This means you can build your entire animation on another computer.  I've found this process can actually save a lot of time, especially since you don't need to tie up your Media Composer software while building your effects sequence.  Plus, the Avid FX engine will run much master outside of the Media Composer software.  Running the Avid FX as a plugin while Media Composer is running is a big drain on your system's resources.

This Avid FX engine as shown above is the same exact interface as the Avid FX plugin.

Here's a quick tutorial on how to use Avid FX as a plugin.  For this example, well build a six sided spinning cube using Avid FX. 

First step is to create six video tracks and line up six clip segments on top of each other. Within the Avid effects palette, look for the Avid FX category.  Drag the Avid FX filter onto the top most clip (V6).

Each video track will eventually be mapped to each side of the cube.  Press the effect editor button.  The effect editor button is located in the upper left corner of the timeline window.

The Effect Editor window will appear.  Click on the Launch user interface button.  This will launch the Avid FX interface.

Within the project settings dialog box uncheck the Hold Parameter Values box.

As an option, you may want to also check the 1:2:1 Deflickering box.  This option will add a slight vertical blur to the effect which will provide for smoother motion and will help eliminiate any jagged edges on the egdes of spinning cube.

In the Avid FX composition (timeline) window, change the Video 1 track from a 3D plane into a Cube.  If you dont want to have a background layer, you can delete the Video 2 track.

Click on the disclosures triangle for the 3D cube to reveal the nested tracks.  Set each track to a corresponding track from Avid Media Composer.

*The mapping of the tracks is reversed when working in the Avid FX software module. V1 maps to the highest track within the Avid software, which in this case is V6.  So the actual track mapping for the cube would be as follows:

V1 Front Face = V6 Media Composer
V2 Back Face = V5
V3 Left Face = V4
V4 Top Face= V3
V5 Right Face = V2
V6 Bottom Face= V1

The maximum number of tracks that can be mapped directly from Media Composer is 6.
 
The last step is to press the Apply buton which is located in the bottom right corner of the composition (timeline) window.  This will send the data back to the Avid Media Composer timeline.

Well, that's it!  I realize creating a 3D cube may seem a bit outdated, but at least this give you the basics of how Avid FX (Boris FX) integrates within Avid Media Composer.  This type of exercise is one of the many things that we teach in our 5 day Avid Media Composer class.

GeniusDV offers this type of training as an 'onsite training' or classroom style environment.