LAS VEGAS - Avid stepped up the competition in the HD video editing market with the introduction of its new Mojo DX, Nitrus DX and Avid Media Composer 3.0 at NAB. The HD-focused video editing tools support real-time output from SD and HD formats, take advantage of PCI Express for higher data throughput, and include improved metadata support.

The Mojo DX and Nitrus DX hardware-based systems support real-time effects, and are optimized to take advantage of a Macis multicore processors, GPU and PCI Express bus. For users that edit with a Mac Pro instead of a MacBook Pro, Avid also offers a PCI Express expansion card.

Mojo DX is geared towards small studios or production companies, and on location editing. Nitrus DX is designed for in-studio work.

Composer 3.0, and the accompanying NewsCutter 7.0 and Symphony 3.0, offer support for thin raster formats including DVCPRO HD and XDCAM HD, visible captioning with EBU-N19 import/export, real-time multi-window timecode burn-in.

The applications now offer improved XML metadata export for source and record. Exportable data includes change notes, EDL scan lists, ASC color metadata, and more.

Avid expects to ship its new high performance HD editing hardware and software by the end of the second quarter of 2008. Mojo DX will cost at US$9,995, and Nitrus DX will be priced starting at $14,995. Composer 3.0 will cost $2,495.