New NLE recommendation

[Brian Ellis]

After much hesitation, I tried to find a successor to Ulead MSP8. I initially tried Vegas 8 and actually bought it, but I had repeated failures in starting the proggy, meaning a reinstall every other session.

I tried Magix MEP14, but wasn't happy with it.

In the meantime, I was happy with MSP8 so I was reluctant to change, as it would do all I needed, even though support and future development was non-existent.

Then I tried the new Magix Video Pro X and I was able to click with it. I liked it. It was stable. I bought it in the download version for their intro offer of $199 (the European price is equivalent to $490!!!! which is out of the question). If you download it now from here, you will have just over a week to look at the trial version before the $199 special offer expires (it can be downloaded from anywhere in the world and works with PAL as well as NTSC). I can strongly recommend it as being at a similar level as MSP, but with other features on top. Of course it has a learning curve and I found the fastest way of handling it was to print out the many keyboard shortcuts and just playing with them.

Good value for money at that price!

[Adis]

Adobe Premiere? :-)

[Brian Ellis]

Too darned expensive and, besides which, it's Adobe. I have an Adobe allergy, not in the least helped by their inability to produce even a reliable Acrobat Reader. They may have been OK when they worked for Apple, but they never really transited for WIN.

[Hulk]

Brian,

I'm kind of shocked to hear about your start up problem with Vegas Pro 8. That is the NLE I switched to after MSP and it has been at least as stable at MSP was for me.

Did you try VP8 on more than one system with the same results?

[ND66]

I have Vegas 8 Pro and MSP 7 installed on a new build quad core machine, running Vegas on XP 64 boot & MSP 7 on XP 32. Neither one gives me any problems. I still have to dig dipper into Vegas, but so far, no problems.

However, this is a strictly video and photo editing rig, I have nothing else installed on this system accept for scanner.

.

[Elie]

Brian, you don't really have all that many choices for NLE software...

1-Vegas, great software too bad you are having issues with it

2-Premiere Pro CS4, I am currently using the production suite in Vista 64bit with 8GB ram and it's running nicely. In fact all my productions have been created with Adobe production suite, CS2/CS3 and now CS4.

3-Canopus Eduis, I heard good things about it, you may want to try it out. Huge learning curve from what I heard also.

4-Final Cut Pro, well...ok you need a MAC but a very nice app for sure.

All others don't really stack up to any of the above. You may get your work done, however the editing experience may be iffy.

Regards,
Elie

[Brian Ellis]

1. Vegas: I spent a long time with it and it and I just could not get along. I tried it only on my video computer (2 core Intel 2.6 GHz, 2 GB 2 channel DDR2 RAM 800 MHz, nForce 650i SLI chipset C55 NB MCP51 SB). This is the only application that has failed on this machine, and I've tried many. Anyway, 3 bids so far on it!!!!

2. Premiere Pro. See above

3. Edius. Have not tried.

4. FCP Out of the question

5. MSPro 8: my favourite to date and I'm keeping it going. Stable.

6. Magix MEP 14. Doesn't cut it.

7. Magix Video Pro X: Does cut it. I like it. The price is right, worthy successor to MSP8 with which it is roughly on a par: some features better, some not so good but a perfectly usable tool. Stable. The titler alone is worth the price!

[Hulk]

Way back I used to use Vegas Audio 2.0 for multitrack Audio work and MSP. I stayed with MSP all the way until they stopped developing it and then finally made the move to Vegas. Although I like Vegas a lot and can actually work faster in it than MSP, since MSP was my first NLE there will always be a comfort factor with it that I'll never have with another NLE I think.

I'd just stay with MSP until you build a new computer. Then I'd try Vegas again. If I didn't need the audio of Vegas I could get along with MSP just fine for most of what I do. Although now with AVCHD maybe not...

[Dr Mordrid]

At a step down I like VideoStudio Pro X2. Pretty impressive for a "consumer" proggie - multiple timelines, surround, good AVCHD support etc. A real step up from previous VS's for quickie projects.

Using Premiere Pro Production Premium (but not liking it!), MSP8 and VSPx2.

Pretty much had to go to PPro given how many studios are opening in Michigan now that the state passed the incentive legislation for movie production. Lots of projects for small producers pending. A $100 million studio + back lot etc. will start construction 6 miles from here over the summer, along with half a dozen others.

Local hires are their target, even untrained people - they'll pick up the ticket to get 'em ready. Nice part is there are local film schools because even before this the Detroit area was big for commercials production.

[traveller]

The basic question ia-why change?

[Brian Ellis]

Why change?

In another thread, we have rhe fate of RR/Marvel that everyone liked. I HAD to change from that because of driver issues for W2k and, even more so, XP. This was not a hardware problem; it was software. I believe Matrox did try and failed. (OK, today, I'd be hard put to find an AGP-2 slot, but that is not what killed iit).

This is the same. Today, I can (and do) still work with MSP because I have XP on my video computer. Sooner or later, I'll have to have a computer with Vista or Win7 and which will have hardware for which XP drivers will be unobtainable. Therefore, at some date in the future, MSP will not be usable, however much I like it. I will have to change to a more modern NLE. I do not wish to wait for the fateful moment. I want to be prepared and have something I can smoothly change over to, with no panic, should a curl of smoke waft out of the present computer and a new one cannot run XP. I took my time looking at the possibilities.

I agree with Doc that VS X2Pro is a good entry-level NLE but I feel restricted with it. For budgetary reasons, my Finance Minister would have a fit to go to the top end apps and she is a force with whom to be reckoned. I made an honest attempt with Vegas Pro 8 at <$200 but was stymied several times when it simply wouldn't start (the only app to do so). When Magix came up with a <$200 app, I had to try it and found it good with less of a learning curve (important when you're nearer 80 than 70!!!!). The Ministry accepted it with some reluctance but she was pleased that I proposed to Ebay the Vegas licence and got back about half what I paid for it.

So, Magix Video X Pro is not perfect, but it's much more to my liking than VS X2Pro. It is better than MSP in some respects (e.g. titler, colour correction, 5.1 audio, DVD authoring etc.). It is perhaps weaker in some effects but adequate in Alpha, Moving Path etc.

I feel prepared for anything that may happen in the indeterminate future: that is why I feel the need for change!

[Brian Ellis]

Incidentally, Magix have just started a specific VPX forum here