Avid Free DV

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Avid Free DV
Though a powerful editing tool, Avid Free DV is glitchy on some systems.
Developer:	Avid Technology
Latest release:	1.8 (Mac OS X) / 1.6 (Win)
OS:	Windows, Mac OS X
Use:	Video editing software
License:	Proprietary
Website:	Avid Free DV Overview

Avid Free DV is a non-linear editing program made by Avid Technology. Compared with other Avid products it is relatively minimal, and since it is based on Avid software which is designed to run on purpose-built hardware, the software has glitches when run on some systems.

When compared with other consumer-end non-linear editors such as iMovie, it sports more powerful video processing tools, but lacks the ease-of-use and shallow learning curve emphasized in similar programs due to the fact that it is the full interface of the professional Avid system. However, Avid does offer a number of flash-based tutorials to help new users learn how to use the program for capturing, editing, processing, and outputting audio/video, amongst other things.

As the name implies, Avid Free DV can be downloaded for free, although users are required to complete a short survey on the Avid website before they are given a download link. Due to the similarity between Free DV and the rest of the Avid product line in terms of interface and methods of operation, Free DV can be used to evaluate the Avid system. It can also act as a stepping stone for people wishing to learn to use Avid's other editing products, such as Xpress Pro, Media Composer and Symphony. While additional skills and techniques are necessary to use these professional-geared systems, the basic operation remains the same.

Avid Free DV is available for Windows XP and Mac OS X.