Video Editing... which is better

[nic]

Hi... anyone familiar with Video editing?

I am currently using my good old Ulead VS4.0... thinking of getting a newer version that will improve the quality of image I capture from my video to PC...

anyone with expereince on

1) ULead video studio 8.0
2) Pinnacle studio 9

I am just looking for something that can burn DVD drive. My main issue now is... If I play direct from my videocam->TV (via svideo) I get very good quality. And when I capture to PC using DV->1394, the quality drops. I am wondering if I should spend USD50 on VS8.0 upgrade or, a new PS9 at about USD80.

[Super-Hornet]

For me, I use VirtualDub (Freeware) to convert video in to either RAW file or XviD or MPEG II format.

Super-Hornet

[nic]

funny thing is.. my DV->1394 suppose to give me the RAW format, equivalent to the quality that is on the DV tape itself... and somehow the quality drop.

[pakkua80]

Hi Nic,

There is definately a drop in quality when you convert it into either VCD/ DVD / ANY CODEC that is recommended by super hornet. This is because you are using CODEC ( encoding ) which means u use one of the compression technique( DIVX , MPEG2 , MPEG 4, QT , WMV .... and lot's more. ) In DVD format, MPEG2 is adopted where a lesser compression is made and more details is retained during the compression formula hence u utilized the huge amount of space available on a DVD(4.2GB).As for the other CODEC files that u may have tried . the reknown general file name = AVI = which can be a divx , QT , wmv ...or any codec, u can CONFIGURE the compression rate or technique used to optimized the quality of video you are producing. In a whole, for beginners and normal people like us. most of the software do support MPEG 2 burning to DVD and the quality to us is almost the same, the only problem you would want to focus on is the ease of use , configuring the different features that is avaialble for DVD burning, like the subtitle , special effects.

I personally never tried any of the software u mentioned but u can try buying the latest HardwareZone magazine which is reviewing video cam and video editting software. I found that Sony's software is not bad at the User Interface.

ok lar ... type too long liao..tell me wat u think.

[HZM]

Piang Oei .... thats veri technical and I am lost inside Great advise

Mike

[nic]

thanks... think you lost me.... anyway... my question was.. which of the above software is better....

and I thought there is not suppose to have a conversion when I transfer using the 1394 digital cable from a DV camcorder to PC... it is suppose to download the raw DV format from the camera to the PC...

Conversion should take place only when I use the Svideo.. i.e. Digital->Analog(s.video)->(whatever capture card.. which I don't own one... )->digital

P/S.. I merely play the raw file without conversion/writing to a disc

[Super-Hornet]

Nic... your lost quality maybe due to:

1 - Your computer or your HDD transfer rate too slow for your Firewire or DV transfer.
2 - Your s/w you using maybe doing transfer of lower than 1024x768 resolution.

Try using VirtualDub or other s/w to see how.

Super-Hornet

[BonJour Brat]

I'm using Pinnacle studio 8 with the USB Pinnacle interface. There are four quality settings- good better best bestest (ok i cant rem wads the last one ) but due to hard disk space contrains, i can only set it to better. with 3G or so i can record bout 2hrs worth of show at that setting, selecting bestest would let me record a few mins only. The quality that i record at kinda sux if u ask me, the video and audio does'nt match. It could be the interface though.. havent used the other one before.

[nic]

thanks all.. think i just go ahead to get the upgrade instead of switching to pinnacle.