Avid Media Composer 6.x Cookbook
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Preparing to use AMA (Avid Media Access): Getting the plug-ins

AMA allows you to almost immediately begin editing with file-based video, without first having to go through another process, such as Transcoding or Importing. Essentially, you point Media Composer directly to the native files, and because of AMA programming/architecture, it recognizes them and links to them. However, Media Composer needs to be given the ability to recognize the files first. This is done by installing free plug-ins for each camera and/or video format (note that the QuickTime AMA plug-in is an exception and is installed by default). Using plug-ins means that they can be updated at any time independently from the Media Composer program, and, as new video formats are created, their AMA plug-ins can be made available by the manufacturer at the same time.

How to do it...

Here are the steps to get the AMA plug-ins:

  1. You will need to access the Internet.
  2. To get to the AMA plug-ins page at Avid.com, either:
    • To open the AMA Settings, go to the Project Window, select the Settings tab, and double-click on AMA Settings. In the AMA Settings window, click on the tab labeled Volume Mounting. At the bottom of the Volume Mounting window is a link labeled Check for additional or updated AMA plug-ins at Avid.com.
    • At the time of writing, you may visit one of the following links:

      i. http://www.avid.com/ama

      ii. http://www.avid.com/products/Avid-Media-Access

  3. On the Avid.com web page, you'll see a link labeled Download and/or there will be three tabs near the top labeled Overview, Features, and Plug-ins.
  4. Click on either the Download link or the Plug-ins tab.
  5. Before downloading a plug-in, make sure the file formats will work with AMA and your version of Media Composer. At the time of writing, there is a link below the Downloads column that states Please refer to the 'AMA Plug-ins and Media Composer Version Compatibility' table for software requirements.
  6. Download the AMA plug-ins for the formats that you'll be using and that correspond to the version of Media Composer that you're using.
  7. Each plug-in has its own installer and will guide you through the installation process.

    Note

    Avid also provides helpful, in-depth AMA user guides for different video formats on the same page as the download links. I highly suggest downloading them for the formats you will be using. They provide a good deal of helpful information that is outside the scope of this book.

There's more...

You can verify what plug-ins have been installed or check which version of a plug-in is installed.

  1. Open the Console window by either:
    • Selecting Console from the Tools menu
    • Pressing cmd/Ctrl + 6
  2. In the text entry box at the bottom of the Console window, enter the following: AMA_ListPlugins
  3. Press Return (Mac) or Enter (PC).
  4. A table will be generated in the Console window that lists the plug-in name(s) and its version number.
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