Video Editing Software

[Waco]

Greetings everyone.  Since I've been here, I've been really impressed by the videos of FTX scenery.  So much so, that I would like to test my creative abilities.  I know I have no talent and I don't expect to produce anything wonderful but I guess I like the challenge.  I have FSRecorder and the purchased version of Fraps.  Many of you have mentioned using Vegas Pro to do your video editing.  Vegas Pro is way above my meager means and I rather save my limited budget for more Orbx scenery and a new machine.

Can anyone recommend a video editor that goes for a reasonable cost (less than $150USD) and has enough functionality that it would allow me to create and edit FSX videos?  I would be most appreciative of any recommendations.

Regards.

[skypilot]

Sony, Pinnacle and Adobe allow download of full working demo software for you to try them make your choice from there.

[Waco]

Sony, Pinnacle and Adobe allow download of full working demo software for you to try them make your choice from there.

Well here's my problem.  I have downloaded several trial video editors and have installed a couple on my machine even.  Being a complete novice at movie editing, I'm not even sure which is best.  I hate to keep installing all this trial software on my machine as it will make it a complete mess.  I was hoping that someone could give me a recommendation if any one has been down this road before.

[sos]

Unfortunately, there's a lot of personal preference involved.

Most programs will do similar tasks ... it's how they do them that either attracts you or dissuades you.

My suggestion, as you are a beginner, is to try some out and pick the one that is easiest for YOU to use... within your budget.

Down the tract, when you become an expert, you can seek out higher end solutions ... taking into account your new found knowledge.

[Patrick Scharnowski]

Many of you have mentioned using Vegas Pro to do your video editing.  Vegas Pro is way above my meager means

You don't need that. I use Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Edition 8, which is more than enough for home use and even for more ambitional projects. On amazon.co.uk it runs for 24GBP/28EUR/38USD at the moment.

It can basically do all the important things that Vegas Pro can do. The biggest limitation compared to the Pro version is that you can't have unlimited video and audio tracks. But the 4 video and 3 audio tracks of the Move Studio version are quite enough for Flightsim videos.

As far as the usability is concerned: I never even read the manual and could use it intuitively right away. The whole control setup and the keyboard shortcuts are very logical and even if there should be problems: the help is only a couple of clicks away.

To give you an idea what it can do, here is a video that I made with Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 8 alone: http://orbxsystems.com/forums/index.php?topic=27108.0

[JoseCFII]

Go with Vegas.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Vegas-Movie-Studio-Platinum/dp/B003L51CZ8/ref=dp_ob_title_sw

[Heiko Glatthorn]

Yes, Platinum 10 - that's a nobrainer.

[Waco]

Thanks guys.  I've downloaded the trial for Platinum 10, played around with it for a couple of hours and it's way better than the other two editors I tried.  It will suit my purposes just fine.

Really nice video Patrick and some great flying.  Thanks everyone, I really appreciate your help.

[Kwiss]

Sony Vegas, also uninstall ALL the trials you have put on there, you should only have one editor on one machine, you could end up with codec conflicts 

[Thunderhead]

This may be of interest to you

http://ubuntustudio.org/home

[steve31000]

Sony Vegas or the latest Corel Ulead studio (has some nice effects). Both have demos. I use Sony Vegas and can recommend it especially for editing on HD (Ulead is also good for this).

Steve

[skypilot]

+ 1 for Sony - I use Movie studio HD (Vegas) and am very happy with it.

[fltsimguy]

Can I ask all you experts how you capture the scene's that you splice into your movies.  What program allows you to be stationary and pan along with the plane as it does a flyby etc.?

Bryan

[Patrick Scharnowski]

This one for cameras: http://www.flight1.com/products.asp?product=ezdockcam

And this one for capturing: http://www.fraps.com/

In my opinion there is nothing better.

[fltsimguy]

Much thanks.  I should have known I would need to pull out my charge card again! 

[Patrick Scharnowski]

Two investments that I never regretted one bit.

But if you want to save some money for now and you can live with limited functionality you coud try the freeware precursor to Ezdok Camera going by the name of Ezdok Walk:

http://www.arccpro.narod.ru/index_page20.htm

[fltsimguy]

looks like the link is no longer supporting the download.  My IM Translator of Russian says so anyway.

I think I would want the real deal anyway.  Cheers.

[Patrick Scharnowski]

Oh, yeah, didn't notice that. Removing the old free version is probably a smart move on the author's part.

[Waco]

Thanks Patrick, I guess I'll get EZdok also.  You should get a commission on this.  I had the same question.

[MarkH]

Can I ask all you experts how you capture the scene's that you splice into your movies.  What program allows you to be stationary and pan along with the plane as it does a flyby etc.?

The FSX 'tower' view does that. If you get FS-Recorder (free), you can create as many tower views as you want and put them anywhere.

[Waco]

Can I ask all you experts how you capture the scene's that you splice into your movies.  What program allows you to be stationary and pan along with the plane as it does a flyby etc.?

The FSX 'tower' view does that. If you get FS-Recorder (free), you can create as many tower views as you want and put them anywhere.

Let me ask another question. 

How do you get a stationary view where the plane fly's across the screen from one edge to the other without the view moving?  Don't want the view to follow the plane.

Is this accomplished with FSRecorder playing back the recording as AI?  How do you watch it (record it) without being in another plane?  I think you could use Bob while on the ground.  But what about 1500 ft AGL?  An invisible plane but how do you get the plane stationary? 

Andreas Paschen did this in Welcome Home but I'm not exactly certain how he did it.  The opening scene, the scene along the river bank and the landing scene.

If someone could give me some insight, I sure would appreciate it.  I'm not having much success so far.

[fltsimguy]

Can I ask all you experts how you capture the scene's that you splice into your movies.  What program allows you to be stationary and pan along with the plane as it does a flyby etc.?

The FSX 'tower' view does that. If you get FS-Recorder (free), you can create as many tower views as you want and put them anywhere.

Hi Mark:

I checked out the FS Recorder site.  I am getting a bit confused.  I looks like this program does not actually record video in a format that can be edited and spliced into a movie, like avi format.

Have you used this program to make a movie or how do you convert it to a playable movie in another format?

[Waco]

Let me ask another question. 

How do you get a stationary view where the plane fly's across the screen from one edge to the other without the view moving?  Don't want the view to follow the plane.

Is this accomplished with FSRecorder playing back the recording as AI?  How do you watch it (record it) without being in another plane?  I think you could use Bob while on the ground.  But what about 1500 ft AGL?  An invisible plane but how do you get the plane stationary? 

Andreas Paschen did this in Welcome Home but I'm not exactly certain how he did it.  The opening scene, the scene along the river bank and the landing scene.

If someone could give me some insight, I sure would appreciate it.  I'm not having much success so far.

I think I got it.  Andreas had told me but I missed it.  I need to edit the frc file.  Ignore me guys, I'm talking to myself.  The light is finally coming on. 

[Blitzer]

Hi Mark:

I checked out the FS Recorder site.  I am getting a bit confused.  I looks like this program does not actually record video in a format that can be edited and spliced into a movie, like avi format.

Have you used this program to make a movie or how do you convert it to a playable movie in another format?

FSRecorder simply records the flight data as per the default replay/recording function of FSX, but it extends this functionality by recording all the data for flaps and gear etc. that FSX does not. More importantly it also has the ability to record AI flights and also allows you to playback your saved recordings as AI flights that you can record again whilst flying another flight. You could effectively fly with yourself in formation and record all the flights as a new recording. As you rightly pointed out it does not save the flights in an editable format like .avi you still need to playback your recordings and then capture them with FRAPS (or similar) to create a suitable format for editting in Sony Vegas for example. It's at this point where EzDok becomes very useful as it allows you to set up numerous camera angles and add movement effects that help bring the motion to life in a more realistic way.

The basic process is...

• Fly and record the flight(s) with FsRecorder
• Setup your various camera angles, positions and effects with EzDok.
• Playback the FsRecorder file(s), use the various EzDok cameras for different perspectives.
• Whilst doing No. 3 you would be capturing what you now see on screen with FRAP to record this as a suitable video format (e.g. .avi).
• Finally you edit and cut the various video files with your video software (e.g. Sony Vegas) into a suitable length, adding video effects and sound as appropriate.

If you just want to try your hand at video creation the cheap way is to simply use...

• FsRecorder - this is freeware
• The demo version of FRAPS - limited to 30 seconds of footage and has a "FRAPS" banner over the video, but this is fine for just trying out the process.
• Windows Movie Maker - again free with/for Windows XP and onwards. It's a bit limited but absolutely fine for trying your hand without any cost.

[fltsimguy]

Blitzer, much obliged...you have summed it up so nicely, NOW I UNDERSTAND!

Greatly appreciate your advice and instructions, thanks for taking the time to advise me(us).

[MarkH]

Let me ask another question. 

How do you get a stationary view where the plane fly's across the screen from one edge to the other without the view moving?  Don't want the view to follow the plane.

I think you can turn off panning in the FS-Recorder 'tower' views.

[flyinion]

Guess I'm a bit late to this discussion, but I like Adobe's Premiere Elements.  One thing to keep in mind with FRAPS clips is that it's a codec not supported natively by video editing software so sometimes it causes problems.  On my version 4 of Elements it tries to convert internally the the DV video while you're working with it (you can still export as any format) and sometimes it used to crash on me while doing titles.  I haven't had that problem since moving to new hardware and Windows 7 though even though version 4 is not necessarily Win7 fully compatible. 

Also one thing to be aware of with FRAPS is it is a HUGE hard drive access hog.  If you have any serious performance issues in FS or any other game you're recording, for example World of Warcraft which I use it for is also a serious HD hog due to the texture loading always going on in MMO's, there is a solution.  You need a separate physical hard drive (I use an old "beater" 250GB SATA version 1 drive) to point FRAPS to for the location to record to.

[Patrick Scharnowski]

One thing to keep in mind with FRAPS clips is that it's a codec not supported natively by video editing software so sometimes it causes problems.

No problems whatsoever with Sony Vegas there. It reads the fraps clips like a charm. I also use Windows 7 though, so maybe they've included the codec.