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169 of 171 found the following review helpful:
 I really like it Oct 22, 2005
By Ron Hashiro
I was overwhelmed with the choices of consumer video editing software, but took a chance on the Sony Vegas Movie Studio + DVD software. I am not disappointed. It's the best piece of software I've bought in years!
The software comes with two CDs: one for video editing, and one for architecting and burning a DVD. The software installs quickly and easily, with the software license key contained within the product manual.
The video editing software opens up into a video editing workstation display. As soon as the software opens for the first time, there is a window offering a guided tour of the product. I strongly suggest the investment of five minutes to understand the layout and controls.
There is a video capture menu option, that works nicely with Sony Mini-DV camcorders. I'm using a PCR-109 camcorder attached by a Firewire cable, and software commands the camcorder. I suggest using the "Capture Tape" button rather than the "Capture Video" button, as it automatically rewinds the tape before capturing and labeling each video clip. It stores the video files in your "My Document" folder by default, and also makes a shortcut in the Vegas Project Media tab within the Vegas software. When the capture is done, press the square "stop" button on the screen, and you have your video clips ready for editing.
There are six tracks by default arranged under a timeline ruler, which runs from left to right: (a) text, (b) video overlay, (c) main video, (d) main audio, (e) music and (f) sound effects. All you do is drag the files from the Project Media window to the track main video track. Or, you can select a file from another folder by using the "Explorer" tab within Vegas to locate the folder and file you want. You can drag the tracks around, positioning them to the left or right, and you're free to move the video to the video overlay or text track. You can pan the audio left or right, and adjust the master audio level up or down on each track.
You can easily select sections of the clips, then press the delete key to delete that portion from the final product. Deleting a section does not affect the original video clip in your "My Documents" folder.
There's a preview window in the lower right corner, where you can easily watch how your edited product is coming along. While watching the preview, you can click anywhere on the timeline and press the triangle "play" button, and your preview instantly jumps to that part of the video. Editing and previewing is very quick and convenient.
The neatest feature is the ease of fading in and out. For fading in, just click and hold on the upper left hand corner of the video (or audio) clip. Wait a moment for the arrow cursor to change to the "fade" cursor, then gently drag it to the right. You'll see a blue curve appear over the video segment, representing the amount of fade in time you want. Drag it to the desired amount (say one second), and let go. That's it! You now have one second of fade-in. If you right click on that portion, it brings up a menu where you can select the types of fade-in -- whether you want a linear fade, or more like an S-curve fade that's fast or slow. To make it fade out, do the same on the upper right hand corner of the segment.
If you drag the video clip and overlap the ends of two segments - one that has a fade out, followed by one that has a fade in - you get a nice one second dissolve from clip 1 to clip 2. By controlling the amount of overlap and the amount of fade, you have easy and fabulous control of the transitions.
The multiple video tracks and overlays are simple but powerful features.
There is a "Text" feature where you can easily type in a text title slide like you would for a Powerpoint presentation. Slide the text box between the clips to give the clips a title.
If you put a video clip on the "Video Overlay" track, it displaces the main video - so you can use this track to overlay a shorter, close-up video into the main video while preserving the main timeline and audio. I used this feature for a birthday party video to overlay a close-up shot of dad and baby daughter onto the main party video clip of music, guests and laughter. You can insert video clips, text titles or JPEG files.
The PCR-109 has an ability while the video is being taken to snap a screen shot frame onto Memory Stick. So, when I tell the group to "smile on the count of three, 1, 2, 3" and snap that choice pose, I can position that .JPEG file on the video overlay track and have that pose overlay linger on the screen while the rest of the audio track continues. There's controls on the tracks that you can set the video intensity to 100% or something less that you can make it look like a ghost or dream if that's what you want. You can apply the fade-in/fade-out to the text and video overlays as well. These are really powerful techniques, and it's done very simply and easily.
There's an "insert marker" feature where you can mark and title chapters within the video before you render it. The chapter titles are automatically made available to the DVD Architect program. There is a button in the DVD Architect program that will automatically generate a series of menu pages with thumbnails and chapter titles.
You can render the video into a number of formats, including MPEG2 (for DVDs). One needs lots of CPU speed to render the videos. I'm running it on a Pentium D 830, 3.0 Ghz Dual Core system with 1 GB of RAM and a 4x DVD burner. I find I can render a 60 minute video into MPEG2 in about 50 minutes. Once I define the layout of the DVD, it can prepare the DVD image and burn that 60 minute video onto a blank DVD about 25 minutes. I'm keeping this PC clean of extraneous software to ensure Vegas runs well without software conflicts.
The DVD Architect is less intuitive. I had difficulty making a DVD menu button for the finished movie. By default, it uses the first frame of the video as the image for the button. I can drag and drop the MPEG file onto the layout of the DVD menu, (which creates the active button on the menu of the DVD). I finally discovered that if I then dragged and dropped overlay a .JPEG image file captured from the video (you do that in the preview window of the video editor program) over that button, I can change the appearance of that button to be a scene from the video that I really wanted. The menu feature is called "insert object". If I click on that button (using the DVD remote control) on the fnished DVD, it plays that video file.
I previously mentioned the Architect feature "insert scene selection menu", which automagically picks up the markers in the rendered MPEG video, pulls out the chapter titles, makes the thumbnails, places the titles below the thumbnails, and sets up the navigation. It's smart enough to make multiple menu pages, if needed. All at the click of one button. Very nice.
I can see that I can set the start point for the video to be something other than the menu on the DVD, and even put a video introduction leader to the DVD before displaying the main menu -- but I haven't done that yet.
The Architect program is smart enough to track changes and only reprepare the items you've changed since you created the last DVD. So, if you want to replace one video segment with a newer version, it'll only prepare the DVD changes for that one video segment.
That's all you really need to know to get started. Within a few hours, I've formatted several DVDs of home videos and really, really enjoy crafting it to come out the way I want it. It's way better than some of the freebie software that comes with Windows or DVD burners. This video editor comes with 1,001 sound effects, which I've yet to fully explore. I've only scratched the surface with the basic features and I know there's way more sophistication in the menus and FX features. Have done it the hard way in the past with reel-to-reel video recorders, this is awesome and pure heaven!
59 of 61 found the following review helpful:
 Be sure you're getting Version 6.0 if you have DVD Handycam Sep 23, 2005
By Dr. Steven C. Seitel
This is my first experience with video editing, and I found this software very easy to use, combining video with recorded audio, voiceover, background music, etc. to make something nicer than just ordinary "home movies". I recommend it.
HOWEVER, if you use a Sony DVD Handycam, BE SURE you get Version 6.0 of this software, not 4.0. Amazon doesn't warn you of this, but 4.0 won't capture directly from DVD's. You'll need another program (Sony Picture Package works well for this).
Sony's Customer Service is superb. They explained what the problem was to me and offered me a free upgrade to 6.0. I'm very happy with Sony.
4 stars, not 5, only because of the interface issue, now comfortably resolved.
32 of 32 found the following review helpful:
Best of Breed Feb 02, 2006
By Scott B.
"Scott B."
I have tried Pinnacle CrashProne Studio and Ulead Lame Studio, then I came across Vegas. I have been it for two months now, and it's rock solid. It has never crashed, and the mpeg encoding is near perfection. It has a slight learning curve that requires a quick reference to the manual, but once mastered is a cinch. And unlike those other two, this NLE gives you *complete* control over the editing process - from track motion to PIP, green screen, transitions, filters, sound effects, etc. For $89 you can't go wrong. I'm still in awe of all you get for the price. You get WAAAY more value than other packages that nickle and dimes you with unlock crap. And DVD Architect is a pleasure to work with (once you've picked up a concept or two it's a breeze to make a DVD). My only gripe is that the AC3 encoder (5.1 Dolby Surround Sound) is not available like it is in Pinnacle or Ulead - hence the docking of one star. Apparently Sony doesn't think that entry level consumers need AC3. If AC3 that into this version, they'd get a perfect 5 stars, and I'm sure that would go a long way towards sales profits because except for that issue, the product is near flawless and above and beyond its peers - both hands tied behind it's back. This was the best $89 I ever spent. Judge for yourself: go to the Pinnacle site user forums, and then the Sony Media forums and read the user comments. All are true are both sides. And DVD Architect (WHICH COMES WITH VEGAS MOVIE STUDIO) just really kicks a$$. I'm here to tell you that if you're a new videographer, go straight to Vegas - do not pass Pinnacle/Ulead, do not collect bogus coupons or $30. Just download Sony Vegas, play with it over a weekend, and then crank-out some kick a$$ video with no extra locks or crashes.
Now if Sony would just include the AC3 codec in the base product...
20 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Easy to install and works well - satisfied consumer Sep 05, 2006
By Chi Man
I am very happy with this product. I bought it to create a DVD of a recent family vacation to share with the grandparents and to allow the kids to easily watch the video by popping in the DVD at home.
I read all the reviews of Sony Vegas, Nero and Roxio, and my decision was certainly influenced by the reviews I read on Amazon as well as other sites. I heard from others that Nero was the best but I was concerned with all the negative feedback on how buggy the software was, so I decided upon Sony Vegas which had better feedback from users than Roxio. (Includes v6.0 of Movie Studio)
The software was very easy to install. I literally popped the CD-ROM into my laptop and first you install Movie Studio, and then DVD Architect. The fact that this package came with hardcopy manuals of both applications was helpful, although they are not the best I've seen. Both applications installed without any problems in about 15-20 minutes total. (FYI - my laptop is a Toshiba Satellite with Pentium M 1.80GHz processor, 512MB RAM and 75GB hard disk).
I started up Movie Studio and connected my SONY camcorder via Firewire to the laptop. A convenient capture dialog box came up and I captured the entire DV tape of the vacation (about 60 minutes of total footage). Each section came up as a different clip automatically when the application was finished.
I then easily clicked and dragged the sections in order onto the video track to create one continuous movie. I created an opening title screen and closing credits screen using two of the many templates that come with the application.
I superimposed some text at the start of certain parts of the video like "First Swim" to show the kids swimming in the pool for the first time. I also superimposed some subtitles of what the kids were thinking to create some comedy. This was all very easy to do as there is a separate Text track and various templates you can use and manipulate to suit your needs (font size, color, placement on the screen, etc.)
I also inserted some neat video transitions in between sections of the video - picking again from a large selection of transitions.
I learned how to do all of this by using the "Show Me" tutorials which are convenient. To be clear, I was creating a movie that works and not a Hollywood production, so what was included in the application was more than suitable.
Lastly, I inserted a MP3 music file for the opening title and end credits screens into the Audio track which I was able to fade in and out conveniently so the music just doesn't abruptly stop when the screens end. Again, I learned how to do this by using the "Show Me" tutorial.
When I was happy, I hit the "Make Movie" button where a dialogue box asks you if you want to burn to DVD, to a DV tape, etc. I chose burn to DVD and the rendering process started right away. This part took a long time - almost 2.5 hours for a 60 minute video. This could be due to my processor and memory size - I'm guessing it would be alot quicker if I ran the application on my desktop which is more powerful.
When the rendering is finished, there is a button that you click which sends the rendered movie to DVD Architect and automatically launches the application with the movie intact. Again, this all happened with no problems.
The only part that wasn't straightforward which took me some trial and error to figure out was that it is important to set chapter markers in your movie so DVD Architect knows where to create chapters if you want to make a scene selection menu in your DVD. It's buried in the "Show Me" tutorial but not presented in a straightforward manner as something you have to do if you want to easily create a scene selection menu.
When DVD Architect launched, my rendered movie was preloaded as a new project. Again, using the "Show Me" tutorials, I selected a template (Vacation) which created a nice opening title screen with a button that links to your video. If you select the button, it plays the movie - just like the "Play Movie" button you would see on a DVD you buy in the store. There is a utility you can use to create a "Scene Selection" menu which automatically creates a button which takes you to another menu that has a button for every chapter in your movie (where you created the chapter markers). It even inserts the convenient arrows that take you to the previous or next page of scenes or back to the main menu. That's all I needed for this first DVD - a button that allows you to just play the DVD and a button that takes you to a menu where you can select a particular scene. The face of the buttons also automatically load the picture at the start of each scene - again just like many movie DVDs you would buy in a store. If you want to change the button picture to something else, the application allows you to do so with ease (which I did since some of the chapters start by fading in from black - I did not want any black buttons on the menu screen).
Lastly, I hit the preview button which plays the DVD as if you popped into a DVD player. It has a fake remote control where you can hit the various buttons just like in reality to see how your DVD reacts. Once I tested it all out and was satisfied, I hit the "Make DVD" button. It took about 15 minutes to "prepare" the movie and then another 15 minutes to burn it to a blank DVD. I eagerly popped the completed DVD into my DVD player and it worked perfectly. Nice picture and nice sound. My wife was impressed and my kids have watched it 4 times already. I burned 2 more copies for the grandparents.
I confess I have not tried Nero or Roxio and I've seen a review or 2 that says Sony Vegas is too complicated to use to create a simple DVD. I'm guessing most people will want to do exactly what I just did and not want to create the next Academy Award winner. This software did the job and it was easy. I did not see any bugs and my laptop did not crash once. I created the entire DVD that I was happy with in several hours (which included some trial and error time since it was the first time I was using it and the rendering time).
I've certainly bought software in the past that doesn't install or work perfectly, or creates blue screens and crashes your computer, then spending frustrating hours on the phone or the website trying to get answers from customer support. This was not the case here, which was refreshing. Nice job Sony!
16 of 16 found the following review helpful:
A Great product! Feb 21, 2006
By Lynn M. Sommerville
"lmsgoherd"
I was trying to decide between this "movie maker" and the newest version of Pinnacle. I compared them online and asked myself which features were most important to me. The two seemed fairly similar. My concern was that I was already familiar with Pinnacle. However, the reviews of that product were not encouraging. Plus, I had had problems with the earlier version I already owned.
So I tried the Sony Vegas and I LOVE it!!! It is fairly easy to use and the tutorials are pretty helpful. Plus, it came with books!!! (Not all programs have those anymore!) My finished products were wonderful and I'm excited to try more with it.
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