Simple cheap/free video edit SW ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2011, 09:39:32 pm
content: Any suggestions for simple video editing software for WinXP to edit files from a Panasonic HD SD-card camcorder (saves as .MTS files)?All I want to do is quickly and easily stitch together a bunch of clips, cut bad bits out and export for Youtube.The stuff that comes with the camcorder is hopeless - all pretty UI but tragic useability.I've tried Pinnacle/Avid VideoSpin, which does the job, but on my main PC it crashes frequently during playback, often rebooting the PC in the process, and won't preview fast enough to be useable on my fairly-fast laptop.In the past I've used Virtualdub which I really like but only does AVI files - not yet investigated whether converting MTS to AVI would be an option.Any suggestions welcome.

author: flapjackboy
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2011, 10:04:12 pm
content: http://www.avidemux.org/

author: Leo Bodnar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2011, 10:45:08 pm
content: Buy a Mac and you will never ask such questions again. You'll getiMovieand iDVD installed. It exports to YouTube with one click.Supported cameras:http://help.apple.com/imovie/cameras/en/index.html?lang=en_US

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2011, 10:56:44 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on June 12, 2011, 09:39:32 pmsounds like you have not installed the proper encoder/decoder plugin. try to encode with different encoder.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 12, 2011, 11:02:44 pm
content: Quote from: Leo Bodnar on June 12, 2011, 10:45:08 pmThere's always one! What is it when someone purchases a Mac that they instantly become myopic and feel the need to bore everyone else witless about the virtues of their consumer grade software?The OP is looking for freeware for XP how the frig is "buy a Mac" any kind of a solution? It isn't! Frigging evangelists!(UV leaves the thread before the inevitable pointless Win vs Mac bun-fight escalates. Shakes his head muttering something like "you get less static from street bound scientologists.)

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2011, 11:11:33 pm
content: I use Sony Vegas. This comes in a cheaper consumer version, Vegas Studio. To me it is like Final Cut Pro, without all the annoyance. Blows away consumer crap like iMovie. I think you are talking $80ish. Although, I'm still a version or two back with Vegas Pro, so I'm not 100% sure.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2011, 11:26:49 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on June 12, 2011, 10:56:44 pmI'm just using what comes with it. It works most of the time, but crashes at completely random and incosistent places. PC is otherwise 100% reliable so hardware problems seem unlikely.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 12, 2011, 11:29:28 pm
content: Quote from: Leo Bodnar on June 12, 2011, 10:45:08 pmSorry I'm not interested in using toy computers. I need compilers, assemblers, PCB layout and the ability to hack together code to talk to serial ports.

author: Joshua
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 02:26:27 am
content: You might try Windows Movie Maker, it comes pre installed on windows. Ive used it very briefly (like 10 minutes... maybe), so I don't know if it will work for you. Just google of how to find it, I think its buried in the start menu somewhere.

author: RCMR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 05:30:17 am
content: Movie Maker is the easiest to use (you may have to install a codec for your camera's brand of video files). It is free -- comes preinstalled on some Windows boxes or you can download it from Microsoft.comI use Sony Vegas but there *is* a learning curve. With power comes complexity I'm afraid.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 07:47:37 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on June 12, 2011, 11:26:49 pmyes unlikely the hardware. even my premiere crashed (jerky playback) when some codec setting or files become corrupted. uninstall and fresh re-install can fix that. or maybe you can try to install some codec pack if you havent tried and see if there's improvement... example...http://www.free-codecs.com/download/k_lite_codec_pack.htm, i havent download it, but got it in cd copy and installed.i dont have free sw suggestion. only if you can find crack or torrent for adobe premiere or canopus edius/procoder. other sw i consider toy even ulead video studio seems like it.

author: Leo Bodnar
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 12:42:04 pm
content: Quote from: Uncle Vernon on June 12, 2011, 11:02:44 pmI have thought (by default) that this place is for grown-up having sensible and at least mutually respectful discussion. Sadly I am proven wrong - as expected though!Why don't you Mr Vernon order another pizza and get back to wanking off in your den? You have made all the sensible input you could for now.It's been a pleasure to see some of the people here. I am out of this forum. See you later elsewhere.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 01:07:08 pm
content: dont take it personally... Mac guy

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 01:36:49 pm
content: Quote from: Leo Bodnar on June 13, 2011, 12:42:04 pmCan you be surprised that people thought your answer was off? If I asked how to replace my radiator and you said just junk your car and buy this one that never has to have a radiator replaced, how much sense does that make? The solution you propose is an order of magnitude more expensive than a BETTER solution for the problem if they buy something.A Mac isn't end all solution to things. It is a very good OS. It works for some people, but others are justifiably abraded when someone suggests that they are the answer to a completely different question. It is also a poor choice for many engineers, due to lack of support for many development tools.You complain about not having mutually respectful discussion, then follow up with telling others to go back to wanking in their den.Pot meet Kettle.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 01:55:52 pm
content: I had a look at Ulead/Corel videostudio - horrific kiddie-style UI and wouldn't even preview without crashing.Just trying Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 HD and so far extremely impressed - The UI has clearly had a huge amount of thought put into it, while still having tons of powerful facilities. I have minimal experience of video editing and haven't read any documentation but figured out the basics in a few mins.Assuming it actually does the job all the way through (rendering now...), it looks well worth the £29 pricetag.

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 02:03:08 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on June 13, 2011, 01:55:52 pmThe UI is the best I've found. Actions for clips (audio or video) are buttons on the clip. I'm not sure of limitations of the Studio, but I do everything that I used to use After Effects for directly in Vegas. Works great for a multi-track audio editor too.It blows aways toys like Microsoft Movie Maker and iMovie.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 02:17:47 pm
content: Quote from: sacherjj on June 13, 2011, 02:03:08 pmi think i should give this a try. there's Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum ver11... downloading.why ver9?edit: oic... maybe the price.

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 02:24:28 pm
content: You can often get a deal by going back a version. I purchased a heavily marked down version 2 back when 4 came out and then wound up paying less for getting to 4, with the upgrade from 2. Saved over $150 I think. Same thing for Studio.If you are used to layers in Photoshop or GIMP, that is how you do video with this. The video up closer to the top is higher. This is how you drop a lower third on video. Make an image that is transparent where the video should show through and drop it up higher in another video layer. Then you can fade it in and out. You can quickly get into some seriously complex videos with a couple layers.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 02:36:43 pm
content: Quote from: sacherjj on June 13, 2011, 02:24:28 pmthis is how premiere do it, by layers, and more complex stuffs like keying, masking etc... the draw back, you need to build them from scratches which took alot of steps, i'm looking for editor which we can just drop down the effect, transition, fancy frame and text etc and be done, while preserving quality while capture from camcorder down to encode and dvd burning.

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 02:42:55 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on June 13, 2011, 02:36:43 pmYou can do that as well. Make text. Put it in a higher later. Done.I'll give you a secret for professional video editing. Two transitions you should use 99% of the time are cuts and fades. Cuts mostly if you are still real time and just changing angle and fades to soften a drastic cut or indicate passage of time. Using all the fancy stuff just makes the video as amateur.Simple is usually best. As with writing or circuits, once you pull out all the extraneous stuff, you start to get to an elegant solution.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 13, 2011, 03:06:27 pm
content: agree. fades is the mostly used one. cut i'll do it in realtime, while capture on camcorder. or simply manual cut the unecessary scenes. fades audio also will be helpful if you are transiting from noisy to very silent scenes. that transition easily done in premiere. but adding fancy transition like swirl, and some fancy blending can add the juice which premiere is lacking. as customers usually astounded by it, forget the kiddy stuff, they just simply love them! the more pp you done, the more pro you are in their eyesbtw, offtopic but still in video editing. the black white effect that Dave use in his current video? that sux! imho, it doesnt add any usefull info, better the previous rotating circuit. Dave! if you are listening, change that! or at least put an eevblog logo somewhere. that can tell during first opening of what the vid is all about, instead of some fuzzy black and white scene

author: RCMR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 14, 2011, 05:54:49 am
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on June 13, 2011, 01:55:52 pmThere's plenty of info on YouTube when you get stuck.When you come up against a wall -- do a YT search and there's bound to be a video tutorial showing you how to do what you want with Vegas.I'm starting to hit the limitations of the $50 version but it's still great value.