OMF (OMFI)

Abbreviation for Open Media Framework. OMF is a file exchange protocol for digital audio/video workstations that attempts to put all of the important information about a session into a generic format that can be read by other systems. It is analogous to our standard MIDI files in the MIDI world, but much more complex an issue. Lately we are beginning to see it noted as OMFI, where the “I” stands for Interchange, which is more of a semantic than functional difference. In practice OMF allows an audio or video session to be opened and edited in a completely different system. For example: A work in progress on an Avid video system can be opened as a multitrack session in Pro Tools for enhanced audio processing, then imported back to Avid. There are still many limitations and complications with OMF, but because it is so useful there are scores of engineers working with it and sorting out problems. More information on the subject can be found at Avid’s Web site in the OMFI section.