Avid updates Media Composer storage support and infrastructure

Avid is implementing significant changes to its Media Composer 2026.8 update regarding bin locking and storage compatibility. The update will close support for third-party storage systems that emulate Avid NEXIS or ISIS behavior, a method previously used by editors to enable safe project sharing and bin locking on platforms like EditShare, Facilis, LucidLink, and OWC Jellyfish.

Avid describes this as a “security and workflow integrity update” intended to prevent project conflicts and lost work. To maintain bin locking capabilities on third-party storage after the upgrade, users must move from the Media Composer Ultimate tier to the Media Composer Enterprise tier, increasing annual costs from approximately $540 to $900. Hedge has criticized the move, calling it “a walled garden disguised as a licensing update.”

In separate news, MediaCity Studios in Salford, UK, has upgraded its production infrastructure by expanding its Avid ecosystem. The facility has deployed 44 channels of Avid | Stream IO to support faster ingest, editing, and playout workflows across AVC, XAVC, 1080p, and UHD formats. This upgrade integrates with the studio's existing Avid NEXIS shared storage and MediaCentral management systems to support large-scale, multi-camera, and remote productions.