Ulead Video Studio 8 or Roxio Videowave 7?

[WookieeMonster]

Hi all.

I spent ages a few months ago putting together a DVD of holiday footage from my camcorder. Problem was, I did it using Pinnacle Studio 7, and the useless software fell over whenever I tried to create the disc. It still did so even after I installed all the updates etc.

Eventually I bought Studio 8, and had exactly the same problem. Pinnacle support was even more useless than the software, and never even bothered to reply to several enquiries.

I got completely fed up, and haven't touched it for ages. Now I'm in the mood to get it done, AND I need to get the raw video off my HD to make room for other things.

I'm obviously not going to bother with any Pinnacle rubbish again, nor update to Studio 9, as from what I've read it STILL has an unexplained stability problem on some machines.

So I'm looking at buying either Ulead Video Studio 8 or Roxio's Videowave 7. Both seem very similar, so I thought I'd ask for some input from people who have used either/both.

I know I can download demos, and I will do - but it never hurts to ask for some informed opinion!

So... how do they compare? Any faults in either, like Studio's crashes?

Many thanks in advance.

[reboot]

What exactly do you want to DO with the footage?
Edit with fades, transitions and such?
Edit simply, cutting out portions?
Add audio?
Author it to DVD?
Combination of the above?

[svcdmaker]

I am not a Studio 8 fan. The only reason I have it is it was free after rebate with purchase of a camcorder. I was never able to use it until the final patch (8.12.7) before releasing Studio 9 came out. Have you tried the latest patch?

The other thing I do is not use it for authoring. Lots of people have problems with crash while authoring. Also try to simplify the project. Cut it into smaller sections and create several files. Try to render the file using Studio 8 and author it using another program.

Hope it works for you.

[edDV]

svcdmaker is talking about Pinnacle Studio 8.

I find ULead Video Studio 8 a much more reliable and useful product. I use it for quick editing TV captures (e.g. taking commercials out). I particularly like the "multi-trim" feature and the DV playback through IEEE-1394 from the timeline. It contains a version of the Mainconcept encoder and seems to be near equal to my Adobe Premire and Vegas for realtime MPeg2 encoding (not for post encoding). All in all, it's a good starter program and continues to be useful at the intermediate level as you graduate to other tools.

As for Pinnacle Studio, its reliability issues make it useless for either user group. I've never used VideoWave 7.

[Bob W]

I have tried (bought both) Studio 8 and VideoWave and all I can tell you is they were both useless resulting in zero completed projects. Never have use Ulead video studio 8 so no comment.

What I use is NeoDVD Plus and I have made hundreds of projects with this program and not a single failure ever.

[pepegot1]

VS 8.0 is the best. No contest here. Only problem with VS 8.0 is the editor which gives poor cuts. I use videoredo (to edit), which does a fine job and then VS 8.0 for the rest.

[WookieeMonster]

What exactly do you want to DO with the footage?
Edit with fades, transitions and such?
Edit simply, cutting out portions?
Add audio?
Author it to DVD?
Combination of the above?

All of the above!

[WookieeMonster]

Only problem with VS 8.0 is the editor which gives poor cuts.

Can you expand on that, please?

[p_l]

If you think Pinnacle is bad, you most assuredly want to stay away from Roxio VideoWave or Roxio anything. Take it from a guy who's experienced both extensively. I feel your pain, and hope to help you avoid any more.

Try Ulead Video Studio 8.

[the_Rippel]

Go with Ulead,i have Pinnacle Studio 9 and it's no fun either.

I'm thinking of Ulead movie factory 3 Disc creator or even Workshop ,around 50 Bucks(disc creator),good for dealing with VOB Files if you need that .(for all here who ask "how to convert...." no need anymore.

the Rippel

[pepegot1]

Using the VS 8.0 editor, you select a start point and then an end point, but when you play back the edited clip, it is not what you selected exactly. A real pain in the ---. For transistions, titles, etc., and even burning, it does a fine job. Video Redo does an excellent job editing mpg's and is an improving work in progress, with the best support I have seen. Dan R. does a super job. It is fun to use, but no AVI. For that use VirtualDub

[edDV]

Using the VS 8.0 editor, you select a start point and then an end point, but when you play back the edited clip, it is not what you selected exactly. A real pain in the ---. For transistions, titles, etc., and even burning, it does a fine job. Video Redo does an excellent job editing mpg's and is an improving work in progress, with the best support I have seen. Dan R. does a super job. It is fun to use, but no AVI. For that use VirtualDub

Yes I have seen that problem too and complained in the ULead forums. Sometimes a MPeg2 timeline trim works, other times it dumps the entire timeline into the clip. What you need to use is the multi-trim feature even for a simple in-out trim. Ulead VS8 has other problems too, but at least you can step around them and get the job done.

[Rivers]

I bought Ulead Videostudio 8, I found that it was tripping up on capturing. I tried a cut down version of Pinnacle 8 SE that I had with my firewire card and it captured 100% on the same setup. I now capture with Windv and load the AVIs into Ulead VS8 to get all the editing functions but it is a little choppy on playback when editing. This doesn't effect the final dvd though which looks good. You have to try a few progs I think to see what suits your system.

[lechtin]

I used VS8 before upgrading to Vegas and I had no problem with it. It's easy to use, clean user interface, lots of effects and even has an optional Dolby Digital AC3 encoder so you can compress audio, maintain high compatibility with DVD players (MPEG audio is not always supported) and leave more room for your video.

I think it's pretty powerful for the money and I despise making a DVD menu from the timeline like Studio 7,8,9 do. VS8 is more like the real DVD authoring applications and very similar to DVD Workshop also from Ulead.

I don't know Videowave.

[HRMaddie]

I have used Roxio and Ulead both. Stay away from Roxio. Never had a problem with VS8, I don't like it all that much, but never had a problem with it. My dislikes with VS8 are more to do with the ease of performing certain tasks. You may also want to look into purchasing Sony MovieStudio. I bought it so one day I can move up to Vegas. I haven't used it yet, so I can't comment on it, however, I hear it is extremely stable.

[winifreid]

You know Ulead has a fully functional trial version. Just download it and try. You might even finish you project before the 30 days is up and not even need to pay. I have used it it and it works well. Try it.