Hello.
I'm trying to figure out which video editing software to buy and have narrowed it down to Ulead's Video Studio 9 and Pinnacle's Studio 9.
I see from reviews that Ulead's Video Studio 9 doesn't save any buttons, transitions, etc that you make. So if you made the dvd and realized there's spelling mistakes, you have to start back at the drawing board. I figured this forum was the best place to find out if this is true or not.
I own Ulead PhotoImpact 10 and like it a lot. So I'm not unfamiliar with Ulead's products. I'm new to the home movie/dvd creation side of things so I need something that can give me as much bang for the buck, but not be too complicated.
I welcome any input from you - the users of the product - so I can try and figure out which program to buy. I hear that PhotoImpact's technical support isn't very good (I've never had to contact them with PhotoImpact). Is this true also?
Also, I was wondering if Video Studio 9 actually does the burning of the dvd and does it take the video right from the video camera? I've just started my research on this and can't remember some of the features.
Thanks in advance for your input.
ME.
Ulead Video Studio 9 vs Pinnacle Studio 9
Moderator: Ken Berry
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PeterMilliken
- Posts: 264
- Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 9:03 pm
- Location: Sydney, Australia
Hi ME,
The best suggestion is to trial them both - both suppliers offer trial downloads of their respective product - although the one time I tried to download Pinnacle's tool I found I was unable to get it. The download just seemed to stall and never recovered - I tried repeatedly over the course of a week with no success. I even emailed Pinnacle re the problem of accessing the trial version but never received a reply - so perhaps that is something to weigh in your consideration?
I have never experienced a problem downloading any of ULead's products. Eventually I managed to get a trial version of Pinnacle Studio 9 from the cover disk of a magazine - but by then I was a confirmed ULead VS user and so didn't really bother looking too closely at Pinnacle's offering.
VS 9 allows you, in its simplest usage form, to capture from your camera and make a DVD with a minimum of input from you the user - but VS 9's main power is the ability to edit the video prior to making your DVD. If you just want to go straight from camera to DVD ULead have cheaper products.
But download the trial and give it a run around the block and goodluck with your quest.
Peter
The best suggestion is to trial them both - both suppliers offer trial downloads of their respective product - although the one time I tried to download Pinnacle's tool I found I was unable to get it. The download just seemed to stall and never recovered - I tried repeatedly over the course of a week with no success. I even emailed Pinnacle re the problem of accessing the trial version but never received a reply - so perhaps that is something to weigh in your consideration?
I have never experienced a problem downloading any of ULead's products. Eventually I managed to get a trial version of Pinnacle Studio 9 from the cover disk of a magazine - but by then I was a confirmed ULead VS user and so didn't really bother looking too closely at Pinnacle's offering.
VS 9 allows you, in its simplest usage form, to capture from your camera and make a DVD with a minimum of input from you the user - but VS 9's main power is the ability to edit the video prior to making your DVD. If you just want to go straight from camera to DVD ULead have cheaper products.
But download the trial and give it a run around the block
and goodluck with your quest.Peter
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curious63
Thanks for your input Peter.
I'm looking for good editing software that isn't overly complicated. I will indeed get the trial versions and see which one I like the best. I guess I was also just looking for the 'good old word of mouth' info too.
Take care.
ME.
[quote="PeterMilliken"]Hi ME,
The best suggestion is to trial them both - both suppliers offer trial downloads of their respective product - although the one time I tried to download Pinnacle's tool I found I was unable to get it. The download just seemed to stall and never recovered - I tried repeatedly over the course of a week with no success. I even emailed Pinnacle re the problem of accessing the trial version but never received a reply - so perhaps that is something to weigh in your consideration? :-)
I have never experienced a problem downloading any of ULead's products. Eventually I managed to get a trial version of Pinnacle Studio 9 from the cover disk of a magazine - but by then I was a confirmed ULead VS user and so didn't really bother looking too closely at Pinnacle's offering.
VS 9 allows you, in its simplest usage form, to capture from your camera and make a DVD with a minimum of input from you the user - but VS 9's main power is the ability to edit the video prior to making your DVD. If you just want to go straight from camera to DVD ULead have cheaper products.
But download the trial and give it a run around the block :-) and goodluck with your quest.
Peter[/quote]
I'm looking for good editing software that isn't overly complicated. I will indeed get the trial versions and see which one I like the best. I guess I was also just looking for the 'good old word of mouth' info too.
Take care.
ME.
[quote="PeterMilliken"]Hi ME,
The best suggestion is to trial them both - both suppliers offer trial downloads of their respective product - although the one time I tried to download Pinnacle's tool I found I was unable to get it. The download just seemed to stall and never recovered - I tried repeatedly over the course of a week with no success. I even emailed Pinnacle re the problem of accessing the trial version but never received a reply - so perhaps that is something to weigh in your consideration? :-)
I have never experienced a problem downloading any of ULead's products. Eventually I managed to get a trial version of Pinnacle Studio 9 from the cover disk of a magazine - but by then I was a confirmed ULead VS user and so didn't really bother looking too closely at Pinnacle's offering.
VS 9 allows you, in its simplest usage form, to capture from your camera and make a DVD with a minimum of input from you the user - but VS 9's main power is the ability to edit the video prior to making your DVD. If you just want to go straight from camera to DVD ULead have cheaper products.
But download the trial and give it a run around the block :-) and goodluck with your quest.
Peter[/quote]
Studio and Videostudio
I use both programmes. If I am editing my own videos I tend to use Studio 9 Plus. I use Videostudio 9 in the main for editing old films recorded off TV, cutting out adverts etc. I find that Videostudio can accept and create a far wider range of video files. I think that with Studio the lowest dvd setting goes down to about 3000kb/s while Videostudio will go down to about 450 kb/s giving you a wider range of options. For example, by creating a video file of 352 by 288, 1150 kb/s, variable rate you can get about 3 or 4 films on to one dvd at approx. vcd/vhs quality.
Although you can burn dvd within Videostudio I also use Movie Factory.
I find that it is relatively easy to use but Studio is more customisable. Both programmes I have used for a number of years with little or no problems but others have had no end of bother.
Howell
Although you can burn dvd within Videostudio I also use Movie Factory.
I find that it is relatively easy to use but Studio is more customisable. Both programmes I have used for a number of years with little or no problems but others have had no end of bother.
Howell
Yes, it does both.I was wondering if Video Studio 9 actually does the burning of the dvd and does it take the video right from the video camera?
But, a few users have had difficulty transferring their video to their computer via Video Studio. This shouldn't be a big deal because your camera should have come with the software and drivers for that purpose. (I assume you have a digital camera with a FireWire or USB2 port.)
This can all get very confusing, since Ulead seems to claim that all of their products do everything.
Video Studio is mainly a video editor. Its mainly for "cutting & splicing", adding transitions & titles, background music etc... All the stuff a director does to make a movie after the film is shot.
Video studio can author and burn DVDs, but its DVD authoring capabilities are limited. DVD authoring is what's done to make a DVD from a completed movie. If you want to make DVDs with fancy-custom menus, subtitles, or multiple soundtracks, try-out Ulead DVD Workshop. If your running Video Studio, you can run the Special Upgrade version of DVD Workshop express ($150).
Some of Pinnacle's products can create Dolby 5.1 surround audio tracks. As of now, Ulead's products can only do 2-channel Dolby AC3. (Of course, you need a six-channel source and the audio-editing software to prepare your digital surround soundtrack.)
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uleadileadwealllead
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mnolan
pinnalel studio vs. Ulead
I have used both and concur you should try them if you can before you buy.
I had some industrial experience with linear videtape editors before I bought a computer capable of video editing. I purchaed the pinnacle product since it was carried at my local big box store.
from my perspective and background, Pinnacle was fairly intuitive to use. I could pretty much install it and go. It looked and acted a lot like a videotape editor. It was simple to use and woked OK for small projects. My kids have used it and figured it out real quick without using the manual.
It tended to freeze up a lot however, sometimes erasing hours of previous work. Even if I had saved the file, it trashed it on the disk once in a while. I eventually learned to save often, both to a regular file and a backup file. When it froze up (which wasn't THAT often, but when you are in the middle of a project it seems like it), I lost a couple of hours of work.
I decided to try the Ulead product after reading reviews. It seems to be more powerful than Pinnacle and a lot more stable. I rarely have anything freeze up and I rarely lose any work. It is a lot more complicated however. From my perspective having done a lot of tape editing, the Ulead system is not very intuitive. (fading to black is an example. In Pinnacle, you just put a fade in the begining or end of the file, but in Ulead, you first have to insert a block of pure black, then fade into or out of it).
The only part of Ulead I find most dissapointing is the ability to burn to a DVD. This forum has figured out how to do it, and thankfully posted it for everyone. Once you use this somewhat cumbersome process, it renders and burns just fine. But if I hadn't found the instructions, and hadn't printed them out I would have given up on Ulead the first time I tried to render a disk. This major flaw in the software is inexusable, but there seems no incentive to fix it.
So your choice is easy to use but somewhat unstable, or harder to use, more capabilites, but not as intuitive. If you do use Ulead, make SURE you read the first post in this forum. It's a life saver
I had some industrial experience with linear videtape editors before I bought a computer capable of video editing. I purchaed the pinnacle product since it was carried at my local big box store.
from my perspective and background, Pinnacle was fairly intuitive to use. I could pretty much install it and go. It looked and acted a lot like a videotape editor. It was simple to use and woked OK for small projects. My kids have used it and figured it out real quick without using the manual.
It tended to freeze up a lot however, sometimes erasing hours of previous work. Even if I had saved the file, it trashed it on the disk once in a while. I eventually learned to save often, both to a regular file and a backup file. When it froze up (which wasn't THAT often, but when you are in the middle of a project it seems like it), I lost a couple of hours of work.
I decided to try the Ulead product after reading reviews. It seems to be more powerful than Pinnacle and a lot more stable. I rarely have anything freeze up and I rarely lose any work. It is a lot more complicated however. From my perspective having done a lot of tape editing, the Ulead system is not very intuitive. (fading to black is an example. In Pinnacle, you just put a fade in the begining or end of the file, but in Ulead, you first have to insert a block of pure black, then fade into or out of it).
The only part of Ulead I find most dissapointing is the ability to burn to a DVD. This forum has figured out how to do it, and thankfully posted it for everyone. Once you use this somewhat cumbersome process, it renders and burns just fine. But if I hadn't found the instructions, and hadn't printed them out I would have given up on Ulead the first time I tried to render a disk. This major flaw in the software is inexusable, but there seems no incentive to fix it.
So your choice is easy to use but somewhat unstable, or harder to use, more capabilites, but not as intuitive. If you do use Ulead, make SURE you read the first post in this forum. It's a life saver
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smsycpa
Re: pinnalel studio vs. Ulead
Nothing to do with this thread, but I can't help reacting to this.mnolan wrote: From my perspective having done a lot of tape editing, the Ulead system is not very intuitive. (fading to black is an example. In Pinnacle, you just put a fade in the begining or end of the file, but in Ulead, you first have to insert a block of pure black, then fade into or out of it).
There are dozens of statements saying this in the VideoStudio forum repeatedly. You CAN fade from/to black without any addition just by using the brightness filter on the image/clip.
Just start or end with the brightness/contrast at -100% and define the length of the fade by definign a key frame where it goes to 0.
Only if you want to fade in/out of something else than black must you use a color clip.
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scotty
"I see from reviews that Ulead's Video Studio 9 doesn't save any buttons, transitions, etc that you make. So if you made the dvd and realized there's spelling mistakes, you have to start back at the drawing board. I figured this forum was the best place to find out if this is true or not."
I'm not sure which buttons you are referring to, you can save the project whilst you go through, but if you are referring to the burn process: Yes you can! Read the sticky at the top of the forum. This goes through the rather complex burn process and mentions that as you create a new project to burn the DVD, you can save your burn settings by saving the project. This will be a different project to the video edit file.
I'm not sure which buttons you are referring to, you can save the project whilst you go through, but if you are referring to the burn process: Yes you can! Read the sticky at the top of the forum. This goes through the rather complex burn process and mentions that as you create a new project to burn the DVD, you can save your burn settings by saving the project. This will be a different project to the video edit file.