Corel Video Studio Pro X4 or other good video editing programs...

Bella_b

Hi everyone,

I used a trial of Corel Video Studio Pro X4 and quite like it. I prefer it to Windows Movie Maker and Cyberlink Power Director that came free with my computer. I'm starting to get into video editing, just basic stuff for Youtube videos but I only have a laptop.

Does anyone have an activation code for Corel Video Studio Pro X4 or a discount code for it?

If not, can you recommend some other video editing programs that are good for beginners, I would like to try others as well to see which one I like best before I buy the full version.

I have Windows Vista operating system so can't use imovie.

Thanks for your help

spud17

http://www.lightworksbeta.com/

Iconic

I used Video Studio X3 before trying Sony Movie Studio. Sony is slightly more complicated but there are plenty of tutorials on the web to help you.

Sony have just brought out a new version so you can get the old version very cheap. It''s well worth £12.82.....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-Movie-Studio-HD-Platinum/dp/B003L4ZQKQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=software&ie=UTF8&qid=1320647188&sr=1-3

paddyrg

Lightworks is excellent, but may be a bit too excellent for a novice editor. The Sony Vegas products are well received by newcomers too. I'd probably suggest you try a trial of Vegas/Movie Studio.

Also have a look at hitfilm.com - a lot of bang for your buck (includes 3D effects engine)

amanda47

Hi sorry hijacking this thread but can anyone recommend a very easy and I mean easy editing program for a Novice please. :beer:

Bella_b

Thanks for the replies. I thought Sony Vegas would be too expensive as I have considered it before but that is an amazing price! I see on the requirements on the website that it requires Vista service pack 2. I only have service pack 1, as I haven't updated Windows (service pack wise) since I got my laptop over 2 years ago. I keep up to datw with update but the service pack never came up as an update! I'm a bit wary about updating. Is it recommended? Thanks

Bella_b

amanda47 wrote: »

Hi sorry hijacking this thread but can anyone recommend a very easy and I mean easy editing program for a Novice please. :beer:

It depends on what you need it for really, if you just want to put together a slideshow of photos with music a lot of simple programs can do that.. but if you want to have videos with lots of effects and upload formats you need a more advanced one.

I started with Windows Movie Maker as it is already on Windows, it's good to start out and quite easy to use but comes with limitations. I then tried Cyberlink Power Director as it was also already pre installed as well on my laptop when I bought it. I didn't get on with it very well, and the user interface annoyed me. It doesn't have many options for upload but might be ok for you. Do you already have any video editing software on your computer?

I think that most video editing programs are quite technical and you have to spend a while using them, if you just want a movie with a few clicks of a mouse some programs offer this I think. It had this feature in a trial of Corel Video Studio but as it was a trial it didn't have all the features enabled. The program was good but a little tricky if you haven't done any editing before. I find the more I do it, the more I enjoy it, even though it is quite a steep learning curve!

Iconic

Bella_b wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I thought Sony Vegas would be too expensive as I have considered it before but that is an amazing price! I see on the requirements on the website that it requires Vista service pack 2. I only have service pack 1, as I haven't updated Windows (service pack wise) since I got my laptop over 2 years ago. I keep up to datw with update but the service pack never came up as an update! I'm a bit wary about updating. Is it recommended? Thanks

Generally it's always better to upgrade to the latest version. SP2 has been out for a couple of years now so it's stable and you should have no trouble with the installation. Have a read of this http://www.brighthub.com/computing/smb-security/articles/36596.aspx

amanda47

Bella_b wrote: »

It depends on what you need it for really, if you just want to put together a slideshow of photos with music a lot of simple programs can do that.. but if you want to have videos with lots of effects and upload formats you need a more advanced one.

I started with Windows Movie Maker as it is already on Windows, it's good to start out and quite easy to use but comes with limitations. I then tried Cyberlink Power Director as it was also already pre installed as well on my laptop when I bought it. I didn't get on with it very well, and the user interface annoyed me. It doesn't have many options for upload but might be ok for you. Do you already have any video editing software on your computer?

I think that most video editing programs are quite technical and you have to spend a while using them, if you just want a movie with a few clicks of a mouse some programs offer this I think. It had this feature in a trial of Corel Video Studio but as it was a trial it didn't have all the features enabled. The program was good but a little tricky if you haven't done any editing before. I find the more I do it, the more I enjoy it, even though it is quite a steep learning curve!

Thank you I want to put my holiday on dvd but need to edit them first I've never done this before. I have windows movie maker on my PC I'll have to try this. :beer:

paddyrg

amanda47 wrote: »

Thank you I want to put my holiday on dvd but need to edit them first I've never done this before. I have windows movie maker on my PC I'll have to try this. :beer:

WMM is ideal for this job - more or less what it's designed to do.

On the taste front, though, avoid the horrible transition wipes (where one clip joins the next you can add many, many tacky effects - which I suggest skipping if you don't want your DVD to look antiquainted in a few years time)

amanda47

Thank you paddyrg for the advice :beer: