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Desktop Video News #041 - Top 5 Free Video Editing Software Programs
April 18, 2006
Issue 41, 18 April 2006

What's Hot

Learn how to share your digital video creations with friends and family.

How to choose the best video editing software to suit your needs.

How to buy your first digital camcorder.

How to shoot a spectacular wedding video.

A powerful tool for editing video and adding special effects.
 

 

Resources

Ulead VideoStudio

allows you to turn home videos into slick looking productions with ease.

Learn how to use Microsoft Movie Maker using this excellent video tutorial.

Ulead MediaStudio Pro is a quality video editor designed for professional videographers.

Store your video files online with StreamLoad - a premier video storage service.

Pinnacle Studio Plus allows you to easily capture video from camcorders and produce the best home movies.
 

Top 5 Free Video Editing
Software Programs

© 2006 Desktop-Video-Guide.com


There are many free video editing software programs available for download today, but not all of them are good.

Many programs simply don't do what the manufacturers say that they will do, and others don't provide enough - or any support.

Of course, most free software does not include the same level or quality of support that you would expect to find with software that you purchase.

While you should remember that you get what you pay for, there really is some good free video editing software available. Here are the top five that we have found:


Microsoft Movie Maker

Already installed on newer computers that are running Windows XP, Movie Maker has drag and drop features to make creating and editing your movie easier. Microsoft has many add-ons for this software, and upgrades are available through the website. This is one of the best free video editing software programs available.
 

Apple iMovie

Apple iMovie is comparable to Windows Movie Maker, but Apple iMovie is used on the MAC operating system. Apple iMovie has many advanced features and add-ons. Unfortunately, the software is only free if you buy a new MAC system. If you want the software without buying the system, it is available for purchase. One of the best free video editing programs available for MAC users.
 

Avid FreeDV

Avid FreeDV is available for both Windows and MAC operating systems, and includes basic video and audio editing capabilities, as well as up to two streams of real-time effects. On the whole, a solid video editing program that is slightly hard to use, but very powerful once you learn its ins and outs.
 

Wax

Wax is a high performance and flexible free video editing software program. It
started out as a college project, and has since grown. Wax is good for both
home users and professionals. It can be used as a stand-alone application, or
as a plug-in to other video editors. The software also features unlimited video and audio tracks with top-down compositing.

Zwei-Stein

Zwei-Stein is great free video editing software, but the user interface is
very technical. It is full featured, offering many different effects. It can
edit up to 256 video, audio, and still image clips. There are up to 64 effects, which can be chained serially. An interesting program that's worth looking at.
 

Conclusion

Microsoft Movie Maker for Windows users, and Apple iMovie for MAC users are probably the two easiest to use free video editing software programs available. Both of the products will allow you to do what you want to do with your videos. However, trying out the others, you may find that you are able to add more effects and such to your videos as well. Of all the available programs out there, these are the top five free video editing software programs available.
 

Articles Of Interest


A review of the Sony DCR-HC21 MiniDV camcorder
This article features a Sony DCR-HC21 MiniDV camcorder review. The Sony DCR-HC21 is one of the most popular digital camcorders on the market today.

Top 10 3-CCD camcorders
My comparison of the top 3-CCD cameras available for serious videographers and budding filmmakers.

Top 5 super compact digital video cameras
Review of several compact video camcorders. Their puny size make them ideal for travel and sporting events.

A guide to selecting and buying VCD and DVD authoring software
A brief guide to buying the best VCD and DVD authoring software.

A guide to selecting a computer for digital video editing
A guide to buying a computer for digital video editing. Learn how to choose a quality desktop or laptop system.
 

For more articles, be sure to visit Desktop-Video-Guide.com.
 

Recommended Desktop Video Tools & Services


A Top-Notch Video Editing Program

Ulead VideoStudio is a full-fledged video editing package at a reasonable price. This software allows you to turn home videos into professional looking productions with ease. There are more than 1000 customizable special effects to play with.
 

Create Great-Looking Digital Videos
Roxio VideoWave Professional is a video editing program that could be the answer to your video editing headaches. If you have trouble creating good-looking home videos, VideoWave allows you to edit and produce Hollywood-style videos with a few mouse clicks.
 

The Easy Way To Make DVD Movies
Ulead DVD MovieFactory is the quick, easy way to make great DVD movies, music discs and write data on DVDs or CDs. The software allows you to burn video straight to disc using no hard drive space. You can also easily trim video clips or add DVD chapters and titles.
 


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