Alternative To PRE8

[GAtkins]

I know this site is primarily about PR Elements, which is great, and in a perfect world I would like to us PR Elements, specifically version 8.

However, it is unstable beyond help on a clean Vista laptop within specs and with two fast harddrives. In no way is this program ready for primetime and was obvisouly production-released way before it was ready. I'm not even sure it should be in beta in its current condition.

Before anybody piles on and says try this or that to make PRE8 work, I am of course open to that, but realize I have tried everything I have been able to find to fix this (may have missed something however) without success. The larger point, however, is that video editing and life in general was not meant to be this hard.

Anyway, what is a good, recommended alternative to PRE8? The one I am considering is Magix MEP15, but I am open to any other suggestions.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice.

Glenn

[Chuck Engels]

From what I have heard from other users Magix MEP is a good option as well as Sony Vegas.
Then there is always moving to a MAC and using Final Cut

[Bobby]

Hi Glenn and nice to "meet" you.

I find it very unfortunate that you would even have to post as you did. I have used PRE 2 through 7 (using 7 now) and have thus far refused to upgrade to 8. I am very disappointed with Adobe's somewhat cavalier attitude towards PRE8 problems. I don't need new whiz-bang features - I need stability.

If nothing changes, I will probably stay with 7 for the immediate future and perhaps when I start thinking about shifting my workflow to support Blu-Ray or other hi-def media I may re-think my editor then.

I did play a bit with Magix recently, but just couldn't put together enough time to make a decision either way.

Good luck!

[Paul LS]

Take a look Sony Vegas Movie Studio... this is also a stable program. It comes with DVD Architect which is used by many folks on the forum for DVD creation.

[cdeemer]

Depending on what you want to do, don't dismiss earlier versions of PE. I mainly use both ver 2 on a netbook and ver 3 on a desktop. I also use Vegas. But in truth, PE2 does everything I need done and it has the specific and wonderful book/guide by our 2 folks. A while back I picked up a new in the box version 2 for under $20.

[Bill Hunt]

@Bobby,

I agree with you. PrE 8 looks like it was done by the original PrPro CS4 team - too many problems. It took 3 updates to get CS4 running, with improvements coming (if not here already) with CS4.2.

This was similar to what Pinnacle did some years back. Studio 9.4.3 finally got it right. About that time, along came Studio 10, then 10.1.0, then immediately 10.1.5 and things just went south from there. It was about the time of S-10 that I moved to PrPro and never looked back. Now, I am still on PrPro 2.0 Production Studio, but love it and will likely go to CS4.2, or CS5 (depending on reviews), in the near future.

Not sure what happened in the design and implementation of PrE 8, but I'd like to see Adobe offer a free PrE 8.1 upgrade and soon. Too bad, as PrE 4 has always been very stable for me. I just prefer the interface of PrPro to the "sleek" and "clean" interface of PrE.

Just thinking,

Hunt

[JohnnyO]

I am too very disappointed with Adobe. I have had every version since it came out. I couldn't even run PRE8 on my PC under Vista. I have been following the forums and can say that I would rather not upgrade based on all the issues.

When Mike Iampietro (I believe he is the program manager?)worked fro Pinnacle, Pinnacle software was very unstable. Now Mike moved over to Adobe, and the unstability fate is now a PRE issue. From what I hear,Pinnacle software is now much more stable. Probably because Mike left.

I have moved mostly to MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 15 PLUS, and am extremely happy. I am in between projects right now, and am looking forward to starting another. I really enjoy using MEP 15 PLUS. It is also very stable. I highly recommend it.

[George Tyndall]

I don't need new whiz-bang features - I need stability.

Well stated, sir.

If nothing changes, I will probably stay with 7 for the immediate future and perhaps when I start thinking about shifting my workflow to support Blu-Ray or other hi-def media I may re-think my editor then.

Bobby, I'm getting breathaking HD with the PRE/PSE7 bundle--including on my 52-inch Samsung which, if memory serves, you also possess.

[Bobby]

Thanks for the comments George.

No, I have a 42" Panasonic Plasma - the biggest I could fit with my wife's permission

I have hooked the HV30 up to my TV directly and am certainly impressed with what HD has to offer. But I just haven't take the step yet, partially because almost all of my work is converting old tapes which are, by definition, SD.

Add to that the fact that none of my relatives (audience) have Blu-Ray and the total cost of switching is too high right now, although Blu-Ray players are now reliably in the $150 range. So things are "on hold" for now. My only concession to HD is that I shoot HD and capture to the PC in HD just in case I need it for the future.