VSDC basic editing concept

[jotti]

I'm in the process of deciding what video editor to use. I'm testing the VSDC editor right now and I'm a bit confused. I can't find a way to play a video clip and have the cursor move on the timeline accordingly. Only way to play a video clip seems to be the Preview button. But that opens a new window, where I can view the video. What I want is to click on pause at a moment where I want to make a cut. But when I pause the video in the preview window, the actual cursor on the timeline hasn't moved anywhere. I want to base the cut point on the sound, not on the video image. So I can't just drag the cursor along the timeline to find the cut point. I need to hear the soundtrack. What am I missing here?

[Bernix]

Hi, it seems that video containing audio - show waveform and disable it (audio). You can try to import only audio file separately. It seems the video containing audio (in one track) is supported only in paid version. But as usually I can be wrong. Just check some tutorials on youtube.
I personally prefer KDENLIVE, which is under development but is great. But installation is bit tricky, you have to download some parts of ffmpeg and copy them to folder, but everything is explained on homepage of program.
But if you are satisfied with VSDC check tutorials. But also check limitation of free version.

Bernix

[jotti]

I need to edit the video, not just the soundtrack. But I need to base the cut points on what I hear on the sound track. Seems VSDC is designed so that finding the cut point happens just by dragging the cursor and viewing what happens in the video window, without sound.

[Bernix]

Enable view waveform. It can at least bit helps you. You can also zoom in the waveform.
EDIT if you imported audiofile separately it should work. Just give it a try.
Weird program, help pdf is only for pro users.

Bernix

[jotti]

Viewing the waveform is disabled in the free version. And that is not what I want. I simply want to play the video and when I hear in the video a narrator finishing one sentence, I want to click pause. And I want the cursor to stop at that very same point! After that I want to make a cut at that very same point. I thought this was more or less a standard feature in a video editor with a timeline.

I'm about to ditch VSDC and I might spend 80 $ on Videopad and Debut instead. I've used their free versions a lot and they work quite nice, but their free versions have started complaining about ending trial periods, which is very annoying.

[tlrdlnfrm]

It's been a while since this thread but I will bump it up because I have the exact same problem. Whenever I hit pause in the timeline the cursor doesn't stop, so I don't know where to make the cut. Is there no way to fix it? The software is quite useless otherwise no?