Corel Video Studio x8 vs Pinnacle Studio 18

[TonyP]

Which is better... I own both PS18 Ultimate and VSP X6U (X4U and X5U before it, didn't see the need for X7 or X8).
One thing that kept me from X8 is no Smartsound support. I have accumulated a very decent library of Smartsound music and use it in most every video. That alone removes X8 off my list.
But as others mentioned, there are features in both programs missing in the other. Mercalli, Boris, NewBlue Title, Motion Tracking, Subtitles, variable speed control are things present in X8 that are not in PS18U. But in PS18U, we have Bluray included (not a plugin we have to pay for), Smartsound ability and Scorefitter. All the NewBlue addons including their Stablizer, and if you have PS17U, all the Red Giant plugins too. Then there is the Corrections and Effects Editors that offer greater editing capabilities.
Also, as mentioned above, any track can be anything you want it to be. Anything. I am not limited to how many audio, title or video tracks I can have. I can have one video track and several audio tracks either underneath the video or directly above it. As mentioned, PS18U (stay away from the Basic version, it's pure crap, severely limited and not worth the money) has far more complexity in editing than what is available in X8U. Coming from Premiere with DV500 and then using Pinnacle Edition all the way thru Avid Liquid (including every version of Studio from v8-15U and never had my computer go belly up. Don't know anyone else either), gotta say there is something to editing this way without worrying about "oh, only one more audio track left!!". I also edit where overlays are just that, overlayed (above) the video. But, I have no problem working in reverse order with VSP.
The toolset and feature set is richer in PS18U, but it means nothing if you don't use it. It's like PS18U has a bazillion transitions (well, not a bazillion, but over 1800) that I will never use.
All above really means nothing if you aren't going to spend the time learning the programs and editing the way the programs are designed, not how you think. They both will make great videos. One will definitely take longer to learn, but if you have PS16, you know how PS18 already works.
If you want to try something "new", nothing at all wrong with VSP X8U. I find VSP just as stable as PS18 on my computer. Editors are tools and are only as good as the person using them.

[data_design]

Thanks TonyP,

Much appreciated!

Tod

[TonyP]

No problem! Remember, it is you and your money that is on the line.