Editing Program blues...

As I continue my search for a newer, better, and still very cheap editing program, I find my lack of knowledge too great to over come without the help of all my friends here at TFN. As you veterans know well by now, I hate Studio DC10 plus. I don't hate it so much because it is limited, but because it is constantly crashing and freezing and eating saved changes (and once again, I will remind everyone I am a helpless Windows user, although I do have lots of hard drive space and a 700 processor).
I have looked around a bit and taken some notes on a few programs I like, but I want to talk to people who have them first. When I upgrade, there are a few things that are a MUST. 1) I want to be able to speed up, slow down, and play video backwards. 2) The timeline must allow for more than one sound affect (i.e., I can have blasters, lightsabers, and explosions all going at the same time). 3) Split screen capabilities would be much appreciated. 4) As would some limited composite capabilities (i.e. adding in explosions, rotoscoping, and animation).

Premiere supposedly is the best money can buy, but only if you have a lot of money. I don't. Ulead is expensive too, but there are a couple versions that are around $100. Can they do all of the above? What about Video Wave? It looks like a pretty complete package?

Basically, I would appreciate for people who own the cheaper end programs cost to tell me what their software can do.

 

Final Cut Pro?

 

Have you looked into Adobe After Effects?

 

I wouldn't edit with Videowave. It dosen't even have a timeline and is extremely simplistic.

 

Don't edit with after effects.

 

What OS are you running?
-Lokmer

 

I am a helpless Windows user

Padawan Nick uses Ulead, and I'm pretty sure he picked up an older version bundled onto a capture card as well. Maybe PM him and ask his opinion if he doesnt stumble across this thread.

 

For raw footage (as I like to call it) editing, I use Ulead VideoStudio 6. It's the easiest and fastest (in my experience) way to cut and bind together scenes and clips alike.

Then I use Premiere for sound effects and After Effects/Photoshop for special effects.

Then back to VideoStudio for final composite and renderings. (MPG)

 

Doesn't after effects cost an arm and a leg? ($500) That's a bit much for minimum wage. I am thinking that Ulead Video (the one that's only 100) might work, but after checking out Video Wave's website I was leaning more towards it. And also according to the website, Wave does have a timeline. Maybe you are thinking of an older version christmastom?

 

I also have a version of MGI Video Wave, but it´s not the newest. It came with some capturing cards here in Germany. And this version has no timeline whatsoever. It´s really limited and editing scenes really is a pain. Maybe they improved on it in later versions, but the one I have really is not a good go.

And yes I would also recommend Adobe Premiere, but as you said it´s expensive. I´d suggest you download the 30 days trial demo so you can get a clear picture of what premiere has to offer and later decide if it is worth it´s money for what you want to do.

 

You rang !?!

You can currently get a PYRO ProDV card for $199 with a full version of Media Studio Pro bundled in.

This is a very powerful editor that easily goes head-to-head with Premiere for functionality. Even if you don't use the Firewire card, MSP will work with your DC10Plus hardware (I have one of those too and it works fine.) MSP includes Video Paint, which is awesome for rotoscoping since it lets you draw directly on your AVI file frames, frame by frame (no converiting to filmstrips) I don't think the this is something that you can do in Video Wave.

You have basically an unlimited number of audio and video tracks to work with. Splits, speed changes, reverse compositing are all there.

In the PYRO ProDV bundle, you also get SoundForge for editing sound, Animation Master CGI and a couple of other software toys.

Anyway, sufficient to say, I'm a very happy camper with the software. I've posted piles of examples of what can be done. PM me if you'd like to see some of the links.

Have fun.

 

Yeah, I was thinking of version 3. But I think that their version of a timeline is their storyboard thing that just arranges shots on different slots of the "timeline".