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Hi all, A quick note...

The new PhraseFind AI/ScriptSync AI engine utilises CUDA GPU acceleration very well, so you must run qualified drivers if you're running a qualified GPU. If you're running an unqualified GPU, update your GPU driver to the latest version and use the "Studio" driver with Nvidia GTX cards.

Most of the newer (Nvidia) unqualified GPUs should work fine, and a lot of the GTX line should be fine, although those GPUs haven't been officially tested like the qualified Quadro GPUs. I would avoid installing an AMD GPU in a Windows custom build for Media Composer (no CUDA).

I've attached a screenshot of this new AI engine utilising all of my GTX 1650 while indexing a project - It's working with no problem despite running an unqualified GPU. This is great because my CPU can focus on decoding DNxHR playback on my timeline/building play pipes, etc. 

If you're running a PC custom build with a Radeon Vega 56 for example, and you find PF/SS is not indexing, the only way to get this AI engine not to use the GPU is by removing the GPU driver - That isn't feasible if your CPU doesn't have integrated graphics, but I think for the most part if Media Composer doesn't find a CUDA GPU, it will just use the CPU for the PhraseFind index. 

Here is the FAQ for ScriptSync AI and PhraseFind AI which has been released on August 31, 2023:

https://avid.secure.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Knowledge/PhraseFind-AI-and-ScriptSync-AI-Preview-FAQ

Media Composer 2023.8 – August 2023
PhraseFind AI and ScriptSync AI Preview FAQ

Q: Why is Avid making this change?

A: We have all witnessed recent significant advances in AI/ML technology, including transcription. Avid is excited to bring this updated technology to our award-winning Media Composer | ScriptSync and PhraseFind Options. With our latest transcription enhancements, we will be able to deliver support for more languages, faster search with increased accuracy, and the ability to view actual transcripts for a clip. Most importantly, we are utilizing new technology to ensure your productions are secure and do not require an Internet connection. This foundational change will allow us to offer you more improved transcription services in the future. Please try this new functionality in the previews delivered in Media Composer 2023.8. We are excited to hear what you think and how you believe we can provide increased value.

Q: Why are these features previews?

A: We are very excited about this advanced technology and want to get it into the hands of our users as soon as possible. We are providing a brand-new transcription engine and encouraging the wider user base to share their feedback via a new Community Forum. This new forum has been created specifically to gather feedback on the new AI-powered tools. We intend to release the non-preview version in a subsequent update.

Q: Will I be able to use the existing PhraseFind and ScriptSync in Media Composer 2023.8?

A: You can opt to delay upgrading if you’re currently working with these tools. We can’t include the existing and preview versions in the same release. The new PhraseFind AI and ScriptSync AI provide new capabilities that are not included in the existing versions. Also, there are many other compelling new features in Media Composer 2023.8 including many user experience enhancements such as a new workspace option that shortens the ramp-up time for editors transitioning from older versions of Media Composer, audio punch-in support via 3rd party USB devices, and more.

Plus, with the new Panel SDK (Software Development Kit), Media Composer is now more open than ever to 3rd party integration via a set of APIs (application program interfaces). Customers and technology partners can use the Panel SDK to enable tighter workflows with direct access to third-party applications and services, enabling greater workflow speed and efficiency.

Q: What new capabilities are included with PhraseFind AI and ScriptSync AI?

A: Experience a new level of speed and precision with a preview of our new AI-powered PhraseFind AI and ScriptSync AI. Effortlessly navigate through your footage and enjoy precise results. Unleash the potential of modern transcription technology, offering you seamless editing with full- text search results and multi-language support.

PhraseFind AI is a powerful new version of the acclaimed dialog indexing and searching option for Media Composer that enables you to quickly find all relevant clips by simply typing a word or phrase. PhraseFind AI automatically analyzes all clips in your project and indexes all audible dialog, so you can spend less time searching for the right media and more time focusing on what matters most—your story. Leveraging robust and powerful AI, PhraseFind AI can index volumes of dialog driven media and deliver search results quickly. When results are found, the whole sentence which includes the search terms is displayed. It also includes automatic transcript creation, a new transcription management tool, and automatic multi-lingual language detection.

Say goodbye to endless scrolling through footage! ScriptSync AI is a powerful dialog search and sync option for Media Composer that eliminates time-consuming manual media searches and enables you to quickly find the best take or perfect clip fast. It indexes all text and audible dialog in your project automatically and then syncs each line of dialog from the script or transcription to each source clip. Once synced, you can quickly locate all relevant clips in seconds based on a word or phrase search to easily compare performances in the context of your story and with the click of the mouse, build your scene or assemble your interview. Leveraging robust and powerful AI technology, you can now create scripts from clips and automatically align your media with text in the script window. It also includes automatic transcript creation, a new transcription management tool, and automatic multi-lingual language detection.

Q: Will the new AI-based tools support all the same languages that are supported in the existing tools?

A: Yes, not only will it support current languages, but PhraseFind AI and ScriptSync AI can potentially support even more in the future. Please note that the additional languages are still being tested, but we encourage you to test the preview and provide us with notes on your experience with additional languages in the new Community Forum.

Q: If I paid for the PhraseFind and ScriptSync add-on subscriptions with Media Composer, how will this impact me?

A: If you upgrade to Media Composer 2023.8, you will have free access to the new AI-based preview which includes more capabilities than the existing versions, and you can provide feedback on your experience. Click on the following link to post your feedback or questions: Community Forum. We intend to release the non-preview version in a subsequent update.

Q: Can I still use or renew my Media Composer | Ultimate or Enterprise subscription if I’m using an older version than Media Composer 2023.8 and be able to access the existing PhraseFind and ScriptSync?

A: Yes, supported versions can still be used and renewed which will continue to give you access to the current versions of PhraseFind and ScriptSync. However, these versions will not be available on the Avid Download Center as of September 29, 2023.

Q: If I’m using a version of Media Composer prior to 2023.8, will I still be able to access PhraseFind and ScriptSync in the Avid Download Center?

A: Changing the technological foundation of these products to enhance their capabilities required us to remove the previous code for ScriptSync and PhraseFind from Media Composer. This will not impact your projects because the new versions are designed to not only replace but to add functionality.

However, please note that as of September 29, 2023, all Media Composer builds pre-dating 2023.8 will no longer be available for download. The only versions available from Avid will be 2023.8, and the most recent long-term maintenance releases of 2022.12.5 and 2021.12.10.

If you are running any other previous versions of Media Composer and believe you need to have access to an installer of your previous version, we advise you download and archive the version of that installer for later use. As of September 29th, they will no longer be available from Avid.

Q: I own a perpetual license to Media Composer with PhraseFind and ScriptSync as paid options. Will there be a cost difference?

A: No, for the new offerings of PhraseFind AI and ScriptSync AI, the licensing, the activation process in Avid Link, and the cost is the same as it was before. The only difference is in their operation within Media Composer itself.

Q: I am in the middle of a project using PhraseFind and ScriptSync, and I want to upgrade to 2023.8. If I do, will my current project be negatively affected by the new PhraseFind AI and ScriptSync AI previews?

A: No. There is no anticipated issue.

Q: We plan to run various versions of Media Composers on shared storage, including 2023.8 mixed with some older versions. Will we have any issues?

A: No. There is no anticipated issue in the operations of PhraseFind and ScriptSync if someone upgrades from a previous version to 2023.8, downgrades from 2023.8 to a previous version, or if several mismatched versions are running. Each Media Composer system indexes files and saves transcriptions locally. The index created by previous PhraseFind and ScriptSync will remain intact and will simply be dormant. 2023.8 uses a centralized database for its indexing and searching.

Q: What is the process for creating transcripts and then exporting them for others to see?

A: Currently the new feature of auto-creating transcripts does not support exporting; however, this capability may become available in a future release.

Q: If I’m running multiple 2023.8 seats on shared storage, and a transcript is created on one of them, will the rest of the Media Composer 2023.8 systems be able to see it if it is in the same shared project?

A: No, each system indexes media and saves results locally.

Q: If I do not want this upgrade, and continue to use an older version, will I ever be forced to upgrade?

A: Yes, that is possible. With this new AI technology, Avid will no longer be able to keep any of the previous versions of Media Composer (with the previous PhraseFind and ScriptSync in them) available for customers to download. That also means if something happens that requires you to re-install an older version of Media Composer, you will NOT be able to do so by downloading it fresh from the Avid Download Center. To re-install an older version, you will have to have the software and installer already downloaded locally for that older version.

Q: Sometimes I’m noticing that the new AI versions of PhraseFind & ScriptSync are slower than the previous versions. Am I doing something wrong?

A: With this being a newly engineered product built from different code, there are some operations that might behave differently than you are previously familiar with. Please note those instances in your feedback on the new Community Forum.

Q: Do these new features require a GPU?

A: No, a GPU is not required, but certain NVIDIA GPUs will improve performance.

Q: Do PhraseFind AI and ScriptSync AI require an Internet connection?

A: No, these are not cloud-based solutions. All processing is local to your system.

Q: Is my data secure?

A: Yes, Avid treats customer data security with the utmost sensitivity and would not deploy solutions that could potentially pose a security risk. The new AI technology is not using any customer data for improving the AI results.

Q: Are you required to download language packs as in previous versions of ScriptSync and PhraseFind?

A: No, this new technology does not require you to download any additional language packs to work. It will automatically identify the language from the media selected and create the appropriate transcription. In fact, the PhraseFind AI and ScriptSync AI engine supports multiple languages within the same clip.

Been using the Avid Artist Color with DaVinci for years now flawlessly, even had it running ok last week.

For some reason today it's started having connection issues. I've tried different cables, I've tried rebooting in various ways, I've tried a static IP, I've tried updating the EU control software. But I have had no luck and wondered if some one might be able to shed some light on it.

For context:

• OS: Windows 10 Home
• Avid S1 S3 Dock Control Artist Series Version: 2022.12.1.34
• EUCON Version: 4.10.3.34
• Show Info Message from EUCON:

"MAC: 00-90-D5-80-93-EC

IP IP 169.254.249.56:49168

is having connection issues.

Please turn  off and on again.  

Then drag  into the My Surfaces list.

Note that when your device returns to the All Surfaces list, it will still show "Click Show Info" until it is put back into the My Surfaces list."

• I also get this error message frequently:

https://imgur.com/a/TMfHhni 

• When I drag it into "My Surfaces" and click on update firmware it comes up with this:

Artist Color

current version: 0.0.0.0 

upgrade to 1.1.11.0

When I go to update the firmware the progress bar moves along and completes, but when I return it's still saying the current version is 0.0.0.0. Might be the firmware has corrupted? But I'm not sure where to start on fixing that. 

If someone could shed any light on this it owuld be much appreciated!

Hello,

I need to create an AAF or a EDL file for color correction? 

Which method should I do? What have I to do for doing color correction after have edited the footage? Do you have a video to share so I can see the whole process from it?

Thank You

Hello,

when I try to ScriptSync the computer gets stuck on "indexing" after 10 minutes still stuck, I try to cancel and Avid crashes.

I try to do the same process from another computer on the same script and same footage and now it works.

What should I do to get it work on the main computer?

Regards,

Peter

I have uninstall Media composer (dongle) from my old computer without deactivating  Symphony option. since  Symphony option. was purchased separately and activation was done online and I forgot to deactivate. Now I have installed MC Dongle version with no problem but getting eerror 101 when want to activate option on new conputer. please advise.

It's like this, I'm a rookie editor in China, and I recently encountered a problem, the 5.1 audio files sent by the other party are separated, as shown in the picture. C, L, R, Ls, Rs, Lfe

How should I export in Media Composer, but the timeline is A1, A2, A3, do I need to adjust the spatial position of each audio in the audio mixer?

What does Lfe represent and how should I choose?

Who can help me! ! !

Thank you very much, I used Google to translate this article, I don’t know if you can understand it

The last couple versions of AMC have had a weird quirk on both my 2021 M1 Max 16" MBP with 64GB RAM and 2019 Mac Pro 16-Core 3.2 GHz with 160 GB RAM, an afterburner card, and the Radeon Pro W5700X with 16GB of GDDR6 memory.

First of all, when I use PhraseFind, double-clicking to open a clip opens (if it's not already open) or moves (if the bin is already open) the clip's bin out of their container, tabs, or even sometimes floats a new binned container. It's so inconsistent and weird that it would even move an open bin.

Second, it loads the clip into the source bin but will only let me play it maybe 30% of the time. I'll load it up and expect to be able to hit spacebar and play the clip as I always have in the past but it doesn't play. Maybe 60% of the time it'll play if I double-click to open the clip from the Find window again but that's such an odd issue.

So between the bins going all over the place and the clips not playing consistently, I have become disillusioned with PheaseFind and Media Composer as of late. I have checked my bin, composer, and general settings, created new user profiles, etc. but it still seems to be an issue.

Has anyone else seen this or can they confirm their system is doing something similar? Or, is there a better PhraseFind workflow?

Bonus point - I would LOVE to be able to create a stringout from the PhraseFind Find window. Let us dial in the pre and post-roll for the clips (mayb e 3 seconds on each side) and let us string them all out on a timeline like we can from a bin.

Hello!

I need to create custom .raw graphics for PlasmaWipe. Is there a Mac compatible image editor to export/save in .raw, other than Adobe's?

Thank you!

Question: My copy of 7.1.3 has been working on Mac OS10.12.6 perfectly since 2019. 

Now, suddenly, Avid have removed the function of my Activation Code. Sibeliuys crashes every time upon launch. I have now wasted 9 days with Customer Support, who either cannot or refuse to read a compete analysis, including a screen grab of all that fails. When I send a repeat request in the hope that somebody else might read it, all I get is "goodbye, you have already got a case number". 04333082. I am both disgusted with the deliberate lack of response, and angry that the recommended Avid systems altogether fail to work. 

They have now sent me 7 times the same set of 're-register offline' instructions that DO NOT WORK, and somebody called Alex(is) fails to answer, but leaves me locked out in the cold for days at a time, but then repeats the same questions, that have been answered if only he would read.

1) Why cannot Avid restore functionality? Why should I be expected to do so myself?

2) Having wasted several days in eliminating Avid Link and replacing Application Control (the supplied version failed to work), I now find that 

A) Licence Control = Product Registration tells me "unable to verify / look up Activation ID". But Avid now tell me that this is a glitch: "merely close the page and all should work". If only!

B) "Activation Failed, please contact Representative." But they do nothing about it!

C) Repeated instructions: "download the .bin  file to activate. YET THIS CAN ONLY BE USED ONCE"! So what are you supposed to do when repeated fresh downloads fail 7 times!?

D) It is impossible to contact the company, since there is no phone support without an unneeded contract, and all web pages lead you round in deliberately closed circles. 

This is disgusting, unacceptable 'customer support', and there is no way of putting matters right if 1) Avid has made the Application number invalid and 2) nobody will answer intelligently.

E) To confuse matters further, Avid now tells me that Sib. 7.1.3 is not supported by OS 10.12.6 – although this has been working perfectly since 2019.

HELP PLEASE! Does anybody at Support read this, or can readers here please prove more able and willing than Support. Your help will be much appreciated. Thank  you in advance.