Which is better Pinnacle 7 or Video studio 6

[sseligson]

Which is better Pinnacle 7 or Video studio 6?
and why is one better then the other?

Also, is there any advantage to using Ulead movie factory to burn the cd's?

Normall I just use Easy CD creator 5.0

[q1aqza]

I have never used Video Studio 6 properly for editing so I can't comment on it's editing capabilities but I have read that it's MPEG encoder is better than Pinnacle 7's, but Pinnacle 7 is better for editing.

Most people who use either editor tend use a 3rd party encoder such as TMPG to produce the final MPEG so you may be better off opting for the better editor - Pinnacle 7.

[donpedro]

Go with Studio 8... same tool + DVD authoring. I never used Video Studio 6 so I can't compare.

[Hojobey]

Donpedro: I've noticed you are a big supporter of Pinnacle 8. You seem to be in the company of few. My questions to you are:
1) how long have you used it?
2) what version of 8 (which patch) are you using.
3) Are you using to capture, edit, render, author and burn.
4) Are you happy with the menu/chapter capabilities.
5) Have you successfully completed a lot of DVD projects without it crashing.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. I am getting desperate to find a program that actually works and am getting tired of how happy the MAC people are. I am also baffled that over 80% of the users on CNET do not recommend this product (out of almost 200 users) and you highly recommend it. The trial version is useless (no MPEG support) so I just want to be sure before I drop the cash. Thanks again!

[donpedro]

1) Studio DV (started long time ago /I think 2 years ?/ but old PC was not fast enough = not too much work), Studio 7 (upgraded from DV, about 1 year after 1 project then I give up, too much time needed for editing and still result is just going back to DV tape), Studio 8 (couple of weeks and only one project + I have got DVD burner so it is finaly make sence to play with it)

2) 8.3.18.0

3) Yes but NO BURN. I burn with Nero (another hated product). I am in process of testing TMPGEnc but I don't have anything against DVD MPEG quality so far. Let's see after test.

4) Yes. I like that you can edit them and I like templates too (but definitly will need more). Linking is kind of "not that smart" but I can handle that. I like that I can pick frame that will be used for thumnail and they can be video.

5) 1 test project (10 minutes) and 1 regular (77 minutes 2 full days work). No time for more, but plenty DV tapes.

It was on sale in Best Buy for $19.99 (after MIR) couple of weeks ago.

Now here is what I did to make it work (not realy... I just did this and it works)

A) New partition with fresh WinXPHome

B) Installed all updates from windowsupdate.microsoft.com

C) Disabled all devices that I don't need for Studio (internet, printer, scaner)

D) NO "newest drivers" for my hardware... just what is in there from MS.

E) Installed Studio+Nero+RecordNow+PowerDVD. Nothing else.

And you can see my PC Spec here.

[pepegot1]

Pinnacle Studio X is very proprietary. It does not work well on AMD Sytems. Ulead is much more robust. I tried both and had serious problems with Pinnacle and their capture card. I am quite content with VS 6.02(you must get the patch), which works well with a 1394 firewire card.
The mpeg capture is crap in both of them. Editing in mpeg is not for inexpensive software. VS 6.02 has some bugs too. I tried to capture using the Main Concept codec, which Ulead accepts, in the Start screen. However, it reverts to a DV1 codec later on. So, I capture with Scenalyzer to DV2( I can use Virtual Dub here, if I want to quick trim). Now, when I edit in Ulead, the codec used is Main Concept 2.04, which is far superior to their junk. Yes! it uses MC 2.04. Ulead uses the Main Concept codec because I tell it to use a "template from an existing video file" at the start. I render using the same codec MC 2.04 in the Ulead Finish Screen. Now, I can use either TMPGenc or the Main Concept Encoder to convert to whatever I want and burn after. The Main Concept Encoder is much faster than TMPGenc(both are good, with a slight edge to MC because, perhaps, all the encoding is from the same source throughout, (MC).
Remember on thing: This software, S 7/8 and VS 6.0, capture, edit, and burn, they do it all for around $100 bucks. You get what you pay for. This is not Vegas Video, or Ulead's Pro version. You pay $450 or more, depending on addons, for Vegas Video & Ulead Pro versions. I figure $99.00 for VS 6.02, $200 for the encoders(TMPGenc & Main Concept-one will do to save money) and $49 for the MC codec. So, for $350 I am $100 ahead of the big boys, although one might say that the extra goodies from Vegas Video, et al. is worth the C note. If you want just plain junk, use PS 7/8 or S 6.02. Quality costs a little more.

[donpedro]

Pinnacle Studio X is very proprietary. It does not work well on AMD Sytems.

I must look like their employee . My system is AMD and VIA based (worst combination based on posts) and it still works.

Too bad that you can't return software. Otherwise I would recomend to everybody to try it (why in the hell their trial doesn't have MPEG2 encoder) and see on their own. And just to make sure that everybody understand what I am doing wuth it. Editing home DV footage. No DVD backup. For that I use different tools.

And yes.... you pay around $100... so expect $100 quality. I would expect BMW quality from car that cost $9000...

[thxkid]

Tried both and Ulead is the way to go if you using AVI's the editing is simple , drag and drop, then again I also use HollywoodFX Pro Transitional scene plug-in which blows away anything that Ulead or adobe can offer. Changing the length and speed of the AVI is simple and my end result is an AVI also, their MPEG encoder sucks, TMPGE MUCH better.