video editing software

[gwendes]

I'm looking for any recommendations for video editing software for our GCSE media students next September. We a re buying 10 PCs with decent storage and dedicated graphics but I daren't google 'video editing software' as I fear the deluge of shareware and adverts may bring down the network!

What do you use and is it successful?

Does something as beautiful as Audacity exist for video - we don't mind paying!

[djm968]

I know many schools who use Windows Movie Maker and its free!

[ZeroHour]

We use ulead VideoStudio 10 here. We trialled all the others out there (Premier Elements 1.0, Pinnacle 10 etc) but people/teachers thought that ulead was the best mix for simplicity and power.
Its also damn cheap @ around £20-£30 a lic.
It has all the big features we have needed so far.

[john]

I must agree, Video Studio is great and as simple as win movie maker to use, start them off on Movie Maker and then move on to video studio

[gwendes]

Thanks for the advice - I've emailed them for a price. Is there any opensource, even for linux, that anyone can recommend?

[Geoff]

Cinelerra. .

http://heroinewarrior.com/cinelerra.php3

[CyberNerd]

http://www.kinodv.org/

[CyberNerd]

http://www.jahshaka.org/
http://www.avidemux.org/

[woody]

How much are you spending on these PCs? Add that to the cost of the software you decide on.

If PC + Software = comes to £630 ex VAT or more, then buy iMacs instead. Correct tool for correct job. And the video editing software comes free too.

[gwendes]

Thanks Cyber - What are the strengths of these? Which would you recommend for GCSE or is it a case of see what fits...

[ZeroHour]

If PC + Software = comes to £630 ex VAT or more, then buy iMacs instead. Correct tool for correct job. And the video editing software comes free too.

What spec is that? The bottom of the market one has far to little ram really @ 512mb

[CyberNerd]

TBO video editing isn't my area of speciality - although I occasionally use kino for cutting and tovid to make dvd's,
At school we use Macs/imovie for video coursework.
I knew of these opensource editing packages primarily through https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuStudio
It does seem that OSS audio/video editing is coming along nicely, some of the packages look quite promising with good tutorials, although I suspect none would we as basic and easy to master as imovie.

[woody]

If PC + Software = comes to £630 ex VAT or more, then buy iMacs instead. Correct tool for correct job. And the video editing software comes free too.

What spec is that? The bottom of the market one has far to little ram really @ 512mb

17" 2Ghz. 1GB memory
160GB hard drive1
8x DL SuperDrive
ATI Radeon X1600 graphics

We have four of these, but the 20" ones, and they speed along. Much faster than the few PCs we have similar spec, but running Adobe Premier.

[gwendes]

If PC + Software = comes to £630 ex VAT or more, then buy iMacs instead. Correct tool for correct job. And the video editing software comes free too.

What spec is that? The bottom of the market one has far to little ram really @ 512mb

17" 2Ghz. 1GB memory
160GB hard drive1
8x DL SuperDrive
ATI Radeon X1600 graphics

We have four of these, but the 20" ones, and they speed along. Much faster than the few PCs we have similar spec, but running Adobe Premier.

I am not a Mac fan I'm afraid but not about to turn this thread into another Mac vs Windows. Suffice to say the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages IMHO The PCs are 2.8Ghz DC CPU, 1GB DDR2 250GB hdd and 7600GT graphics - not bad for £2790 for 10.

I going to go back to the media studies teacher with a couple of linux options and VideoStudio and see what he prefers - the last thing IT needs is to be supporting lessons.

On a slight sidenote - iMacs are not the correct tool for video work - they overheat too easily as they are basically laptops on their side- if you wanted Mac the only option would be the Mac Pros

[woody]

I am not a Mac fan I'm afraid but not about to turn this thread into another Mac vs Windows. Suffice to say the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages IMHO The PCs are 2.8Ghz DC CPU, 1GB DDR2 250GB hdd and 7600GT graphics - not bad for £2790 for 10.

If you are on a tight budget, then PCs are your only answer. A local partnership payed half the cost for our imacs.

On a slight sidenote - iMacs are not the correct tool for video work - they overheat too easily as they are basically laptops on their side- if you wanted Mac the only option would be the Mac Pros

Where've you heard this? I have done some extensive video work on all our imacs with finalcut express, and they have never over heated. Of course for serious work, Mac pros are better all round but more costly. iMcas are brilliant for schools IMHO.