1/14/14 I'm not really sure what to use this for -- does not
Open Program:
I think the best way to get to it is the tools menu on VideoStudio Pro.
Has a (confusing and seemingly useless) opening screen. It seems to mostly be logical groupings.
Extension: .VSX for project files (edited, but not yet rendered)
To Open a File:
There is no way to directly "open" a file in VSEx. Instead, Import|My Computer, and select the folder which contains the video clip you want to open (it is now in the "organizer").
Individual folders containing videos are displayed (with some files within them) without reference to folder structure. Click on the folder then see #3.
Double click on a thumbnail to get to "express edit". You may also right click then "edit"
To Modify a File:
Once in the editor, a kind of project file (vsx) is created that retains edits without modifying the file.
When done, click back to "organizer." Select the appropriate vsx file to burn or save.
Basic tools on top, more tools on right "fly out"
To Save a File:
Do NOT use "create movie" or you get a full blown with opening screen and music added.
Use Share|File to save. The title needs to be modified I think (it puts a parenthetical number at the end -- not sure why). MPG seems to save the smallest files.
Formats seem rather limited and hard to figure out because they are listed by a few output devices rather than quality.
1/14/14 tried a youtube video on mp4 phone quality. Size estimate was about right. Video quality pretty bad on computer.
Useful features:
rotate (icon on lower left) -- (also in pro)
reduce camera shake -- pull out menu on the right "more tools". I can't find this in pro.
Switching from Express to Pro does not seem to carry the current project clip over.
VS Pro gives more functionality and control over output.
To open a file, click the "video project" drop down on the top of top left quadrant ("video" also works, but there is other clutter there). The "add" icon opens a typical browse window. The other drop downs offer a confusing/useless hodgepodge of clips (I think the "windows media library" just searches the whole computer -- right click then properties will help find where it is).
I downloaded bonus sound effects/clips. Also, there are more loaded videos/vid templates than seem to show up in the browse window above.
Extension: .VSP for project files (edited, but not yet rendered)
5/11 testing. Started with a 51,803 kb AVI file from the G3. Rotated 90 degrees, then cropped to a much shorter segment. Tried re-saving with various AVI compression settings (VSPro):
51,803 kb (original, unrotated uncropped)
8,783 kb Intel Indeo video 4.5 (85%)
7,217 kb Indeo video 5.1 (85%) -- takes a bit longer to render
40,356 kb DV video encoder type 1
42,541 kb DV video encoder type 2
53,232 kb MJPEG compressor
350,529 kb avi uncompressed
Microsoft Video 1 crashes
MS video 1 (I think)
VSExpress compression: when I brought in the uncompressed avi to apply the "no shake" feature in express and resaved it to DV, the file size was 42,541, which indicates the Express uses DV type 2 compression automatically. Bringing that back to VSPro and compressing Indeo 5.1 (85%) yields 6,460 kb.
5/19/11 On the PSP Creator "create" (final step), it lists AVI as the lower quality format for recording back to DV camcorders, and WMV as the HD quality level for computer playback. Testing that.
6/2/11 Tested a clip MVI_0077 from the G3 camera
8,904 kb original, cropped to about half the size in VSP
11,729 kb Indeo 5.1 at 85%
13,641 kb Indeo 4.5 at 85%
very large Indeo 5.1 at 100% -- none of the Indeo compressions will play on Windows Media Player
13,714 kb NTSC DVD 16:9 mpg (from primary menu) - Project Creator won't read it
51,554 kb NTSC DV 16:9 (this is an avi format from the primary menu)
4,067 kb AVI DivX 6.9.2 (custom menu), plays on Windows Media Player, DivX player, and will work in Project Creator
2,940 kb WMV format (custom menu profile) Zune 640x480 high quality - works in WMP, Proj Creator
1,522 kb WMV format (custom menu profile) Neptune high quality
MPEG-4 HD (menu)
7/7/11 AVI defaults to Intel Indeo R3.2 at 65% -- Dr. Seuss 306,993 kb, this setting was terrible
85% -- 326,020, still bad
Indeo 4.5 at 85% -- 344,187, marginal
original -- 5,438,099 -- but some cropped. The original doesn't have great video quality
Indeo 4.5 at 100% -- 433,603 -- crashed on fuze transfer for some reason
AVI DivX 6.9.2 is not available on Corwin's computer (I have installed it on D5150, so it must pick up that codec on VSP).
7/8/11 Converting from edited AVI in VSP to a video file that can be read by video4fuze and good quality settings.
none of the Indeo settings seem to give a file that has decent quality when converted (see 7/7/11)
WMV broadband 113,756 kb to fuze avi of 109,136
1/15/14 used mp4 phone output. Not very good resolution, but sound is fine. Used for a convo clip. On the Dell8500 there are other options for codecs -- it may be that the program picks up what is available.
VSP automatically launches another program which inserts a cheesy menu and burns to DVD.