Video editing company Avid Technology acquired Munich-based software firm NXN Software for roughly $43.6 million in cash. The deal enables Avid to compete with Apple in the digital editing market by offering more systems to control audio and graphical post-production content, such as NXN's Alienbrain equipment line, already in use by Hollywood clients Sony Pictures' Imageworks and video game publisher Electronic Arts. Gregor von Scheidt, founder and CEO of NXN, will stay on with Avid as managing director.
David Krall, Avid's president and CEO, said NXN's software is a "media management tool of choice" for major content creation companies. Its software line includes Alienbrain VFX, Studio and Engineer, featuring infrastructure, configuration, project and workflow management, and complete version control. Alienbrain works with file formats associated with 3D models. Applications that support the equipment line include Softimage/XSI, Alias Maya and StudioTools and Metrowerks CodeWarrior.
