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Best video editting software?

B

bozeefus

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 18, 2008
70
0
Hi there. I am not a mac newbie but i few like one. i have been using OSX for about several months and i like it a lot.

what i'm looking for is some basic video software for mac. it can be freeware or shareware, as long as it is GOOD and does what i am looking for. any recommendations will be considered!

i used imovie and although it's impressive, it takes too long to decode and convert.

all that i am looking for is a software that can take my .avi files from my video camera and allow me to cut portions of the video file so that i can upload to youtube while maintaining sufficient video quality.

i don't need fancy special effects, but quality is important to me.

thanks for the help!
 
Have you looked at Final Cut Express?

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
MacDawg said:
Have you looked at Final Cut Express?

Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
Click to expand...

holy crap, i didn't expect a reply this fast. this site is extremely active!

just some questions. have u used final cut express and how does it compare to imovie in terms of speed when decoding/converting?
 
bozeefus said:
holy crap, i didn't expect a reply this fast. this site is extremely active!

just some questions. have u used final cut express and how does it compare to imovie in terms of speed when decoding/converting?
Click to expand...

I don't use it, but my daughter does and she loves it


Woof, Woof - Dawg
pawprint.gif
 
Realize that rendering video is processor intensive, regardless of the program. iMovie works well for me but still takes hours. I also use Final Cut Pro, but it hasn't saved me any time as far as rendering.
 
redwarrior said:
Realize that rendering video is processor intensive, regardless of the program. iMovie works well for me but still takes hours. I also use Final Cut Pro, but it hasn't saved me any time as far as rendering.
Click to expand...

what i find annoying about imovie is that i have to add the movie to its library which takes awhile to do. do u happen to know a way to just open said file and do editting right away?
 
bozeefus said:
what i find annoying about imovie is that i have to add the movie to its library which takes awhile to do. do u happen to know a way to just open said file and do editting right away?
Click to expand...
No, I don't, but give it a little time, someone should be along to help you. Remember, working with video is complicated and detailed; answers can be difficult to come by.
 
bozeefus said:
what i find annoying about imovie is that i have to add the movie to its library which takes awhile to do. do u happen to know a way to just open said file and do editting right away?
Click to expand...

You can't IIRC iMovie converts it into some format it likes to work with, hence the long import time, and it also copies that file into the project file, which in turn takes time.

I would say look into FCE, as it's pretty powerful compared to iMovie, I personally found iMovie to be very overly simplified, to the point where you really don't get alot of control.
 
Schtumple said:
You can't IIRC iMovie converts it into some format it likes to work with, hence the long import time, and it also copies that file into the project file, which in turn takes time.

I would say look into FCE, as it's pretty powerful compared to iMovie, I personally found iMovie to be very overly simplified, to the point where you really don't get alot of control.
Click to expand...

does FCE require one to convert it to some format it likes to work with?
 
quotemeas said:
FCE is in dire need of an upgraded interface.
Click to expand...

i just tried final cut express on my friend's mac and i agree, the interface does not fit a mac osx app. it's small and disgusting with millions and millions of icons.

however, it does decode video very fast compare to imovie.
 
if you just want to trim video, I would purchase a license for Quicktime Pro off the apple site.


I have done so and it's come in handy many times. I open a video, trim it, and save either the audio, or a quicktime movie.


I got some songs off a live Nightwish concert by trimming the video to each song, and saving the audio as "Aiff" (that's all quicktime can do).


I then copy to iTunes, and convert to AAC audio because AIFF seems to be the mac version of WAV audio files in Windows. These are uncompressed and very large, exceeding a gig in size if the song is long enough.
 
The problem is that it's Final Cut Express, not iMovie Pro. Apple's Pro apps are not things you just figure out by sitting there clicking on things. Well, with the exception of Aperture, which is brilliantly simple to use.

Incidentally, the only Pro app I can use? Aperture.
 
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