Video Editing Software – Video Formats
Video File Import and Export Choices
As I mentioned in the first post of this series on how to choose the best video editing software for you one thing to keep in mind during the selection process is, “What is it that I am REALLY going to do with this software?” There is absolutely no point in spending extra money on software that handles all sorts of exotic video file formats because it seems cool to be able to have that capability if you are never going to use it.
Many video file formats available today are owned by software companies and this involves paying a license to use their technology. Paying all sorts of license fees that are included within the video software package that you have no need for makes no sense at all.
Similarly, incurring extra expense for High Definition Video features or Blu-ray features when you you don’t have a Blu-ray burner or player and don’t have a High definition TV or camcorder is just wasting money.
In choosing the correct video editing software for you probably the first point to consider is (realistically),
“What will be the main video format (or formats) of the raw video files I will be importing into the program for editing?”
Secondly,
“What will be the main video file format that I will be producing so as to playback, store or distribute my final productions?
Here is a quick round up of the current video formats you are most likely to be using as input into your video editing projects:
1. Standard Definition (SD)
DV.avi
This is the video format recorded to mini DV tapes on many camcorders. As a format it is still very popular because it is a virtually uncompressed video format and provides the best quality in standard definition video combined with the greatest suitability for editing. The video format itself was developed specifically for this purpose which is why it is so video editor friendly. It requires the least amount of computer resources of all the various video file types.
MPEG2 video recorded to mini DVD either on a camcorder or DVD recorder.
MPEG2 video recorded to an inbuilt hard disc drive on a camcorder or DVD recorder.
MPEG2 was originally designed as a distribution video file type for the DVD standard. It was never designed to be edited so of course as soon as it became available on the original Sony DVD camcorders…everyone wanted to edit with it!
What ensued was about three years of heartbreak and a lot of whining and moaning from the public until the video editing software engineers finally got the format sorted out and presently this is the easiest of the compressed video file formats to edit.
It is reasonably easy on resources but because of the compression involved can be a little twitchy if your computer gets stressed. Provided you don’t keep re-copying and re-compressing the files the quality will maintain pretty well.
MPEG4, H.264, H.263, .MOV, .WMV, .FLV, DivX, Xvid and on and on and on!
This group represents the rest of the pack and all fall under a general heading of highly compressed files most often used for distribution online (YouTube etc.) or for replay on a computer monitor. They produce tiny files and considering the size of the video files they can produce some excellent quality.
The main point to remember with these files is that they were specifically designed to be video distribution formats, the final product after you have used a more video editor friendly input format. There is nothing in their design specs that included how to edit them. So it is important to note that editing with these formats will always be a hit and miss affair and should be avoided if possible. (See the note at the end of this post.)
2. High Definition (HD):
HD MPEG2 recorded to mini DV tape on a camcorder. This format is called HDV and is kind of like MPEG2 on crack! Of all the new HD formats this one has proven to be, by far, the most conducive to video editing.
AVCHD (an MPEG4 variant) usually recorded to inbuilt hard disc drive on a HD camcorder.
AVCHD recorded to DVD on a camcorder.
AVCHD recorded to solid state (flash etc.) memory on a camcorder.
AVCHD in any format and from any device is the baby of the bunch and is currently the bane of the video editing forums. It’s day will come but for now is beset with editing problems and requires huge processing ability from the computer.
On to output formats:
DVD.
This will be in the form of MPEG2 files authored (organized and written) to DVD in standard definition. It is possible to write a high definition video file structure to a standard DVD and have a High Definition player and HDTV handle it however compatibility at present is is not widespread.
Completed projects or edited material written back to the original recording device. E.g. A completed project written back to a tape camcorder for archival purposes in the original format.
High Definition material written to a Blue Ray disc or what is called a “hybrid” disc. This is an AVCHD file and file structure that can be played back on a Sony Playstation connected to a HDTV.
Finally, any of a number of very highly compressed formats for viewing on computers, hand held devices or loading on to internet services such as YouTube.
As an added note here you also need to be aware of the various sound recording and playback formats. If your particular recording device, camcorder or DVD recorder uses Dolby Stereo (AC3) or 5:1 Surround or you wish to output these audio file types, a license for that technology is needed. Check the software to see if it is included in the purchase price or whether it must be purchased as an add on.
A note on video compression.
The term compression when speaking of video files tends to give an incorrect impression regarding exactly what is happening to your files. You would think that what is happening is that your video file is being squashed in some way so as to occupy less space. Nothing could be further from the truth! The truth is that the compression software is throwing away a large part of the original information and it is this point that causes the problems in video editing.
Of course if the software marketers called it video trashing, or data dumping I don’t think, somehow, it would convey the hi-tech sexiness that they are trying to promote!
So, your first task in deciding on what video editing software is suitable for you is to work out what your most common source files will be and what your most common output will be. That represents the core of what you will be using the software for and should be your main focus. After that look through any other formats you may need to narrow down the choice.
Take a look at the list of Video Editing Software below which is in no particular order and check some of the features I have mentioned here to see which ones could be on your shortlist.
Remember if you like click on the RSS feed button you can receive automatic updates and if you would like to ask a specific question or have something to add to the conversation feel free to use the comments box.
Corel Ulead VideoStudio Pro X2
Pinnacle Studio 12 Plus or Ultimate
Video Editing Software Free Trials
