Crosspoint has always been on the cutting edge of technology. The company used Quantel-based video editors--professional editing systems that cost $550,000 or more--because it was the way to edit video in the past. "All of the video editing was done on custom-made hardware that was built just to edit video," says Bob Maple, an editor and animator at Crosspoint. "Seven years ago SD video on a desktop was unheard of, just because they were not fast enough."

Crosspoint has had better experiences with combinations of Avid hardware and software and conventional workstations. Several years ago, Crosspoint editors worked with Avid systems attached to Macintosh computers. These systems were able to edit SD video, but it was a slow process. Since then, the company has standardized on Avid DS systems that connect to HP workstations. "We were running Avid DS on Apple machines with a media composer on the side, but we upgraded our media composers to run on HP as well," says Schmactenberger.

In December 2001, Crosspoint bought its first Avid DS HD. "We prefer Avid over Quantel or Discreet because the amount of data you can get into the system is five times more," says Schmactenberger, who adds that HP and Avid made the solution really affordable--another reason the company decided to standardize on HP hardware exclusively.

Today, Crosspoint uses Avid DS systems for advanced video editing. "The Avid DS box is is similar to a media composer," says Maple, "but it has more graphics tools--a lot more composition tools--and all you need to finish a project and make it look its best."

The Avid DS is based on product called Digital Studio by Softimage. A few years ago, Avid bought Softimage and integrated its products into the Avid portfolio. The Avid-based system serves Crosspoint's needs well. "The new PCs can do things twice as fast as the old Quantel edit box," says Maple. "It's something completely new; it's hard to even compare the two."

Avid DS HD is a nonlinear production (NLP) system for real-time conforming and finishing projects at multiple uncompressed HDTV and standard-definition formats. Editors and digital artists can access at any time a range of seamlessly integrated tools for picture and audio editing, compositing, paint, titling, animation, and media management. The deep, broad, creative toolset within Avid DS HD Version 6 is particularly well-suited to mastering TV commercials, station promos, high-end corporate and event videos, TV programs, and theatrical releases in uncompressed high-definition formats.

The Avid DS HD software supports multiple uncompressed HDTV formats, including ATSC 720p, 720/60p HD, 1080PsF and 1080i, as well as PAL and NTSC standard-definition formats at 24, 25, 29.97 and 30 fps. It also supports 24p progressive scanning, ensuring compliance with both present and future standards.

And of course, users can efficiently conform programs created on Avid Media Composer and Avid Symphony systems because of the Avid DS HD system supports for OMF files and the ability to read Meridien-based hardware uncompressed media.

Most importantly, The Avid DS gives Maple a host of editing and effect options. "I can do huge multiplayer composites, take multiple shots and rotate them, roto-scope, or go in frame-by-frame and paint something out of a scene," says Maple.

Since moving over to HP, Crosspoint has used a number of high-performance systems, including the HP XW4100 Workstation, which comes with the Intel Pentium 4 2.4GHz processor, 512MB ECC RAM, 40GB hard drive, and DVD+RW+R combo and two HP L2025 20" flat panel monitors. The company also has an HP Workstation XW6000 with dual 2.8GHz Intel Xeon processors, 2-3 GB RAM, and 2-4 UltraSCSI 320 73GB drives. The system comes with a VD+RW+R combo drive and two to four HP P1130 21" flat-screen monitors. Both systems run on Microsoft Windows XP Professional and ship standard with NVIDIA Quadro graphics cards, but come with custom cards designed by Avid.