EDIUS is not among the most well known Windows-based nonlinear editing applications, but this is not for lack of features, functionality, format support or affordability. For several years EDIUS has been part of the Grass Valley/Thomson stable of products, acquired from original developer Canopus. It's often offered as a bundle with I/O hardware, such as HDStorm, HDSpark or HDThunder.

In this review, we are just considering the EDIUS 5.1 application and multi-functional software bundle.

Features
EDIUS will run on an Intel or AMD CPU running at 3 GHz or faster, with multiple CPUs and multiple processors recommended. A minimum of 1GB of RAM and 5GB of hard drive space (for the software installation) are needed, along with suitably fast and generous media storage. You'll also need a graphics card running Direct3D 9.0c and PixelShader 3.0 or later, a WDM-supported sound card and Windows XP Home or Professional (SP2 or later, 32-bit) or Vista (any version SP1 or later, 32 or 64-bit). The application is protected by a USB key.

The EDIUS package is more of a wide-ranging bundle than an integrated suite, although there is some integration. The bundle includes:

• NewBlue video filters (art, film and motion effects)
• ProDAD video effects and image stabilization
• Corel DVD MovieFactory (DVD and Blu-ray authoring)
• iZotope VST Audio Effects, Restore, Mastering and AGC suites of filters
• Artbeats HD stock footage and graphics
• and a trial version of SmartSound's Sonicfire Pro soundtrack composition software.

The EDIUS editing application has the layout and many of the features we have come to expect in a modern nonlinear editor. And it has a few distinguishing features that will make life easier and more efficient for the user. One of the main design mandates of EDIUS seems to have been speed and real-time capabilities. For example, one can combine SD and HD sources, different frame rates, aspect ratios and codecs into the same timeline. EDIUS will accept most of the standard- and high-definition formats for real-time editing, including Canopus HQ and Lossless and Infinity JPEG 2000, AVCHD, AVC-Intra, DV, DVCAM, DVCPRO, HDV and MPEG-2. In addition, EDIUS is very comfortable with the newer file-based formats, such as P2, VariCam, XDCAM, EXCAM, MXF, and Ikegami GigaFlash. Timelines can yield any output on demand, including render-free DV output, even if that means downconversion from HD sources.

The user interface pretty much follows the now-standard conventions of modern nonlinear editing software. Bins, which contain source material, can be customized in their display, and they can be searched and organized to meet your needs. Monitoring takes the format of dual monitors (player and recorder), though it can be customized into a single window that is toggled between functions (to save screen real estate, for example). The player window has controls for clip capture and source trimming; the recorder window controls timeline functions and trimming. The ubiquitous timeline can contain as many video, audio and title tracks as needed. All the usual amenities apply: video and audio clips can be linked for synch editing; audio waveforms can be displayed for easier editing; the timeline can be scaled horizontally and/or vertically; GPU-fueled effects and transitions leverage the power of the graphics card to speed workflow—in short, this is a solid implementation of a timeline-based editing interface.

Additional windows house an audio mixer, real-time keyframeable three-way color corrector, waveform monitor and/or vectorscope, and effects settings. It's worth noting the new features list in the current version (5.1) as a way of measuring the robustness of EDIUS' support and development. New and improved features include the above-mentioned GPUFx (hundreds of keyframed presets are available, with all parameters customizable) and greatly expanded native (no necessity for rendering on ingest or output) format support (formats listed above).

There's also a newly built-in exporter interface/function (this replaces what was a plug-in link to ProCorder Express, and facilitates transcoding, scaling, frame rate conversion and batch export) and the capability for using Avid and Final Cut Pro batch capture logs inside EDIUS' Batch Capture function. In addition, there's a greatly improved Video Layout Tool (now with key frame controls, to facilitate pan, scroll, and zoom moves on video clips or still images) and clip marker support. Previous users will also note improvements to audio mixing, searching, quick titler, and project consolidation, to say nothing of the greatly expanded third-party software bundle described above.

In Use
Putting the EDIUS software to use was a two-part process for me. First, I installed the package into a high-powered Windows XP environment in the studio of a colleague, and spent almost two days in editing a couple of short music videos with some special requirements as a way of putting the software through its paces. Being a Mac-only shop, I wanted to verify that EDIUS ran smoothly in its native Windows environment before giving it the acid test of running it on Mac hardware. My setup involved running it under Bootcamp (Windows boot partition) and Parallels (Windows virtual machine running as a window in a Mac environment). This would allow me to give it deeper study and to more closely compare it to the methods and functionality of the NLE I am used to on my home turf.

I'm happy to report that everything functioned in a snappy manner under Windows. All of the promised real-time functions were present, and all user interface functions and manipulations were very responsive, yielding speedy renders when necessary. I am also happy to report that EDIUS functioned equally well under both Bootcamp and the Parallels virtual machine (both running Windows XP) on the Mac. My observations are the result of working in both installations.

The working projects in both installations—the two music videos—were shot with my Sony PMW-EX3 (brought instantly into EDIUS directly from the cards they were captured using the Import XDCAM function), along with artist-supplied footage, which came in smoothly.

I was able to quite quickly accomplish what I intended, once I got used to EDIUS' interface and methodology, which (and this is always the case when moving between different NLEs) were almost, but not quite, completely what I expected. This is not a critique of the interface design, as there are some aspects that I've come to appreciate. For example, the task-specific controls are embedded at the top of the main windows of the interface rather than in context-specific menus, as in most NLEs. Some of these specific controls which are related to bin organization and searching are at the top of the Bin window, with clip editing, playback, and jog/shuttle controls residing in the player window. As such, this greatly facilitates workflow between tasks.

I have long been a fan and a user of iZotope's plug-ins and was glad to see the inclusion of their Restore and Mastering filters in the software package. This is tremendous value, as these filters are among the best in class in compression, equalization and broadband noise reduction. It's a great bonus to have this capability available directly in the timeline as a standard and integrated part of the installation.

EDIUS' Exporter module, which provides the means for very high quality and fast export to different formats, frame rates, aspect ratios, and transcodes, is basically the former (and still available) ProCoder compression application. Many regard this as one of the best (fastest, cleanest, most efficient) on the market, and some even go so far as to run Windows just in order to be able to use ProCorder. In its Exporter incarnation, it supports Batch output, making it a true time saver when the need arises to produce multiple format versions simultaneously.

Summary
Editors tend to get used to one application and one general methodology in their work, as this facilitates speed, fluidity and accuracy. Changes in practice are difficult enough, but undertaking work in a totally different application is a huge change. That said, a fairly concentrated week of working with the EDIUS software left me feeling quite satisfied—enough so as to give the applications in the bundle supplied me a very strong thumbs up. I'm very impressed by the real-time features; lack of constant rendering; timeline format, aspect and frame rate flexibility; and the responsive interface. In addition, the software bundle, which adds high-quality video, audio and special effects filters, greatly broadens both functionality and value.

Michael Hanish operates Free Lunch, a video/audio/multimedia production house near Guilford, Vt. He may be contacted at michael@freelunchmedia.com.