DVD Architect Studio 4.5 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This program does not come with a fancy video editor nor is it a suite of tools. That's why you get more bang for the buck. If you already have other tools, such as Sonic EMC or Premiere Elements you get video editors and other tools, but neither of those create the DVD as well as DVD Architect.
For example, Premiere Elements allows you to create automatically chaptered movies by allowing you to but chapter marks in the movie editor, but it does not allow you to create a DVD with more than one movie. It has a nice video editor, but a very weak DVD authoring tool. Sonic EMC allows multiple movies and slide shows, but does not create chapter marked movies.
DVD Architect allows both and a lot more. You add setups for sound tracks and easily create a tree of menus of practically any structure you want.
You can access DVD virtual commands in a limited way through the scripting tool. It could be better in that area.
If you buy Vegas Pro 8, you get DVD Architect with it and you have a great deal more power than any of the lowest price Video/DVD authoring combos.
I chose Vegas Pro 8 with DVD Architect because I was looking for a mid-priced tool (half the price of Premiere Pro), which is far more versatile than the low end packages. Although it may not be as powerful as Premiere Pro or Mac's Final Cut, it does a great job and you don't have to pay $800 for Premiere Pro.
I would have liked Premier Pro, but it was too expensive for me PLUS it does not yet support AVCHD files from my camcorder.
Sonic advertises support for AVCHD in Roxio Creator 2009, but what they really did was add a converter, which converts all the clips from your camera to mpg files, since the video editor "VideoWave" has not been changed to handle native AVCHD. Each step of conversion is a loss in quality. Sonic EMC also does a very sloppy job of batch processing the files so you can't walk away and just let it convert everything. You must select a folder every time it finishes a clip. Having 30 years of programming experience, that could have been done better by simply modifying the batch loop.
I still like the Sonic suite because it has a lot of useful tools that are not included with these other programs.
If you have an earlier Sonic Video Wave or EMC 8 or 9 and don't want to spend the money, you might find an AVCHD converter online for free or very cheap, which essentially accomplishes the same thing.
Bottom line: You get what you pay for and when you hold your budget, you have to compromise one thing for another.

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With DVD Architect Studio 4.5 software you can swiftly create professional-looking DVDs even stunning widescreen productions on your home computer.Simply drag and drop to start building your next blockbuster.Ability to select from 27 beautifully designed DVD backgrounds with coordinated menu buttons.Use the explorer window to select the movies photos and music you want to include.

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Adobe Premiere 7.0 Professional Review

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(More customer reviews)Adobe Premiere Pro is as sophisticated and advanced software package as any other Adobe project, designed for professional and "prosumer"-level users. You have to go through a certain learning curve, invest hours in learning, but once you are through, you will be fully rewarded by the flexibility of the program and its nearly endless possibilities. A good way to learn is to buy Adobe's book "Premiere Pro classroom in a book", which is essentially a sequence of hands-on lessons which walk you through different features of the program using an extensive set of tutorial movies which come on a disk enclosed with the book.
I've been using this program for a couple of months, and had very positive experience. The program is very stable, has a logical and convenient interface, can render edits in real time, and allows to make as sophisticated edits as one can imagine. In fact, I cannot think about a single feature which is not included in Premiere. One can capture videos from a DV camcorder from Premiere, edit them in any way, add transitions, analyze the color balance of the movie, correct contrast, brightness, color balance, mix or record sound (5.1 surround can be edited, but a plugin to encode it in dolby digital format is included as a demo version only, one has to buy a full version for extra money; with regular stereo sound there are no problems), and export the edited footage in a variety of formats for DVD or internet. There is an extensive selection of audio and video filters and plugins, a title generator, and a means to generate effects such as split screen, moving logos, etc.
Adobe has a 30-day trial version of Premiere on its web site. The difference between the full and the trial version is that the trial version does not include Media Encoder (i.e., the edited file can be saved only as AVI or exported back to a DV tape) and, I think, has some limitations in audio editing. I highly recommend everyone shopping for a video editor to download the trial version, get a good book on Premiere, and make an educated decision on how good this program is.
I also tried several other products, such as Sony Vegas and Ulead Video Studio. Vegas, in my opinion, has less capabilities (e.g., does not support multiple/embedded timelines (sequences)), has somewhat counterintuitive interface (which for instance applies to what happens when you left-click or right-click somewhere in the timeline - although at first glance its user interface appears to be more friendly), and is much slower on the rendering/encoding stage. Ulead is infamous for its instability (see Amazon reviews); in my case, it crashed 15 seconds after I started the program, after which I decided that I better try something else. In contrast, Premiere has been very stable and did not crash a single time on me.
In my opinion, it is the best product on the consumer market in the price range under a thousand dollars, and I can highly recommend it to those who look for a high-end video editor with a wide range of capabilities. (Of course, a very basic editing can be done even with Windows Movie Maker, which comes free with Windows XP).
Note that Adobe Video Collection, which includes Premiere, Encore, Audition, and After Effects, is a full video editing suite which offers much more for almost the same money than the Premiere alone.
Premiere Pro is available only for Windows, Mac is no longer supported.

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PowerDirector 7 Deluxe Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is the third version of my review of this product. It originally received a 2 star rating from me because of software problems, but there was an undocumented fix, and the issue has been solved. But a stern warning to those who are considering the purchase of this program. Do not base your final decision to buy PD7 based upon the trial version. The trial works fine, but the full retail version has issues and bugs that may cause the program to be either severely disabled or run erratically.
Now for the review:
PD7 has a very well rounded suite of special effects, titling routines, automatic color balance, photo adjustments, and a series of "magic" effects that will help you to assemble a slide show, add music to your videos, correct for defects and a host of other things with just a few clicks of your mouse.
The layout for the editing screen is non-cluttered and well designed. For those who are familiar with video editing, it will only take you a day to get used to the operation of how to perform all the tasks. For those who are new to the world of video editing, it will take a little longer, but since the software is easy to learn, you'll have a minimum of problems.
Rendering of your videos for DVD, YouTube, and other devices is lightning quick, depending on the power of your PC's processor. I have an Intel Core 2 Duo running at 3.0GHz and rendering a one minute test video complete with sound track, 23 special effects, scrolling titles, and many graphic transitions took 64 seconds to render. Truly amazing. Burning a DVD is a snap as the menu system takes you through the steps quickly and efficiently. PowerDirector also provides an assortment of pre-made menus for your videos, if you can make them work.
PowerDirector also has an extensive online community where you can get free downloadable member created templates for your video productions.
The primary reason why this otherwise excellent video editing software doesn't score a higher rating is due to some of the serious bugs found in this program. One glaring one has to do with burning DVD menus with your production. The module is broken and will crash the program. Users have been complaining about this problem and others for many months without a fix. Although the incidents are well documented, Cyberlink has not fixed the issues and usually sends out a form email asking users to do horrendously complicated things with their PCs to try to solve the problem. If you are not PC savvy, you can literally damage your PC until it won't run at all.
The bottom line is that even if you are a PC whiz, the advice from customer support does nothing to fix the problem. Other customers report other bugs and are left in the lurch with no solution.
Hopefully, these issues will be fixed in the very near future, but if you are looking for a solid video editing program, you'll be taking your chances with Power Director 7 because you'll never know if you are one of the lucky where PD7 might be compatible with your PC.
If not for the broken modules, this would be an easy five-star program. As it is now, it seems to be a software program in progress and there is still a way to go before Power Director 7 can be considered fully functional.
Power Director 7 is a very powerful program, but the lack of bug fixes, modules that don't work, compatibility problems, and a customer support department that only sends out boiler plate emails to their customers instead of addressing the problems they are having is a major drawback for those who are contemplating the purchase of this program.
At the moment, I will keep the software in the hopes that CyberLink will fix the bugs, but so far, it doesn't look too promising.
UPDATE: PD7 is not compatible with all DVD burners it would seem, according to their members. But the issue of not being able to burn their final DVD projects has a temporary solution.
The forums, which serve as a means to help users out of their problems, is filled with old timers whose only solution to your problems is to "reinstall the software." There is rarely any sympathy for anyone who says they have a problem. You'll get an earful of "Well, this never happened to me," or the more frequent, "It's not the program, it's YOUR fault," or words to this effect.
Customer service, while quick to answer, will give you loads of advice that usually boils down to, "reinstall the program." The senior members of these forums really need to take a step back and realize that new comers and people who experience problems with their software are a result of the software bugs that are in the program and that the idiotic mantra that they all spew..."reinstall the program," is as much help as a rock falling on your head.
PD7 is extremely powerful but also, it would seem, very sensitive to what is on your computer as well as the type of hardware you have on your computer. If it works, it gets a solid 5. But because of the unresponsive forum help and customer service which is fast, but not very helpful with solutions, I would not recommend this program to anyone who isn't already extremely computer literate. If you don't know how to clear your registry, update your drivers, or swap out a DVD drive, you may be in for some serious headaches if you start to encounter problems with PD7.


Click Here to see more reviews about: PowerDirector 7 Deluxe

CyberLink PowerDirector 7 is a comprehensive, semi-professional video editing software, featuring end-to-end support for high definition video, from importing to editing and output, and includes advanced authoring features for DVDs. With HD camcorder prices continuing to drop, creating high-definition video content is now more affordable then ever. Amateur directors and home video enthusiasts are looking for a way to edit videos quickly and easily, while preserving their high-definition quality: PowerDirector 7 does just that, with powerful tools that deliver pro-like results. To enhance users's creativity even more, PowerDirector provides direct access to countless resources on DirectorZone, CyberLink's online community dedicated to video editors. DirectorZone is both a creative platform and library; it is a place for users to share effects they have customized themselves using PowerDirector's built-in design tools, and lets them contribute to a growing catalog of effects that other PowerDirector users can download for their projects.

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Corel DVD MovieFactory 6.0 Plus Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I used this product for a month on the recommendations of a video forum group. It was for the specific purpose of burning HD-DVD compliant videos onto standard 4.7GB DVD's using a standard DVD burner.
The biggest problem with this product is that importing files take a long, long, long time. Whether you choose your desired file from a dialog box, or drag and drop it onto the open Ulead DVD Movie Factory window, the program basically locks your computer up for the next hour. Note that this is BEFORE you do anything with the file.
It's not just with high definition videos either. Standard definition files also take a long time to load.
Technical support from the Corel website is basically non-existent save for some FAQ's and a users forum. Even if you click on the so-called "Technical Support" link it takes you directly to the FAQ's. You can't even get email support. I at least got that with Microsoft.
Looking through those forums I realize that others who use this product with Windows Vista have the same issues. The label on the box says "Works with Windows Vista", just not how well.
Hopefully I'll have better luck with Nero.

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Corel DVD MovieFactory 6 PLUS Windows

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Corel VideoStudio Pro X2 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This entire video was made in Video Studio Pro X2. I purposely did it as fast as I could to show the power of the product (matter of fact this writeup took longer). Besides the obvious time line oriented video editing, there are a ton of video outputs that can be utilized whatever your ability. You can export directly to You Tube, or record it in HD for watching in 1080. Direct to DVD authoring is another really nice addition.
I have used Final Cut Pro Studio costing $1300. While this is NOT as powerful at all, it does allow for a good deal of professional editing. It has a very low learning curve and if you just need to make excellent quality videos and not spend a very long time learning then this is the product for you.
You can import your own clips very easily, just drag and drop. It will even import your entire audio library. I tried to do a voice over for this video but my mic is really poor quality so it sounded very digitized. It allows you to add a voice over with 1 click though and I may redo this review if I can get a better mic. It is very refreshing the amount of video outputs this program has. If your a novice and want to make a video that is high quality for You Tube it is just a few clicks and you are done. The menus are easy to navigate and very intuitive.
About this video: Because I did not want to wait 3 hours to upload it. I rendered it at 30fps mpg. I am not sure how Amazon codec will re-render so I hope it looks nice when it is finally converted.
Thank you for watching!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Corel VideoStudio Pro X2

Corel VideoStudio Pro X2 is powerful video editing software for creating high-quality HD and standard-definition movies, slideshows and DVDs. Work with video and photos from camcorders, digital cameras or mobile phones. Edit your footage quickly and easily with the time-saving Movie Wizard, or take full creative control with professional tools. Add eye-catching animated menus and titles, transitions, music and special effects. Even paint, write or draw freehand on your video. Show off your movies on standard DVDs, or high-definition AVCHD and Blu-ray discs with stunning menus. Share on mobile devices such as PSP, iPod or iPhone, upload directly to YouTube, or watch with Corel WinDVD, the world's No. 1 playback software.

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PowerDirector 8 Ultra Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Sorry about the formatting, Amazon is removing all my spaces when I publish even though it looks fine in the editor.
Computer Specs:
Intel Core2 Duo @ 1.86 GHz
2 GB RAM
256 MB Video
32 bit
Windows Vista
My test:
Added 2 videos.
Added image stabilization to one
3D transition between them.
Rendered the project.
AVCHD in and MPG2 out (both in full HD, 1920*1440, Dolby 5.1 if available)
Video length 4 minutes and 20 seconds.Overall Review:
**** Corel Video Studio Pro X3
**** Cyberlink PowerDirector 8
*** Sony Vegas Movie Studio Pro Plus 9
**1/2 Adobe Premiere Elements 8
** Magix Edit Pro 15
* Roxio Creator 2010
* Pinnacle Studio Ultimate 14
Package Options:
My reviews are against the top versions of each product line. You will find that most of the differences between the top versions and the base are Blu-ray export options, and some add some extra sound options. See for yourself the option that suits you at the manufacturer's website in their respective product comparison guides.
Windows 7:
All seemed to work for me in windows 7, 64 bit with 4 GB RAM. I didn't do any tests with it b/c I wanted to use an older machine that would come closer to representing the average computer. This includes Roxio 2009, but not 2010 for reasons stated below.
Final Opinion:
If you want something super easy to use, then I would go with Cyberlink PowerDirector 8. If you want something with a bit more power that you can grow into, I would go with Corel Video Studio Pro X3. Sony Vegas Movie Studio Pro plus 9 may very well be good, but I see no reason to purchase it with the power of the Corel package.
If you are a masochist, go with Adobe, Magix, Roxio, or Pinnacle.DETAILS:
Adobe Premiere Elements 8
65 min render time
Pros:
You can search effects
Layout was good but not great
Interface was pretty straightforward
Cons:
Virtually locked my system
Slow and temporarily froze frequently
Output menu was cumbersomeCorel Video Studio Pro X3
19 min render time
Pros:
Great Output menu
Very fast
Easy to use user interface
Proxy editing*
Autofit for timeline
Cons:
No search function for effects
*edit*
After further review of this software, I had to knock it down from 5 to 4 stars.
I noticed more and more buggyness from the software the more that I used it.
It wasn't enough that one couldn't use it, but it was enough to be a bit frustrating at times.
*edit*
Cyberlink PowerDirector 8
30 min render time
Pros:
Output menu was nice
Very nice and easy to use layout
Cons:
No Blu-ray output
*edit*
Blu-ray output is available on Ultra.
After further use of this program, I have some issues with it and have lowered it to 4 from 5 stars.
I was disappointed with the menu editing in that you can not do text only menus, you can't really "customize" menus, and their stock menus total a whopping 2. They state they have thousands online, but almost all of these are menus that are horrible junk ones that others have created. There are literaly a few that are good or better. In addition, you can not search these menus, and the sorting is poor at best to browse them.
*edit*Magix Edit Pro 15
41 min Render time
Pros:
Simple
Cons:
Poor user interface
Oversimplified (Too simple I think for most people)
Very Cumbersome to use and add effects
Output options were confusing and cumbersome
Extremely limited options for PC output (which is what many will be doing)
A couple of lock upsPinnacle Studio Ultimate 14
Pros:
Nice little finished project to see what can be done
Nice interface for editing
Cons:
ONLY SOFTWARE that I was not able to import a video
Locked up my system many times and left errant process running at 80% CPU
Took 50 seconds just to load the import video TAB
When I selected videos to import and hit start import, absolutely nothing happened
Tried one of their movies and went to help to find stabilization and it crashed on me b/c I didn't have enough memory
No Blu-ray output
Cons on install on windows 7 computer:
Failure on export of file on all formats
I actually tried Pinnacle about 10 years ago and had absolutely nothing but problems. Spent many days downloading patches just to get it to work. Then, like a moron, I did an entire project and when I went to burn it, the burn failed every time. I see a decade later, I still can't export a file.Roxio Creator 2010
Pros:
-----
Cons:
They don't allow a trial download. I contacted them asking them if I could download a trial and even noted that I was a current customer. I personally like the 2009 Roxio. It was a nice "all-purpose" program. They told me that I had to buy it. I was offered a money back guarantee, but to do so, I had to send in a letter of destruction. This is way too much effort on my end to see if your software works for me.
I find it ridiculous in this day and age that you can't have a trial version of something, especially when EVERY ONE of your competitors does. In addition, this is how they were treating an existing customer!
You throw in all the compatibility issues that can occur in software in general and video software in particular, and that leaves me to think they have nothing to hide.
As icing on the cake, the following sentence was in their reply.
"Creator 2010 does support AVCHD software and hasn't been know to have any issues thus far!"
I replied to them about this OUTRIGHT LIE! First, you can read the compatibility issues on Amazon. Second, as a person that writes programs, there is no such thing as bug free software, especially video editing software.Sony Vegas Movie Studio Pro Plus 9
14 minute render time (NO ANTI-SHAKE IN RENDER, see below)
Pros:
Computer stayed pretty responsive during render
Savable packages of effects
How to guide is nice
Cons:
Couldn't search effects
Very, very cumbersome to use
Couldn't find stabilization
The render time approximation stayed at around 1 minute or 2 left the entire time
Here is my issue with Sony Vegas. I have compared its features with many of the other programs and they are all very similar. Now, when compared with Corel Video Studio Pro X3 and Cyberlink PowerDirector, they are virtually identical. I personally think Sony leaves their software cumbersome so that it "looks/seems" more powerful.
I was definitely most disappointed in this product because it was the one that I was looking the most forward to using. When I say that it is cumbersome to use, it doesn't mean that it can't be used. Let me give an example. I am a programmer, and in something like excel, I like the ability to write my own code to create functions and tools that it doesn't offer or to tweak ones that it does. HOWEVER, when I want to enter numbers in boxes, I just want to enter numbers in boxes. I don't want to click in a box, go to a menu or right click, select some gadget and then enter a number. It is ok for complicated things to be complicated, but simple things should not only be simple, but also INTUITIVE.
The main thing that I saw that you could do in Sony Vegas that you couldn't do in the others is change your transitions (both audio and video) ramp as far as how quickly they come in and go out. I am not talking about changing the time, but how your out video accelerates out and how you in video accelerates in during that time. It is a cool feature, but something that 99% of people will only not use, but won't care about either.
Another thing, the image stabilizer should be easy to do, and it may be. However, I did a search in help for stabilize, stabilizer, sta, shake, anti, etc. and could not find out how to do this very simple thing. This worries me greatly that if this isn't readily available in the help docs, then much of the other stuff probably isn't either.*A note on proxy editing.
Proxy editing is basically you working on a very low def version of your file, but when it comes time to actually render your output, the original file is used. Some view this as a crutch because they say you should be able to optimize the software to work with the high def video. My opinion is that if I can work faster, then I will work faster. Who cares what my resolution is while I am editing. If you have the fastest software out there for HD, and you can do your edits in very low def and it is even faster still, then why would you not want that?

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More powerful and even faster, CyberLink PowerDirector 8 offers more video enhancement and editing tools, designer tools and more timeline tracks to let you create great videos. Spice up your projects too by downloading any of the 18,000+ free effects and templates already uploaded to DirectorZone by PowerDirector users.

Powerful Video Editing with Unlimited Possibilities. CyberLink PowerDirector 8 Ultra is an easy-to-use yet powerful video editing software application. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, PowerDirector makes video editing an enjoyable experience. It features many new video enhancement and editing tools to let you create great videos. Upscaling technology will help improve your video quality with just a click of a button. Designer tools and more timeline tracks offer even more power, and you can simply spice up your projects by downloading any of 13,000+ free effects and templates already uploaded to DirectorZone.com, PowerDirector's online community. With broad format support and the options to upload videos to YouTube & Facebook, or output to on-the-go media players, you can share your creations with anyone and everyone.
Quick and Easy Video Enhancing A host of new tools and technologies are designed to save editing time and improve your video quality. Leveraging PowerDVD's video enhancing TrueTheater technology, PowerDirector delivers HD-like results from standard definition content by upscaling video resolution, smoothing out playback in slow motion and enabling virtual surround sound. With easy-to-use settings, PowerDirector's TrueTheater technologies fix common video shooting errors such as extreme backlighting, poor white balance, and inadequate lighting.
Achieve Pro Results PowerDirector 8's suite of design tools--for creating titles, animated objects, and disc menus now offers a Particle Effects Designer, letting you experiment with movie-like special effects. As with PowerDirector's other design tools, particle effects can be uploaded and shared with other users on DirectorZone, PowerDirector's community website. Enjoy working with more editing tools such as Reverse, Crop, Speed and Rotate video tools. For precise trimming, retain frame-level control with the patented Zoom-In Cut. While the expanded 16-track timeline offers more creative possibilities including the ability to cut & paste sequences to other parts of your production.
Faster Performance The first consumer video editing software to be optimized for Intel Core i7, NVIDIA CUDA, and ATI Stream technology, PowerDirector delivers up to 5X faster performance for rendering effects and transcoding videos, with vastly improved editing and previewing speeds.
Share your creativity and learn from others Ever wonder how home movies achieve memorable effects? Now you can by viewing other users' timelines and even sharing your own on DirectorZone.com. This unique glimpse into others' creative approaches is a remarkable learning tool, offering incredible insight for your own projects. PowerDirector's unique "open editing" experience also lets you share special effects, video editing secrets, and a chance to learn from other users. Download, upload, and share an unlimited amount of effects, DVD menus, particle effects, and PiP objects via DirectorZone.
Ways to Show and Tell Video editing software, PowerDirector, provides direct HD video uploading to Facebook and YouTube, enabling easy sharing on today's most popular social networks and video blogging sites. Or enjoy your finished movie in HD at home by producing Blu-ray Discs or AVCHD discs in high-definition resolution. If it's mobility you are after, you can produce playback files for your iPhone, iPod, or PSP.
Key Features
Create pro results with 16 tracks, particle effects designer, & more
5X faster video rendering with support for CPU/GPU acceleration
Upscale SD video to HD-like quality. Fix video problems instantly
Learn editing tricks from other users on DirectorZone
Share videos on YouTube and Facebook, output to mobile devices, and burn to discs
PowerDirector 8 has been tested to meet all of the technical requirements to be Compatible with Windows 7

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Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Video editing on the PC is more voodoo than artisty - almost every "consumer level" editing program on the market has compatibility problems, the software that comes with the hardware tends to be next to useless (if you can get it to work at all), and customer support is TERRIBLE. Most of what is to be found is geared towards either 1) encoding low-quality video either from TV or cell phones or 2) "dummy-editing" for those that want to get poorly-edited YouTube video on the air. Consumers that want to do high-quality video editing but aren't professionals (read: can't spend thousands on one piece of software) are, for the most part, ignored.
Having messed with numerous products including Pinnacle Studio (very buggy and contains huge compatibility issues), WinTV's Win2000 (comes with their card - lacks usefulness), VirtualDub (free and having huge potential with numerous features, but unless you're willing to spend a tremendous amount of time working with it, have the exact hardware the fan-community is using, and have superior knowledge of the technology, you won't find it useful), etc... in the end, Premiere is the best. It is professionally done, VERY compatible compared to other software packages, powerful, easy to use, and easy to understand. If you want to do video editing on the PC, this is where you should start - everything else just creates too many headaches.
So, what can you do with Premiere Elements 3.0? You can combine multiple video clips into a movie; you can narrate a video; you can create video for your blog (if you have a camera); you can burn professional-looking DVDs with full menus that will blow people away. Whether you are making home movies of your kids, compiling a highlight reel of your best sporting moments, or making a movie on an extremely tight budget, this is the best software out there in the price range.
As to what 3.0 improves from 2.0: To the casual user not a lot. There are a few more minor options, but the big advantage comes when burning DVDs - in 2.0, my sports DVDs looked terrible with a great deal of "jumping" (I'm assuming this was caused by the software not using enough compression keyframes, but don't quote me on that) - in 3.0, everything is extremely clear and smooth. There are also more exporting options and more useable codecs, though the software still lacks the ability to switch to any installed codecs (a major flaw, IMO, but one most other programs at this level share).
Note: In order to make DVD templates (DVD Menus) for 3.0, you need Photoshop Elements 5.0 - earlier versions do not seem to work (or, at least, I can't get them to work properly). While you can make very good DVD menus within Premiere, you can't save them from Premiere for use in other projects. If that is something you might want to do (and, quite honestly, it may not be for many users), pick up the "bundled" version of Premiere and Photoshop and save yourself some money.
Now, a few things that Premiere Elements can't do/doesn't do very well:
- Capture video from "legacy" devices like VCRs. Premiere can capture video from some devices, but it doesn't work particularly well with many capture cards (nor is it really designed to). Either send your VCR feed through a digital camcorder or use another recording method ("Tivo" or a capture card with useful capture software).
- "Mega" special effects. Premiere Elements has numerous effects like dissolve, fade, time-stretching (slow motion), and distortion - it does not, however, do major CGI-effects. You might be able to pull of a Star Trek "beam in" effect, but you'll need another program for most others.
- Post-capture video improvement. Premiere Elements can do some video enhancement, but it is more of a timeline editing tool - if you want to significantly improve the quality of your captured video (removing major noise, massive high-quality zooming, etc..) you'll need another program.
To address a few other negative reviews...
"Just a quick warning: trying to deal with Adobe is a nightmare. I spent 45 minutes on their customer service line today, waiting for someone to answer. Twice, I was disconnected and had to call back."
I've never had to deal with Adobe's customer support, so I don't know whether or not this is true - I do know, however, that CS in other retail companies in this market is terrible."I imported some video from a DVD that I made myself, and the program shut down. It said I had to go to a website and type in a 20-digit "encoder activation" and the site would give me another number that I could use to activate the MPEG2 part of the product. But the site won't take the number. I keep getting an invalid code message when I type it in."
This situation is true - you will need an internet connection AND you'll have to register a code to enable certain compressors. However, all you need to do is copy and paste the code from the software window and into your web browser (there's even a button that will copy the code - you just have to paste it in). No one I know has ever had the problem described above - though it could occur.
"No web support or patches on Adobe site to date. "
There are numerous plugins available on the Adobe website and a patch - just go to the updates section of their webpage.
In conclusion: Premiere Elements is the best software out there for most users. Other reviewers should feel free to post if there is a better software package available.

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Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0 software makes creating and sharing impressive home videos a snap. Burn your footage to DVD in two simple steps, complete with a DVD menu and scene index, or quickly assemble your movie in the new Sceneline, where you can drag and drop to arrange clips and add effects and enhancements. You can even edit and preview your movie in one convenient window. When your movie is ready, share it on the web, on mobile phones, and virtually anywhere else.

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Corel VideoStudio Express 2010 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been searching and searching for a replacement for Windows Movie Maker since I now have a camera (Canon SX200IS) that shoots HD video. WMM doesn't support HD. Windows Live Movie Maker does, but you need Vista or 7.
Anyway, I have yet to find a decent video editor. I have tried MANY. Sony Vegas, Corel X2, Pinnacle, you name it. I want to trim video, insert video transitions, have multiple audio tracks, but most importantly, I want to be in control of the quality, file format and codec and I want the output to look as good as my original. But I digress...
Back to this software. Download the free trial. Be patient as it takes forever to download and install. You'll need that patience because the program appears to be a pig. It took like 30+ minutes to produce a 1280x720P video that was less than 2 minutes long. I can't imagine waiting for a 10-minute video. Even clicking on buttons makes you wonder if you clicked them.. There's a huge delay sometimes. And the PC I used is no slouch (Intel Dual-Core, 3 gHz, 2 gigs of RAM). This program appears to be 80% 'pretty interface' and 20% 'functionality'.
Also, if your accustomed to menus like file, tools, edit, view, etc., that will be no help in this program. By trying to make this program easy to use for computer newbies, they've made it hard to use if you already know how to use a computer and are looking for these familiar items.
By the way, the output file it created for me was garbage. First of all, it was MPEG and I wanted MOV. So I couldn't play it in Quicktime. When I used Windows Media Player, it only played the audio. I checked the file with another video program (AVS4YOU Video Editor, which is almost what I need) and the file was only encoded at 7500 kbps. My original was 23000 kbps!!! You have almost ZERO control over the output. You can't pick the codec, file format, bitrate, audio codec, ANYTHING. You can only pick file, DVD, email, YouTube, etc. Once you make a choice, the program selects everything else for you.
Back to AVS4YOU. Neat program. Really reminds me of Windows Movie Maker (great program in its day, and FREE). My only trouble so far is gettting a consistent output that is not jumpy. If anyone else knows of a great video editor, please comment. Money is no object at this point!!
Again, please download the program from Corel's website before you pay for this. If this software is for anyone, it's the person who's not particular about quality and is far from technical.

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Corel VideoStudio Express 2010 is the easiest way to turn video clips into professional-looking movies you can share. Organize, tag and view your videos by event. Edit with ease using the QuickCut timeline to view and cut your video. Fix common problems, like brightness or camera shake. Create polished movies instantly with templates that automatically create openings, soundtracks and credits. Share movies on DVD, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube, or take them to go on your iPod, iPhone, PSP or other mobile device. HD--edit, burn and share your AVCHD video clips. Enjoy support for Windows 7, including new touch capabilities.


Movie Making Made Easy
Organize Browse all your videos, photos and music in one place to find what you're looking for fast. You can even keep track of videos and photos by album, date, rating or tag.
Create Make amazing movies in minutes! Simply select a movie style, complete with fun openings, titles, transitions and music. Drop in your videos and photos, and watch your movie instantly come to life.
Edit VideoStudio Express is hands-down the easiest video-editing software you'll ever use. Whether you want to tweak some flaws with a single click or fine-tune every detail, it helps you create a movie to remember.
Share Burn DVDs, upload videos directly to your YouTube account or create files to share on portable devices, including iPod, iPhone and PSP.

Organize videos and photos together
Automatic Importing Quickly move all your videos and photos from your device to your computer. VideoStudio Express 2010 automatically detects digital cameras, camcorders and mobile phones, so you can easily capture video and send all your files to the Media Organizer for quick viewing.
Media Organizer Keep videos, photos and music together in one place to find files fast. The Media Organizer lets you view thumbnail images and save them by folder, album, date or rating. To further organize your files, you can create keyword tags, names or captions that help you search and find what you need quickly.
Instant Preview Quickly decide which clips to keep by previewing your video directly from your camera or camcorder.

Edit fast with simple video-editing software
Express Edit The all-new Express Edit mode makes basic video editing a snap, even if you're a beginner. Double-clicking a video clip at any time launches Express Edit, where you can quickly delete the video clips you don't want and improve the ones you do. In just seconds, you can use the QuickCut timeline to cut sections, separate clips and enhance your videos in one simple screen.
Edit HD Video VideoStudio Express 2010 is movie making made simple, even in HD. Edit, burn and share your AVCHD video clips in no time.
More Tools The More Tools menu simplifies advanced video-editing tasks like correcting shaky video and adjusting brightness. Enhance the quality of your video with just a few clicks, then turn it into a movie you'll be proud to share.
Windows 7 Touch Capabilities Get hands-on with your photos and videos in ways that were never possible before. Corel Digital Studio 2010 takes full advantage of Windows 7 touch-screen capabilities, moving beyond traditional menus and mouse clicks to a more natural and exciting creative experience.

Create movies in minutes
One-Step Movie Projects VideoStudio Express is full-featured video-editing software, giving you a variety of professionally designed movie templates for all occasions. Just choose a movie style and watch as VideoStudio Express automatically adds Hollywood-style openings, transitions, music and credits to your video.
Movie Titles, Music and Effects Personalize your movie by adding titles and text, background music or voiceover--all within the same screen. Customize your movie even more by making quick changes to title duration, position and font styles. It's easy to create the perfect look and feel with drag-and-drop tools and fun effects.

Share and preserve your videos
Express Burn to DVD Burn video to DVD faster than ever with pre-defined menu styles that help you get professional-looking results instantly. First step: click once to burn a DVD. Next step: showtime!
Upload Video Directly to YouTube Easily share your video clips, slideshows, pictures and movies online by uploading to your YouTube account right from VideoStudio Express 2010--your full video-editing software solution.
Make Your Video Mobile Convert to iPod, iPhone, PSP or other mobile devices so you're ready to share videos wherever you go.

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Corel VideoStudio Express Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Save your money, I bought one of these and it's been nothing but a headache. First of all, it only "sees" a few of my video files-- naturally, it sees none of those I want to edit.
The help menu? Forget about it. If you can even find it, you are a genius. They seem to hide their support telephone number well too, but you can get that at "getaperson" dot net.


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Make movies in minutes with Corel VideoStudio Express! This fast video-editing software lets you organize video clips by album, folder, date or name to find files fast. Use the QuickCut timeline to trim your standard or AVCHD video with just a few clicks. Or quickly fix common problems like bad lighting or camera shake with the press of a button. Then, choose a creative template to add Hollywood-style openings, transitions, music and credits to transform your video into a polished movie. When you're done, copy to CD or DVD, upload directly to Facebook, Flickr or your YouTube account, or save in a format compatible with your iPod, iPhone, PSP or other mobile device, to share your movie.
VideoStudio Express is the easiest way to turn your video clips into professional-looking movies you can share.

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PowerDirector 9 Ultra - 64 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've used a lot of consumer (20 to 120 dollar) video editors. Many of them have been buggy and difficult to use. I used to like the Ulead editor. It was decent and no frills, but very low end without many features. I tried upgrading to Corel VideoStudio (which seems to be what the Ulead product evolved into), but had trouble even installing it. Apple's video editor is great, but only if you use a Mac. Adobe's video editing software is good, but the interface is pretty complex and they seem to be lagging on some features. I ended up using CyberLink's video editor because a trial version came pre-installed on an HP computer I bought recently. I really liked the limited version. It has a good feature set, a clean interface, and automatically uploads videos to sites like YouTube. I liked the trial version enough to look into the full-blown product (PowerDirector) and found that the software got very strong reviews (e.g., see the cNet review). So, I coughed up a hundred bucks for the full new version (PowerDirector 9 Ultra). Installation was a breeze, and it seems to take advantage of the processing power of higher end systems (with 64-bit O/S and separate graphics card). It's very fast (rendering times are much shorter than what I'm used to), but still with a fairly simple interface. You can do reasonably advanced editing, or pop a simple video onto YouTube. At this time (early 2011), this is my favorite video editor -- it hits the sweet spot in terms of features, performance, stability, ease of use, and price.
Update 1/16/2011: As another reviewer noted, the legitimacy of some of the reviews for this product may be suspect. I'd encourage you to check out the reviewers as well as the reviews to help you make an informed decision.
Update 1/18/2011: As mentioned in the initial review, rendering is much faster with PowerDirector 9 Ultra than with other video editors I've used (including previous Cyberlink products). However, for reasons I still haven't figured out, YouTube uploads are noticeably slower. I'll post an update if I figure out a solution. If you do lots of YouTube uploads, you may want to try a trial version first to see if this is an issue on your system.

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PowerDirector Ultra64
Create Spectacular Videos at Blazing Speed
Turbo-charge HD video production speed with world's first native 64-bit consumer video editor
New TrueVelocity Technology speeds up entire video process
Professional productions with 100 video tracks and powerful editing tools
Instant video enhancement with TrueTheater Technology
Download free effects & templates on DirectorZone

The latest version of CyberLink's award-winning video-editing software, PowerDirector 9, is designed with high usability for consumers and powerful, pro-like features for prosumers. Unleash your full creative potential with performance-driven technologies including CyberLink's new TrueVelocity Engine.

Video Production at Blazing Speed
Maximizing System Memory -- TrueVelocity 64 takes advantage of PowerDirector's 64-bit OS support utilizing the entire system memory to process multiple HD video files efficiently.
Optimizing CPU Utilization -- TrueVelocity Parallel makes video processing smoother and faster by splitting tasks into smaller segments and simultaneously processing them across all available CPU threads.
Harnessing the Power of the CPU/GPU -- TrueVelocity Accelerator taps into the power of Intel, AMD and NVIDIA video processing technology for hardware-enhanced video decoding and encoding.

Powerful Editing Tools
Timeline Interface -- Up to 100 video and audio timeline tracks for a flexible workspace, easier media management, and more creative projects.
Video Enhancement Tools -- PowerDirector's suite of advanced TrueTheater technologies improves the video quality, offering SD-to-HD quality up-scaling, video noise removal, color and light adjustment, smooth slow-motion playback, and more.
Advanced Audio Editing -- New WaveEditor allows users to edit their audio tracks with effects and includes VST plug-in support for third party effects.
Full HD Previews -- Preview your video in real-time with full HD quality like never before

Maximized Creativity
MagicStyle Movie Wizard -- Select existing photos and videos; choose a built-in 3D template and audio track, and MagicStyle puts it all together into an amazing 3D movie in seconds.
Customized Particle Effects -- Unique Particle effects that are customizable for that special touch to your video creatives.

Sharing on all Media
100,000+ FREE Effects -- provided to you by the PowerDirector community on DirectorZone.com. Including customized effects, templates, tips, tutorials and DVD menus that grow in amount every day.
Publish to Social Networks -- Users can choose to upload to Facebook or YouTube in Full HD quality directly from PowerDirector.
On-the-Go Media -- Output videos directly to the iPad, iPhone, iPod, BlackBerry, PSP, Zune and many other mobile devices. Simply select your device type and PowerDirector does the rest.

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