Any reason to buy Screenblast 3?

VideoP wrote on 11/12/2003, 10:19 PM
It's that time of year again, when I build a new computer and put all the latest greatest software on it that I'll be using during the next year. I've currently got Vegas Video 3 and I'm finding the price to upgrade to Vegas 4 + DVD to be a little out of my current budget. (I've blown enough money on software I don't use like After Effects) I'm wondering if it makes any sense for me to invest in Screenblast 3 and sell my Vegas 3 ($50 bucks on eBay :( ) or if I should just stick with what I have. I've already got dvd authoring software from Ulead that I'm more than happy with so that isn't an issue. As for editing I pretty much just use crossfade transitions and change velocity now and then. I manipulate volume for both video/audio and music/audio to set mood using the rubber bands in VV3. I'll once in awhile use rolling credits or text on screen but don't overdue it. I save all projects as mpeg 2 and then burn on to DVD for viewing. I've got all of this power at my fingertips and I see that Vegas 4 adds a lot more but I just don't think I need it. So is there any compelling reason for me to downsize to Screenblast 3? As an example if I knew the mpeg2 encoder was better or worse that would be a deciding factor.

Any opinions ?

Paul

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 11/13/2003, 7:17 AM
Personally i'd stick with Vegas 3. About the only thing i can think of that MovieStudio 3 adds that you don't currently have is output to SWF format. You would be losing velocity envelopes, unlimited tracks, DX plugin capability, and a few thousand other features. Wait a while instead. Vegas 5 will probably come out sometime over the next year and the upgrade offer for current users is usually in the $150 range, which is only $50 more than buying MovieStudio 3.
VideoP wrote on 11/13/2003, 8:06 AM
Thank you very much. I didn't realize I'd be losing the velocity envelopes a feature I always use. I missed the boat on the $150 4.0 upgrade and I really don't see any enhancements in 4.0 worth $200 to me. I'm hoping you are right and that an upgrade to 5.0 will be the same price for a 3.0 user.

Paul
hbwerner wrote on 11/15/2003, 9:16 AM
I bought 3 because my new VAIO can't burn DVDs from the provided XP moviemaker. I find 3 the most awkard movie editing program I've ever seen. Even moving and pasting requires a bunch of extra steps to avoid overlaps. I think the switch to timeline probably caused most of the problem. XP MovieMaker and VideoWave are much easier to use, and XP MM even has a lot more title animations available than the pitiful few in 3. I think it's a really lousy product.
hbwerner wrote on 11/15/2003, 9:16 AM
I bought 3 because my new VAIO can't burn DVDs from the provided XP moviemaker. I find 3 the most awkard movie editing program I've ever seen. Even moving and pasting requires a bunch of extra steps to avoid overlaps. I think the switch to timeline probably caused most of the problem. XP MovieMaker and VideoWave are much easier to use, and XP MM even has a lot more title animations available than the pitiful few in 3. I think it's a really lousy product.
hbwerner wrote on 11/15/2003, 9:17 AM
I bought 3 because my new VAIO can't burn DVDs from the provided XP moviemaker. I find 3 the most awkard movie editing program I've ever seen. Even moving and pasting requires a bunch of extra steps to avoid overlaps. I think the switch to timeline probably caused most of the problem. XP MovieMaker and VideoWave are much easier to use, and XP MM even has a lot more title animations available than the pitiful few in 3. I think it's a really lousy product.
Steve Grisetti wrote on 11/17/2003, 8:57 AM
Well, it's true that, as hbwerner says, Screenblast isn't quite the no-brainer MovieMaker is and it does take a little getting used to.

But, once you do, you'll be rewarded with a product that can do amazing things (including chromakey and pan & crop) and offers more customizable functions than any other program in its league.

MovieMaker is a nifty little toy that is well worth the half an hour it will take to download. And, if all you want to do is throw together some home movies, it will do just fine. But, if you really want to do professional looking videos that occasionally push the envelope, it's a great investment!
ChristerTX wrote on 11/29/2003, 10:19 PM
What amazed me is that you can't save to MPEG2 for DVD burning. You have to save to AVI and tehn render in another program.

/ Ch
IanG wrote on 11/30/2003, 4:10 AM
Rendering to MPEG-2 is an option. I don't know what MyDVD's input options are though.

Ian G.