All singing and all dancing...so is it right for me???

[garjobo]

I used and enjoyed videostudio 9,10, 10+ and 11 managing to make my 1hr long dvds...ok..with the usual problems videostudio likes to throw at you main one being freezing etc etc...

..however, a year back i bought a HD camcorder..this is the future!!...and have yet to edit a single thing!!! instead spending a small fortune on SD cards because i dont like to clog up my hardrive with this weighty for want of a better expression HD footage...I bought Sony Vegas..but it just wasnt me....it didnt click at all....

SO - now i see Videostudio X5 is out...and at only £60 on Amazon..its worth a punt...well...is it???? Can someone PLEASE tell me, is X5 the answer to my prayers? Will i be able to edit my HD footage with as much ease as i did back in the minidv days??

Please advice? Really want/need to start editing again.
thanks

[aljimenez]

Answer is yes if your system is recent, with plenty of memory and hard disk space. You need to fill in your profile listing your current pc... Al

[Ken Berry]

Well, it all depends on what format your camcorder shoots in, and what specifications your computer has. If your camera films in AVCHD, that is currently the most difficult format on the consumer market, and requires a fairly powerful computer both to play it smoothly and to edit it. That requires at least a decent Core 2 Duo, or preferably something more powerful. But X5 also has SmartProxy, which creates standard definition proxies or copies of the HD original. That makes it easier to edit and preview, and when satisfied, the edits are applied to the HD.

If your camcorder also films in full progressive mode i.e. 50 (PAL) or 60 (NTSC) full frames a second, X5 can handle it.

Some HD camcorders, though, film directly in .mp4 or even HD .mov format, and each of these cause problems for some VS users.

I personally still prefer the HDV format, which is much easier to edit than the other HD formats. It uses small tapes just like the 'old' DV/AVI. Unfortunately, though, this format appears to be fading from the consumer domain, but at least is being retained at the professional end of the market -- which is a comment in its own right about the value of the format.

[BrianCee]

My Panasonic films AVCHD as .mts files and using smart proxy I have absolutely no problems at all in editing my videos.

Before you spend real money why not download the free trial of VideoStudio X5 and see how your computer handles editing AVCHD files

And there is no need to keep buying SD cards or clogging up your hard drive - just get an external hard drive and connect it to your computer whenever you want to transfer files from an SD card so that you can use the card again. Gb for Gb I think you will find an external drive the cheapest option.

[garjobo]

Thanks for the quick replies. Appreciated. Seems Ill be buying x5 then . I will check the download first of course. Glad to be back to using videostudio - just seems much friendlier than Vegas.

As for my machine, quadcore, about 1yr or so old..2 bits of ram...500 hardrive..cant say im happy with it..but sadly cost etc thats what im stuck with. I suspect it may just about do the job.

My camcorder is a Panny 700 so its full 50 frames 1080 etc etc...

One final thing...you mentioned Smartproxy..and ok...i realise i need to read the manual/up on it...but could you tell me....basically...im recording mostly at the slightly lesser quality, 1920x1080 ( just because using it at its max 50frames etc..really does eat up those SD cards!!! and yes must look into another harddrive ).....but in a nutshell...all i want to achieve is..obviously..the best quality i can...using 1920x1080.....so you say this smartproxy...converts it? makes it easier for a computer to process?

Essentially if my computer is perhaps..only just..up to the job..then basically i turn on smartproxy...and go with those settings? Do i download my footage to my HD...as normal?..any best way of doing this? or upload directly into videostudio? better results?

[BrianCee]

The best way of transferring your video to your PC is to simply copy it from SD card to computer hard drive - if your PC has a card reader then just put the SD card in there and copy straight over - whats on your card is now whats on your PC exactly - if you don't have a card reader then connect camera to PC by USB and it will appear as an external drive - again just copy across.

Smart proxy basically creates a lower quality copy of the video which you then edit - on completion of editing - when you are ready - all your editing is transferred to the full AVCHD video which you can then output in whatever format you choose.

[lata]

Hi

VS X5 there are two versions the Ultimate is provided with additional software a bonus pack. The price on Amazon may be for the standard version. I am always a little wary of purchasing over the web, there are many counterfeit products out there.

The US site tends to be cheaper than the UK site, you have to use the download version.

US are selling both versions (seems odd) for $79, (£52) but you will incur Vat, only shows when trying to pay.
Even so its the Ultimate version.

Why oh why don’t they have a global shop?

[garjobo]

Thanks again for the two replies - Before I put this thread to bed..Brian, this smartproxy sounds ( too good to be true..in my case )..again, once downloaded/purchased etc i will read up on it...

...but is it really that simple....smartproxy. Turn it on - edit it as you say..then ..once i make my dvd menu etc and ready to burn a copy i can expect it too burn at the best possible avchd quality? Sounds good.

Final question - honest - and its one that ive asked on here for years ( minidv days and videostudio 9 etc ).....in the past I would always do about 5 - 10 copies..the labourious way...that is...edit..save...then go and create a dvd menu time after time...burning essentially 1 copy at a time...quit program..and then creat dvd menu again to burn a copy...it really did seem the only way i could get the best quality....having tried all other options - the whole rendering first issue etc

So..basically...what im now asking..now using this Avchd AND will download straight into my PC ( it really will use a lot of harddrive wont it!! i mean last time i tried all this for the first time ever! my harddrive said it was full up!!! )....so anyway....this new videostudio...you think i can edit/save/dvd menu save - using smartproxy method and then burn 20 copies all being the same quality?

And, thanks for replies, and promise not to ask any more silly questions...until i get the x5 anyway!

[BrianCee]

If you know you are going to need 20 copies straight away (either standard mpeg or AVCHD) then burn them all consecutively in the burn module by setting the number of copies to 20 you do not need to keep creating menus etc. for every DVD you burn.

Much simpler would be to make DVD/AVCHD folders and use them to make multiple copies.

[lata]

Hi
Maybe you misunderstand, just a little.

Smart Proxy is not magic, HD video is demanding on the PC’s resources.
Video Studio may have problems in playing/editing the video, the timelines becoming a little unresponsive.
By creating a duplicate video, one that video studio can easily read will improve the timeline problems. These files do not replace the originals they are only an aid to editing.
--------------------------
MiniDv type video is still used, the editing technics used with VS 9 are still used with the latest versions, the burning module has changed little.
So once you have edited the project you create a video file, or burn the disc.

After creating the menu, if you close the burner module you are returned to the edit timelines, save the project again and all menu edits will be saved.
Accessing the burner module again and the menu will be preserved.
Now that’s how VS 9 works, no change when using x5.

The last page of the burner module allows you to
1 / Burn a disc
2 / Create a DVD Folder
3 / Create a Disc image
The last two create a folder/file containing the dvd disc information, a master copy of the disc saved to your hard drive.
Burn multiple copies using these files, identical copies.
These details apply for VS 9 and X5.
Both versions provide means of burning the Disc Image file to disc.