After have a few problems getting a watchable result at all, I am finally getting DVDs with good video quality using nero Vision express 3 to capture, author and burn my videos. However unless I am missing something, Nero Vision as you would expect from a programme that is merely a side show to basic CD/DVD burning software has its limitations. For example when you add music to a video, there does not seem to be any way of 'fading' the music in or out, which means that you get a rather unprofessional end result. I am therefore considering purchasing a dedicated video production package in the hope of having more control over elements such as adding music. What package would you recommend? The three that seem to be the leading contenders are: Adobe Premiere Elements (£69) Pinnacle Studeo 9 (£37) Ulead VideoStudio 9 (£35) I have read bad reviews of both the Pinnacle and Ulead products, and indeed have a bad experience of a more basic Ulead program totally failing to work (DVD Factory). So I am leaning to Adobe Premiere Elements as I am familiar with Photoshop. However unlike Photoshop I can not get a free copy in work (legal!). Is it worth the relatively high price, and does it offer significantly more than Nero Vision 3? I really would rather avoid having to use multiple different programmes to capture, edit, encode and burn the disks.
If you think of creating professional DVDs you should go for DVDLab Pro at http://www.mediachance.com I've got Adobe Premiere 6.5 at home and I barely use it now... most of free or shareware programs have outplaced it...
If you're getting into "dedicated" video production, you need some good tools, not just one expensive one. You need an encoder, one that produces compliant mpeg-2 video, and mp2 or AC3 audio. Often this take two tools, one for video one for audio. You need an authoring app. DVDLab Pro is superb, and priced well within most budgets. You need something to burn with, and hopefully you got this with your burner, or use Nero. Encore, Pinnacle, and Ulead all do some things, some of the time, and generally not that well...although Pinnacle has a good encoder, it's extremely buggy and prone to crashing in the middle of your project. You're much better off with dedicated tools, that do one thing, and do it extremely well. The results are worth it.
Pinnacle Studio is a hard one to recommend. I love the program but nearly half the time I try to make a movie, it freezes. It takes me 5 hours to do a 30 minute movie and it gets frustrating when it freezes often when it is 97% of the way through.
