Pinnacle Studio 9

Pinnacle's Studio software is one of the most popular video-editing programs for home users, as it is neatly designed and easy to use. And this upgrade manages to improve that user-friendliness even further, while also adding some powerful new special effects and editing tools.

For beginners, Studio 9 offers a new feature called SmartMovie. This allows you to create music videos by automatically editing together multiple video clips and then adding a synchronised soundtrack. Just import your set of video clips and then select a suitable style from a pull-down menu. The styles available include 'fast-paced', 'slow and romantic' and 'simple and elegant'.

Once this is complete, SmartMovie prompts you to add a soundtrack, either by using a digital audio file or by using its SmartSound option to generate some suitable music. The program will then paste your chosen clips, add transitions between scenes and synchronise the transitions to the tempo of the music.

It works very well and you're free to edit the completed video, so you can add titles, change unwanted transitions or add special effects.

Our only criticism is that, as with previous versions of Studio, Pinnacle's manual is not as helpful as it could be. The SmartMovie feature is not even listed in the index at the back of the manual, so you have to be prepared for a bit of experimentation when you start.

As you get more familiar with editing, you can explore some of the more advanced features. Studio 9 can now use plug-ins, small bits of software that add special effects. There are several video effects available, including a 'Stabilize' option that can help to compensate for shaky camera footage by making the image more stable. There's a strobe effect, as well as an option to change the playback speed, allowing you to create slow-motion action sequences. You can also use a number of colour correction plug-ins to alter the brightness and contrast of video clips, or turn them into black and white or sepia in order to give your videos an old-fashioned look.

Studio includes a number of audio improvements as well, such as a 'noise reduction' tool that can filter out unwanted background noise. There's also an echoing 'reverb' effect and a graphic equaliser that allows you to adjust the audio balance. These audio plug-ins use the VST format that is widely used by professional audio systems, so music buffs who want to experiment with audio effects can use their existing VST plug-ins with Studio 9.

Once editing is complete, you have the option of saving your movie to DVD, VCD, as small email attachments or in streaming video format. You can also output footage to a DV camera.

This combination of powerful plug-in effects and the easy-to-use SmartMovie feature makes Studio excellent for those new to video editing and enthusiasts alike. And, at £60, it's excellent value for money too. However, with all these new features, your PC will need a 1GHz processor and 256Mb of memory to run Studio 9 properly.

Contact: Pinnacle Systems 01895 442003
www.pinnaclesys.com