MSP8 First Impressions of BETA Preview

Downstairs Video · Post by **Downstairs Video** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:16 am

WOW!!!!
I was worried when I read how the new MSP8 would be a huge learning curve for Dinasours like me. I've been using MSP as my preffered editor for a several years now.

However, I found the layout great. Worked my round it in minutes. Very logical and practical. By far the best. Clea and very user friendly.
Everything about it seems to have had quite a revamp.

The media library is far more functional and logical, the production library tabs are excellent.
One addition which is a huge inprovement is the 'jog sliger' and wheel for control of viewing and editing video clips, gives the pro feel to the control of your work.
The ability to control the effects has been raised to a new leval - and MSP desperately needed this improvement. Very poor in previous versions.

I really like the way you can overlap the video and automatically have the standard disolve as the default. It was a tiresome task in the past to add the dissolve to lots of footage. This is now so quick and easy its almost as logical as the invention of the mouse trap. Why didn't we have this before? But great to have it now. Adding disolves is also easier, drag, drop on the intersecting video and click. BUT I would prefer if we didn't need to click.

WHAT happened to the thumbnail views of the overlay options? Some good overlays that desperately need thumbnail views of them.

The extra filters are very good, some nice newies. I'm always greedy and think that in some catagories there should be more.

When opening and closing different windows, I like the way they adjust to the correct size or fill the blank space left behind.

I still cannot understand why if you right click on a video clip you can choose 'copy', but when you right click were you would like to place the footage there is no 'paste' choice - very primitive.

One other shock - fault in BETA? If you choose to extend your footage by dragging the right hand side of footage to extend it, as soon as you get to the right of the screen it stops and doesn't continue, previous versions was able to do this.

I know that one of the last things to get corrected in a BETA version is the Help files. More work is needed here by asking people who are new to MSP to see how they can find things - or not as the case may be. For example, I was excited to sse that there is a facility for Smartsound audio files. I couldn't see any assistace in the contents section of the audio. But in the search it gave some information, but forgot to tell you were to find the auto music button it refers to. This is found on an extra tool bar you have to preselct, I only found this by hunting around. BUT when you find this feature it works fantastically, CD in player, finds music automatically and then imports it for you. GREAT>

Overall I think this is fantastic - Well done! What I have been waiting for. Will give more updates later.

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 9:46 am

Well, this first report is great, thanks! As you delve deeper into it, I think you will find lots of other new features.

Believe me, it has been a bloody hard slog for us beta testers (and it is still continuing, as there are a number of outstanding issues) but reading this makes me think it's worthwhile.

-Raptor- · Post by **-Raptor-** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 3:16 pm

Good:
- Working with nested-timelines and virtual clip is fantastic

- Finally a good color correction filter.

- 5.1 Audio Encoder

- All the new feature are really useful.

MSP 8 will be better if... (a sort of MSP 9 WishList)

- We can use some transition as "video filter" (like RTX.100 Page Curl that can be applied on a Text keeping the alpha channel)

- We can use others overlay mode (like height map and displacement map like Sony Vegas)

- We can use Bezier Curves for Moving Path.. Also a simple drop shadow option for moving paths will be useful.

- We can have a button for "split screen" (for filters on/off comparison) like sony Vegas

Current Beta "Bugs"

- I can't hear audio from Audio Mixer Panel in Multichannel (5.1) mode.

-Raptor- · Post by **-Raptor-** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 12:12 pm

Mediastudio 8 Test: Day Two.

Effects Manager

The effect manager solves one of the biggest problem of older version of Mediastudio..
With MSP 7, when using a filter, in the filter preview window you see the effect of that filter.. but applied to the original footage. If you apply two or more filter.. you can only "guess" what will be the result..

Now in MSP 8, the problem is not only solved, but you can also "hide" a filter with a mouse click. Well done Ulead

Side note for beta testers ad for Ulead .. If you open a filter with the "old method", without using the effect manager, you see the "old" effect setting windows with the "old"problem... Probably it's not a bug.. but i think it's a bit confusing.

New titler

As posted by Terry Stetler, you can now create multy layered title.

A kerning and tracking control will be useful.. (there is a leading/line space control now..)

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 2:50 pm

Those layered titles are pretty cool, aren't they?

Can't talk about release features etc. That's still NDA turf, sorry.

The "legacy" dialogs are there by intent. They can also be called up from within the Effects Manager using the last icon on the right under the effects list. Call 'em legacy support for upgraders or whatever.

FWIW as an RT.X100 user I totally agree that it would be WAY cool to be able to apply transitions to a clip as a "filter" in the manner you discribe. It adds a lot to the toolkit. The same goes for bezier paths.

ejskater16 · Post by **ejskater16** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 4:04 am

Well, I would type out my list of first impressions...

but for now all I can say is this:

and now I'm starting the beta back up and seeing what I else I can find...

Downstairs Video · Post by **Downstairs Video** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 6:27 am

Audio Editor.
If the saying is true of Audio production - "It's 70% of everything you see".

Then:

What can I say but - Dissapointing.
Still very limited as to what it can do.
A few basic effects. With no preview when choosing the effects without
going out of the effect etc etc. Could spend a lot of time on this subject, but wont.

For serious video editing, you will still need another audio editor of quality.

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 7:22 am

But then most people don't use their video editors audio tool (and darn few even have one) for doing serious audio mixes. They use a dedicated audio editor (anything from the freeware Audacity to Cubase) then move the sequence to the video editor for inclusion in the project. This is how I work.

My feeling is that MSPro's audio editor is for those quick & dirty things that don't need such extensive smooging. Even then once on the timeline MSPro video editor can apply VST audio plugins for more extensive changes on the timeline.

Just copy the VST's DLL into the aft_plug/VST folder in MSPro's installation directory and call up its dialog using the Effects Managers Customize Dialog button (far right under the effects list).

There are tons of high quality VST filters on the 'net, and a bunch of them are freeware or inexpensive shareware.

Devil · Post by **Devil** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 9:00 am

To be pedantic, Terry, Audacity is not freeware, even though it costs nothing to download; it is open source. I've used it to complement AE for over a year and is great for stereo (and mono, of course) editing. No use for 5.1, though, at this time..

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 9:02 am

OK, OK....sheesh

I meant it as a low end example

-Raptor- · Post by **-Raptor-** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 11:11 am

I think, that an important feature for audio editing in Mediastudio will be the option to set (as in Premiere Pro) the timeline ruler (and the zoom level) to audio units.. Only with this feature you can have a perfect audio sync useful for works like slideshows..

An internal highpass/lowpass filter will be also useful (to easily create the .1 channel in a 5.1 soundtrack)

What do you think ?

Terry Stetler · Post by **Terry Stetler** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 8:43 pm

Why wait for Ulead?

http://www.hnm-freeware.com/Audio/VST/index.html

Works in MSP7 and MSP8. Google "vst freeware plugin" and you'll find a ton more.

Just make sure what you download is a filter and not an instrument, application or video game as these can be VST plugins too

THIS is why I try so hard to "spread the word" about MSPro's VST support. Most people don't even realize it's in there, but it's this barn door of an audio feature just waiting to be exploited.

To access the control panels (there are several filters in the HNM_VST pack) in MSP8 just click the Customize Dialog button in the Effects Manager.

Downstairs Video · Post by **Downstairs Video** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 11:41 pm

Well lets approach this audio question from another direction.
I import a video file, I desire to work on the audio track.
I split the audio from the video, now I wish to work on this file in an associted program. MSP8 would be great if I could simply right click the .avi audio file and convert it to wave and open in associted program.

Also in the preview version I am getting the message, Video editor cannot recognise this filter. They do not appear to be there?

Terry wrote: "But then most people don't use their video editors audio tool (and darn few even have one) for doing serious audio mixes. They use a dedicated audio editor (anything from the freeware Audacity to Cubase) then move the sequence to the video editor for inclusion in the project."
Remeber Vegas Video started its life as an audio editor.
Adobe bought out the excellent Cool Edit Pro to add to theirs.
MSP8 is a PRO editor, that I believe can take on all rivals, but please don't try and justify a weekness. The fact you admit you have to use another program tells us it needs work.

ejskater16 · Post by **ejskater16** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 11:47 pm

Terry-

I downloaded and installed all the VST plugs from that link you posted, but the second I try to render an audio file with one of this effects applied to it, the program crashes...

Are they just not compatible with MSP?

Downstairs Video · Post by **Downstairs Video** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 12:47 am

A bonus surprise. MSP8 solves Sony Problem!

I have a Sony PDX10p, in MSP7, and all other common capture programs (Adobe, Veges etc) There is an odd quirk.
That is, capturing audio at 48k finishes up in mono not stereo.
Long story as to why - Oditty of Sony (claims it's a pro feature); However MSP8 captures 48k Stereo from this vid camera!!!

Also like the jog control over the cam through firewire. Works well.