Put yourself in the picture - Part 1

Since the early days of home video, the novelty of watching ourselves cavort through hours of unedited, wobbly camcorder footage has well and truly worn off. Digital technology has raised our expectations and now we're a lot more savvy to the fact that capturing those moments on videotape is only half the story.

Thankfully, there has been a simultaneous increase in the availability and ease of use of applications that let you edit together home blockbusters from the comfort of your PC. There are dozens of applications designed to let you cut out the boring bits and add exciting effects, professional-looking titles and soundtracks.

The Adobe Premieres of this world remain too complicated and expensive for mass appeal but there is a growing range of sub-£100 packages aimed squarely at beginners.

Ins and outs of connecting
To transfer footage between your camcorder and your PC you'll need to make sure that your computer has the right inputs and outputs.

Your connections will depend on what kind of camcorder you have: an analogue model will require your PC to be fitted with a TV tuner or graphics card with either composite or S-Video in/output sockets. Those with digital camcorders will need to look out for FireWire ports on their PCs. If your computer doesn't have a FireWire socket, you can buy a card to add one cheaply and easily yourself.

We're going to look solely at the software side of video editing in this feature, but it's worth bearing in mind that, if you're starting from scratch, some of the programs below can also be purchased bundled with the requisite video-capture hardware.

CYBERLINK POWERDIRECTOR PRO 2.5
Back in the dark ages of desktop video editing (about five years ago), it was quite common for the three main elements of the editing process to be split into individual applications. A dedicated video-capture application would handle the transfer of footage from the source to hard disk, while the cuts, splices and effects would all occur in another application.

If you wanted to output your work to anything more complicated than a video file, you would probably have to invest in a separate video-authoring program. Thankfully, it's now common for all these tasks to be housed under one roof. CyberLink PowerDirector Pro 2.5 is typical of this kind of all-in-one editing suite.

Its interface is context sensitive, depending on the setting of the mode wheel in the top right-hand corner of the screen. Switch to the capture mode, for example, and the whole interface is instantly devoted to the transfer of footage to disk.

PowerDirector Pro looks and feels like a lot of the other editors on test. It has a video preview window in the middle of the screen where you can watch, trim or tinker with clips, depending on which mode you are in. On the left-hand side of the screen is a large library window.

Once again, the contents of this window will vary, depending on the mode you have selected. Normally, it will act as your clip library, where all the video you capture will be kept. Drag and drop a clip from here into the storyline at the bottom of the screen and it will be included in your movie.

If you switch the mode wheel to Effects, however, the contents of the library window change to PowerDirector's range of motion and special effects, such as ripple, blur and zoom. The principle remains the same, though: dragging and dropping your chosen effect onto the relevant clip on the storyline adds it to your project. You can then preview and refine the effect in the main video monitor.

PowerDirector Pro might not be the best-known name in the world of video editing but it's certainly pretty easy to use and, at £60, it compares favourably in terms of cost. We were impressed by its logical approach and by its simple Video CD/DVD creation tools, but were disappointed by some of the program's limitations. The range of special effects on offer is relatively poor and there is no option to work in multi-track timeline, should you outgrow the simple storyline approach to building your project.

Price: £60
Contact: WSKA 01889 568663
www.wska.com

DAZZLE MOVIESTAR 5
Dazzle's MovieStar 5 starts by asking you a very simple question. Five choices allow you to select the quality setting of your project from digital videotape, VideoCD, SVCD, DVD or Multimedia. It would be nice to suggest that this is as technical as the program gets but unfortunately, you will still be faced with plenty of further decisions about resolutions and frame rates further down the line.

Like Pinnacle Studio, the program is divided into three processes - Capture, Edit and Produce - that are available from tabs in the top left-hand corner. A large preview screen can be used for watching clips as you capture them or for testing an effect in Edit mode. On the right-hand side of the screen you'll find the Browser, which performs the same duties as the Library in PowerDirector. Tabs at the top of the browser alter the contents of the window to Media, Titles, Transitions and Effects accordingly.

Dazzle suggests that almost any task can be performed in just three clicks. The application's clean interface and always-present palette of frequently used tools help to make MovieStar simple to use but we found it hard to confirm the 'three-click' claim.

One useful and original aspect of the program is its FastKut trimming windows. These allow you to simultaneously view the out-point of one clip next to the in-point of the next one, letting you line up your cuts more precisely. Those wishing to exert more control over their projects can also opt to operate in Timeline mode, which lets you build up video, audio, graphics and transitions in multiple layers simultaneously.

While Video CDs can be generated from directly within MovieStar 5, you'll need to fork out for a whole separate program if you want to make your own DVDs. PCs with recordable DVD drives are still relatively rare, so this is unlikely to dissuade too many people from using MovieStar.

However, since most of the other programs on test here come with DVD authoring built in for around the same sort of price point, its absence here seems something of an oversight on Dazzle's behalf.

Price: £50
Contact: Dazzle 0118 932 1613
www.dazzle.com

MAGIX VIDEO DELUXE 2 PLUS
Many of the video-editing programs in this feature, such as Pinnacle Studio 8 and Ulead VideoStudio 7, come from a long line of products that have, by and large, benefited from the various improvements made from version to version.

There are also a few newcomers on the scene seeking to cash in on the current popularity of desktop editing but just because you have never heard of a product before doesn't necessarily mean that it's not any good.

Magix Video Deluxe 2 Plus is one of those newcomers to the table. It's from FastTrak software, a company normally known for its budget software.

Unfortunately, this is reflected by an occasionally clunky and confusing interface. All the usual elements are in place: a preview window to view/trim your clips and a tabbed library window, which displays the clips, effects, transitions and titles. It's not always instantly obvious how to perform certain tasks and many users will find the various icons unfamiliar. This isn't helped by the occasional glitch in the program, such as foreign language dialogue boxes.

Overlook these shortcomings, however, and Video Deluxe 2 reveals itself to be a surprisingly feature-rich editing suite. It's bursting at the seams with effects to augment your footage. It's very adaptable too offering you the choice of either a single-track storyboard or a more complex timeline in which to construct your masterpiece. In addition to the main editing area, there are tools for editing still photos and even a rudimentary music program to generate your own soundtracks.

There are loads of options for outputting your work at the end, including the obligatory CD/DVD authoring tools. Unfortunately, it's quite easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount on offer, which makes the program's learning curve a little steep. Beginners would be best advised to look elsewhere.

Price: £60
Contact: FastTrak 01923 495496
www.fasttrak.co.uk

Also in this series:

Put yourself in the picture - Part 2