option
is “DirectSound” (the corresponding device is set in Windows audio settings), and additional options
include any installed devices with an ASIO interface.

n On macOS, if the selected device becomes unavailable, it will revert to “Follow System Preferences”.
On Windows, the default behavior gives preference to a short list of supported ASIO devices, such asn AvidMBOX Studio, and reverts to “DirectSound” if none are present.
Audio is not included when using the Capture Tool to simultaneously capture both audio andn Desktop
video from video hardware.

Multi-Mix Tool Options Added to Pro Tools Session
Export Settings
Guide tracks can now be added to your Pro Tools Session Exports by using the Multi-Mix Tool
options, which are accessed by clicking on “Multi-Mix Tool” in the “Add Audio Mixdown to”
dropdown menu and selecting “Open Multi-Mix” from the “Multi-Mix setting” menu that appears.

9GOP Options Added to XDCAM Export to Device

GOP Options Added to XDCAM Export to Device
XDCAM HD media that requires a constant GOP size can now be exported using the “Keyframemode” and “Keyframe distance” options in the XDCAM Export Settings window when you choose
Output > Export to Device > XDCAM.

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Optimized EDL with Four Audio Tracks

Optimized EDL with Four Audio Tracks
Support has been added for up to four audio tracks when creating an optimized EDL. To use thisfeature, select up to four audio tracks in the Input tab of the List Tool and make sure the “Optimize
EDL” checkbox is activated in the List Options tab before exporting.

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Optimized EDL with Four Audio Tracks

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supplied as a guide for Avid Media Composer. Reasonable care has been taken in preparing the information it contains. However, thisdocument may contain omissions, technical inaccuracies, or typographical errors. Avid Technology, Inc. does not accept responsibility of
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Optimized EDL with Four Audio Tracks
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What’s New for Media Composer • Created 9/11/23

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