Avid Technology

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Avid Technology Inc. is a US-based multimedia and technology company located in Massachusetts formed in 1987 that specializes in providing solutions for the professional audio, video, and media markets.

Avid Technology is owned by the parent private equity group Symphony Technology Group (STG) as of 2023.

Avid Technology

Basic information
Founded	1987
Legal Structure	Private
Industry	Audio, Music, Video
Also known as
Official website	https://www.avid.com

Consumer-impact summary

Avid Technology has implemented several policies that negatively impact their customers:

• All Avid software solutions run on a Subscription or Perpetual + Support Plan model; Software + Support Plans typically only offer 1-3 years of support before needing to be purchased again.
• Requiring customers to purchase an Avid Support Code (ASC) or be under an active product Subscription or Software Updates + Support Plan to receive direct ticketing support using Avid's helpdesk. Phone support is only offered on an ASC code usage or a higher Support Plan.
• Usage of Avid designed hardware require the use of an "advanced" tier of their software products in order to provide full functionality and/or control.
• Avid designed hardware have a fixed 5-year term for hardware and software support when the product reaches its declared End of Sale date. After that point, all support for the product will cease officially.

Controversies

Avid removes Perpetual Plan options for Pro Tools users (April 2022)

Avid in April of 2022 removed the option for customers to buy new or Software Updates + Support Plan contracts for existing perpetual Pro Tools users. Following considerable industry backlash, Avid reinstated Perpetual licenses and Support Plan contract renewals through authorized 3rd party resellers in 2023.

Avid is Acquired by an Affiliate of STG for USD $1.4B (Nov 2023)

Avid Technology was acquired by an affiliate of STG (Symphony Technology Group) for 1.4 billion dollars on November 7, 2023 in a cash-only deal. This delisted Avid from the NYSE and returned its status as a private entity. Subsequently, some of Avid's product development has been moved to STG Labs, the primary engineering office for STG in India, alongside other portfolio companies.

Products

Pro Tools

A Digital Audio Workstation used by many studios and installations for music composition, recording, music production, and video post-production.

Pro Tools Systems

• Hardware
  • Pro Tools HDX
  • Pro Tools | MTRX II
  • Pro Tools | MTRX Studio
  • Pro Tools | Sync X
  • Pro Tools | Carbon and Carbon Pre
• EUCON Control Surfaces
  • Dock
  • S1
  • S4
  • S6
• Pro Tools Tiers
  • Pro Tools Intro - Free, feature limited software for demoing the core capabilities of Pro Tools
  • Pro Tools Artist - Entry-level tier that offers most tools and features for small to medium scale creators
  • Pro Tools Studio - Advanced tier that provides advanced tools for bigger creators and studios; support for some of Avid's higher tier hardware solutions
  • Pro Tools Ultimate - Full feature set for creatives and installations that require the most compatibility and support for all of Avid's hardware solutions

Sibelius

A music notation and engraving software used by score composers for general and film scoring.

Sibelius Systems

• Sibelius Tiers
  • Sibelius First - Free, feature limited tier for demoing the core features of Sibelius
  • Sibelius Artist - Entry-level tier that offers the core tools for small to medium composers
  • Sibelius Ultimate - Full feature set for larger scale composers and those working for film scoring

Media Composer

A non-linear editor (NLE) for post-production video work for TV and film workflows.

Media Composer Systems

• Hardware
  • Avid NEXIS
• Media Composer Tiers
  • MC First - Free, feature limited tier for demoing the core features of Media Composer
  • MC Standard - Standard set of tools that covers most independent and indie-scale video production
  • MC Ultimate - Full toolset with support for remote integrations and team collaborations across a small team
  • MC Enterprise - Full toolset with advanced integrations, collaboration, and roles that can manage an entire campus of editors

VENUE

Modular system designed for live sound and touring productions with advanced integration with Pro Tools systems.

VENUE Systems

• VENUE Configurations
  • Control Surfaces
    • S6L-48D
    • S6L-32D
    • S6L-24D
    • S6L-24C
    • S6L-16C
  • DSP Engines
    • E6LX-256
    • E6L-192
    • E6LX-176
    • E6L-144
    • E6LX-128
    • E6L-112
  • I/O Racks
    • STAGE 64
    • STAGE 48
    • STAGE 32
    • STAGE 16
    • LOCAL 16

MediaCentral

A suite of unified tools for newsroom events and live broadcast productions combining scriptwriting, automation, ingest, delivery, and collaboration in a single package.