Several unique terms and phrases describe the features of software we review on this site, some easier to grasp than others. This list briefly defines terms relevant to Video Editing Software.

Ratings

Editing Tools/Options

This category describes how user-friendly the product is for both beginners and experienced users.

Video Capture/Playback

This evaluates the difficulty of the installation and setup. If additional downloads are required or the installation is interrupted by errors, we relate this information in the review.

Ease of Use

This criterion considers all features that have to do with video editing. Features like adding transitions, effects, titles, etc. We also looked at companion editors such as photo and audio editors that may be included as part of the program.

Ease of Installation

We evaluated the captured copy for quality and compared it to the original to see if the copy is exact or if the software distorted the recording.

Help/Support

A good product without satisfactory support and documentation may be impossible for a beginner to use. We evaluate the quality of support and documentation from a beginner's perspective.

Editing Views

Timeline

The software allows you to arrange video clips using a timeline. This tool makes adding sound effects, titles and background music at just the right moment easy.

StoryBoard

Allows you to arrange video clips as you would arrange pictures on the page of a photo album. Each picture represents a separate video clip.

Video Editing Tools

Split/Divide Scenes

This feature will let you split one scene into two separate scenes.

Trim Scenes

Cut video from a scene.

Multi Trim Scene

Cut multiple sections of video from a scene.

Add Text to Video

The software will let you add text to any portion of the video.

Insert Audio Tracks

You can add audio tracks, such as background music, vocals or other types of sound tracks to the video.

Refocusing Tool

This feature will help you refocus on video that is fuzzy or distorted so that your project can be restored.

Video Stabilizer to Fix Shaky Video

This feature will reduce the movement in the video so that you can see what is going on in the video.

Loop Playback

Loop Playback is a good feature, especially if you are trying to create a wedding video or a video that needs to play continuously. This will play the video repeatedly in a continuous loop so you do not have to keep pressing the play button.

Change Video Aspect Ratio (16:9 or 4:3)

This will allow you to create a video in full or widescreen format.

Zoom In/Out

Zoom in or out on a particular object of your video.

Video Editing Effects

Transitions

Video signals or animated effects that indicate that one scene has ended and another is about to begin.

Special Effect Filters

Filters modify the appearance of a video clip. These vary from adjusting light/dark to the insertion of a humorous effect into a selected scene.

Title Templates

Title template screens are created with text and graphics that are activated in a select part of the screen. For example, such as rolling credits down one side of the screen with a non-moving image on the other side.

Add text animation, titles and scrolling credits

Left to right scrolling text or "rolling" text such as in credits.

Green Screen Editing

Green screen editing will let you shoot a video with a plain background and then place it into a chosen background.

Slow/Fast Motion Effects

The ability to adjust the playback speed of the video or audio file.

Change Properties (Brightness, Contrast, Hue, etc.)

The software will let you change video properties such as brightness, contrast, hue, etc.

Photo Editing Tools

Set Transition Duration

This feature is particularly helpful when you are trying to create a slideshow. You will be able to specify exactly how long you would like to view a particular picture before it transitions to another picture.

Change Photo Properties (Brightness, Contrast, Hue, etc.)

The software will let you change photo properties like brightness, contrast, hue, etc.

Rotate Image

The ability to "turn" an image.

Crop Image

Remove parts of an image.

Red-Eye Removal

Removes unwanted red-eye from photos.

Resize Image

The ability to resize an image while maintaining the image's original integrity.

Pan your Images

Provides the effect of a moving camera, so an image can be viewed from one point to another as if a camera was panning the scene.

Audio Editing Tools

Trim/Fade Audio

Allows you to remove the beginning or end of a sound track or fade audio in and out.

Audio Mixing

Supports the ability to perform basic audio editing, such as the mixing of two audio tracks.

Mute Audio

Allows editors to selectively mute portions of the audio.

Add/Remove Background Music

Add or remove all the background music in your project.

Add Audio from Microphone

Supports the ability to input audio from a microphone.

Crossfade

Cross fade your audio files so that one track fades out while next audio track fades in.

Disc/Menu Creation Features

Menu Templates

The software provides menu templates that can be incorporated into projects. A menu is used for scene selection and appears when a DVD is first started.

Template Customization

These are templates that can be customized or altered to suit the editor's preference or the theme of the DVD.

Create Multi-Layer Menus

Creates a tiered menu system that supports multiple videos on a single disc. Under the main menu, each selection can have its own submenu of scenes or chapters.

Divide into Chapters

Once your movie is created, you can divide it into chapters. This allows viewers to move through the scenes as they wish.

Add Thumbnail Image Borders

You can add custom borders around thumbnail images in the menu.

Background Music to Menu

Music or other audio track can be added to the menu screen.

CD/DVD Burning (DVD DL, DVD, VCD, SVCD)

The program includes a CD/DVD burning engine so that additional burning software is not required.

Change TV Standard (NTSC/PAL)

The program can reformat video to work with NTSC (American Continent) or PAL (European Continent) formats.

Video Capturing/Importing

Set Capturing Size Limit

You may set a limit to the size of file that you want to capture. The program will automatically quit capturing when a set limit is met.

Set Capturing Time Limit

You can set a time limit to the video capture. The program will automatically stop capturing video once the prescribed time has passed.

Batch Capturing

Allows you to preview a video or highlight just the video sections you want. Once desired clips are marked, the video editing software captures those clips as a group.

Drag and Drop

One of the features that helps with ease of use is the ability to drag and drop files, instead of having to go to a different screen and import them.

Video File Import

The software will allow you to import video files into the program instead of capturing them from a camcorder.

Digital Photo Import

The software will allow you to import photo files into the program instead of capturing them from a digital camera or scanner.

Audio Track Import

The software enables you to import audio files into the program instead of capturing them from a camcorder.

Publishing Methods or Output Formats

MPEGs

MPEG is the name for a group of audio and video coding standards agreed upon by MPEG (Motion Pictures Coding Experts Group).

Video CD (VCD)

A Video Compact Disc is a CD that contains moving pictures and sound. A VCD can hold up to 80 minutes of full-motion video. VCDs use the MPEG-1 compression standard.

Super Video CD (SVCD)

This format can hold 35-60 minutes of quality, full-motion video. SVCD is similar to a VCD but is higher quality.

DiVX CD

ivX is a new video format based on MPEG-4 compression standard for video. DivX movies offer better compression and higher quality video than regular MPEG movies and take less time to encode. With DivX, you can compress a full-length movie small enough to fit onto a single CD (700MB).

DVD

The format is used to write to DVD+R or DVD-R discs. For more information, see our article, "Understanding DVD Formats."

Dual Layer DVD

The format is used to write to DVD+R DL or DVD-R DL discs.

DV/Micro-DV Camcorder

DV is a video format used on digital video camcorders. MicroDV is a video format used by Sony camcorders. Some websites report that this format is to be discontinued.

Email

The software will let you create a video optimized to send through an email.

Electronic Greeting Card

The software supports the ability to create electronic greeting cards to be sent by email.

Real Video

A video format created by Real Inc. to stream video on the Internet.

Windows Media

A video format created by Microsoft Inc. to stream video on the Internet.

Quicktime

A video format created by Apple Inc. to stream video on the Internet.

Capturing Sources

Analog Camcorder(VHS, TV, Hi8, 8mm)

Captures analog video (VHS tape, 8mm tape, Hi-8 tape, TV) and converts it to digital video. Not every video editing program supports analog capture.

To make this conversion, you need a high-end graphics card, a separate capture card or a capture device for your computer. For more information, see our article, Copying VHS to DVD.

HDV/DV Device

Pulls video from a digital video camcorder and converts it to an AVI or MPEG file. These file formats can be edited by video editing software.

Micro DV Device

This feature reads and converts Micro DV files into AVI or MPEG format for editing. Micro DV is a highly compressed digital video format used by some Micro DV camcorders.

Audio CD

The software allows you to capture tracks from a CD so you can add them to your video.

Support/Help

Phone Support

Some manufacturers provide support though phone.

Email/Form Support

Some manufacturers provide support though email.

Live Chat

Sometimes manufacturers will have a live chat button available on their website so you can receive instant answers to your questions.

Tutorials/Free Trials

Many manufacturers include tutorials, which walk you through video editing step-by-step. They also often offer a free trial, so you can try it out before purchase.

User Manual/User Guide

The help section should answer most questions a novice user has about the product. It should include tutorials, definitions and helpful images or screenshots.

FAQ

It is helpful if the manufacturer provides a FAQs page on their website to answer common questions.

User Forums

In complicated software, such as video editing software, manufacturers often provide a searchable database that covers many topics relating to the use of the software.

 ©2003 – 2008 TopTenREVIEWS, Inc.