Digital Video Editing Software

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Digital Video Editing Software by Mimi Lee
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Price Range
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The Freebies

• Easy to use
• Trim and merge video footage
• Add soundtracks, titles and transitions
• Incorporate photos
• Special effects such as
• iMovies Ken Burns effect or
• Movie Makers MTV streaming

• iMovie
• Windows Movie Maker

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Limitations with Freeware

• Inaccurate and awkward editing features
• Limited use of multiple sound tracks, volume
  controls
• and fading at precise points
• Canned features offer limited configurability

• Project Assassin audio and visual tracks may
  unsync
• as videos become more complex - a common bug.

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Mid Range Products 99 - 500

• Final Cut Xpress
• Hollywood FX
• Pinnacle Studio
• Ulead VideoStudio
• Screenblast Studio

• Crisper editing
• Analog to digital converter devices
• More precise sound controls
• Ability to control clip speed
• Output to various viewing formats
• (CD, DVD, VHS, Streaming video)

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Near-Professional Software500 - 1,000

• Final Cut Pro
• Adobe Premiere
• Pinnacle Edition
• Ulead MediaStudio Pro
• Sonys Vegas

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High-end Highlights

• Precise frame-by-frame editing
• Customizable motion effects
• Advanced color correction features
• Surround sound stereo encoding
• Video overlay
• Blue screening
• Advanced DVD authoring

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Weigh the Options v Throw the Dice

• Assess your current and future needs to find a
  good fit.
• Research products to make sure they contain the
  features you want.
• High-end software may not always be suitable
  for basic needs.
• DVE makers are notorious for poor
  documentation, and even poorer service.
• DVE is known to be very buggy at this point.

• Consider
• Is your input analog and/or digital?
• What degree of editing precision do you need?
• How important is sound quality and sound
  manipulation?

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And finally Hardware

• In addition to being memory hogs, DVE software
  require
• fast CPUs
• sophisticated sound and graphics cards
• high resolution monitors
• Extensive hard drive space
• Capture devices
• DVD burner to output your projects

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Sources

• Adobe Systems. www.adobe.com
• Dazzle Systems. www.dazzle.com
• PC Magazine. www.pcmag.com/dvdcreation
• Peters, Marc. www.digital-director.com.
  http//www.marcpeters.co.uk
• Pinnacle Systems. www.pinnaclesys.com
• Ulead Systems. www.ulead.com
• All images and sound files obtained from
  Microsoft Office
• clip art gallery.