Avid Behaving Badly #19: Instructions for Uninstalling Out of Date AMA Plug-ins Don't Exist

Seriously Avid, how is this acceptable?  The latest versions of Avid (8.6+) require brand new AMA plugins from nablit, instead of the old ones from Sony.  Okay, great.  The instructions for upgrading to the new plugins say, and I quote:

 Note: The nablet plug-ins and the legacy Sony plug-ins cannot coexist on the same system. Having them both installed will result in unpredictable behaviors of the editing application.

 Okay.  Um...  That sort of begs the question:  How do I uninstall the old Sony plug-ins?

 Maybe Avid's website will help (oh my god, I can't believe I just typed that sentence).

 Please uninstall previous AMA plugin, prior to installing any updated AMA plugin.
Note: The nablet plug-ins and the legacy Sony plug-ins cannot coexist on the same system. Having them both installed will result in unpredictable behaviors of the editing application.

 So that's a no.  Well what the fuck, Avid?  You can't just tell me how to uninstall this shit?  Of course not.  By now I should know better than to expect able customer support from you.  Let's try Sony...

 Lastest version from nablet GmbH. Development of the AMA plugins for all Sony formats has been taken over by nablet GmbH. Learn more.

 Well that's fucking dandy.  Okay, I have a way to do this.  A way that sucks dong.  I'm going to just download the old AMA files and install them on a clean computer.  Then I can just see what files show up, find those on my Avid, and delete them.  HOW THE FUCK DOES THE ENTIRE INTERNET NOT KNOW HOW TO UNINSTALL THOSE FILES???  Fuck you, entire internet. 

 And now I've done that, and I'm posting what those files are for you, dear reader, so you don't have to download all this shit.  Because god damn it someone needs to be a responsible adult around here and clearly Avid, Sony, and Nablit can't be fucking bothered.

 Actually - the downloads for the Sony AMA plug-ins contain a pdf file that does say how to uninstall these files!  So, you know, the way to get rid of the files to get them again first.  Yay?  I don't even know anymore.  Here are the instructions for Mac users like me (sorry PC folk.  Actually no, I'm not sorry.  You made a choice and you're going to have to live with that).
XDCAM AMA Plug-in Uninstall Instructions Mac:
  1. 1)  Navigate to <SYSTEM DRIVE>/Library/Application Support/Avid/AVX2_Plug-ins/AMA/
  2. 2)  Delete the MVP_SonyXDCAMEX.avx and SonyXDCAM.avx files
  3. 3)  Empty the Trash to completely erase the files from the system 
There you go.  Now let's download some more out of date plug-ins that no one fucking wants to download and see which other files in my AVX2_Plu-ins folder need to be deleted.  Seriously is it too much to ask for this .pdf to just be ON THE FUCKING WEBSITE?  God damn it, Sony.  Think with the brain part of your heads.

For SRPA plug-ins (which I think is HDCam SR?), the file you want to delete is:
  1. MVP_MSP_Sony_SRDeck.avx 
And finally, for PLAV plug-ins, which somehow means "Sony RAW" files, the file you want to delete is:

  1. MVP_MSP_SonyRAW.avx 
So there you go, kids.  Someone finally put these fucking instructions online.  Oh yeah, delete this shit BEFORE you install the new nablit AMA plug-ins or shit gets weird.

 Peace out, bitches.

Comments

  1. UnknownDecember 5, 2020 at 2:14 PM

    What I love most about this post is that I had to use the word fuck in my google search to find the answer to the head scratcher that you explained above. Thank you for posting, I share in your frustration as do the other countless millions of content creators who pay thousands of dollars a year to media hardware and software vendors. It is issues like poor implementation, coordination, testing of products that literally suck time out of our lives. I have to fix this shit because I am a smaller shop and have zero leverage with these big companies who rely on their user base to beta test for them. If these companies want us to Beta test then pay us, otherwise fix the shit we pay you for, here's a big fucking hint to these companies, I would pay more for your products if they worked and saved me from having to chase stupid shit like this down. OK... thanks you Judd for allowing me to vent before my head exploded. Best wishes to you and to your media makin'! - Jason

    ReplyDelete
  2. UltraGuruDecember 17, 2021 at 10:37 AM

    How about this error trying to install the Nablet AMA for a Avid Media Director Ingest Drop Utility?
    "avid ama plugin folder does not exist. install avid software first"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JuddDecember 18, 2021 at 10:56 AM

      I wish I knew, friend. I've unfortunately got no experience with the Avid Media Director Ingest Drop Utility.

      Just guessing from the error message, I'd suggest resetting your PRAM and trying again (which probably won't work), and if (when) that doesn't work, uninstalling and reinstalling Avid and the Ingest Drop Utility, and then trying that again.

      Good luck!

      Delete
    2. CaptinsaneoDecember 21, 2021 at 1:44 PM

      Last night my Avid decided it couldn't ama link to my footage to do a mixdown...even though it was clearly linking as I could see and edit the footage...and it was quite happy to do a mixdown of the audio in the video recording. So I thought I would just download and install the latest ama plugins...
      "Avid AMA plugin folder does not exist. Install avid software first"
      I'm feeling your pain right now.

      Delete

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