VideoStudio X2 Pro Ultimate

I've been trialling this software for a few days now, and for my purposes I think it deserves a better rating than the 2 stars it has at present. I set out looking for a video editing package that a) can import, join or create simple transitions, and output the AVCHD files produced by my Panasonic HDC-SD9 camcorder very quickly and without loss of quality option (i.e. has a smart render option); b) has decent DVD authoring software that can author AVCHD files to DVD as well as Blu-ray; c) supported 5.1 surround sound; d) is reasonably quick to render and renders to as small as possible file sizes; e) has flexibility to output to HDD as well as DVD and produces files that play on my PS3; f) is very easy to use but flexible enough to play around with settings; g) doesn't cost the earth. I also wanted a decent selection of transitions and effects but as I am not big on creating all singing and dancing movies these features were very much secondary. My purpose we to easily capture, create, and easily distribute family video that is capable of being played back via a variety of mediums.
So to start I did a bit of research on the net and found the following 5 packages to be front runners: Serif MoviePlus X3, Pinnacle Studio 12 Plus/Ultimate, Adobe Premier Elements 7, Corel Video Studio x2 Pro Ultimate, and Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Pro Pack. I then downloaded the trial versions as set about testing according to my criteria. Remember I am an amateur so I am only looking for the easiest or most obvious way to do something from each package. That is my disclaimer.
So now down to the results... First the rendered output quality of all packages appeared similar, although the rendering time did vary slightly (by about 15%). Corel was the only package that supported an obvious Smart Rendering option. Adobe and Pinnacle provided most transitions and effects as standard. Serif and Corel were the easiest to use.
Adobe PE7 does not support 5.1 surround sound and its output capabilities appeared limited. I did however find one setting that produced an AVCHD H.264 file that played back on my PS3. -> Eliminated.
Serif would not recognise the .MTS files produced by my camcorder; however renaming them all the .M2TS worked. Also it will only produce output with max 1440x1080 res, not the 1920x1080 I wanted. -> Eliminated.
Pinnacle would only produce AVCHD output to DVD/Blu-ray disc and not directly to HDD and even then settings are limited to only one ("Best Quality"). Also it's worth noting 5.1 audio is only supported by the Ultimate version and I could only find the Plus version to trial. -> Eliminated.
That left Sony and Corel; both met my above basic requirements pretty well. Initially I liked the Sony as it offered a lot more for not too much more cash and I looked hard for reasons to buy it over the Corel; but the deeper I dug the more times Corel came out on top... I found the Sony DVD authoring package harder to use, the Corel editing UI was cleaner and it was easier to find the features you needed, Corel did obviously Smart Render but Sony did not, and finally the Sony crashed and I did not experience same with Corel. So the final verdict is Corel Video Studio x2 Pro Ultimate. It's far from perfect (hence 4 stars) but for my purposes it's the pick of the bunch. One small niggle I have with Corel is that the application window can only be full screen or minimised, so you can't resize it to get at other apps while it's rendering.

Corel VideoStudio Pro X2 Ultimate comprises four main applications: VideoStudio X2 (a video editor), WinDVD 9 (video playback), DVD Copy 6 Plus (for copying and converting discs), and WaveLab LE 6 (an audio editor).

A true mark of a good application is if it allows you to do what you want without having to read the manual.I applied this test to VideoStudio and I'm happy to say that it passed with flying colours. I created a professional looking photo slidshow, complete with audio, effects, and titles, not once having to refer to the bulky manual supplied.

The program's minimalist interface makes it easy for to find your way around. On the left is the preview player which allows you to check that your project is looking like you intend it to. Next to it on the right is where I could import and organise my library items (such as images and) videos. And at the bottom, you'll find the timeline where you can drag and drop images, videos, effects, titles, and audio to create my slideshow.

As with most video editors, VideoStudio splits video production into three stages: caputre, edit and share. The tabs at the top make it intuitive to accomplish each stage. Click on "Capture" and you can import media from a DV camera, discs, and even mobile devices. I was rather disappointed not to be able to capture video using my built-in webcam, however.

Once you've captured what you need to (or if you already have the media files saved on your hard disk), you can start editing. This process really is as simple as dragging and dropping. The hard part is deciding which effects, overlays, titles, and audio to use - but you'll have fun experimenting and deciding.

When you're happy with your video, you're ready to "Share". This stage allows you to output your project to many different formats. You could create a video file (like AVI), burn it to a disc, export it to a mobile device, or upload it to YouTube.

You'll find that there are probably different ways of doing what you want. For example, I went straight to the main video editor to create my slideshow but I found out later, after exploring the program more fully, that there was an easier way of creating slides. When you launch the program you have three choices: go straight to the video editor, go to the "movie wizard", or go to the DV-to-DVD wizard. Had I chosen the movie wizard, I would have seen the many slideshow templates on offer.

So my advice is to experiment and you'll be rewarded with a video production that you'll be proud showing off to your family and friends.

Even though I've focused on VideoStudio in this review, the other applications in the suite are well worth exploring too. WinDVD 9 played everything I threw at it without problems, and even supported HD DVD. Again, I liked the uncluttered interface and was pleased to find the A-B repeat function (which most other media players don't have).

DVD Copy 6 converts files for the Web or mobile devices like iPods. An animated and rotating menu in the left-hand corner guides you through all the options. If you have a video or audio file, the chances are you could convert it to something that your gadgets will be able to recognise.

WaveLab is a competent audio editor. It's great for editing the sound files that you use as background music for your videos. If you've never used an audio editor before it takes a bit of getting used to. But if you've used Audacity or someting similar you'll feel right at home. I have one gripe about this program, though: launching it always prompts the User Account Control which is very annoying.

I have over 10 years digital video editing experience (a subject I also teach) using a variety of applications. I purchased Videostudio in order to produce AVCHD DVD from my recently purchased Panasonic SD-20 camcorder. The problem occurs when producing AVCHD DVDs at the original recorded resolution (1920 x 1080 bit rate 16800) when creating the DVD an error in the internal DVD engine is reported when multiplexing the video and audio. This only occurs when transitions or titles are added, which is the purpose of the software. I have since gathered from discussion forums that this is a common problem that occurs with footage from Panasonic cameras which is believed to be due to how Panasonic use reference frames. I contacted Corel by email and they told me to phone their technical support that is a non-UK number at my expense! Lower resolution DVDs can be produced however, the footage has to transferred from the camcorder using the Corel Software, if the footage transferred using the Panasonic software is used the final video has lots of artefacts with waves rippling through it. I have given the software 2 stars since is does not do what is required, I cannot get the support I require and I will probably be waiting a long time for a patch to solve the problem. However, it is straightforward to use with a comprehensive set of sharing options. I would recommend that the trial version of the software is downloaded and thoroughly tested before purchasing, unfortunately when I tested it using footage from a show my daughter was in I did not add transitions.