Magix Video Deluxe 2 Plus

At the moment it seems like the Computeractive office is deluged with video editing software.

Magix Video Deluxe 2 Plus is the latest candidate but it makes few bold claims. Instead, it offers a pleasantly varied and comprehensive selection of the same sort of tools offered by rival programs at a competitive price.

Capturing video is a haphazard process at the best of times, and Video Deluxe Plus attempts to make things easier with a drop-down list of presets and a simple slider that ranges between 'low' and 'best' quality settings for captured footage.

Video editing virgins may find that a certain amount of trial and error comes into play until the application has been mastered.

Hands-on editing can be carried out in either storyboard or timeline modes. The former allows you to drag and drop clips in your preferred running order.

Clips are represented as thumbnails and each one can be trimmed or enhanced by filters from the large library of colour correction, motion and 3D effects at your disposal.

The timeline mode allows experienced users greater control over the 32 tracks of available video and audio, with a more visual overview of the construction of your magnum opus. Changes can be previewed on-the-fly in a small video window in the main interface.

Output is much like a reversal of the capture process. Like many current editing programs, Video Deluxe Plus has rudimentary tools to turn your work into a VideoCD or recordable DVD format.

Video Deluxe does its job well and comes with plenty of support materials. We were, however, alarmed by the occasional German phrase that cropped up in some of the program's menus and dialogue boxes. We'd expect an application costing £60 to come without bugs like these.

Contact: FastTrack 01923 495496
www.fasttrack.co.uk

Also consider
Pinnacle Studio 8
A good editing program.