Video edit software?

[scottm]

After studying them for 5 years, I just bought an excellent digital camera, the Sony DSCW-1 [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001G6UF2/qid=1097696433/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/104-7426062-4095124?v=glance&s=pc&n=507846]here.[/ame]

One reason I bought it is it has an excellent movie mode, 30 fps at 640x480 with sound. I will swamp rcnt with vids of hovering airplanes, backflipping cybermaxxes, etc soon. So now I need a low cost video edit program that can compress the file size. Any suggestions?

 

[El Pirata]

I am currently using Pinacle Studio 8 for my editing needs and washing it through Windoes Movie Maker for compression. I wish I had a program that I could say did both really efficently but this is the combo Error 401 showed me and it works really well.

One thing about the camera you bought, some modes of videos are unable to be edited.

 

[Error401]

Sony screenblast. Very easy to use, many output options, and is relatively inexpensive ($99). Awesome deal for what's on the disk. BTW, I use it sometimes. Also, it's the only editor I have that will take a WMV and reencode it to something else. I got my copy from BestBuy.

For a uber-cheap solution, use Win Movie Maker. Granted, it kind of bites, and doesn't do alot of stuff (nice transitions, good titling, etc), but it's free with XP and does encode WMV's pretty well. It also captures vids via 1394.

Whatever you use, be sure to "tape", dump and edit in hi-res, then encode down. Otherwise you'll end up with crappy vids. Stay away from mpg1 (any codec). It takes a while to figure out the right combo, but good vids and small files can be made with a little practice.

 

[mr_bob]

hey if youll want premire i know a place where youll can get it

that is if your a teacher or a student

 

[scottm]

Thanks guys. Error, is that the same as sony Vegas movie studio? I saw that on the sony site for $90 something.

 

[Error401]

Yeah, it was originally Sonic Foundry Vegas, then Sony bought it and called it Screenblast. I guess they changed the name again (back) to Vegas.

 

[RAMTech-RC]

I just use the free Windows Movie Maker II. It has alot of features that the big guys have, and its very easy to use.

 

[El Pirata]

Did Movie Maker 2 come out with service pack 2 for XP?

 

[Diver6127]

Movie Maker 2 is one of the optional downloads. I got it before the service pack for XP came out.

 

[Rolex]

I use Dazzle (the hardware interface for vid in or out) and Movie Star 5 was the software program that came with it. It's pretty amazing, what you can do with it. I also have Pinnacle.
Both will edit and convert AVI and Mpegs, but neither will do WMV. Does anyone know which program will do that?

 

[Error401]

Like EP said, do the editing in the program of your choice, then import that into Win Movie Maker and recompress it to wmv. Just be sure to make the first stage vid in a pretty decent quality before you recompress it to wmv in MM.

 

[scottm]

My camera records in mpg, but I can't open them with movie maker. Does the edit program need to be able to save it as a windows file?

 

[Rolex]

What I do NOT want is anything in WMV. I'm wanting to convert these files to Mpeg, so I can get them copied to a Vcd or onto tape. The programs I have will not even show a WMV in the folder. They will not open them, so they can not be edited or reformated for export. So far, anything in WMV format can only be replayed in the computer.

To Scottm, if you have already gotten your video into the computer, you should be able to open the folder you have them in and see the clips listed there with the names you gave them, along with the video icon. I can't imagine any program that won't open an Mpeg. I think you must be doing something wrong.

 

[Error401]

Sony screenblast. Very easy to use, many output options....... Also, it's the only editor I have that will take a WMV and reencode it to something else.

It will output to mov, mpg1 and 2, swf, and alot of others with numerous codecs.

The only thing wmv hold for me is filesize (not quality) of output, and it is a bitch to try to convert to another format. Thank goodness for Sony's software. The gallery script I use on my website does not support wmv playback (or even recognizing it as a valid video), so I have had to convert a couple from wmv to mov so I could post them. I did it with Screenblast (Vegas).

 

[RAMTech-RC]

I use Mpegs on my camera, and it seems to import just fine.

 

[mr_bob]

was someone looking for a program to convert wmv files???

i know where one is but unless someone wants it i wont put it up

 

[Rolex]

That would be me, mr_bob. From another thread. My video editing programs will not recognize a WMV as a valid file. I can deal with Mpg, Avi but NOT WMV. I need to be able to edit WMV and transfer it to a video cd or tape. I can only do that with Mpgs and AVIs.
PM me if necessary.
Thanks

 

[Error401]

Ok, for the third time, Sony Screenblast / Vegas will import, edit and convert WMV files to other file types.

 

[tothemaxxinnv]

try the gimp. www.gimp.org

 

[scottm]

To Scottm, if you have already gotten your video into the computer, you should be able to open the folder you have them in and see the clips listed there with the names you gave them, along with the video icon. I can't imagine any program that won't open an Mpeg. I think you must be doing something wrong.

I can play them no problem with windows media player, but Movie Maker doesn't see them.

Error, do you think that Sony program will open mpg's?