AVCHD Editing Is Here - Sony Vegas 7.0e and Ulead Video Studio 11

May 1, 2007— The light at the end of the tunnel for AVCHD editing is growing brighter as two new NLE updates were recently introduced. This week, Corel announced the release of their latest Ulead video editing software, Video Studio 11, which features AVCHD support for all AVCHD camcorders. Sony recently announced an upgrade for their Vegas 7 software,  Vegas 7.0e, an AVCHD editing solution for their line of AVCHD camcorders (and only their line) including their new HDR-SR5, HDR-SR7 HDD models, and HDR-CX7 Memory Stick model.

 

Video Studio 11 joins Ulead’s DVD MovieFactory 6 to bring AVCHD support to the timeline. Corel’s latest version of Video Studio utilizes “PureHD” technology to import HD video from HDD and AVCHD camcorders for real time editing, and claims footage can be edited as easily as DV. Video Studio 11 Plus also includes InterVideo WinDVD 8 Silver, which is reportedly the first AVCHD certified playback software.  This stands in contrast to the grievances various engineers have voiced in private, stating that AVCHD editing will prove to be difficult and time-consuming for all but the most robust computers.

There is a bright side, however: universal compatability. "UVS 11 supports all camcorders that support AVCHD today," says Catherine Hughes,

Director of Corporate Communications at Corel. “Now, consumers have an easy-to-use solution for capturing video from the new crop of AVCHD camcorders; editing without quality loss; and outputting to disc, tape, or Web,” according to Blaine Mathieu, Vice President and General Manager, Products and Strategy, Digital Media at Corel.

 

Video Studio 11 includes an MPEG Optimizer, which allows editors to select the MPEG settings most conducive to multiple-clip rendering by analyzing the bitrates of each individual clip in the timeline. The best quality and speed for output is then suggested based on the clip analysis. The ability to Safely Pause the rendering process is a now reality, allowing editors to adjust their project as they render.

 

Ulead’s new NLE supports SD and HD video, images, and audio, and captures footage from DV, HDV, AVCHD, HDD (.MOD file format), and USB camcorders. Mobile phones, set-top DVD recorders, digital and analog TV tuners, VCRs, and Webcams are also compatible. In Video Studio Plus, users can output to iPod, PSP, YouTube video, and Nokia mobile phones.    

 

The new Video Studio 11 also includes features such as a DeBlock filter, which is designed to reduce blocky compression artifacts, and DeSnow filter, said to reduce graininess and noise from analog sources, like a Hi-8 camcorder. Overlay tools are also available and allow users to work with transparency, mask, or chroma key effects.

 

Ulead Video Studio 11 is currently available from www.corel.com and www.ulead.com, and will hit the shelves early this May. Video Studio 11 Standard ($89.99) offers basic editing and DVD authoring while Video Studio 11 Plus ($129.99) includes InterVideo WinDVD 8 Silver playback software along with additional advanced features. Upgrade pricing is available at both Corel and Ulead websites.

 

Sony’s NLE, Vegas, received an upgrade from version 7 to 7.0e, providing support for their HDR-UX1, HDR-UX5, HDR-UX7, HDR-SR1, and newest models—HDR-SR5, HDR-SR7, and HDR-CX7. Like Video Studio, it grants the long-awaited ability to edit AVCHD footage, though Vegas will not support any brand of camcorder other than Sony.