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"Wait for next version" on by mwild
Pros: Sophisticated editing features
Cons: Multiple - see below
Summary: After struggling to find powerful and reliable video editing software for the home, I was delighted that Adobe decided to enter this market. The product is promising, but there are a number of critical problems that make me wish I'd waited for the next version.
1. The documentation is poor. Although there is a great training video included, this only covers the basics. Good luck trying to figure out how to use the rest of the options, particularly the Advanced Effects.
2. There is limited ability to handle video originally from non-digital source since timecode is absent. The only scene detection method is based on timecode.
3. The encoding process is relatively slow. Although you can encode to a folder. There is no way to make a DVD from the folder that will play on a set top DVD player. If you want to burn directly to DVD, there is no way to set burn speed (a problem if you have 8X drive and 4X disks).
4. The number of title animation options is limited to two, scroll and crawl.
5. There are no image mattes include (solid color backgrounds).
6. There are stability problems during encoding. The program can freeze and the problem is sometimes difficult to fix. See Adobe web site FAQ. -
"Spectacular Editor and the price makes it even better!" on by mjs3790225
Pros: 99 a/v tracks, nice arry of filters and effects for audio and video, wireframe ability, keyframe ability, a form of scene-detection when capturing, runs fast and stable and is easy to operate
Cons: Limited to DVD templents when makeing a DVD,
Summary: I have been using this program for several months and am a quick learner so I know a good deal about what is going on here.
This program rocks! When I first used it I couldn't believe that I got it for only $100! Amazing! I recently did a documentary about an organization that I belong to and it went without a hitch and had awesome crowd results (which was a big plus for me and I knew it wouldn't have been possible if I was still using my old Pinnacle software).
But now to the important stuff:
The fact that it supported 99 a/v tracks was the biggest reason for me to buy this software (and it was well worth it). You don't know how important A/V tracks are untill you see what you can do with them.
The video filters and effects that come with the program are pretty darn nice. The color correction works pretty good for the areas I used it in and the extreme custumability of effects and the ability to save effects as presets is an awesome feature that I use on a regualar basis.
The audio effects and filters that come with the program also rock. You don't see what this program gives you in many other cheap consumer editior products.
Keyframing to create motion is quite easy and striaght forward (and if you need help the manual is pretty good).
The program also supports a wide variety of formats (beyond the basic .avi and .jpg) that you can import (If you are a Pinnacle 9 switch over user like me though, don't expect your MPEG2 files to work. That really stinks for me).
There are some things that bother me alot though. One is the Pinnacle MPEG2 import problem I allready stated.
Another is that sometimes the video and audio gradually become out of snyc. Like in the beginning it is fine, but towards the end it can be way off.
Tech support. To my knowledge there is none. Well, there is, but you have to pay for a year subscription or something stupid like that if you want it. The best you will get for tech support is the user forums (which aren't half bad) but if you have a techy program glitchy type issue thing that the common man can't understand, you are pretty much out. They do have this one area on their website though that allows you to report bugs in the software. However, last time I checked, the submit button is a broken link (which I think they may have done on purpose) and it was really annoying because I spent like a half hour typing all the tech issues out and then lost them.
The last main issue I have is that the DVD creating part of the program lacks the custumability and freedom that the editing part of the program shines in. In the DVD part you are limited to premade templates that you stick text in, in fixed areas on the screen. Major let down to an otherwise insanely good program.
Video capture is pretty darn easy. I had no problems at all though my camcorders firewire port. The program says it can't capture anolog (a/v though your composite red, white, and yellow cables) but I don't know if there is a way around that or not. So until then, its only digital footage you will be working with unless you capture your anolog somewhere else.
I am so happy with this program that I am taking my projects that I had done allready in Pinnacle and redoing them again in Elements!
So here is the bottom line on Adobe Premiere Elements:
Excellent editor that gives you alot of features that I used to only be able to find in really expensive programs. This program also seems to be quite stable in running which was a major problem I had with Pinnacle.
However, a newbie user may be a little intimidated by its workspace. It is set up the way a professional program would look. This can be quite confusing to a someone who has never edited before (I was okay though because I have been using pro programs like Final Cut Pro for quite some time). It will be well worth the time learning the interface though because your results will be amazing.
A+ Product that I have yet seen beat in this price range. Buy it, you will be happy you did. This program is cheap, but not cheap. -
"Softw. ok, manual completely useless, online manuals expensive rip-offs. All designed to squeeze you" on by agustimiro
Pros: powerful software
Cons: complex to manage, manual so useless that its purpose is to direct you to adobe's website where another book and oline training offer the same than the original book. A planned rip-off
Summary: complex to manage, manual so useless that its purpose is to direct you to adobe's website where another book and oline training are exactly the same as the original book. A well planned rip-off.I have never seen such predatory behaviour in a well established software company. Shame on them.
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"Desapointing on (too) many points" on by louislarocque
Pros: Good appearance, Hability to do reverse video. Nice tittles
Cons: No 16:9 ratio
Summary: I thought that this package came with 16:9 aspect ratio. I guess not, or is it my 1.8 Ghz limitation that prevent from selecting this mode. Is Adobe still in the 20th century ? Waste of $120.
1. Cannot do pan and zoom on still photos. This is a must for a half decent video editor. Not in this package. Sorry. Why?
2. Cannot edit part of the sound track, i.e. lowering the volume for part of a track, unless you cut the track and lower the sound for that portion.
My main beef, no 16:9 aspect ratio. So much for my big screen. Sorry Adobe, this is a no go. I am deleting the program. Hope you can use my $120 to improve your product.
Louis Larocque -
"Good luck burning a DVD" on by Toddinator
Pros: Professional style editing.
Cons: DVD burning slow, fails often.
Summary: I've been using Adobe Photoshop and Premiere for some time now. I've had to self train. Although there have been some ups and downs, I've always been able to muddle through just about every problem until now. I can't burn a movie to DVD. I have a great new system, fast dual processors, losts of virt mem and hard drive space but can't burn a 2 hour movie to DVD. I can burn photoshop slideshows, tutorials and other things but not a movie. Cant' find much on the problem I'm having with the "error, memory allocation problem. I rate this product poor because it can't deliver a complete package.
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