ADVICE: Choosing editing software

[rightbrainv]

I do occasional video editing for broadcast - (I know about enough to make myself a nuisance)

I'm using an old version of Adobe Premiere (6.5) that a TV guy put on my computer, and it's more or less fine... and, most importantly, keeps the files uncompressed.

however... A) it's not really my software and B) I know there are some different/better/newer options.

I'm not looking to drop $1000, since I only use it a couple times a year - - but when I do editing, I'd like it to be broadcast quality.

Any tips on what I should be looking for?


Thank you!


John

[guns1inger]

Broadcast quality is down to source, not the editor. Even Premiere Elements or Vegas Movie Studio are capable of producing broadcast quality output as far as the footage is concerned. What you miss out on perhaps are the filters and plugins that allow for more effects and eye candy. I cannot tell you if this is important or not to you.

My suggestion is to you is to download the demo versions of Premiere Elements, Vegas Movie Studio, Premiere CS4 and Vegas 9 and compare the capabilities and the output. All can handle HD material.

There are, of course, other options - avid, FCP (if you have a Mac), Liquid etc. But for twice a year they are probably overkill.

[mrswla]

I would suggest you stick with Adobe Premiere. You already have the basic knowledge of the software, so just upgrade to the lastest version.

[rightbrainv]

I would suggest you stick with Adobe Premiere. You already have the basic knowledge of the software, so just upgrade to the lastest version.

I know... I'm tired of being a fugitive. It's time to live on the straight and narrow

Broadcast quality is down to source, not the editor.

That's what I had figured... I know some cheaper software (ala "MovieMaker") starts to compress things and monkey with the quality... that's what I'm trying to steer clear of.

Thanks for the quick responses!

[lordsmurf]

Stay with Premiere -- CS3 is a nice upgrade, if you can afford it, find it, and have a computer good enough to run it.

[rhegedus]

Vegas Movie Studio Platinum

[Braindrain]

Vegas Movie Studio Platinum doesn't allow much user control over encoding specs. I doubt you could get the output to "broadcast quality".

[M Bruner]

Stay with Premiere -- CS3 is a nice upgrade, if you can afford it, find it, and have a computer good enough to run it.

I agree. CS4 is also out. I think also if you do decide to give it a try, look at the tutorials you find online. Look at what I did with Premier Pro (capture) and After Effects CS3, a plastic model, and a couple of jpgs I downloaded from the Internet. Not to mention the guidance of the gurus here. Click here

[lordsmurf]

I don't suggest CS4 for everybody. CS3 will suit most folks just fine. It really depends on what you need to do.

[rhegedus]

Vegas Movie Studio Platinum doesn't allow much user control over encoding specs. I doubt you could get the output to "broadcast quality".

Eh?

I get all the control I want, all the way up to "broadcast quality" - whatever that may be.

[Braindrain]

I'm talking about control over specific specs, such as bitrate, etc.

[rhegedus]

You can control frame size and rate, field order, aspect ratio, bit-rate etc.

You haven't used it, have you?

[ZQX]

Actually this is an important issue for me, as I was thinking of buying Vegas Studio... I'm sure I read here a fair while ago that Vegas Studio has limited mpeg2 encoding options, compared to its big brother. So this is not true? It would be a deal-breaker for me.

[rhegedus]

Download and try it for yourself:

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/trials/moviestudiope

[ZQX]

Rhegedus, I did that and I still don't see where you can manually adjust bitrate parameters etc. When I click on "Advanced Render", the "Custom" button is greyed out!? Googling around, it appears to me this is one of the limitations of the cheaper "Movie Studio" version as compared with the full-blown Vegas suite.

[rhegedus]

What are you trying to render the file to?

[ZQX]

DVD files onto my hard drive. I choose "Mainconcept mpeg2", and the "Custom" button is greyed out.

Where exactly are you accessing the bitrate control and other mpeg2 parameters?

[rhegedus]

I haven't used it for mpeg2 but you can either export to avi and use DVDArchitect (you get this with moviestudio) or use the mpeg1 template and customise it to mpeg2 settings.

[ZQX]

? Rhegedus I'm sorry but you've taken a complete 180 degree turn here!? Braindrain appears to be perfectly correct when he claimed Vegas Movie Studio's "limited user control over encoding specs".

Sure I could output as avi and encode elsewhere, but this isn't the point.

Also I checkled the mpeg1 template and I don't see how I can customise to mpeg2 specs??

Well anyway that rules out Vegas Movie Studio for me.

[rhegedus]

Try this:



What is it that you're trying to do?

[ZQX]

Thanks Rhegedus, but I have uninstalled the Vegas trial. Please don't think I was attacking you before, in fact I appreciate you getting me off my arse and exploring Vegas for myself.

All I was trying to do was give Vegas Movie Studio Platinum a pre-sales test-drive. I loaded up some avi and tried to render it out to mpeg2 using the Mainconcept mpeg2 encoder. However the lack of any manual control over the mpeg2 encoding settings makes it a deal-breaker for me. The only options I had was a quality setting "Fair/Good/Best" or something like that. There was no settings for "frame size and rate, field order, aspect ratio, bit-rate etc", as you mentioned earlier (unless I have missed something, which I don't think I have?)...

It doesn't sound quite right to use the mpeg1 template if what I want is mpeg2??

Anyway it seems Vegas Movie Studio is severely crippled in this regard. Might be a very good & solid editor, but if my target is DVD what's the point?

I see lots of comments here about this issue, as well as elsewhere on the net.

Anyway thanks, but I'll go take a look at Corel Videostudio, Editstudio, Magix Movie Pro, maybe even Premiere Elements. I would love Vegas full edition, but it's out of my price range!

(PS: I didn't mean to hijack this thread btw. Sorry!)

[rhegedus]

No worries

I think this might be the answer we're looking for:

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/mcmpeg12con

If you already have Moviestudio Platinum, the price comes down - showing £14.95 for me.

[JimmyS]

Hello all,

I thought I'd add my $.02 worth to the fray. I have to agree with mrswla that if you are familiar with the work flow of Adobe apps. there would be less of a "culture shock" than if you switched to another vendors brand. I got started with a copy of Premiere Pro 6 a while back, and each time I've evaluated a different makers wares, I always found the myself gioing back to what I knew.
As lordsmurf reccomended, CS3 (or CS4) would be your optimal solution, as your post infers you are in a broadcasting environment. To optimize your cost, have you looked into one of the academic software vendors? They have great prices on Adobe apps. If you know of a student or teacher, they could purchase of a copy and lend it to you.
For example: Creative Suite 4 Production Premium
* Adobe Illustrator CS4
* Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended
* Adobe Flash CS4
* Adobe After Effects CS4
* Adobe Premiere Pro CS4
* Adobe Encore CS4
* Adobe OnLocation CS4
* Adobe Soundbooth CS4
for about $600. Premiere Pro CS4 for $350 (academicsuperstore).

If this is still more than you want to invest, Premiere Elements is a very viable solution. I have been using PE3 for a while now. It has full MPEG2 encoder settings available (as well as some HDV settings, Flash, QuickTime, WMV and assorted AVI) in the standard app. The latest version (7) has support for AVCHD as well. Only $55 after $20 rebate at Amazon.

[Braindrain]

You can control frame size and rate, field order, aspect ratio, bit-rate etc.

You haven't used it, have you?

Yes, I have used it. Rendering to MPEG2 via MCE does not allow options. Your link applies to Vegas Pro and not Movie Studio. I know because I'm using Vegas Pro now.

Have you even tried encoding to MPEG2?

? Rhegedus I'm sorry but you've taken a complete 180 degree turn here!? Braindrain appears to be perfectly correct when he claimed Vegas Movie Studio's "limited user control over encoding specs".

Sure I could output as avi and encode elsewhere, but this isn't the point.

Also I checkled the mpeg1 template and I don't see how I can customise to mpeg2 specs??

Well anyway that rules out Vegas Movie Studio for me.

Exactly!

[zoobie]

I haven't used it for mpeg2 but you can either export to avi and use DVDArchitect (you get this with moviestudio) or use the mpeg1 template and customise it to mpeg2 settings.

Looks like MovieStudio comes with DVD Platinum...a downsized version of DVDArchitect, perhaps?

A lot of these are entry-level...Corel/Ulead's VideoStudio used to be...but since it's now their flagship, maybe their VideoStudio Pro is, indeed, pro...

Magix has a Pro thingy...I haven't tried...their marketing is superior, though

Serif has another entry level thingy...give it a shot

I don't have the interest/problems/time to try all these...I've 2 "pro" editors. One has no smart-render, the other sometimes crashes

Agreed...Stick with the company's software you're already familiar with

This stuff can drive you nutz...

[rhegedus]

Your link applies to Vegas Pro and not Movie Studio. I know because I'm using Vegas Pro now.

My bad - turns out to be unnecessary.

Have you even tried encoding to MPEG2?

If by mpeg2 you mean DVD complaint the yes, using the mpeg1 template and adjusting the resolution, bitrate and audio sample rate.

Isn't DVD video what the average home user spending circa $100 wants?

Looks like MovieStudio comes with DVD Platinum...a downsized version of DVDArchitect, perhaps?

My dl came with DVD Architect Studio 4.5 - might have changed since then.

[Braindrain]

If by mpeg2 you mean DVD complaint the yes, using the mpeg1 template and adjusting the resolution, bitrate and audio sample rate.

I suggest you read the guides to your left and find out the diff between MPEG1 (limitations) and MPEG2.

Isn't DVD video what the average home user spending circa $100 wants?

Yeah, but what you're suggesting isn't even DVD specs.

[Braindrain]

Anyway it seems Vegas Movie Studio is severely crippled in this regard. Might be a very good & solid editor, but if my target is DVD what's the point?

I see lots of comments here about this issue, as well as elsewhere on the net.

Anyway thanks, but I'll go take a look at Corel Videostudio, Editstudio, Magix Movie Pro, maybe even Premiere Elements. I would love Vegas full edition, but it's out of my price range!

What is your source? If it's DV (mini-DV or HDV), the best method is to output to the same file type and use a separate encoder (like CCE/MCE/Procoder/TMPGEnc/etc) to MPEG2. Virtually all mid-level editing packages can do at least that.

In fact, that used to be my old workflow, until I got a AVCHD camcorder.

[ZQX]

Surely the best method is to encode from the timeline, rather than render an intermediary file? I thought Vegas Movie Studio, with its high-quality Mainconcept encoder, would be perfect for me until I realized how severely limited its mpeg2 encoding was.

Right now I'm looking at Magix. Looks great - total control over mpeg2 encoding parameters - but, what encoder is it using? Mainconcept? [EDIT: Yes it is Mainconcept]

[zoobie]

Magix Pro or 15?
Magix is gaining ground...just not here