Pros

  • Flexible Open Format Timeline
  • SmoothCam feature is simple and effective
  • AVCHD codec support
  • Good price
  • Many refinements
  • ProRes 422 codec offers very high quality at reasonable data rates
  • Printed manuals
  • Surround-sound support is helpful

Cons

  • SmoothCam has some rough edges
  • Somewhat steep system requirements, especially for HD
  • Surround-sound support requires additional hardware
  • Open Format Timeline doesn’t handle everything perfectly
  • Huge, time-consuming installation
  • AVCHD codec support requires specialized, high-end equipment