Suggestions For Video Editing Software

[BobWard]

Now that I am getting my VHS tapes converted to digital format (via WinDV & Canopus ADVC 110), I will be ready in a few weeks to start doing some editing.

As indicated on some of my previous posts, I am using WIN7 64-bit, with the XP Compatibility Mode enabled. I have a copy of Premiere Elements 2.0. However, I have not yet tried to install this on my WIN7 machine.

With all the horror stories about PRE 8, I am not about to waste any money on that upgrade. I would like to stay with Adobe products but their quality on their software seems to have seriously degraded during the last 3 or 4 years. I still use Photoshop Elements 4.

What options would be suggested to get a stable program that will run under WIN7 64bit? Would Cyberlink PowerDirector 8 or the Sony Vegas series be good alternatives to Adobe PR8? Maybe I should just try PR2 in XP Compatibility mode?

Bob

[Chuck Engels]

I know that Ken has installed version 2 on Windows 7 and has had some problems
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7300&p=65185#p65185

He has been in search of other editing applications as well and could probably give you the rundown.

[RJ Johnston]

I think you are going about this the wrong way. You should have decided which video editor you were going to use before capturing the VHS tape to DV-AVI. If you went with PowerDirector or Vegas Movie Studio Platinum, you would have wanted to capture to MPEG-2 at a very high quality. PowerDirector can easily do that. Then only the edited parts of your movie would need to be rendered when you burn a DVD. But now that you have already captured to DV-AVI, you might as well try editing with Premiere Elements 2. The DV-AVI will have to be completely converted to MPEG-2 no matter what editor you use.

Since installing the Premiere Elements 8 patch (8.0.1), I haven't had any serious problems with my nvidia geforce 9400GT PCI grapics card with the nvidia drivers 191.07 thru 195.62. Later drivers have a drawing problem with some dialog boxes in Premiere Elements and PowerDirector. Last nIght I ran Premiere Elements 8 for 7 hours using the Neat Video filter on a 30 minute MPEG-2 file. Results were fantastic.

One of the problems with PowerDirector is the lack of 3rd-party plug-ins. I haven't seen any.

I can't address Win7 or 64-bits.

[Dave McElderry]

I don't have any experience with PrEl 8, but I've been running version 7 on a Windows 7 64 bit system very successfully. If you're concerned about V8 you might consider looking for a copy of V7. I would think you could pick it up for a good price.

[Jayell]

I would ditto all of Dave's comment. I'm also (happily) running PRE7 on a Win7 64-bit computer. Seems PRE7 is the ticket. Amazon's still selling it.

[BobWard]

Thanks for the response.

Looks like PRE7 might be the way to go. I found a new copy (not OEM) for $40 online through PriceGrabber.

Bob

[George Tyndall]

Win7 Home Premium and PRE/PSE7 = a very successful marriage, indeed.

[BobWard]

Well, I am still on the fence here as to which editor to get. The bad press on Premiere Elements 8 still raises concern, even with the patch that has been issued. Sure enough, as soon as I would buy PRE7, Adobe will come out with PRE 9.

My system specs are Intel quad Core i5, WIN7 Pro, 64-bit, nVidia GTX 275, 4 GB Ram, WD Caviar 640 GB internal HD, external LaCie 1 TB HD.

From what I am reading in the above posts, PRE 7 should run satisfactorily on this set-up. Other than no 3rd party add-ons, what would be any additional downside to PowerDirector 8? Sounds like PRE7 has more features than Powerdirector. If PRE7 is just as stable as PowerDirector, maybe that would tip the scales to PRE7.

Thanks for any additional advice.

Bob

[JohnnyO]

Go to the MAGIX web site and download the trial version of Movie Edit Pro 16 PLUS HD to see if you like it.

I am very happy with this software package.

http://www.magix.com/us/free-downloads/trial-versions/all-trial-versions/