Capture, edit and export video with VirtualDub

Not all video editing projects require complicated editors filled with effects and lots of tracks. VirtualDub is ideal for these quick edits and is worth having to hand even if you have an existing editor.

There is no installation to speak of. This download is a compressed folder so simply extract it to a folder on your computer and double-click on the VirtualDub.exe file.

The interface is simple compared to many video editors. There are two windows showing the video. The first is the original and the second is the output once effects have been applied.

To add filters to a video, click on the Video menu and select Filters. Click on Add and select the filter you wish to use. Simple filters such as those that flip videos are listed in the Filters windows.

Others that require adjustment, including the Brightness and Contrast filter, will show the settings that can be applied. Brightness and Contrast is set with a couple of sliders. There is a preview window that can be shown that includes transport controls so you can check that the filters look right across the whole video.

Filters will also be applied in the order that they are listed and this order can be changed if required.

Videos can be cropped and the cropping window is easy to use with all the information you could need clearly displayed.

There are lots of keyboard shortcuts and more can be set up if required.

The normal format for output is AVI, although VirtualDub doesn't offer any options for choosing what kind of AVI file that will be. This does at least offer the best potential quality if the video is then used in another editor.