Your input please: VideoStudio "PRO"?

Bignosetw · Post by **Bignosetw** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 1:44 pm

So gang - here's your chance:
If you were told that there was a POSSIBILITY of a super-duper
"Prosumer" version of Ulead VideoStudio ... what features would you want in there, in order of priority? What are the "cannot live without" stuff, what
are the "that would be nice to have" stuff?

Let's hear it from the real users out there.

(Please note that I have taken note of all the stuff in the "wish list", so myabe try to be more concise and prioritize more here.

Best regards

Tobie Openshaw

DLA · Post by **DLA** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 3:31 pm

- Moving path, this is #1 for me.
- The same timeline as MSP, i.e. lot of video and audio tracks, transitions everywhere, blank spots
- Smart render that works for MPEG2
- Titles the same way as MSP (being a video clip in its own)
- Overlay options of MSP

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 6:29 pm

There's one thing I'd like to see added to VS, it's when a user starts a new project to choose what type of project, to select a template, assign the working folders for VS & the burning module etc. Also customize these settings to save for future projects as templates.

When starting a new project one nice feature in the workflow is to select a media file & match the project settings to this media file (or the closest editable format).

A few ways this can be implemented but when using other software packages in windows or linux / mac computers I find this work flow to be constructive and easier to work with as a starting point.

Georg · Post by **Georg** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:07 pm

I wish a working-area with video and audio without changing the view

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 11:18 pm

>Unlimited video and audio tracks (or at least MANY more than what we have now)
>Moving paths
>Transitions in overlays
>Multiple title tracks (for more customization)
>Ability to use chroma-key AND fades on a clip

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:58 am

As a starting point I would like to refer to an email I sent to Corel on 17 August 2007 which at that time was in relation to VideoStudio 12.
Before being able to go too deeply into what should now appear in VideoStudio 12 and what should appear in VideoStudio Pro (If it materializes) then a lot will depend upon what is included and what is left out from my previous suggestions.

Here is a copy of that email :

Thank you for asking for my feedback on the UVS12 content plan.
Firstly I would like to mention that I have created a thread on the forum ¡§Wish List for Future Versions¡¨
http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=22367
The thread is now 4 pages long and contains 45 entries, some of the entries I consider sensible and some others are either lack of knowledge or simply impractical for a product aimed at the VideoStudio target market.

Whilst it might seem easy to suggest various items from the other former Ulead range of Video related products,
MediaStudio, MovieFactory, DVD Workshop and CD&DVD Picture Show, I also consider that it is important to retain the separate identities of those products rather than merge everything into one ¡§Super all in one Product.¡¨ The reasons are that
1. The retail cost of the ¡§Super all in one product would be too high and thus deter potential customers from that market rather than attract them.
2. A super all in one product would also have an adverse affect upon sales of the existing products.

Having mentioned that I would like to mention that from feedback on the User Forum it is clear that the forum members have been eagerly looking forward to
¡¥Transitions on the overlay tracks¡¦ and there is an obvious echo of disappointment when this has not materialized in the last two releases of VideoStudio.
Another improvement that has been sought is ¡¥moving paths¡¦ ¡V This would I am sure be a major improvement to VideoStudio, and whilst bringing it a little closer to MediaStudio should not adversely affect sales in that market.

These two items alone would I am sure be enough to convince many users to upgrade to the next version.

Not as important as those above items but I think it is worthy to consider a subtitle editor of a similar nature to DVD Workshop 2.
Development of such a module could also be carried over into the next release of DVD MovieFactory thus making it more cost effective to develop such a routine.
As things are at present, in VideoStudio the ¡§Subtitles¡¨ are permanently set in the video and cannot be turned on/off with a DVD remote.
In MovieFactory you can import a subtitle file or you can use the following information to ¡¥create¡¦ (but not edit) a subtitle file:
1. Filename:
2. Date:
3. Time
4. EXIF information.

Interestingly you can save the title track from VideoStudio as a subtitle file, then you can import that subtitle track into MovieFactory and it can be turned on/off with the DVD remote. This is a back door method of creating subtitles and one where customers would be required to own both products AND be aware of this procedure.

The next suggested improvement is one that has again created a lot of debate on the user forum, brought about by a wrongly worded button on the DVD menu Creation screen (As confirmed by Even Su). DVD Menu Highlight Image Button. This should have been worded hide/show DVD Menu Highlight image for editing.
You can in fact build upon this ¡¥mistake¡¦ and make that button do what it suggests. It appears that some forum members prefer a highlight image whilst others do not.
You could therefore get this button to activate or de-activate the use of highlight images on the DVD menus. This would of course involve some work where all of the existing DVD menu Templates would need to be examined and where highlight images do not exist in the template they would have to be inserted. Furthermore a check would also need to be made to ensure that if a highlight image was turned off, the chosen color mapping settings (s1, s2, s3, a1, a2, a3) are suitable for that particular menu template. Otherwise you might end up with a light blue object set upon a light blue background etc.

Object/Frame/Flash animation/Menu/Style
I have never had a problem with the number of Objects supplied because it is quite easy to import clipart into VideoStudio which can be found either by searching the internet or even purchasing CD discs containing thousands of such objects. Even my local supermarket sells them quite cheaply.
Frames: DVD Workshop 2 has a collection of 56 frames ¡V perhaps those 56 frames could form part of the VideoStudio ¡¥Extra Content¡¦ CD.
Flash animations: The number of these supplied appears to be a bit limited and any increase in the number of available animations would be a bonus.
Menus: Whilst several have been supplied with VideoStudio, perhaps consideration could be given to increasing the number supplied by adding those in the CD & DVD Picture Show package. Here some work will again be involved in creating 16.9 versions as the current set is only in 4.3
Those could also be included in the next release of DVD MovieFactory and so again this is work that is productive. Perhaps you might also be considering an updated version of CD&DVD Picture Show at some future date.

I noticed that in MovieFactory 6+ a new animated style had been created where thumbnails, navigation buttons etc. would slide in
(example: http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/7670/menuom6.gif ) I was surprised to find that this was not included in VideoStudio 11+.

Third party Applications.
It is normal for you to supply certain third party applications on the ¡¥bonus disc¡¦, recently these have included:
1. Google Toolbar
2. Quicktime
3. Real Player
4. Acrobat Reader (VS10+)
5. Flash Player (VS10+)

Could consideration be given to including the FREE and very powerful Audio Editor Audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
This particular item is highly regarded by many forum members and greatly enhances and supplements a whole range of the video related products.

I will now round off this lengthy post by extracting a few ideas from the Wish List on the user forum.
LGO
Video to film, or "film look" filter to give your video that "film look" in motion, grain, depth, and color.
Sherryluv4
The ability to save libraries in a separate folder that can be imported into future versions or re-imported if something goes wrong.
Circleoaks
I would like to export in FLV in one step.
GuyL
I second that. Flash is by far the most widely used video format on the web now as it is cross platform and can be easily embedded into WebPages. I currently have to import the files into Flash and re-encode the video. It would be nice to be able to do this directly in VS.
Mark Spencer
The ability to change the default attributes of filters. As an example I have never left the default values of the cropping filter as is, it would be nice to be able to set these to the user¡¦s preference.
Extend re-link checking so that it works the same in the library as it does for projects. In projects it automatically tries to re-link all clips, which is nice, but in the library you have to do each individually.
To be able to apply filters and apply changes like volume to multiple clips
Change the order of the user created folder names
On menus like Pan and Zoom, Cropping, include location coordinates of the selected area, either top left or center which would give me better control than grid lines or copying and applying attributes.
Black Lab
The ability to save video filter settings to a Favorites-type folder or, at the very least, the ability to copy and paste the filter settings.
su_A_ve
Batch encode multiple VS projects. Currently, the batch convert option only works with existing video, but not with projects.
GoldstoneMedia
Sound Effects Audio Track - Having both narration and music tracks are great but need one more track for sound effects (explosions, applause, etc).

Regards
Steve Jones
--------------

As said at the beginning of this post this is a starting point because that email was for VideoStudio 12.
I may make a further post later when I have considered a Pro Version in more detail.

phd · Post by **phd** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 2:31 am

Full control over the UI layout including the ability to detach and hide sections.

Ability to increase filter windows to full screen and also the ability to detach and resize sections. Paths and fine adjustments at the current size are uncomfortable.

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:37 am

Wouldn't it just be easier to update MSP?

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 9:49 pm

Black Lab wrote:Wouldn't it just be easier to update MSP?

Just guessing of course but with two mergers and obvious changes of staff aggravated by the arrival of Microsoft Vista, I guess the people who were in the know aren't there any more.

radman2020 · Post by **radman2020** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:53 pm

The menus should be more easily customizable!!

z3r3 · Post by **z3r3** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:49 pm

Audio track's:
1) Zooming in and expanding track width to a larger size would help greatly when setting volumes and for selecting points to start or end on.

2)Setting volume of track could be made easier by having it work similar to Pinnacle where you adjust the volume slider and it remains at that volume for the audio clip duration instead of how it currently works where the volume at that point in time is set and volume slowly creeps back up.

DVD Creation:
1) Allow for more customisation of menus. Not everything is customisable and sometimes 1 template may not be the same as another provided template but one can't get them to match as not all objects on the one are available for the other template and not everything can be edited.

2) Allow for the inclusion of DV date time codes in a sub-title track for the DVD that can be turned on/off using the sub-title feature on DVD players. Currently this is in DVD Moviefactory but doesn't seem to have made the cut to be in VideoStudio

3) Video encoding is done on MPEG2 data taken from DVD (even stuff previously made into DVD by VideoStudio) surely no encoding would be required on these! Certainly would speed up movie creation time,

Clevo · Post by **Clevo** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 12:29 am

z3r3 wrote:Audio track's:
1) Zooming in and expanding track width to a larger size would help greatly when setting volumes and for selecting points to start or end on.

2)Setting volume of track could be made easier by having it work similar to Pinnacle where you adjust the volume slider and it remains at that volume for the audio clip duration instead of how it currently works where the volume at that point in time is set and volume slowly creeps back up.

1) What size monitor do you have?

2) Audio still attached to video can be adjusted for the whole clip (or muted) with the icons avalable in the "Edit" panel. For background Natural Sound I set this to 10 (from 100).

MrA · Post by **MrA** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:08 am

z3r3 wrote:Audio track's:

2)Setting volume of track could be made easier by having it work similar to Pinnacle where you adjust the volume slider and it remains at that volume for the audio clip duration instead of how it currently works where the volume at that point in time is set and volume slowly creeps back up.

This already available in MSP. Think the thread is, "what stuff in MSP would you like to see in VS Pro" (see the MSP forum). You can adjust the volume in real time already. Just play it back, click your adjustments, then write the results.

Maybe download the trial of MSP and compare. However, I don't think you can get the feel of the software in 30 days. And it won't run under Vista...

Black Lab · Post by **Black Lab** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:41 am

And, apparently, it is dead in the water with no plans for an upgrade. That's why this thread was started - to see what the experienced users of VS would like to see in a prosumer version.

Clevo · Post by **Clevo** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 2:01 am

Scenario: Two stills on time line. Identical except that the second has has a highlight of a particular spot on the still. I want to use pan and zoom on both but it needs to flow smoothly.

To achive this I need to copy the attributes of the last key frame and paste to the first keyfram of the second still in the Pan & Zoom customising panel.

VS11.5 won't let me do that which makes things difficult if the position of the zoom is other than the 9 choices available.

So..in the pro version I would like to see not only incrimental zoom attributes but also incrimental X:Y atributes of the centre of the selection(of the zoom)