Best free video editors
Convert camcorder videos to DVD widescreen using freeware
Subscriber Scott Chase writes:
"Gizmo, I've found a great freeware program called "DVD Flick" that has helped me to solve a long-standing problem. I've been trying to find an easy-to-use set of freeware programs, to get video from my widescreen camcorder to a true anamorphic (widescreen) DVD format, like the widescreen movies produced by the major studios. Here's how I now do it:
- Video capture using software that came with the camcorder, or VirtualDub [1]
- Video file pre-processing, like contrast and brightness using VirtualDub as needed
- Video editing using Pinnacle VideoSpin [2] with a $5 Mpeg2 codec for full 720x480 DVD quality
- DVD authoring/burning using DVD Flick
The first three steps can be done with VirtualDub but I especially like the addition of Pinnacle's easy-to-use VideoSpin that you mentioned in your March newsletter.
DVD Flick is a very simple, and yet powerful DVD Authoring/Burning tool. It supports over 45 video codecs, has an easy-to-use interface, and an accurate way of creating and burning a true studio-style DVD, with IFO and VOB files from various video sources.
The big advantage to this software is its emphasis on preserving the native aspect ratio of the original source files.
Much of the DVD authoring software I found would write my anamorphic widescreen, 720x480 non-square pixels files as a 4:3 ratio, square pixel DVD which would stretch the video vertically and distort the DVD video.
Anyone that has worked with 16:9 anamorphic video sources knows what I'm talking about. DVD Flick is the only freeware program that I could find that does the job easily and flawlessly!"
[2] http://www.virtualdub.org/ Freeware, all Windows versions, 1.3MB
[3] http://www.videospin.com/ Freeware, Windows XP, Vista, 2.3MB
Which movie download site is best?
Nice article from ExtremeTech which examines in detail the offerings from six movie-download sites. No point reading this unless you have a very fast (and preferably uncapped) internet connection.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2089624,00.asp
Free easy-to-use video editor
Paul Lawrence, one the volunteer category editors for the "Best-ever Freeware" Wiki project, recently sent me this email:
"Gizmo, quality freeware video editors are hard to come by. Most are overly complicated, and hard to use, unstable, or lack a good set of features. VideoSpin (freeware) is a new software package created by Pinnacle Systems, the makers of the very popular Pinnacle Studio. It is very easy to use, has a slick well organized interface, a good set of transitions, a title creator, and other nice features. It creates video in several popular formats including .flv so you can upload your videos directly to the web."
Nice find Paul, but I have some reservations: First up, this is a big download - 149MB with all the Codecs. Second, it wouldn't install on my test PC - the installation just hung. Yet on another of my PCs it installed without problem. Third, the Codecs are not free, they are only provided on a 15 day trial basis.
But you are quite right; it is very easy to use and that is a real plus. I'm no video dude but I managed to edit two short videos a relative had sent me without even reading the manual. In fact, I'd rate VideoSpin as the most user friendly freeware video editor I've used.
However if you mainly process AVI files then you should also check out VirtualDub [2]. It's not quite as easy to use but it's free, has video capture and has a more established user base.
VideoSpin: Freeware, Windows XP, Vista, 2.3MB, 149MB with Codec pack.[1] http://videospin.com/
[2] http://www.virtualdub.org/
Mind-blowing new photo technology
This video demonstrating Microsoft's Photosynth project left me speechless and made me think the unthinkable; that computers are finally delivering on what they promised. It's good news even if it is a mere 30 years late. Thanks to Lex Davidson for this link. Note that you need broadband to view this.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/129
Video how-to site
Subscriber 'Hopper' writes: "Gizmo, here's another great site for just about anything to do with video. This is a very extensive site with sections on guides, tools, hardware, media and more. It's one of the first sites I check when trying to find a guide or special tool for a specific job." Nice find, Hopper. This site is just packed with useful information.
http://www.videohelp.com/
Best free video editor
Subscriber Jim Nix writes, "Gizmo this Christmas season I became in need of a video editor. I discovered my copy of Adobe Premiere 5.1 LE did not allow for gamma, brightness or contrast adjustment. I checked your "Best 46 Freeware" listings and found no video editor. If you have considered adding such a category I suggest you consider VirtualDub [1] which is outstanding. The package is however not complete without the additional filters. A comprehensive collection of third party filters is available from an Italian site [2] - just click on the "TELECHARGER ICI" button to download the complete set of filters (RAR pack). Once all the filters are installed, delete the "PCVideo Image Processor" filter as the installation instructions are missing a step. Again, thank you for the fine newsletter." Well thank you Jim. I'm not a video sort of guy but I've checked out VirtualDub and it's an impressive Open source package that is regularly updated by its author. Note however that it won't handle DVD or MP4 and like all video software, needs a pretty fast PC. Freeware, Windows 95 or later, 958KB.
[1] http://www.virtualdub.org/
[2] http://milafat.free.fr/vdfilters.htm
[3] http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtualdub <= download link for Virtualdub