Roxio VideoWave

This incarnation of VideoWave is the latest in a noble line of desktop video editing software. Put simply, this software enables you to capture, edit and compile various different video and audio sources into a complete production, which you might then burn onto a video CD.

This new version of VideoWave fully supports DV editing, and will work with any OHCI-compliant DV camera (if they work with FireWire, they will work with VideoWave).

As well as the ability to download DV footage direct from a DV camera (providing you have a compatible FireWire interface), VideoWave III actually enables you to edit MPEG2 files. Because of the way these files are compressed, it certainly isn't straightforward software-wise, as individual full frames do not really exist in the MPEG2 format. The ATI All in Wonder 128 has always supported MPEG2 capture, but there was no way of editing the results, which almost made this feature redundant.

VideoWave III handles MPEG2 files as seamlessly as any other sort of video footage. You can create a storyboard with them, create transitions, add titles and apply special effects just as you would a normal AVI file. And not only can you now edit MPEG2, but you can also generate it from other sources. If you had a lovely rendered sequence that you wanted to output for example, you could now simply load it into VideoWave and exports it in MPEG2 format, ready to be dumped to tape or burnt onto a DVD.

VideoWave III also comes with project templates. These define the type of project you are creating, and adjust the settings for capture and playback accordingly. The sample templates include generic settings for projects that will be cut to Video CD, dumped to a VCR and so on.-sprung-

You can easily edit these templates or create new ones - it certainly saves a lot of time that you would otherwise have to spend writing down which settings work best for you.

One thing that should be taken on- board is that video editing is demanding on your system. If you don't have the processor power, some of the features of this software are going to be unavailable. We tested the set-up on a system with an ATI All in Wonder 128, with UltraDMA drives and an AMD K6III/450 processor - the system simply didn't have enough power for successful MPEG2 capture at the higher resolutions. This isn't the fault of the software, which performs remarkably well; it's just the way things are.

You might be wondering if it is worth upgrading your version of VideoWave. Well, if you have a DV camera or a need to edit MPEG2 files, the answer is yes. In other areas, the software is much the same. The definable templates are good and provide you with a more seamless approach to working with the supported capture devices, but a lot more could have been done by way of increasing the number and scope of the transitions and effects.

This particular software may be aimed mainly at the consumer market, but there is plenty for the more serious user too, and at a great price.

To create a polished video presentation--whether it's a documentary or highlights of the company picnic--you'll need a video-editing application. Choosing one depends on your skill level and your desired results. Two new low-priced products land at opposite ends of the ease-of-use spectrum: MGI's VideoWave 4 focuses on entry-level editing, while AIST's MovieDVsuite 3.0 will appeal only to those with a burning desire to create high-end videos and who have the motivation to learn the ins and outs of a complex program.

Along with its bigger sibling, MoviePack, MovieDVsuite takes an à la carte approach to its features. You can buy either product and then add effects, transitions, or 3D text modules offered by AIST and third parties to suit your needs. Because MovieDVsuite uses the same video engine and interface as MoviePack does, supposedly you can start small, get comfortable with the product, and then gradually add features or make a full upgrade to MoviePack. But the set of effects that MovieDVsuite provides to start with is unsatisfactorily small--only a handful of transitions and special effects (versus dozens in similarly priced products), and only two audio tracks. And MovieDVsuite offers only rudimentary titling capabilities--you can't use drop shadows or built-in animations (you have to buy more modules or upgrade to MoviePack to get those features). You can use a time line to browse through your project (unlike in VideoWave 4), but it's so horribly jumpy that it's nearly useless.

Even with its cut-down set of tools, MovieDVsuite isn't suited to novices or even intermediate users. The supporting documentation (available only in multiple PDF files) is jargon-laden, refers to buttons and icons that we could not find (possibly because it was written for the full-fledged MoviePack), and lacks a full-featured tutorial. Consider the following confusing terminology lifted from the manual: "queued processing management," "adaptive line mesh technology," and "intelligent cache management." Wading through terms like those creates a substantial barrier to users who simply want to edit some video.

The interface is exceedingly complex as well: It crams too much into too little real estate. To see all of its standard windows, we had to run MovieDVsuite in 1280-by-960 resolution. Even on a 21- inch monitor, that leads to far too much squinting and eyestrain.

Despite the minimum requirement of only a PII-233, video playback was very jumpy on our PIII-500 system, in a small preview window. In addition, MovieDVsuite will not run under the first edition of Windows 98.

Unlike VideoWave 4, MovieDVsuite 3.0 allows for frame-accurate video and audio editing. This nifty professional-level feature allows you to edit with accuracy down to the individual frame; however, it is not explained in the manual, and novices are unlikely to need it. Furthermore, you have little choice in the matter: Once you select a raw video clip from your directory and drag it to the time line, MovieDVsuite automatically goes through the process of rerendering it to connect the audio to each associated frame--regardless of whether you want to do frame-accurate editing. As a result, preparing a video clip takes 15 seconds per minute of raw video.

The precision and control over your projects offered by MovieDVsuite are the product's major strengths. Nevertheless, only professional video editors with specialized needs should consider it- -and even then, Adobe Premiere with After Effects is a better choice.

Roxio VideoWave information