SydLexia.com - The Forums :: View topic

Posted: Dec 02 2010 01:25 am

So Windows Movie Maker is pretty much my right hand in a lot of things--making my LPs, putting together movies and slide shows for my ROTC and Army unit, and lots of other stuff. While the software is moderately functional and does it's job (albiet at the pace of molasses and while hogging all CPU) and I'm familiar with it, I figure there's got to be an alternative out there that does what WMM does, only better, and with less system drain. And that doesn't crash as often. Anyone know of such a program? Free is ideal, but I'd be willing to put a small amount of cash into a long term solution.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

http://www.virtualdub.org - very bare bones
http://www.videospin.com - easy but slow
http://www.editshare.com/?option=com_content&task=view&id=155&Itemid=203 - Never used it, but it looks nice
http://www.avidemux.org/admWiki/doku.php - no clue

For what it is worth, Windows Movie Maker has be updated and in Windows 7 it is not part of the OS. It is a separate download:
http://explore.live.com/windows-live-movie-maker?os=other

Posted: Dec 02 2010 02:58 pm

In the past I used Wax because I was determined to use anything other than Windows Movie Maker. I got by with it before, but now it's not stable enough for me to recommend it.

Posted: Dec 02 2010 04:20 pm

Keep in mind I've never done video editing before but here are some I've heard of that are good that you might want to check out:

CineFX (formerly known as Jahshaka)
TrakAx
Zwei Stein
Vivia
Blender
Camtasia
iMovie (Mac users only)
Adobe Premiere (expensive though)
Sony Vegas (also expensive)

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Methid Man wrote:

Keep in mind I've never done video editing before but here are some I've heard of that are good that you might want to check out:

CineFX (formerly known as Jahshaka)
TrakAx
Zwei Stein
Vivia
Blender
Camtasia
iMovie (Mac users only)
Adobe Premiere (expensive though)
Sony Vegas (also expensive)

Blender is 3D rendering software that can also make movies. Personally I think it would be overkill.

Older versions of iMovie were great, they have removed more and more features to the point where it is a pile of absolute crap now. They are trying to get you to purchase Final Cut Express. For $200 it is yours!

Adobe Premiere is $800
Sony Vegas comes in versions ranging from $95-$600

Honestly, for what you are doing hawk, I would play with the free toys until you find that none of them work for you. It really isn't worth hundreds to make Lets Play videos unless you will make money off them eventually. This is especially true if the free tools do what you need.

Title: Titlating Joined: Dec 17 2007 Posts: 5042

I am happy with cyberlink's powerdirector. It's lower end but it does have more advanced editing than WMM and it can be bought for about $50-60 now on amazon.

2010 SLF Tag Champ Joined: Jun 07 2006 Posts: 12294

camstasia sucks, but powerdirector is pretty nice.

just man up and get sony vegas. good luck trying to figure out how to use it, though.

UsaSatsui's Youtube Channel · Posted: Dec 03 2010 10:32 am

Just wanted to say that, yeah, WMM's tendency to take your computer and slow it down to ungodly speeds can be annoying.

I've been using Virtuadub for stuff I pull off of DVD and it works...okay. Still, slow and hoggish as it is, I stick by my Movie Maker.