A little while ago, Serif released MoviePlus 4.0, apparently a cut-down and modified version of Sony's professional video editing software, Vegas.
Sony has already released their own cut-down versions in the form of Vegas Movie Studio, standard and Platinum editions.
Unlike the Sony cut-down versions which are limited to 4 video and 4 audio layers or tracks, MoviePlus apparently supports unlimited layers like the full Vegas software, which may be useful to some people and is my main reason for mentioning this product. Usually an unlimited layers feature is reserved for professional versions.
However, I suspect there are some trade-offs - for example, MoviePlus doesn't mention the VST and DirectX audio plugins supported under Vegas Movie Studio, and the MoviePlus features web pages refer to 16 video effects, while Vegas Movie Studio claims to contain nearly 300.
Posts from several users in various forums claim that while Pinnacle Studio has an easier interface, Vegas Movie Studio (VMS) is much more stable, hopefully this carries over to Serif's MoviePlus. One user chimed in that VMS has somewhat less demanding hardware requirements than Adobe Premiere Elements, which may also apply to MoviePlus.
Unlike VMS, MoviePlus doesn't have a trial version available for download.
Like VMS, it contains support for alpha channels and keyframes.
Other possibly useful links for interested parties:
Serif forums, including a MoviePlus section.
Sony's Vegas Movie Studio forum.
Regards, Myles.
US$80 video editor, unlimited layers.
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
US$80 video editor, unlimited layers.
"Quote me as saying I was mis-quoted."
-- Groucho Marx
-- Groucho Marx
Just to chime in, I've used vegas for quite a while and a number of versions, and even when most software annoyed me I found it reasonably sensible. So I have to respectfully disagree with whomever might have said the interface was more difficult than almost anything. And if someone has an affordable derivitive product that allows you lot's o' tracks, that sounds like a good deal. Of late, Vegas has thrown in a lot of cool video processing effects(like tolerable chroma keying, which I need but can be gotten elsewhere, but most "included" video FX in programs tend towards transitions I wouldn't be caught dead using, of doodads that are 'cool' but will rarely find a place in an actual movie. So a limited assortment of video effect may not be such a problem. I haven't looked at it yet, but a lack of support for proper audio processing would be a real detriment, 'specially if you couldn't use external plugins (but I would find that strange). Vegas started out as an audio program, and the rudiments of video (and then lots of video, the mostly video) were added over time. So killing the sound would suck.
But just from a quick look at some screenshots, it sure a hell looks like Vegas, and if it performs that way its probably a good deal.
But just from a quick look at some screenshots, it sure a hell looks like Vegas, and if it performs that way its probably a good deal.