Upgrade from VideoStudio 6 ? General questions.

[AmyinTN]

If you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them.

I have been using VS6 for quite a while; it came bundled with my Sony camera.

One thing I really don't like is when I insert an image (jpg, for example) it puts it at the end of the track instead of where I have the current pointer. No big deal, I can drag it, but it will only allow me to select ONE image at a time, and I have to keep dragging and dragging. It takes a long time to move a few images, especially if I have to go through a lot of video and other images. I have not found a way around this, other than to think ahead and insert everything in the right order to begin with.

I misplaced my program cd, and want to install a DVD authoring program on my laptop. So I am considering purchasing a newer program.

I don't need a fancy program... I need to capture video, edit it, burn it (I probably would only use 1 overlay track like I have now). Currently, I edit the video with VS6, then use MovieFactory 2 SE to create the menus and write the DVD.

My laptop: XP, AMD Turion 64 mobile technology ML32, 792 MHz, 448 Mb RAM (purchased a couple months ago) I don't know if my laptop can even run a newer program. I thought the processor was faster than that, or maybe mobile processors are different.

My desktop which is currently running VS6: XP, Pentium4 2.66 GHz, 1 Gig RAM (purchased 3 years ago)

I was just showing my son that I am still using a version of Print Shop (PS III Deluxe) that was purchased in 1996. Still works fine! lol Maybe it's time to update a few things, though.

1. Is my laptop's processor so slow (792 MHz) that it can't use a new VS program?
2. Do newer versions of VS allow insertion of video/audio in the center of the video? (as opposed to importing them and dragging them one at a time)
3. To create menus on the DVD and burn it, do I need an additional program other than a new VideoStudio?
4. Do you have any recommendations? I don't mind using an older product if I can find it available, but the new programs may have features that you feel are important.

Thank you for your time.

[Trevor Andrew]

Welcome to the forum.

Download the trial version VS 10 and give it a go.
May-be not for the laptop though.

I think you will be surprised at what it can do compared to the earlier version 6

If you are thinking of an earlier version go for VS 9
Stay clear of VS 8

Trevor

[joosuna]

Amy in TN...the new UVS10 has lots of new nifty features. But, as you pointed out in USV6, the images and video inserts continue to appear at the end of the timeline in the new UVS10
regards
Joe in CA

[Phil S]

One thing I really don't like is when I insert an image (jpg, for example) it puts it at the end of the track instead of where I have the current pointer. No big deal, I can drag it, but it will only allow me to select ONE image at a time, and I have to keep dragging and dragging. It takes a long time to move a few images, especially if I have to go through a lot of video and other images. I have not found a way around this, other than to think ahead and insert everything in the right order to begin with.

Yes, I find this annoying too. The only other thing to do is insert the image into the library and then drag it to the timeline exactly where you want it. Anybody got a better way?

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

Use the library to store your images/videos
Then drag any amount, anywhere on the timeline.

Using the ¡¥insert¡¦ option does insert to the end of the timelines.

Trevor

[AmyinTN]

Thanks so much for the quick, informative replies!

I had never thought of putting the images in the library... I will try that. That could save me a lot of time, as I usually have ideas to add things in the middle when I already have a lot of it done.

I may give the trial VS10 version a test, when I get a chance to download it. That would be ideal, to try before I buy.

Thanks, y'all!

[heinz-oz]

One more thing though, wherever you want to insert an image, you need to have a cut in the video clip, it will not create one by itself.

[Ken Berry]

And also remember to use the Library Manager (Tools > Library Manager) to create New sub-libraries in the various categories (Video, Images etc) for each project so that you know exactly which images belong in which project. And at the end of a project, if you have no further need for it, just delete it. This deletes the sub-library, though of course not the images themselves, which remain wherever you originally stored them on the computer.

[CycleWriter]

I agree that the insert command is really a misnomer as it does not actually insert so much as append. This is one of many quirks in all versions of VS that simply do not make sense, but fortunately, VS has a lot of power in a small, reasonably-priced package that is fairly easy to use. Version 10+ adds HD and Dolby 5.1 support and some minor extras that may or may not be worth the extra time and money of an upgrade, but only you can decide that. As it was recommended, download the TBYB version and take it for a test spin. Most likely, you will find that some of the features are worth the upgrade price as is having a current version still supported by the company. And there's more people in this forum using 10+ that can help you with a problem compared to version 6 users.

[CycleWriter]

One more thing though, wherever you want to insert an image, you need to have a cut in the video clip, it will not create one by itself.

I hope the next version of VS deals with this oversight (as well as the ever-changing library problem). Just like the cursor in a Word document, doing an insert should cause the content to be placed wherever the progress indicator is in the project at the time. Anything else is counter-intuitive.

[heinz-oz]

I guess it could be a nice feature to have. May work flow is different though and I don't have a need for that. I split all my video captures by scene and hence have a lot of small clips. I would not want to insert an image into the middle or otherwise of any of these clips.

On top of that, of course, I do not use VS but MSP 8 which acts differently to all versions of VS, except for VS 10+ I believe.

[CycleWriter]

I guess it could be a nice feature to have. May work flow is different though and I don't have a need for that. I split all my video captures by scene and hence have a lot of small clips. I would not want to insert an image into the middle or otherwise of any of these clips.

On top of that, of course, I do not use VS but MSP 8 which acts differently to all versions of VS, except for VS 10+ I believe.

My work flow is similar, Heinz. It's when I need to insert a sound effect or still photo that this idiosyncracy drives me nuts. I have far too many sound effect clips and still photos to create a library, so I constantly have to deal with inserting the content and then scrolling to the beginning or end of the project to find it and then drag it to where I want it. It really should be as simple as placing the progress bar where I want the insert to be, and then having it fall right there. There's no excuse for it not to work this way.