Things that would make a MAJOR difference for many:

-Direct H.264/H.265 export of any sequence WITHOUT invoking the QuickTime process.  Think Premiere Pro H.264 export.  MainConcept tie-in somewhere?  Premiere sequence export works great - you go right from sequence to H.264 - it's a simultaneous render/output.

-One-step export that always works, regardless of whether you have linked media, long-GOP media, unrendered media, whatever, in your sequence(s).  Right now, if I have LINKED long-GOP media in my sequence, and I try to export Same-as-Source, MC asks me if I want to continue by outputting as whatever my render setting is.  If I hit "Continue," it happily proceeds to export, works great.  However, the moment that I have Avid-native long-GOP media, I can't export anymore - not even the same prompt that I get with linked media - a prompt to export to my Render codec.  No prompt at all, just denial. This is counterintuitive. Long-GOP AMA is OK for export, but long-GOP Avid-native isn't.  Huh?

-Background export - in theory, the software could possibly "lock" a sequence or bin during export, and the user just continues onto other things.

-Background mixdown - similar to background export.

Right now, the export process has multiple clauses and subclauses depending on what kind of media you have in your sequence, render status, and so forth - including some counterintuitive things.  The export process alone has been a major source of frustration for freelancers, a favorite target of "yeah, but in FCP/Premiere, all you have to do is XYZ" comments.  These comments are entirely valid, and there's no good answer for them.

This should be a priority - especially as your perpetual users no longer get encoding software included with their purchase.

Old request, things have slightly changed since it was posted, still we badly miss h265 support, both in and out.

Agreed - h.265 support is urgently required

Whilst here h.266 is coming so maybe start looking ahead to support this?

Ben Dodds:

h.266 is coming so maybe start looking ahead to support this?

+1

luca.mg:

things have slightly changed

No denying things are improving but the elephant in the corner remains quicktime. The Avid media engine stlll doesn't cover all its functionality, and some, for example h265.

IMHO the new interface 2019/2020 line of MC with UME native op-1a support was (and is) a missed opportunity to complete that project. That said, I'm more confident now Avid will get it done then I was let's say 2-3 years ago.

just my 0,02$ 

Jeroen van Eekeres:

No denying things are improving but the elephant in the corner remains quicktime.

Totally agree with that, and since QT has died many years ago Avid should really speed up the development of the new engine. When I write that things slightly changed I mean that we now have h264 mp4 file output, sluggish as hell, since it relies on the old QT libraries, and also h264 mov output on the new engine. But since Apple and Adobe dropped h264 we should really get h265 support before it dies as well, and h266 support while it is alive and well, before it gets legacy either!

Hello!

Here are some feature requests.

- Codec native support (link/import/export):
     - H.265
     - H.266

- Video mixdown with alpha channel.
- Compatibilty with future ARM based Macs
- Inport natively supported files with codec passthrough, instead of transcoding.
- Effects within a submaster, or nested not to affect the layers below
- Join two mono clips into a stereo track, mantaining edits and effects - as in Pro Tools.

More requests to come. This is always a work in progress.

 

 - Inport natively supported files with codec passthrough, instead of transcoding.

To the best of my knowledge, this is already possible. Traditional Fast Import, or via Link+Consolidate. 

 

 Video mixdown with alpha channel.

I can't wrap my head around this one. Can you give an example on how this would work? 

Job ter Burg:

 - Inport natively supported files with codec passthrough, instead of transcoding.

To the best of my knowledge, this is already possible. Traditional Fast Import, or via Link+Consolidate. 

The idea is to copy the files to the computer and Media Composer work directly on them, without the need of any kind of import or linking. Just a simple drag from Source Bowser or from the OS itself. Sort of an instant access.

Job ter Burg:

 

 Video mixdown with alpha channel.

I can't wrap my head around this one. Can you give an example on how this would work? 

Sure!
Let's say I have a graphic file with trasnparency (TIFF, PNG…), or better a sequence of files that are an animated graphic. When I import them to Media Composer it creates a media file with alpha (keyed). Then let's suppose I need to change the speed of that animation. I can't do that, without having to change the files themselves, one by one. If I want to apply an effect or a transition, I won't be able to that, either, unless I mixdown all the files into a new file. However, when I mixdown I lose the transparency of the graphic files - the alpha channel. So, as far as I know, I'll have to go to my graphic designer and ask him to redo the animation.

Miguel:

Job ter Burg:

 - Inport natively supported files with codec passthrough, instead of transcoding.

To the best of my knowledge, this is already possible. Traditional Fast Import, or via Link+Consolidate. 

The idea is to copy the files to the computer and Media Composer work directly on them, without the need of any kind of import or linking. Just a simple drag from Source Bowser or from the OS itself. Sort of an instant access.

This is what linking does, though.  You link to files, they show up in your bin, natively without any transcode, and you work directly on them.  You drag from the OS, holding Option/Alt.

Yes, but there is great penalty in performance, especially at higher resoluttions and video tracks, unlike imported video.
I wish Avid could improve that workflow, if possible.

Besides, if you need to make a reference export, import is mandatory.

But QT Ref is a dying thing.

Miguel:

Yes, but there is great penalty in performance, especially at higher resoluttions and video tracks, unlike imported video.
I wish Avid could improve that workflow, if possible.

Besides, if you need to make a reference export, import is mandatory.

I get the feeling that you are looking for something like Adobe Premiere's "Import".  Avid's Linking (or what was called AMA Link) is functionally the same thing.  You can argue that Adobe's video engine might be more efficient than Avid's but that is something quite different.

Jef

Miguel:

Yes, but there is great penalty in performance, especially at higher resoluttions and video tracks, unlike imported video.
I wish Avid could improve that workflow, if possible.

I totally agree with this, which is why I hope that part of it improves.  But functionally, linking is what you're looking for.

That said, the newer UME linking does seem to be a significant performance improvement over prior QT-based linking, so the need to transcode seems to be lessened.

And with MC now being able to export H.264 without using QuickTime, the need for a reference is lessened.  Still, H.264 export could use some improvements (AAC audio, background export).

jef:

I get the feeling that you are looking for something like Adobe Premiere's "Import".

Personaly, I don't like Premiere "import" (or Premiere for that matter) as you put. You have to render the sources before you have decent conditions to work with them. I prefer to wait in the beginning for the import or AMA Link.

jef:

You can argue that Adobe's video engine might be more efficient than Avid's but that is something quite different.

I'm not aware of the technical differences between the two engines.
I don't know if it's all about CPU, or if GPU also takes part in it. 

But it would be nice to accelerate it somehow.