Updating Avid Media Composer (MC) to v5.5.2:
- I purchased an update from Avid Media Composer (MC) v5.0 to v5.5.
- Actually I purchased PhraseFind, with which the MC 5.5 upgrade was bundled for free.
- Following the purchase, I received an email with dowload links for PhraseFind and for MC 5.5.1.
- I subsequently became aware that MC 5.5.1 had been superseded by an update to MC 5.5.2.
- Two routes to this latest version were possible: update-patch or stanalone-install.
- Advice from a “guru” on an Avid forum confirmed my instince: go for the standalone install.
- I chose to follow that advice.
- I downloaded a combined installer forMC 5.5.2 and PhraseFind.
- Installation procedure:
- First I uninstalled all Avid-associated software and started from scratch.
- No need to deactivate before uninstall since I am using a dongle, not activation.
- Installed the new MC version (with PhraseFind) with no problems.
- Went about installing the Avid Production Suite applications, such as Boris, Sorenson Squeeze, Sonic DVD.
- See separate posts on each of these items.
- First I uninstalled all Avid-associated software and started from scratch.
The Blow-By-Blow Account:
- Not as spoon-fed a process as I’d hoped, though of course its possible I failed to read some document first. I went on the Avid store to purchase an update from MC 5.0 to 5.5. Once there I discovered a special offer where the update was free on purchase of either PhraseFind or ScriptSync. For my line of work, PhraseFind is potentially very useful, so I went with that. The purchase worked OK and I duly obtained and executed a dongle-updater.
- The email-autoreply from the purchase process listed only two items: Media Composer (the new version) and PhraseFind. What about all those other Production Suite items like Sorenson Squeeze? No, they were not listed. So I logged into my Download account at Avid.com to see what I was entitled to download. The list was unexpectedly huge! It included things like “Avid Deko 2200”. I wasted time finding out what this was (seems to be an obsolete version of a good-looking live/on-air 3d/text/graphics editor/generator). I bet if I did download it, either it would fail to activate (would need a key) or else waste more of my time…
- I installed Avid MC 5.5.2 on a fresh system: backup-recovery following a hard-disk crash (on my MacBook Pro).
- I really am losing faith in Apple….
- The installed MC 5.5.2 did not include AvidFX/BorisFX. So I guess I need to download it separately.
- The download list also included AvidFX 5.8.3 and Boris Continuum Complete 6.0.7.
- Need to check if their version numbers are more recent than those on the MC5.0 installation disks…
- Located my Avid MC 5.0 Installation Disk-Pack and went through the version numbers.
- It turned out that only BorisFX needed updating, from 5.8.2 to 5.8.3.
- Need to check if their version numbers are more recent than those on the MC5.0 installation disks…
- The list also had relevant-sounding items such as “Avid Editor Patches”. The page for this had a warning to the effect of “if it ain’t broke then don’t fix (patch) it”. Then it listed a set of patches for specific applications, including a patch for 5.5.1 to 5.5.2 update for Media Composer. Checking (by running that app, then Help>About), I confirmed my MC was 5.5.1. Then, on inspecting “Avid Media Composer Patch Downloads”, I saw a link to a complete (not patch) installer for v5.5.2. Huh? Why didn’t my purchase-email link to the latest version? So maybe I’d better download that as well as the patch, as my new point-of-reference…
- The patch for PC was 317 MB. That for the Mac was a massive 2GB!
- HALT: A gut-feeling told me that a standalone-installer would be better, so I asked on the Avid Forum for Media Composer on PC: http://community.avid.com/forums/p/88816/573611.aspx#573611. I was advised (by Larry Rubin, Moderator/”guru”) to indeed go for the standalone.
- His exact advice was:
1) Deactivate license on current 5.5.1 version (Special Menu in Composer)- 2) Uninstall 5.5.1
- 3) Install 5.5.2 full version
4) Reactivate license
- In retrospect, strike-(omit) steps 1 and 4 because my system has a dongle, not activation.
- Initially I tried deactivating, not realising this was not appropriate, because Iwasn’t familiar enough with what the term meant in Avid’s context.Thus:
- The Deactivate option was indeed in my MC’s Special menu, but it was greyed-out.
- Rebooting didn’t help, neither did an attempt to register (it complained it was already registered).
- Doh! I think I found the answer, at http://community.avid.com/forums/p/97503/559080.aspx:
- You don’t need to “Deactivate” if you’re using a Dongle. Only if you’re using “Software Activation”. >>
Yes, I’ve got a dongle…
So I guess all I need to do is uninstall and reinstall…
- You don’t need to “Deactivate” if you’re using a Dongle. Only if you’re using “Software Activation”. >>
- Initially I tried deactivating, not realising this was not appropriate, because Iwasn’t familiar enough with what the term meant in Avid’s context.Thus:
- His exact advice was:
- Started downloading the standalone. It is 2GB in size. So I guess the Mac “patch” might have been standalone in practice, but that’s only a guess.
- From Control Panel, I see several Avid programs. Presumably I should uninstall them all.
- They are:
- Avid EDL Manager
- Avid FilmScribe
- Avid Log Exchange
- Avid PhraseFind
- Indeed I uninstalled them all.
- They are:
- Ran the MC 5.5.2 Installer:
- Installer Menu:
- Install Avid Editor Suite
- Install Startup Sample Media
- Install Individual Products
- These are:
- Avid Media Composer
- Avid EDL Manager
- Avid Film Scribe
- Avid Log Exchange
- Avid After Effects EMP
- Avid DNA Diags
- Avid QuickTime Codecs
- Avid Media Log
- Avid MetaSync Manager and Publisher
- Avid MetaFuze
- I will post separately on these (once I find out what they are!).
- These are:
- Browse Media
- View Readme
- Visit Our Website
- Visit the Avid Learning Centre
- Ran the first item [Install Avid Editor Suite]
- That, as I had hoped, installed the whole set of programs I had just uninstalled.
- Chose not to Install Startup Sample Media
- Forgot to check out [Install Individual Products]
- Did so later (reported here now). Sub-menu offered was (as before):
- Avid Media Composer
- Avid EDL Manager
- Avid Film Scribe
- Avid Log Exchange
- Avid After Effects EMP
- Avid DNA Diags
- Avid Quicktime Codecs
- Avid Media Log
- Avid MetaSync Manager and Publisher
- Avid MetaFuze
- Of these, only Avid MetaSync Manager and Publisher had a tick next to it. Wonder why it’s that special. In case it meant “available to be installed, I tried installing it, but it was already installed. Maybe the other programs in the menu simply don’t bother to check/tick?
- Did so later (reported here now). Sub-menu offered was (as before):
- Installed AvidFX-BorisFX from my download of that app.
- Avid FX Engine’s Splash stated: Avid FX 5.8.3.1517. Indeed 5.8.3 is as expected.
- Installed BCC 6.X from original disk that came with MC 5.0, as I think it’s unchanged.
- It installed to [Boris Continuum Complete AVX 6.0], where its [Release Notes.pdf] stated its version was 6.0.7, which indeed is the latest version in my Avid Downloads account.
- Installed Sorenson Squeeze.
- Initially attempted to install Sorenson Squeeze 6.0 from disk (that came with MC 5.0) but that disk could not be read.
- Discovered from Sorenson SqueezeForum http://forum.sorensonmedia.com/forum/content.php?216-Squeeze-for-Avid that it was possible to install a more recent Squeeze 6.5 update (free to all Squeeze 6 users) here: www.sorensonmedia.com/downloads.
- I will report on this option, and the decision whether or not to follow it, in a separate post on Sorenson Squeeze.
- ?
- Installer Menu: