News

New Mac operating system available

A little over a week ago, Apple started shipping a new operating system for their CPUs, named Mac OS X Leopard. More information can be found at www.apple.com/macosx/features/.

We want to provide you with the following important information, in order to minimize the effect that this news will have on your ability to sell Mac-based Avid systems:

• we will make an announcement regarding the qualification timeframe as soon as possible.
• CPUs that are currently in Apple’s channel inventory will continue to ship with the Avid-qualified OS X Tiger, along with a “soft pack” containing a Leopard installer.  However, it is unknown at this time how long these Tiger-based CPUs will remain available for purchase.
• On November 3rd, Apple started shipping CPUs with Leopard pre-installed on the hard drives that contained the Leopard OS. We understand that these CPUs will not be able to be converted back to Tiger. Also, Apple has been known to follow up new OS X releases with new CPUs that only support the latest OS X release.
• Avid has sufficient numbers of Tiger-based CPUs to allow us to fulfill> our forecast for turnkey system orders. We will have little surplus to satisfy demand from our reseller channel beyond our own forecast. Also, these CPUs may not be priced as competitively as from your local supplier.

In light of this situation, we strongly advise our resellers to source sufficient numbers of Tiger-based Mac CPUs now, from your existing sources - while they are still available in quantity - to fulfil anticipated Mac-based editing systems orders throughout the remainder of 2007.

Avid is committed to provide you with relevant, accurate and timely information, to help you better run your business. When new information regarding Leopard qualification and CPU availability becomes available, we will update you as soon as possible.

If you have any further questions, please contact Rorke Data

Avid Liquid Chrome HD - End of Production Notification

This notification announces the end of production of the Avid Liquid Chrome HD family of products, effective immediately. 

Which products are affected?

This End of Production notification affects all Avid Liquid Chrome HD products, hardware upgrade kits and I/O breakout boxes:

• 0500-03793-01 - Avid Liquid Chrome HD plus


• 0500-03794-01 - Avid Liquid Chrome HD deluxe


• 0500-03795-01 - Avid Liquid Chrome HD elite


• 0510-03761-01 - Upgrade Liquid Chrome to Avid Liquid Chrome HD


• 0020-03758-01 - Pro Digital Plus breakout box


• 0020-03759-01 - Pro HD breakout box


• 0020-03675-01 - Liquid chrome HD breakout box


• 0020-03749-01 - Pro Digital/Analogue breakout box


• 0010-08000-01 - Pro Digital/Analogue breakout box

Please note that Avid Liquid, Avid Liquid Pro and Avid Liquid Chrome Xe are not affected. These products will continue to be available and are being managed through the Pinnacle division of Avid.

Why have we made this decision?

Avid can no longer obtain the necessary parts to build Avid Liquid Chrome HD hardware, due to the end of production of various components from third-party suppliers.

Is Avid Liquid Chrome HD still available at this moment?

Avid has very limited stock of selected Avid Liquid Chrome HD systems and kits, and these will continue to be available until stocks last. Every order will be dealt with on a “first-come-first-served” basis.

What support options are available?

Avid will continue to offer support options for customers for 5 years from the official end of production, i.e. October 31, 2012.

Avid will endeavour to provide spare parts, where available, on an advance replacement basis for customers with a valid support contract, provided that the part needing replacement is within warranty. In other cases, a “return to factory” exchange/repair policy will be employed when possible.

What alternative products are available?

For those customers who are looking for an Avid Liquid editing system with SDI and/or HD I/O, Avid Liquid Chrome Xe with the AJA XENA LHe hardware, will be an excellent and cost-effective solution.