Video Buys - Video Editing Software

Both PC and Mac computers come with free video editing software that is adequate to meet the needs of most home and hobbyist video dabblers. Now, for no additional cost, you can use your newer home personal computer to download digital video clips from a camcorder; organize and do basic edits; add a music or narration track; and save the result to a Video CD or a simple DVD.

If you are ready to take the next step, you will find a plethora of more powerful software options ranging from under $100 to several thousand dollars.

Recommended for PC/Windows: Grass Valley Edius Pro 4.0 Video Editing Software (formerly Canopus Edius) View or Buy at Amazon.com: Software, Edius Pro 4.0 Grass Valley EDIUS Pro NLE Software for Editing DV, HDV, HD Whether you are working with standard definition or high definition video, Grass Valley EDIUS Pro NLE software frees you from the limitations of conventional editing systems. Providing a seamless realtime workflow supporting all video acquisition formats, including all DV and HDV cameras and decks, EDIUS Pro features realtime, multi-track, mixed format HD/SD editing, compositing, chroma keying, titling and timeline output capabilities. If you need support for higher-end video equipment and formats such as Panasonic DVCPRO® 50, DVCPRO HD, DVCPRO P2, VariCam®, and Sony XDCAM™, Grass Valley EDIUS Broadcast NLE software is the perfect match. EDIUS Pro software can be upgraded to EDIUS Broadcast at any time. Ready for HD When You Are EDIUS Pro is ready to move existing standard definition video to the world of HD. EDIUS Pro can edit DV content in HD resolutions, providing automatic, realtime upscale conversion from standard definition to high definition video, and all project titles, graphics and effects are applied in HD resolution. Ensuring a painless transition to the world of HD, editors can edit and output HDV content to hard disks or DVD-R drives without requiring an HDV camera or deck. Exceptional Mixed-Format Editing Featuring unrivaled realtime video transcoding technology, EDIUS Pro performs conversion between different HD and SD resolutions, aspect ratios and frame rates — in realtime. Edit 1080i on a 4:3 standard definition timeline, use NTSC together with PAL or combine them all into a 720/24p project without wasting a single moment on conversion or rendering. EDIUS Pro also features realtime playback and DV output of all effects, keyers, transitions and titles, and can export projects to any format or medium required including DVD-Video. Unsurpassed Image Quality and Performance EDIUS Pro features the revolutionary Canopus HQ Codec. Designed with Scalable Technology, this innovative codec offers the highest image quality and performance available today in any HD editing platform. The Canopus HQ Codec not only provides superior Luma and Chroma sampling of HD video, but also features an adjustable bitrate for increased video quality when capturing and encoding on high-performance systems. NLE Systems: EDIUS Pro Software + Realtime Editing Hardware EDIUS DVX and EDIUS NX Express are NLE Systems built around EDIUS Pro software. Both include EDIUS Pro, in addition to the hardware that characterizes each. EDIUS Pro software directly supports OHCI FireWire, providing video input/output. EDIUS Pro also supports the Canopus DVStorm series and DVRaptor RT2 series of editing hardware, which offer accelerated realtime DV editing and analog connectivity.

Recommended for MAC: Apple Final Cut Studio 2 (Includes Final Cut Pro v6) View or Buy at Amazon.com: Apple Final Cut Studio 2 (Mac) The Editor's Choice Final Cut Studio 2 is fast, fluid, and flexible. Use a laptop on location and a desktop in the studio. Start with the tools you already use today and extend your reach when you're ready. Final Cut Studio 2 has everything you need in a single product. Edit. Use Final Cut Pro 6 for native editing of virtually any format--from DV and SD up to HDV, XDCAM HD, DVCPRO HD, and fully uncompressed HD. Or use ProRes 422, a new post-production format from Apple that offers uncompressed HD quality at SD file sizes. Drag clips with different formats and even different frame rates into the new open format Timeline. Animate. Create stunning 2D and 3D motion graphics in real time with Motion 3, the fastest and most intuitive way to animate and express your creative vision. Just drag and drop to make dramatic particle effects explode into 3D space; form vector-based paint strokes with the swish of a pen. New Motion master templates let you edit text and drop in video without leaving Final Cut Pro. Mix. Record and edit dialogue, add music and effects, and complete your mix with ease. Soundtrack Pro 2 lets you work faster than ever in its new streamlined interface. You can even produce in surround sound using innovative visual tools. If you make changes to your edit in Final Cut Pro, you can rapidly update your audio mix with the powerful Conform feature in Soundtrack Pro. Grade. Give your production a signature look or create a consistent feel for shots from different sources. Color is the newest member of the Final Cut Studio family, offering professional color grading that can elevate the quality of any production. Deliver. Use Compressor 3 to create pristine-quality output for a wide range of delivery formats--including the web, iPod, iPhone, Apple TV, and broadcast servers. A streamlined new interface lets you batch-process encoding with point-and-click ease. If film is your destination, use Cinema Tools 4 to output film lists that combine timecode and keycode in a single list. Or use DVD Studio Pro 4 for professional DVD authoring and mastering. The first choice of professional editors worldwide, Final Cut Pro 6 delivers high-performance digital nonlinear editing, native support for virtually any video format, and facility-class extensibility and interoperability. Its workflow extends through the other Final Cut Studio applications and Final Cut Server for even more power. Whether you’re working solo or collaborating with a team, Final Cut Pro gives you more creative options and technical control than ever before. Broad Format Support With native support for virtually any format, Final Cut Pro lets you edit everything from uncompressed SD to HDV, DVCPRO HD, and uncompressed HD — as well as Panasonic P2 and Sony XDCAM HD tapeless formats. Or use ProRes 422, a new post-production format from Apple that offers uncompressed HD quality at SD file sizes. Mix and match a wide range of formats and even frame rates in the open format Timeline. If you edit film, use the redesigned interface in Cinema Tools 4 to work faster than ever, with customizable lists that let you combine timecode and keycode in a single document. Incredible Real-Time Effects Final Cut Pro is built for speed. RT Extreme delivers real-time performance for more than 150 filters and effects as well as for multistream video. Dynamic RT adjusts image quality and frame rate on the fly for optimal playback on any system. Use the SmoothCam feature to automatically stabilize shaky shots while preserving standard camera moves. Easily swap out video clips and edit text in motion graphics without leaving Final Cut Pro, using editable Motion 3 master templates. Comprehensive Editing Tools A complete set of professional editing and trimming tools lets you work quickly, while a full range of customization options gives you flexibility and control. Use powerful multicamera editing tools to view and cut video from multiple sources in real time. Mix up to 24 channels of audio with the onscreen mixer or use a Mackie Control Protocol device with faders. When you’re finished, output frame-accurate video at stunning quality. The Hub of Final Cut Studio Final Cut Pro 6 extends its capabilities through the other applications in Final Cut Studio 2. Send your project to Color for professional color grading, complete with sequence metadata from Final Cut Pro. Use the new Conform feature in Soundtrack Pro to automatically update your audio project to match your video edit after you make changes in Final Cut Pro. You can also send files round-trip between Motion and Final Cut Pro. When you save a change in Motion, the update appears in Final Cut Pro. Send files to Compressor for batch processing and output to multiple formats, all at pristine quality. Or send your Final Cut Pro project to DVD Studio Pro along with chapter markers from your edit. In larger workgroups, multiple Final Cut Pro editors can share media using a consolidated storage pool powered by Xsan. For deeper workgroup support, Final Cut Server — with or without Xsan — offers powerful media asset management and workflow automation that is closely integrated with Final Cut Studio. Open, Extensible Architecture Open standards such as QuickTime and FxPlug encourage interoperability with a host of third-party tools. Build a custom facilitywide solution around Final Cut Pro using its open, standards-based XML interchange format.