Edit my home video
14 messages in this thread
Michael,
Good to meet you. My name is Dave Thoma. I live just up the coast in Encinitas.
I have been twisting arms to get a simple response out of computer weenies.
Question: Can I edit my home video on my PC using my Panasonic Palmcorder
(PV-34D). I've got a 486-33/CD Rom/1 Gig/etc. Most people I've asked say
no…one said it would cost me about $1000 but couldn't give me any facts on
what boards and software to purchase. Any ideas?
Hi Dave,
Well how are things up the coast??? you are the second person from SD that
I have talked to on this forum. Unfortunatly I don't know how much help I will
be though. I don't realy have much info on the lower end systems since I don't
realy have much of a use for them. I remember geting somthing in the mail a few
months back about a system ( I think it was called video director or somthing
like that) it was in the $500 range and I will look around and see if I still
have the brocure. With your camera you are going to be limited to systems that
will let you dump footage to the hard drive and edit with software since your
cammera does not have an edit controll plug. The only problem with doing things
this way is that it takes mucho HD space.
Sorry I could not be of more help, but I will look around for that brocure
and if I find it I will post the name of the system.
Regards,
Michael W. Towe
Falcon Video Productions
Santee Ca.
Michael,
Thanks for your input. I've tried Video Director 2.0, but it doesn't support
Panasonic. Let me know if you hear anything. Thanks,
Dave
there is a product called "Video Director" put out by Gold Disk….for
windows…its a bit over 100 bucks.
I've seen it at software stores….comments on other forums say it's pretty
good, not perfect, but what
does one expect for 100. If that would do it all, there would be no need for
the big buck stuff.
>>Gold Disk video Director<<
It's actually a fairly clever product. You get a cable which hooks up to a
serial port and which splits into two parts – a LANC connector to control the
player deck, and an IR sender for the record deck. You can only do cuts, and
it does not support GPI. However, if what you want to do is simple edits, then
you get a lot for your $100 or so. You player deck will need timecode if you
want reasonably accurate edits.
Bob
You're right on the money Robert. Unfortunately my Panasonic isn't Lanc
compatable. Therefore Video Director 2.0 won't work with my Panasonic. Let me
know if you hear anything else. Thanks, Dave
Anoble,
Thank for your input. I've tried Video director 2.0 but it isn't compatable
with my Panasonic. Let me know if you hear anything else. Thanks, Dave
Dave,
A lot of the answer depends on the quality you want in your finished
output and what exactly you envision doing to the video you wish to edit.
It seems to me that you would like to digitally record your clips onto the
hard drive of your 486 and edit them with titles, etc. This can certainly
be done for in the $1000 range. (A product that you can research to get
you started is the FAST Movie Machine 1-800-248-FAST). However, one thing
to consider with this technique is that the finished output quality will
not look as good as the footage that you started with. So, while you can
be very creative and do neat stuff with your video, don't expect the
finished result to look like what you see on TV.
Now another way that you can do DeskTop Video is by using an Overlay
Genlock device that will allow you to "overlay" any titles, graphics and
animations that you can create on you 486, on top of an existing video
signal. The advantage here, is that if you have a good quality genlock
and a good quality "recorder" (you need two decks for this type of
editing, a source and a recorder), you will get a higher quality finished
result. It may not have as fancy transitions from one "clip" to another,
but you can still do neat stuff with "cuts-only" editing.
-John
John,
I really appreciate your input. Thanks, Dave
If you want to edit out the superfluous footage that we all end up with then:
If your Panasonic Palmcorder has a LAN C connection on it and your VCR can be
controlled by an infrared remote – go buy Video Director. It is absolutely the
best buy for cutting the extra shots that bores the daylights out of our best
friends when they watch our video.
If you want titles – draw them on paper and shoot them with the Palmcorder –
then edit them into your finished work.
If you want text overlaying video, graphics from the computer, screen capture,
video in a window, ect.
Then get out your checkbook – the first $1000 will just raise your frustration
level.
Dave,
I've been looking into this for 2 months now, though I've never used the
equipment, here's my two bits.
If you are looking to capture video to hard disk and then output the resulting
changes to video, then the Fast Movie Machine or miro DC1 cards (both around
$1,000) is what you are looking for.
If you are looking just to edit out unwanted footage from video and
since your camcorder is not supported by video director, and if you simply want
to do "cuts only" editing with some titling and graphics as transitions, you
could try Studeo Magic. It costs around $500. I have not found another
product that does what Studeo Magic does in the same price range. It does not
provide machine control, yet (this capability will be available in a couple of
months) but since your camcord is probably not supported, the manual method
will work. The next best thing, to me, is Video Machine Lite by Fast. That
starts at $2500. Good Luck.
Dacia
Dacia,
Can you give me a brief run-down of what Studio Magic does/consists of?
-John
John,
I saw a demo of Video Machine Lite before Studio Magic. If it weren't for my
budget, I'd love to get the VM Lite. Here goes:
Studio Magic (SM) is a cuts only "video production studio". On the main screen
there are 6 preview windows. One video overlay/titler, two graphics, two video
sources (still frame capture), and one color for background. On the lower
right thereis a transtions (over 15) selector and a slider with auto feature.
In the lower center there is a effects selector. On the lower left is the auto
production section (generates EDL) which cues up anad plays the graphics,
title, colr but you have to maunally start and stop the source and record
decks. (machine control will be an option in a couple of months) At the
center of the screen there are two tiny preview & program windows which are
activated by doulbe clicking on them. Problems I had (remember, I've never
used any of this equipment, only seen demos):
1. No machine control, no switcher and no TBC.
2. Small screen and tiny windows. Hard to see the captured stills and
graphics.
3. Inadiquate EDL partly because of the lack of machine control.
4. Cuts only between video sources. All the transitions are between video and
graphics or graphics and graphics.
5. No scrolling title. Need other programs to creat graphics, titles or
animation.
The effects this $300 product has is quite amazing. It works great as an
effects generator for live or real time video recordings. The machine control
will be an add on option for $150 (I think). By the end of the year, they will
have a $1000 product which is aimed at those of us who can't afford to spend
$2500 for Video Machine Lite. Considering there are not many products out
there right now between the VM Lite and Video Director (machine control only),
the demo was quite impressive. Like you told Donald Bray, for home video
editing, this product will do the job even without machine cotrol.
I can get quite long winded about this stuff. Hope this is what you were
looking for. I coudn't get too technical because I just don't quite have all
the terms down yet. This forum is exactly what I was looking for and when I
log on I just can't believe the vast amount of information and answers which
I've been searching for during my two month research on these products. I felt
lonely out there in the big world until now. Keep up the great job.
By the way, I've been reading your replies to other people any particular
reason you recomdend the Movie Machine over the miro? You seem to really like
the Movi Machine. Without S-Video input though, I just can't fathom the output
being better than the miro. I've read other messeges in other forums which has
lead me to believ the miro's video output quality is much better than the Fast
MM. Hoever, the tech people at miro were NO HELP when I called. Fast, on the
other hand, has been great.
Dacia
Dacia,
Thank you for the detailed summary of Studio Magic! It actually sounds
like a very interesting product for someone interested in cuts only
editing.
I am glad the forum is helping you. Although I am a Sysop here, I am
learning all the time with everyone else. The reason that I was so high
on the Movie Machine is quite honestly because it was the only one that I
was experienced with. From comments on the forum however, I see the
advantages of the Miro DC1 and hopefully will become more balanced in my
recommendations.
-John