Magix Movie Edit Pro 12
by Dr. D.

This $60 piece of software claims to do it all from HD to You Tube ready files, plus editing and manipulating up to 8 audio tracks at one time!

Imports from native SD and HD AVI, Mpeg 2, AC3 (with addition of a separate plug-in), HDD sources and DVD source. Export to WMVHD format (Windows Media HD files) that can be burned on regular DVD burners and played back in HD 16:9. Export as MWV, MOV (Quick Time), RA (Real Player), DivX and several Mpeg 4 formats (which require a fee per use or secondary software). Supports IPod, PSP, cell phone and other player formats.

Includes some 3-D transitions.

You need at least a screen display of 1024 x 768 to work with Movie Edit and to do HD you need a 3 GHz or faster processor.

You can import any combination of 1 to 8 videos with audio tracks or 1 Video up to 15 audio tracks, with the ability to modify a given track with a 10 ban equalizer, a compressor, a de-hisser or a reverb. It also clips over modulated audio to remove break up. If you press the AUTO button on the mixer your moves on the fader are recorded and followed during play back. It does not apply to the MUTE button, only to the fader and there is a lag-time involved, fades are no in real time, so you will have to anticipate through trial and error to get your fades smooth.

While the demo of Movie Maker 12 I tested had no problems with WMV files, it said it couldn’t read two Mpeg 2 files and two Mpeg 4 files I had on my system. I also wouldn’t import viewable files from professional DVD but it did import one I made from my own movies. The first had no problems, but the second had break up problems within the frame.

What it does is copy the VOB files to your hard drive and then it converts them into usable files that move right into the editing timeline. It took about a minute to process a 3 minute music video I did and the results were perfect. That second one had problems. The kind of problems where it turns solid round ball objects into the AT&T logo.

You can download a free trial version to get a feel for how it works. Then if you like it you register, pay the $60 fee and get an unlimited version that will still require you to pay a per time fee to convert files to MPEG 4 and you will need a plug-in to work with certain movie formats.