Alright, once and for all... Whats the best video editing software

[YOURCONNEXX]

whats the best video editing software for windows in your opinion???.....

ive only used vegas 6 really ... someone told me final cut pro is used to edit professional movies but the software is for mac

i know someone will come in and say "it depends on what you're trying to do" well yeah that may be true to a certain extent, but pound for pound what software does the most, has a nice work flow and interface, the best and/or the most effects, and is simply ahead of the rest when it all falls down

give your opinion and why

[guns1inger]

This is a stupid question. There is no answer to it. For starters, you want a definitive answer, but then you want an opinion. You can't have both.

It does depend on your needs, your budget, your source. Avid and FCP are high up there, but there is also Flint. Then there are all the supplementary tools like Inferno and Fusion and Nuke that do all the bits that editors don't do as well, such as compositing. Then there is the next tier down - Premiere, Vegas, MediaStudio, with After Effects, Combustion etc.

This question gets asked every month or so. Do a search for best editor and you will see pretty much the same answers from the same people. Not much has changed in the past couple of years. There is no "must have" editor that has super powers.

Ultimately, the software is just a tool. The real skill and the real power lies in the operator. I have seen some of the most awful stuff edited in FCP (stuff commercially released on DVD), and I have seen some very clever stuff produced by Ulead VideoStudio.

[TooLFooL]

Windows Movie Maker

[jagabo]

I don't know about the best but Pinnacle Studio (before version 11) was the worst.

[zoobie]

honestly, they're always changing interfaces then patching & updating
I don't think there's any real answer to this consumer question...whatever works best for you and your situation
the best is some software we've never heard of used in broadcast production

[Captain Satellite]

Mint chocolate chip.

[filmboss80]

What's the best car? What's the best shoe? What's the best toilet paper? Answers to all depend on application needs, personal styles, budget, etc. Guns1inger is absolutely right -- it's a stupid question.

[edDV]

What's the best wrench and why can't there be one for every bolt?

[nwo]

Ulead VideoStudio is good for the price and sometime comes free with dvd burns and stuff like that.

[zoobie]

printing back to cam should be considered with software but we have no idea what you're doing...and probably, neither do you
I didn't like the VS11+ burn...better with imgburn

toilet paper? believe it or not, consumer reports did a study...

[dcsos]

More votes for the opposite:
ArcSoft Shobiz
Dazzle MainActor
Moto DV
Sony MovieShaker
while in Windows I use:
Premiere 6.5
and Vegas 8

[shiet]

whats the best condom? i dont like trojans...

[rkr1958]

whats the best video editing software for windows in your opinion???.....

ive only used vegas 6 really ... someone told me final cut pro is used to edit professional movies but the software is for mac

i know someone will come in and say "it depends on what you're trying to do" well yeah that may be true to a certain extent, but pound for pound what software does the most, has a nice work flow and interface, the best and/or the most effects, and is simply ahead of the rest when it all falls down

give your opinion and why

VirtualDub. AviSynth. Cuttermaran w/PVAStrumento. Why? They're powerful, have moderate to steep learning curves, are backed by a community of knowledgeable and dedicated users and are free. Not only do you get all that for free but you get to learn and understand what you're doing. What more could you ask for!

[thecoalman]

What's the best wrench and why can't there be one for every bolt?

Well they do make them .....

You have your standard adjustable wrench. Works well but you gotta be careful you don't strip the nut. You can't do big jobs with it and there are better tools for finer work. (AKA Ulead Video Studio, Premiere Elements)

Then you got your semi professional tool sets, Craftsman and others (AKA Vegas, Premiere...) Can do most of what the big boys do but not quite as polished.

Then you have your professional tool sets like Snap-On (AKA Avid, FCP etc.)....

The there is the assortment of special tools that Grandpa left you. you might not even know what these tools do and they are very hard to use but if you learn they are some of the best damn tools ever made. (AKA Virtualdub, Avisynth .)

Then you have your cheap ass adjustable wrench that snaps in half everytime you go to use it (AKA Pinnacle)...

...don't forget the old trusty vise grips, these usually leave your nuts stripped and shredded to nub by the time your done... (AKA WinAVI.)

[olyteddy]

@thecoalman: Extremely elegantly put. LMAO....

[guns1inger]

I would put WinAVI more in the mash hammer arena. Not so much strips the nut as beats it out of shape while denting anything in the surrounding area as well.

[kimco52]

"the best is some software we've never heard of used in broadcast production"
We've heard of it. It was even mentioned prior to your post. The most widely one, which we also use, is Avid.

The answer to the original question was answered by Gunslinger in the second post in this group. He summed it up in the first sentence: "This is a stupid question."
He further explained it very precisely and accurately. That post is one of the best I have seen on anything for a long time.

Other than that, the answer is: Depends on who is using it, as he also explained in the last paragraph.

[edDV]

Also depends on workflow and project. Editing a long form documentary has different requirements than compositing a graphics rich commercial. Most broadcast workflows depend on uncompressed video, centralized servers and group particpation. Many individual tasks are based on union work definitions from earlier technology. None of this applies to the typical home user who doesn't need to split tasks. Likewise, home users need to edit compressed formats, usually repurposed from TV capture or from inexpensive home camcorders.

[YOURCONNEXX]

What's the best car? What's the best shoe? What's the best toilet paper? Answers to all depend on application needs, personal styles, budget, etc. Guns1inger is absolutely right -- it's a stupid question.

1. BMW
2. NIKE
3. CHARMIN


NOW WHATS THE BEST VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE?? its not a stupid question. some software just simply does more and interacts with the user better. why is it that if i ask this same question in a music forum about a virtual studio software people will chime in with their answers... but on here people have to twist turn and bend every different way. i asked what was the best video editing software and then gunslinger started talking about things that editing software doesnt do like compositing.... hmmmm lets see .. i guess that doesnt have to do with the question now does it?? ... is vegas better than windows movie maker..yes!! because is has more options, more features, and would cater to more users no matter what they are trying to do. therefore if they want to get into something different or learn something new to them, the option is there... rather than limiting themselves to the one software that does what they want and nothing more. even if you feel the need to base your answer on what you actually use the software for..THEN JUST POST THAT... you dont have to try to take shots at me just because im tryin to learn more about other video editing programs ... what do you expect me to do download and buy every single one and write an article about it on cnet??? some body actually thought i was looking for some magic software that doesnt take actual skill to edit movies. you guys are going way off the deep end with this ... who cares about your particular editing style...do you know anyone who has a different style than yours but they use the same software?? well id say according to all you guys' moaning in here that that would be a good software and worth mentioning. somethings in vegas kinda take you out your way to do them but its still a video editing software. so if you already know what you want to do when your editing, sometimes programs just set things up differently and may take longer to do where other programs may have features that allow you to get right down to it if you so choose. we all know that cutting and joing clips are the basis of all these programs... but there's no way that one or two of them dont stand out from the rest ... no one ever says this when it comes to adobe photoshop.... photoshop is better, does more, and has more features than any other photo editing software. so how come that doesnt "depend on what you wanna do" sometimes the internet is hilarious LOL!!!!

[Toastie]

What's the best toilet paper?

I like the kind thats really soft, but not too thick. If you get the kind thats too thick, it can easily clog up the toilet - you'll need to tear it up into smaller pieces first before using it if you get that kind by mistake.

[videopoo]

1. BMW
2. NIKE
3. CHARMIN


NOW WHATS THE BEST VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE?? its not a stupid question. some software just simply does more and interacts with the user better. why is it that if i ask this same question in a music forum about a virtual studio software people will chime in with their answers... but on here people have to twist turn and bend every different way. i asked what was the best video editing software and then gunslinger started talking about things that editing software doesnt do like compositing.... hmmmm lets see .. i guess that doesnt have to do with the question now does it?? ... is vegas better than windows movie maker..yes!! because is has more options, more features, and would cater to more users no matter what they are trying to do. therefore if they want to get into something different or learn something new to them, the option is there... rather than limiting themselves to the one software that does what they want and nothing more. even if you feel the need to base your answer on what you actually use the software for..THEN JUST POST THAT... you dont have to try to take shots at me just because im tryin to learn more about other video editing programs ... what do you expect me to do download and buy every single one and write an article about it on cnet??? some body actually thought i was looking for some magic software that doesnt take actual skill to edit movies. you guys are going way off the deep end with this ... who cares about your particular editing style...do you know anyone who has a different style than yours but they use the same software?? well id say according to all you guys' moaning in here that that would be a good software and worth mentioning. somethings in vegas kinda take you out your way to do them but its still a video editing software. so if you already know what you want to do when your editing, sometimes programs just set things up differently and may take longer to do where other programs may have features that allow you to get right down to it if you so choose. we all know that cutting and joing clips are the basis of all these programs... but there's no way that one or two of them dont stand out from the rest ... no one ever says this when it comes to adobe photoshop.... photoshop is better, does more, and has more features than any other photo editing software. so how come that doesnt "depend on what you wanna do" sometimes the internet is hilarious LOL!!!!

Of course editing software is used for Compositing!

I think you just proved the point of all the answers you've been given. I personally think BMWs are overprice trash; Nike...over priced trash; but I will agree with you on the Charmin. It really comes down to what you plan to do. I personally use FCP but due to the price, it may not be the best choice for you. My suggestion would be to try as many as you can and decide which one works best. I wouldn't say its a stupid questions but rather, an impossible one to answer.

Maybe your looking for something that offers a wider variety of plug-ins. In that case FCP, Avid or Premier. But those cost more money than your probably going to spend.

BTW...many forums will give you a warning when asking "What's the best".

[Endzone]

I don't think it's a stupid question, but I can only tell you about my experience. I'm a novice at this, but I can learn what I need to know. People may laugh at this but Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 was great for editing my DV-AVI. However it was bad for authoring a DVD. OTOH, Adobe Premiere Elements 4 was hard for me to use for editing, but it was great for authoring DVDs once I had the entire movie edited and converted as a DV file.

I'm guessing there isn't a clear leader for video editing software. Adobe Photoshop does seem to be the default for picture editing, but I've always gotten by on the cheap editors that come with the camera because they are good enough for me and they are usually easy to use.

Honestly I wish there was a clear answer to your question without having to try 7 or 8 different programs.

[thecoalman]

I'm guessing there isn't a clear leader for video editing software. Adobe Photoshop does seem to be the default for picture editing,

There is but again it depends on what you're going to do. Even the pro software is going to have different choices for what you want to do. Way too many considerations. If I had to give a recommendation from my experience for your average user Ulead video Studio is a nice well rounded editor with capabilities most average users won't utilize. You don't need thousands of dollars of software for what most people do. In fact a program like that is probably preferable for most because of the ease of use...

Combine that with a really good authoring application like DVD lab pro and you'll be pumping out some real professional looking stuf with a little bit of experience and knowledge.

FYI, photshop is default image editor because of proprietary formats like .AI If you want to work in the professional graphics world you really have no choice but Adobe products unless you're doing everything in house. I use Ulead products myself which also uses its own propietary format for vector images and I can easily move between their different products with them but I couldn't send them to someone unless they had a Ulead editor... There image editor is outstanding IMO and has a lot of features I would not want to give up but I'm stuck if I want to share source files with someone else.

Irfanview which is free image utility can do about 99.9% of the things most people need unless you want to get creative.

[chuchunezbie]

I use Vegas Pro 8 and I find it way better than Final Cut Pro (which is what I'm forced to use in school)

to me Final Cut is unnecessarily complicated and it's really designed for people that get a drive out of knowing something so intricate that others don't. Vegas pro is just simple. Complicated yes, but it's only as complicated as far as it needs to be.

there's also a strange complication with macs (it seems). I always have used windows so when I use the macs in school, I just get kind of confused.

But I mean that's just me, I just like windows cause I've been using it since forever, if I used macs more often im sure my opinion would change

I personally think there should be a MAC/PC hybrid!!!!

[lordsmurf]

I've been using Adobe Premiere since version 5 or 6, almost 10 years now, and I've never been prevent from doing the intermediate to advanced editing that I want.

[edDV]

i know someone will come in and say "it depends on what you're trying to do" well yeah that may be true to a certain extent, but pound for pound what software does the most, has a nice work flow and interface, the best and/or the most effects, and is simply ahead of the rest when it all falls down

You insist on avoiding the core questions.

What is your goal?
What are your source and destination format goals?
How much learning curve and expense can you take?
Do you intend to get a job doing this? If so what type of business?

My advice to you is master any random editing program, discover your limitations and then compose some questions.