Video Editing Software?

[78sc]

Hi all,

Anyone have a video editing package they use (and recommend) for doing home movie editing and such on Windows? I'm interested in video cutting, splicing, transparent overlays (titles), adding custom audio and being able to create DVD menus with buttons.

I've been using Pinnacle Studio Plus 10 and while it looks nice and can do the things I mentioned above, it's almost a complete waste of time. It locks up, crashes, degrades video (and still picture) quality as soon as you import them. Perhaps a different codec would help, but haven't gone that far yet. After I got Studio, I discovered others have had major problems also.

I have also tried VirtualDub and ZS4 (both free). Looks like VD can't do all I want and ZS4 is very slow and technical. (I'd like my wife to be able to edit her videos easily as well)

You guys/gals have anything you like for stuff like this? I should just get a Mac and run Final Cut Pro, right?

Thanks!

[fxeditor]

The big question is how much do you want to spend? On the cheaper end, I'd point you to Adobe Premiere ( http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/ ). It's a very powerful software package that integrates well with the other Adobe products (After Effects, Photoshop, etc.). If you want to go more upscale there's always the Avid Media Composer ( http://www.avid.com/products/Media-Composer-Software/index.asp ). This is a professional level editor used by the majority of Film & Television production companies in LA. Avid retails for around $2500 but if you have a student ID (or know someone who does) you can pick it up for under $400.

Hope this helps,
Michael

[stomachmonkey]

Not a Pinnacle user but I will say that a lot of video editing apps will "degrade" footage on import.

But that is a perceptual thing. Generally they show you lo res proxy previews to keep the system from bogging down. It has not really degraded the video, just looks that way.

[78sc]

Originally Posted by fxeditor

The big question is how much do you want to spend? On the cheaper end, I'd point you to Adobe Premiere ( http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/ ). It's a very powerful software package that integrates well with the other Adobe products (After Effects, Photoshop, etc.). If you want to go more upscale there's always the Avid Media Composer ( http://www.avid.com/products/Media-Composer-Software/index.asp ). This is a professional level editor used by the majority of Film & Television production companies in LA. Avid retails for around $2500 but if you have a student ID (or know someone who does) you can pick it up for under $400.

Hope this helps,
Michael

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm in the $500 - $1000 range.

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Not a Pinnacle user but I will say that a lot of video editing apps will "degrade" footage on import.

But that is a perceptual thing. Generally they show you lo res proxy previews to keep the system from bogging down. It has not really degraded the video, just looks that way.

Yes, this is exactly what I thought at first but the final product (DVD) at the highest quality setting is severly lacking. I think there is a reason that 90% of the people who review Pinnacle give it a thumbs down. I didn't research before I bought it. Oh well.

I found this page to be a good summary of different packages: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_video_editing_software

[WolfeMacleod]

I'm liking Sony Vegas these days.
Adobe Premiere is good too.

[porsche4life]

I have a student ID but it will cost you

[Paul K]

I use windows movie maker. It is free.

Here is my first attempt;



Not bad for a first timer!

Cheers,

Paul.

[flat6pilot]

Another one for around $50-100?? is: MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 16

It's actually really good for that price. Very easy to work with.

Damn, didn't realize how old this thread was....

[rcecale]

Originally Posted by WolfeMacleod

I'm liking Sony Vegas these days.
Adobe Premiere is good too.

+ 1

Randy

[imcarthur]

I had to do some video editing for work & I bought Premiere. I knew nothing, but I found it easy to use & powerful enough. I had fun with it.

Ian

[kaisen]

Nostatic said on a different thread that the video editing software that comes standard on Macs is the way to go.

[porsche4life]

if you have ever used iMovie you would understand... It is very simple and intuitive.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by kaisen

Nostatic said on a different thread that the video editing software that comes standard on Macs is the way to go.

I actually hated the previous version of iMovie, though I knew people who liked it. Historically though, it gave you the most power with the easiest interface. The new version (in iLife '11) looks pretty damn slick. Ridiculous stuff that you can do with a click here and there. I moved to FinalCut some years back as I needed to deal with multiple streams at once and really love that. I find it much easier to deal with than Avid or Premiere, but I'll admit that I haven't played with those the last couple years either. I hate Avid as a company, so I avoid their products if at all possible. Too many years of getting screwed over as a ProTools user and raped for MediaComposer.

On the win side though, don't know the best way to go. People in our building use Premiere and a few use Vegas.

[jdlowery]

I like Pinnacle. You can spend hours getting a video just right.