Movieplus starter edition, is it good please?

[LouiseTopp]

I've been told this is better then Windows maovie maker, is this true please?

[Manfred M]

Louise - this is really a photo site, not a video site and very few people are particularly up on video editing.

If its free, you have nothing to lose trying it and these non-linear editors are fairly similar, so if you just want to do something basic, I'm sure it will work. Movie maker is a very old tool and I don't think Microsoft has updated it in years. My main criticism of it was that it only output the proprietary wmf format. I'm pretty sure it does not handle the current HD formats particularly well.

The main downside of most free packages is that they tend to be so basic that they frustrate the user into buying the upgrades.

I have a lot of video editing experience, but pretty well exclusively with the pro editors (Apple Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro). These are great, expensive and have long learning curves, so probably not where you would want to go...

[LouiseTopp]

Thanks for your reply it's just that my current pc isn't powerful enough to run Cyberlink and I'd only do something basic anyway.

[Manfred M]

Thanks for your reply it's just that my current pc isn't powerful enough to run Cyberlink and I'd only do something basic anyway.

Video editing is extremely processor / memeory resource intensive and you will find one program really is going to take the same amount of resources as another. If your current PC is not powerful enough to run Cyberlink, I doubt it will have the power to run any video editor.

My last three or four computer upgrades were done purely because the old machines were not powerful enough to do video. HD is a real resource hog.

[LouiseTopp]

I tried taking it round a shop, but he insisted he only put things on VHS!

[Manfred M]

I tried taking it round a shop, but he insisted he only put things on VHS!

VHS? They stopped making those things years ago. Time to try another shop?

All joking aside, I'm not aware of anyone offering video editing services for the amateur market. The costs would simply be cost prohibitive. A good rule of thumb is the 1:10 ratio. It takes about 10 minutes to create 1 minute of finished video.

[LouiseTopp]

Only thing to do it try it and see what happens. Where is the safest place to get Movieplus?

[Manfred M]

From the Movieplus website?

[LouiseTopp]

what is the link please?

[Manfred M]

what is the link please?

No idea. Just Google it.

[Geoff F]

Do you mean the Movieplus software which is produced by Serif?

I got version 5 some time ago and have used it successfully to edit together clips for my local history society.

That worked well enough. Quite logical to use and more features than many other options. But the latest version has moved on quite a bit from version 5 and I can't comment on the newer versions.

Serif also make excellent software for photo editing and desktop publishing plus a few other programmes. All work quite well and I use their Page Plus for all my serious text work. But beware of their forceful sales team. I never give them any contact information now.

[Geoff F]

Looking at the current Serif software I see they now have Movieplus X6 for £61 which is quite a long way on from the version I use.

The Starter Edition is free but I don't know exactly what is included in that package. This is a link to the general Serif products.

http://www.serif.com/allproducts/software/movieediting/

[LouiseTopp]

Hi is there a trial version I can try please before buying? Sorry to ask.

[rpcrowe]

I downloaded the free starter version but added the Codec Package which (I Think) will allow me to import and export various format video. That was $8.98 USD. I do most of my recording in ACHVD but, have some other cameras which have different recording options.

I don't want, nor do I need, a sophisticated editing program. I just want to do some basic trimming and the very most basic editing for clips of one to five minutes in length with no sync sound or voice over, perhaps just a bit of music.

I do want a program that seems intuitive to me...

Here is just one YouTube video I found on Movieplus Starter Edition...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q34FOpzvhMc

I will let you know about my success or lack thereof...

[Geoff F]

The Starter Version is a free download.

The more comprehensive package does have a return within 30 days (7 days for a download) guarantee. That is mentioned in the 'small print' here

http://www.serif.com/movieplus/

You may find an earlier version new or secondhand at a much reduced price which would be perfectly adequate for you. The one I have is 10 versions earlier!

I did once return one of their products and got my money back.

That was because one of their sales team was insistent that the product I was purchasing would do what I particularly required. I said several times that if it didn't do that one item, it was no use to me. And in reality it didn't have the capability I needed.

[inkista]

I know nothing of video editing software, but in the USA, for US$60, you could also get an Adobe Premiere Elements license and I believe it also has a free trial version. And there are free/open alternatives as well. May as well try a few different packages to see which one works best for you.

[LouiseTopp]

Will I need to download any Codec Package's after downloading the programme?

[dragon76]

I've been told this is better then Windows maovie maker, is this true please?

Maybe, depending on what you want to do. Like Manfred has mentioned, Movieplus can be a big learning curve if you didn't have any video editing knowledge. For a standard youtube video clip with some cool transitions, scrolling texts, slow-mo & back ground music, Window movie maker probably is the best program due to its user friendly design (version 6 probably the best one). If you have a good knowledge of photography, then Premier Pro would be a good program to learn & use. Unless you have good quality recorded clips (ie clips shot with good lens, filter & camera technique), I would not bother with anything else and stick with Movie maker. If a clip was shot too dark or too bright, no amount of processing from any programs could recover details of that clip. Also, like Manfred said, the powerful editing program requires powerful computer. I custom built my own computer 2 years ago with 32 gb RAM, i7, 4gb RAM graphic card & 3 independent SSD to separately run operating system & photoshop & Premier pro and Premier Pro still occasionally get over loaded and crashed so that is something for you to bear in mind.

Cheers

Dean

[LouiseTopp]

Maybe, depending on what you want to do. Like Manfred has mentioned, Movieplus can be a big learning curve if you didn't have any video editing knowledge. For a standard youtube video clip with some cool transitions, scrolling texts, slow-mo & back ground music, Window movie maker probably is the best program due to its user friendly design (version 6 probably the best one). If you have a good knowledge of photography, then Premier Pro would be a good program to learn & use. Unless you have good quality recorded clips (ie clips shot with good lens, filter & camera technique), I would not bother with anything else and stick with Movie maker. If a clip was shot too dark or too bright, no amount of processing from any programs could recover details of that clip. Also, like Manfred said, the powerful editing program requires powerful computer. I custom built my own computer 2 years ago with 32 gb RAM, i7, 4gb RAM graphic card & 3 independent SSD to separately run operating system & photoshop & Premier pro and Premier Pro still occasionally get over loaded and crashed so that is something for you to bear in mind.

Cheers

Dean

That's the problem I don't have a powerful computer yet.

Whats the link to Premier Pro, and is there a trial version please?

[proseak]

Richard, I've found Avidemux useful for this in the past.

Great price