Cutsio Blog

Flow Capture (PIX) Alternative: What the Autodesk Acquisition Means for Post Teams

Autodesk acquired PIX and merged it into Flow Capture alongside Moxion. Learn what this means for post teams, what changes, and the best Flow Capture alternative for film and TV workflows.

What is Flow Capture and why is it the new name for PIX?

Flow Capture is Autodesk's review and dailies platform following its PIX and Moxion acquisitions. Post teams should verify the current migration path, features, and pricing directly with Autodesk. Cutsio is an independent AI-powered MAM with footage-hour storage, separate visual-indexing allowances, ProRes upload on Studio and Enterprise, and linked ARRI/RED original workflows for conform.

PIX was the dominant review platform in film and television for over two decades. It was used on more than 5,000 productions and won an Academy Technical Achievement Award. Moxion was a competitor focused on real-time camera-to-cloud dailies. Autodesk acquired both and is combining them into Flow Capture, a unified platform for on-set and post production review.

The transition creates specific concerns for post teams: the standalone PIX experience is changing, the migration timeline varies by account, and the long-term feature roadmap is controlled by Autodesk's enterprise strategy rather than post production needs.

What does the Autodesk acquisition of PIX mean for existing users?

Autodesk's acquisition creates four areas of uncertainty for post teams that rely on PIX.

Feature continuity. PIX features that do not fit Autodesk's Flow Capture roadmap may be removed or changed. Users who depend on specific PIX workflows — including Avid Media Composer integration, specific security configurations, or custom review pipelines — face an uncertain future.

Migration timeline. Existing PIX customers are being moved to Flow Capture on a staggered schedule. The migration process, data transfer, and workflow changes vary by account. Some teams may be migrated before their preferred features are available in Flow Capture.

Pricing changes. Autodesk may restructure pricing as part of the Flow Capture transition. PIX's existing enterprise contracts may not transfer directly to the new platform. Teams could face renegotiated terms or unexpected cost increases.

Integration with Autodesk ecosystem. Flow Capture is designed to integrate with Autodesk's broader creative tools including Flame and Flow Production Tracking. Teams that do not use Autodesk tools may find Flow Capture less suitable than standalone PIX was.

| Concern | PIX (Pre-Acquisition) | Flow Capture (Current) | Cutsio |

| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Ownership | Independent | Autodesk | Independent |

| Platform stability | Stable | Migration in progress | Stable |

| Feature roadmap | Post-focused | Autodesk-determined | Post-focused |

| Pricing model | Enterprise per-seat | Uncertain | footage-hour |

| Integration priority | Avid, post workflows | Autodesk ecosystem | Post workflows |

What features are changing or at risk in the PIX to Flow Capture transition?

The full scope of changes is not publicly documented by Autodesk, but several areas are known to be affected.

The standalone PIX desktop app is being replaced by Flow Capture's web-based interface. Users who prefer the PIX desktop app workflow will need to adapt to the new interface. Avid Media Composer integration — a key PIX feature for editorial workflows — has uncertain priority in the Flow Capture roadmap. PIX's Oscar-winning DRM system may be updated or replaced as part of the Flow Capture platform consolidation. Custom workflows built around PIX's API may require redevelopment for Flow Capture compatibility. Upload workflows and supported file formats may change as the platform transitions.

Autodesk has stated that Flow Capture brings together the best of PIX and Moxion, but the specific features from each platform that survive the transition are determined by Autodesk's product strategy.

How should post teams evaluate their options during the PIX to Flow Capture transition?

Post teams should evaluate seven concrete criteria before choosing between migrating to Flow Capture, staying on PIX temporarily, or switching to an independent alternative. The right choice depends on how each platform handles supported formats, migration timeline, Avid workflow continuity, watermarking and security, review link access, archive access, and pricing model.

The checklist below covers each criterion with specific questions to ask Autodesk or your potential new platform before making a decision.

Evaluation checklist: 7 criteria for choosing your next dailies platform

| Criterion | What to Evaluate | Questions to Ask |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Supported formats | Does the platform accept native camera files or require pre-transcode? | Does it handle ARRIRAW, R3D, BRAW directly? What about ProRes and Sony RAW? What is the upload limit per file? |

| Migration timeline | When are you being migrated, and is the timeline firm or flexible? | Is my account on a known migration schedule? What happens if I delay? Will I lose access to existing projects if I don't migrate by a certain date? |

| Avid workflow | Does the platform integrate with Media Composer for timeline send-and-return? | Is Avid integration built-in, via plugin, or not available? Will it work the same way after migration? Can editors send timelines and receive comments without leaving the NLE? |

| Watermarking and security | What DRM, forensic watermarking, and access controls are available? | Is there forensic watermarking for screen-capture protection? Can I set expiration dates and password protection on share links? What download controls exist? |

| Review links | How do external reviewers access footage without creating accounts? | Can clients and producers view and comment without logging in? Can I see who viewed what and when? Are there branded presentation options? |

| Archive access | What happens to completed projects and libraries? | Will old PIX libraries remain accessible after migration? Can I download my existing library in bulk? What format are archived files stored in? |

| Pricing model | How does cost scale with team size and footage volume? | Is it per-seat, per-minute, or per-TB? What is the cost for 15 reviewers on a 30-day feature? Are there overage charges? Is there a free tier for testing? |

Three paths forward, evaluated against the checklist

Path 1: Migrate to Flow Capture. Best for teams that already use Autodesk tools like Flame or Flow Production Tracking and want tighter ecosystem integration. The migration path is managed by Autodesk, but the timeline may not align with your production schedule. Flow Capture's format support, Avid integration, and pricing are still settling as the combined platform rolls out. Verify each criterion against the checklist before committing.

Path 2: Maintain PIX access temporarily. Useful for finishing projects already in progress on PIX. However, Autodesk has not committed to a long-term support timeline for the standalone PIX platform. Teams that delay a decision risk being migrated on Autodesk's schedule rather than their own. Archived PIX libraries should be downloaded before any migration occurs.

Path 3: Switch to Cutsio. Best for teams that want supported ARRIRAW and RED R3D ingest, visual search, footage-hour storage, and an independent roadmap. Cutsio supports FCPXML and EDL conform handoffs plus browser review links. Internal-user allowances depend on the plan. Read the full PIX vs Cutsio feature comparison and our PIX review for a deeper breakdown. New productions can start in Cutsio from day one while existing PIX libraries remain available for reference and migration.

How does Cutsio compare to Flow Capture for post production workflows?

| Feature | Flow Capture (PIX/Moxion) | Cutsio |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Camera-original workflow | Verify with Autodesk | ProRes review file + supported RAW original pairing on Enterprise |

| Visual search | Not available | Frame-level search by objects, scenes, actions |

| Pricing model | Enterprise per-seat | Footage-hour storage allowances |

| Team access cost | Scales with users | Plan-based internal users; browser review links for external stakeholders |

| Player | Legacy PIX player | Modern browser player |

| Platform ownership | Autodesk | Independent |

| Avid integration | Legacy — uncertain in Flow Capture | Available through enterprise |

| Free trial | Enterprise sales only | Self-serve free tier |

| Feature roadmap | Autodesk-determined | Post-production-focused |

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Why does independence matter for a dailies platform?

A dailies platform is the backbone of post production workflow. When the platform changes ownership, merges with another product, or shifts its feature roadmap to serve a different customer base, post teams absorb the disruption.

Cutsio is independent. There is no parent company, no acquisition risk, and no platform migration on the horizon. The product roadmap is determined by the needs of post production teams, not by the strategic goals of a enterprise software conglomerate.

For teams that have been through platform migrations before — and know the cost in lost productivity, retraining, and workflow disruption — independence is a practical concern, not a philosophical one.

FAQ

Is Flow Capture replacing PIX completely?

Yes. Autodesk is migrating PIX customers to Flow Capture. The standalone PIX platform is being phased out. The timeline varies by account, but all PIX users should plan for the transition.

Do I have to use Autodesk's other tools to use Flow Capture?

No. Flow Capture can be used as a standalone review platform. However, its integration with Autodesk's broader ecosystem — Flame, Flow Production Tracking — is a primary differentiator for Autodesk. Teams that do not use Autodesk tools may find Flow Capture less optimized for their needs.

Can Cutsio replicate PIX's DRM for studio productions?

Cutsio offers enterprise-grade security for qualified production accounts. For productions with specific PIX DRM requirements, contact the Cutsio sales team to discuss compliance.

How long does it take to switch from PIX to Cutsio?

Initial setup takes 1-2 days. New productions can start in Cutsio from day one with approved ProRes review media. Existing PIX libraries remain accessible through PIX, while camera originals stay in the production's conform archive rather than being treated as universally decoded review media in Cutsio.

Will Flow Capture pricing be higher than PIX pricing?

Cutsio publishes Pro, Studio, and Enterprise pricing with storage and visual-indexing allowances. Additional internal users and production features are priced as add-ons. Compare that published structure with a current Flow Capture quote for the same workflow.