NLE Software Roundup, Page 2

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Ulead Media Studio Pro
Here's an editing package that's feature-packed, with particular strength in text and rotoscoping functions. Media Studio Pro offers PC-based native MPEG-2 and DV support. It allows you to capture and view original source video from VCRs, TVs, laserdiscs or camcorders. DV with IEEE 1394 and MPEG-2 support using Ligos Corporation's GoMotion technology ensures higher quality video as well as extra productivity improvements. MSP's Video Editor brings together all the different components of a video project -- video, sound, animation and titles. Arrange these components, add effects and transitions, then save your video as a file, place it on the Internet, a CD-ROM or record it back to video tape. Another great applet included with MSP is Video Paint. This animated video painting (rotoscoping) program allows you to paint directly over any frame in a video sequence. Retouch videos and create remarkable special effects using an extensive set of nondestructive video painting tools. Special attention has been given to the text section of MSP. Called CG Infinity, this fully integrated vector-based graphics generation program produces impressive animated titles and motion graphics.

United Media On-line Express
United Media, a seasoned company that's been around for 20 years, was founded by editors, for editors. It started its life selling PC-based linear edit systems using a controller attached to good-old-fashioned tape machines. The appeal of United Media's products is that, because of its experience with this long line of editing systems steeped in the tradition of linear edit suites of the 80s, the company is able to make sure that seasoned editors in the 2000s who cut their teeth on linear systems will feel comfortable with this system. If you compare edit systems to wristwatches, most contemporary systems are like the digital models with all their modes and settings. If you want to set or change anything, you must first push the mode switch. On-line Express could be compared more to an analog watch with a quartz movement - while it can still do its job as accurately as a digital watch, it's a little easier to deal with, especially for those who grew up in the analog world. The result is a solid cutter, and best of all, it's able to get the most out of its up-to-date underbelly, the highly capable Matrox DigiSuite hardware. Definitely worth a closer look.

Discreet edit*
Formerly DVision, this great Windows software package is available in five different flavors depending on the hardware you're using. The best are options 1 and 2 using Matrox DigiSuite LE and Matrox DigiSuite capture cards. Now version 6 adds multicam, more compositing features, DV compatibility and better interaction with other discreet, Inc. products. A great way to edit uncompressed video without compressing your bank account. Edit is a real-time, nonlinear editing solution which performs compositing, keying and visual effects on the desktop. Edit efficiently harnesses the power of the Windows NT platform and can be used as a standalone editor or as an online finishing tool in a full-service editing suite. Jobnet, a powerful extension to edit, offers editors shared, seamless workgroup editing across a Storage Area Network environment.

AIST MoviePack
MoviePack is an all-in-one video editing, compositing and motion-graphics software tool for the PC with 3D effects and advanced core technologies for super-fast rendering. These core technologies, QPM and AMT, form the basis for AIST's "Live Preview in Real Time" or LPR, which keeps up with the user's actions and displays all changes including transitions, effects, deformations, color corrections and titles as they are applied. This software package is built around an open architecture, which allows it to grow with users. This means you don't have to go out in search of a new program every time your requirements change. As an open plug-in host MoviePack also gives customers access to their favorite plug-ins from third-party manufacturers. The big innovation here is what AIST calls Intelli-rendering, enabling rendered video and film clips to be played directly and immediately from the time line. Only the frames which have been modified are re-rendered, meaning time consuming re-rendering of the entire clip is no longer necessary. And best of all, since most of these advanced operations are dependent on your machine's processor, as processor speeds continue to accelerate, the software's power increases.

Incite Studio 2.6
Here's another Windows software package designed to run on Matrox DigiSuite, DigiSuite LE and DigiSuite DTV hardware. Incite provides an easy to use editing interface, multiple editing modes, lots of utilities, and plenty of real-time effects with unlimited keyframing. This is a great system for those of us who still have lots of analog tape machines lying around -- use these machines along with hard-disk-based clips all on the same timeline. Here's a software package that's ideal for long-form shows. That's because you don't have to digitize everything -- just use the tape machine as a source. Aiding this concept is the ability to place different proc amp settings for clips, where the software remembers those settings for a group of shots. Incite's designers set out to create a great broadcast editor, and they have succeeded toward that goal. Other niceties for the seasoned tape editor: a specialized keyboard is available with all the functions of the Incite editor well marked, and also great support for the JLCooper controller so you can have that familiar, hands-on feel. And, there's more to come, with enhanced 3D real time effects when Matrox releases its MAX hardware (now, you can do real time 3D effects with a Pinnacle Genie board), Web video features, DVD authoring from the timeline, and more. Until then, Incite holds the honor of being the best hybrid digital video editor available on the market today.

Avid Xpress 4
This software has a unique way of editing layers so they’re nondestructive. It's now available as a software-only product that can be used on either a desktop workstation or a notebook. The user interface is a lot like Avid's Media Composer. New Xpress Version 4 adds the ability to deliver media anywhere – from an uncompressed video option for television and DVD to one-step Web streaming content creation using the included Media Cleaner EZ from Terran Interactive. Included is a powerful set of video editing, effects, audio, titling, graphics, composition and interoperability tools. Also, Avid's One-Step Technology gives you single-step output to Web, DVD, and CD video through Media Cleaner integration. Includes over 75 real-time effects plus many more fast-rendered effects. Editing options include record to timeline, a mappable keyboard, a command palette, JKL Trim, full-featured bins, and more. To integrate the system into a facility with other Avid systems, Avid Unity MediaNet support is included. AVX plug-ins are also supported, to expand your palette of special effects. For filmmakers, a FilmScribe option is available, easing the transition from film to video and back. Xpress is available in multiple configurations on both Windows NT and Macintosh platforms.

Charlie White has been writing about digital video editing since it was the laughingstock of the post-production industry. He's an Emmy award-winning producer and director for PBS, and Senior Producer at Digital Media Net. Reach him at cwhite@digitalmedianet.com

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