Sony Movie Studio 13 (32 bit) for Windows

User Reviews

• Very nice editor

  zakhary-videoDecember 15, 2016

  Pros

  - easy in use - all basic functions i need - lots of tutorials online

  Cons

  - rendering a final movie takes a lot of time

  Summary

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• This program SUCKS

  June 20, 2015

  Pros

  Lots of features that you'll never use

  Cons

  If you want a program that you have to spend HOURS editing just a few minutes of video that will then LOCK UP and LOSE your project, than get out your credit card.

  Summary

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• For experts. Unusable by regular people

  Michel MerlinMay 7, 2013

  Pros

  Beautiful interface; numerous powerful tasks; elegant effects; Fast and apparently reliable technical engine.

  Cons

  The Help system is apparently written by beauty designers, careful and numerous, it is extremely well done, but entirely built to explain tasks of 3rd and 4th levels of complexity to people already knowing by heart the 1st and 2nd ones; but for people needing to be taught the BASIC levels, everything looks clear and easy when watching the Wizards, yet becomes impossible to understand or execute when time comes to do it.

  Summary

  Using my ADSL box (French Freebox v6) I recorded from HD TV a few M2TS video files, each 1-2 hours, 2-3GB. Then I "trimmed" them (removed the unwanted parts before and after the actual stuff), using Smart Cutter ($49), that does it quickly, easily, with great precision and quality; result is clear, sharp, clean. Unfortunately I stumbled on another M2TS file that SC can't open. That file plays nicely in all players (WMP12, VLC2.0.6, MPC-HC 1.6.7.7114), but NOT in SC, that simply can't open the file: nothing happens, no warning or message. So (after another round of trying programs) I tried Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD 11.0 TRIAL VERSION. That program apparently does nicely and explains at lengths a great number of complicated tasks, but after hours of research I found NO WAY to do my extremely basic task: trimming. I can set 2 Markers or 2 Split points (Start and End), but can't fine-adjust them to the exact desired positions, and I can't even make an "event" going from this Start point to the End point. Or I can make a selection, but I can't find how to adjust it, nor to select it (yes it's called a selection but selecting it doesn't work on it). The "Help" is extremely detailed on complicated tasks, but tells you to do the elementary ones without any reference or explanation; for instance in Help, Part 4 "Using Vegas Movie Studio", Chap 2 "Editing Events on the Timeline", Section 5 (in 34) "Selecting Events", Paragraph 1 (in 9) says "With the Normal or Selection tool active, click the event. The event is highlighted to indicate that it has been selected"; yet I could find and activate the Normal Edit Tool, but how do I create an event? once I created one, where exactly do I click? You can spend literally hours on the myriads such guesses this program requires. Then there are the myriads "Support" systems, but none really helps; in particular, SONY wants you to try their program, everywhere they politely invite you to ask questions before eventually buying, but you can't post on their forum unless... you have bought and registered the program first! So, none (excepted the ones who don't need any more) can ask a question to Sony, hence all the ones stranded as me can only go away silently to not look stupid, and look for another program. It seems this program, like so many others, has been first intelligently written by careful and hard-working people, then bought by another (and bigger) company who allocated a lot of resources but with none really understanding the program, its goal, its intended audience, so they just add layers of "features" and cosmetics (Including sort of "Help" or "Tutorials"), trying to not cripple too much the internals. So, with regret for all the good in it, I can't but stick with the actual usefulness of this program: ZERO in my case and probably for many other regular people who don't dare tell it. Whence my mitigated rating. Versailles, Tue 07 May 2013 17:26:20 +0200<br /><br /><span class='notifyMsg'> Updated </span>on May 13, 2013<p/>UPDATE Trim, while hidden, IS quick and powerful. Yet further steps are lower, and even in last biggest "VMS 12 Platinum Suite 64bit build 896", make VMS inferior to cheaper and less shiny progs: 1. "Cursor" (vertic flashing line) has a "Handle" on the Time Ruler; drag that Handle; for faster, Ctrl-drag; for precise, Previous and Next Frame buttons bottom left of the Tracks. To zoom, "plus" and "minus" buttons bottom right. 2 To trim a video (remove the unwanted parts): once Cursor is on the wanted point, hit the "S" key. Repeat so all parts you want to keep or discard are separated with Split points. Click the video Track inside the part to discard and hit "Delete". Repeat as necessary. Drag result full left. 3. Trim a 2-min sample; "Make Movie &gt; Save it to my hard drive", select a template, "Render". In ~10 tries, 1 may approach what AVS4YOU gives in 1st try; others will fail, or be too big, or too blurry. Versailles, Mon 13 May 2013 14:53:00 +0200

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• A great set of tools for a video production novice.

  ttiffinOctober 18, 2010

  Pros

  Tons of material to help you work at creating your own video masterpieces. Time lines for audio, video and other additions for the production. I

  Cons

  still trying to find out how to do a few things like incoporating title options but I know I will find them with time. These types of answers could be a little easier to locate but again, I don't do this everyday. That is the only drawback I find.

  Summary

  I bought a program years ago called Video Explosion Deluxe and it was fabulous. I did several sports videos from start to finish without having to ever call customer service for help. Also did a few family videos and everyone asked how I did them. I called again about a year ago because I wanted to see if any updates were available and whoever answered the phone said no. We both lamented the demise of the program. What a surprise to download this from CNET and find out it is virtually a carbon copy of Vidoe Explosion. I am extremely please so far.

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• Disappointing

  jsm55555February 20, 2010

  Pros

  Can't think of any

  Cons

  Will not create DVDs - must buy the "Platinum" version, costing 3Xas much in order to get this capability. It appears that all media must be online during the editing process, which precludes the ability to combine multiple CDs/DVDs into one movie.

  Summary

  I own Adobe Premiere Elements and was hoping to find something a little more robust; I guess I'll keep looking :-)

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• Fast processing, easy to learn, reasonably priced

  LilPeckFebruary 12, 2008

  Pros

  I have used Adobe Premiere for years but my copy is pretty old and out of date with many of the new codecs. My copy was bundled with Pinnacle System's capture card and so it is slow with anything other than the native Pinnacle Avi files. I decided to purchase Vegas Movie Studio because I recently purchased a Sony digital camcorder and I hoped that this software would work well with the files created by the camcorder. I am very satisfied.

  Cons

  Summary

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• .

  lcswilliamJuly 9, 2007

  Pros

  .

  Cons

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• Krazy Who-Kid!

  KCThreatJuly 5, 2007

  Pros

  this shit got my video on mtv

  Cons

  Summary

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• AWESOME

  sonicknxOctober 24, 2006

  Pros

  Everything!

  Cons

  It's not Free!!!

  Summary

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