VS X4 Impressions

[metmot]

I purchased VS X3 on Feb 5, 2010 as an upgrade to X2. I did not try before buying (my bad), I just read the feature list and it sounded good so I plunked down my dough. VS X3, although well meaning is an albatross. No matter what was tried, I was never able to successfully burn a DVD using the authoring module supplied. I have continuing program crash problems when working with mixed content, apparently caused by the transitions between them. For instance just two days ago I was making a short video with AVCHD and some still JPEGs Putting certain transitions between the media causes VS X3 to crash when reviewing and/or rendering. Remove the transition and it goes ok. This behavior is ongoing with X3 and very annoying. So I downloaded the trial of X4 and opened the exact project that was giving me fits earlier this week and guess what? Low and behold it actually works as expected. I put the same transitions into the same spots that were causing a crash and no problems.

My point to all this rambling you may be wondering? IMO X4 offers painfully little in new features and is more of a patched up version of X3 that actually...........works. Imagine that concept. No more editing in X3 and authoring in X2 for me......that is if I plunk down another 80 bucks. I feel a bit put off by my whole X3 experience and feel X4 should be offered to us who bought the POS, non working X3 for free as a good will gesture or something. X4 mostly appears to be a debugged version of X3. Let me qualify these feelings by stating I haven't had a chance to work with X4 enough to be sure it's better, but my comments are going under that assumption. It's hard to think it could function overall worse than X3 does.

[Black Lab]

That would all be well and good if X3 were actually a POS. But what about those that don't have problems with X3? Surely we are not just "lucky"...

This debate has gone round and round since I have been a member of this forum. I have come to the conclusion that video editing software is very complicated, and will not work on every single computer that is made. Why? I have no clue. But that much is apparent.

I am sorry that X3 doesn't work for you. But as you said, your bad for not trying it before buying it. I would strongly urge anyone to try before you buy any video editing package, not just VS, and buy the one that works best for your system, as they obviously all work differently together.

Stepping down from soapbox...

[teknisyan]

Hello metmot,

We always respect the opinion of others.

For any sales issues that you may have, please call our Sales Team at 1-877-582-6735. Just keep a copy of the Order Confirmation Number. Since they are close on weekend I suggest that you call early Monday.

[Black Lab]

Abiel, he bought X3 a year ago.

[metmot]

That would all be well and good if X3 were actually a POS. But what about those that don't have problems with X3? Surely we are not just "lucky"...

This debate has gone round and round since I have been a member of this forum. I have come to the conclusion that video editing software is very complicated, and will not work on every single computer that is made. Why? I have no clue. But that much is apparent.

I am sorry that X3 doesn't work for you. But as you said, your bad for not trying it before buying it. I would strongly urge anyone to try before you buy any video editing package, not just VS, and buy the one that works best for your system, as they obviously all work differently together.

Stepping down from soapbox...

Are there those who don't have problems with X3 Jeff? How about the authoring debacle? Wasn't it you who told me you also used the authoring module in X2 instead of the "free" upgrade of DVD factory? I'll have to check on that. All I know is from VS9 all the way to X2 I never had any serious functional problems. X3 has just been a buggy, ##### in spite of it's neat new features. X4 offers very little IMO except perhaps debugging of X3, and it's not my computers fault I think. To open a project that crashes X3 in X4 without the crash is tangible and repeatable evidence that this is so. I have tried X3 on all three of my main PC's hoping for more, with similar funky results. Maybe it has to do with the media different folks are using regularly? I need to tell my wife all my cameras need to be replaced now to keep up with the times End Rant (for now)

[Ron P.]

I think the main problem with VS X3 was the inclusion of the digital studio programs, DVD Factory 2010 and VS 2010 (Easy Edit). I realize there were other problems related to high-def, however I was never affected by that.

If you look deeper into VS X4, you'll find there are really several new features. Not everyone will use all of them. One of the forward looking features is 3D. I'm not sure exactly how this is to work with VS. I do know that it's possible to simulate 3D video. Another is that you can place text on all non-audio tracks, you can use transitions between texts. Since we're looking at transitions, how about adding transitions to your clips without using a color clip before or after.

Oh need to know where the source clip is located on your system? Right-click on it, and you'll see the menu option Locate on my computer. Instant Projects that can be shared with others. Time-lapse and strobe support. The Libraries/Organizer where you can have all clips, video, images, audio together in the same folder, view them by thumbnails or detail list. Then the flexibility with the GUI.

I'm sure there will be some complaints as time goes on..

[Black Lab]

I actually use v10 to author, not because the X3 authoring module doesn't work, but because I prefer how v10 works.

And I agree that some people have problems with X3. Some had problems with v6. Some with v8. Some with v10. And some will have problems with X4. And that is why I say find a product that works well with your system, because all systems and all products work differently with each other.

X3 is not buggy for me. It is buggy for you.

[skyml]

I have to agree, after trying VS4 for 3 days now using a lot of different projects and testing all the "new" features. I can honestly say that I feel cheated here too.

Have Been using X3 since it replaced VS12 (been using VS since Media Studio Pro died and MSP since ver 2.5) and had all the same experiences and frustrations others reported... disappointment with the DVD authoring/fix fiasco and crashes. The latest issue was constant crashes on certian projects and corels response was that the cause was Quicktime and the fix was to uninstall QT and use ver 7.5 to make VS X3 work. That issue still persists and any "fixes" corel may have done since then (was never told what the last patch actually solved) is news to me.

The point I want to make is this... 4 days ago I was trying to create and render an AVCHD disc project in X3 and had repeated crashes one after the other... when I got the word on VS X4 and installed the demo I ran the same project and it rendered and burned perfectly! X4 fixed what X3 did not and my X3 is still broke - do I really have to pay for X4 to get away from X3's badly resolved or un-resolved issues?

As to X4's new features....

well, I was intrigued by the "timelapse" as I'm doing quite a bit of that now days (http://www.airplayphoto.com/projects). Can't say I'm all that impressed.... all it does is save me a couple of mouse clicks. perhaps I need to play with it a bit more.

Stop motion might be fun but can't see any serious use for it yet.

As to the DVD authoring side of things... all they did was fix what they broke in X3. Nothing really new there.

3D? Can't say as 3D is still in a growth spurt with way too many options on creating and viewing. Who can say what 3D needs I'll have as an editor... at this stage I see this as a gimick.

Speed? Will have to see on that, thought I saw some noticeable increase the first night I tried it... but the next day when I put my tougher projects on it I felt like it was X3 all over again.

I do like the ability to finally change the interface a little with the un-dockable windows (which was a long time in coming). And I do like that in X4 they fixed a real annoying thing X3 had with editing an audio/music file where if I selected the file to edited it the program jumped from the point where I was editing to the beginning of the clip forcing me to search for the edit point everytime... what a pain in the ***!

Is it worth the upgrade price? I feel that the price I paid for X3 was just a user fee to hold me until they could fix the issues they were having trying to improve a product they bought from someone else and were still figuring out.

I really feel that if you are a loyal owner and user of this product and suffered with the growth, changes and issues of VS10, 11, 12(X2) and X3 then X4 should be free. As it is, I need the fixes that X4 offers so if I want to keep using VS I will be forced to buy it as I know Corel doesn't give a rats $$$ about customer loyality or customer wants and needs and only care about money in their pocket the easiest way they can.

[Black Lab]

I really feel that if you are a loyal owner and user of this product and suffered with VS10, 11, 12 and X3 then X4 should be free.

I cannot understand, for the life of me, why anyone would keep buying a product they are not satisfied with.

[metmot]

I actually use v10 to author, not because the X3 authoring module doesn't work, but because I prefer how v10 works.

And I agree that some people have problems with X3. Some had problems with v6. Some with v8. Some with v10. And some will have problems with X4. And that is why I say find a product that works well with your system, because all systems and all products work differently with each other.

X3 is not buggy for me. It is buggy for you.

Actually every single version of VS has been "buggy" to some extent. I doubt any users can refute that. It's just whether you can find a work flow that functions and you can live with. X3 has been the least friendly in that regard of all the versions I have used.

[skyml]

I really feel that if you are a loyal owner and user of this product and suffered with VS10, 11, 12 and X3 then X4 should be free.

] I cannot understand, for the life of me, why anyone would keep buying a product they are not satisfied with.

Hey Jeff,

I guess you don't know what a "loyal" customer is then. Never said I hated VS but have never been satisfied with it especially since we took such a major step back for those of us who used and loved Media Studio Pro and the support that Ulead gave us. Media Studio Pro was the best editing tool I ever used and nothing today seems to measure up to it. VS was a big step back but kept me in the game so to speak. I have used Premier, FCP ans Sony Vega Pro, Avid and can't say I love any of them on the whole.

As an editor, I know what I need and I know what we can get and I know enough of the histroy behind these products to know where we stand. As a simple editor, X3 wasn't crap by any means but it had issues that are clearly documented. X4 has some new features but after reviewing them I can't say "OMG, gotta have it now!" Truth is, if X3 wasn't still broke, I wouldn't want X4 at all... it's not all that, not $80 worth.

I keep buying Corel's products only because I am loyal (though I am questioning that), but I am demanding and as a customer as well and I have a long history with these products who's original owners set the standard that Corel has yet to measure up to.

[Ron P.]

Mike,

It's hard for those that have not had their hands on MSP8, to really understand, isn't it.. Sad that they dumped it. However I still have and use it, since I don't work with HD. Kinda like trading in your BMW for a Volkswagon..

[skyml]

Mike,

It's hard for those that have not had their hands on MSP8, to really understand, isn't it.. Sad that they dumped it. However I still have and use it, since I don't work with HD. Kinda like trading in your BMW for a Volkswagon..

Hey Ron,

yes is! But all my work is now in HD, even for the web. I had MSP running on a VM on my previous Laptop under Win 7 Pro 64 but it died and I don't believe my new one can. Bringing MSP back into the current age would make so many editors happy and the world would be back in balance again. That I would pay for!

[aafuss]

Can 3D-AVI video from 3D cameras like the Fuji REAL 3D W3 be edited in VS X4 or not?

[metmot]

Mike,

It's hard for those that have not had their hands on MSP8, to really understand, isn't it.. Sad that they dumped it. However I still have and use it, since I don't work with HD. Kinda like trading in your BMW for a Volkswagon..

Hey Ron,

yes is! But all my work is now in HD, even for the web. I had MSP running on a VM on my previous Laptop under Win 7 Pro 64 but it died and I don't believe my new one can. Bringing MSP back into the current age would make so many editors happy and the world would be back in balance again. That I would pay for!

I bought MS pro 8 and Charlie Hill's outstanding book and cd "getting results with media studio pro 8" back in 06. I am looking at it on the bookshelf as I type this. Well that was the end of a new beginning for me. Is there another program out there like it? It was so easy to learn and so versatile. I was so excited and so disappointed all at once. Anyone want to buy that book and program? It's in like new condition.