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Table Of Contents
Real-Time Effects and Non-Real-Time Effects
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AVX Plug-In Effects
Avid editing applications support the Avid Visual Extensions (AVX
) standard. AVX is a
cross-platform technology that allows software effect modules (plug-ins) to be dynamically
linked to an Avid editing application. Some effects that Avid supplies with your Avid editing
application use the AVX technology, while others do not. In general, you work in exactly the
same way with both types.
Third-party developers use AVX to create effect plug-ins that you can purchase, install, and use
to extend the effects functionality of your Avid editing application. Third-party AVX plug-in
effects might have controls that look very similar to standard Avid effect controls, or they might
have custom user interfaces.
For more information on working with third-party plug-ins, see “Working with Plug-In Effects”
on page 187.
Real-Time Effects and Non-Real-Time Effects
Effects in Avid editing applications can be either real-time or non-real-time. A real-time effect is
one that you can apply to a sequence and play without having to render it first. Rendering is a
processing operation that your Avid editing application performs to merge effect layers, creating
one stream of digital video for playback in real time. (Rendering takes time and creates a new
media file that occupies drive space.) You must render non-real-time effects before you can play
them back. You can preview non-real-time effects, or play them as an outline, without rendering
them.
A real-time effect has a small green dot in the Effect Palette and within the effect icon in the
Timeline. Effects that you must render have a small blue dot within the effect icon in the
Timeline. For more information, see “Color Coding on Effect Icons” on page 24.
You can create a sequence that has any number of real-time and non-real-time effects. However,
there are limits on how many real-time effects your Avid editing application can play at once
without rendering or otherwise reducing the amount of processing necessary during playback.
For more information, see “Real-Time Playback of Video Effects” on page 153.
When you want to play a sequence that includes effects at full quality, you might have to render
some of the effects. You will have to render any effect that is non-real-time, and you might need
to render some of the effects that are normally real-time.