What PC-based NLE do You Recommend for the XH-A1?
 

I've pretty much decided on the XH-A1 for a documentary I will be working on. It will involve both US based interviews and run-and-gun filming abroad.

So now the question is which NLE to use with this fine camera? I would like to use Avid but there is no native 24F support. So my next best choice seems to be Sony Vegas. Do you agree?

What are you guys using and what do you recommend? I've searched and posted on the editing forums. But since this question is very camera specific (due to lack of 24F support by some NLE's) I decided to post this question in the Canon XH G1 / A1 camera forum.

THANKS much for your insights!

-Peter

Peter, I absolutely agree. I use Vegas myself. Can't think of a more capable and intuitive NLE. And works 100% reliable in 24/25F mode.

I use Vegas as well... Really handles mixed multi-media types (SD / HD) very well...

Me too, handles almost everything I can think of.

Do any of you have both Vegas and some version of Avid installed on the same computer? Vegas 7 is a must have it seems for my needs, but I'd also like to have Avid Express Pro as well. This way I can see how exported footage will look in Avid. And also get use to the Avid user interface.

I'm just concerned about any conflicts that might arise from having both programs installed on the same machine.

THANKS!

I also am a Vegas user. Started with version 4 after frustrations with other (major) NLEs and I'm now up to Ver.7 and loving it! It works perfectly with my A1 (more than can be said for most of the others) and IMHO is the most stable, intuitive, versatile and flexible NLE on the market.

Peter, as much as I can remember, years ago having Avid & another NLE may have caused problems on Win200 Pro, only because of differences in the way firewire was implemented, but ever since later versions progressed toward being supported on WinXP Pro, those problems don't seem to exist anymore.

This isn't verbatim, like I said regarding my memory, but I AM aware of quite a few people who do have both installed & report no problems. But those people DID have Avid supported systems. It's really the only way to assure yourself of no problems with Avid's nitpicky requirements.

Bill

Yes, Bill I just purchased a new video card (Avid certified) b/c my existing one is probably the reason why Avid's free software won't launch on my machine.

Yout got a Nvidia Quadro, eh? Actually there's quite a few of the lower end Nvidia based cards that usually work that aren't listed as qualified.

Regarding supported systems though, I was really referring to the workstations on Avid's qualified list... the HP's & Dell's.

Good luck,
Bill

Another vote for Vegas here. I've been using it since before you could even edit video with it! Best video editing app by far.. I've tried others (Premiere, FCP etc), but they're not even in the ballpark.

I saw Avid DV express demonstrated a few years back. I was surprised that all it's flashy new features were things that Vegas had been capable of since v1.0

I've heard that, but I SEEM to have gotten a good deal on a Quadro ($300 less than what it should be selling for)... so I'll see.

I tried installing Avid's Free DV on my computer, but launching it causes a runtime error. Everything else is up to spec, AFAICT, so I'm assuming it my cheapo multi-monitor video card.

Peter, I wouldn't even bother with Avid FreeDV. It's a severely dumbed down version for very limited learning & think at the very least you might want to try & get either version 3.1 or current XpressDV 4.x+ version. You can always upgrade to a Xpress Pro with an upgrade price.

Also, regarding Nvidia cards, install the approved driver Avid includes on the disc instead of the one that came with your card. There's also various tweaks & such to help a system run at peak performance. If & when you get to that point, I can come up with some links to throw your way.

Bill

Evnen my new XW8400 had som trouble with the FreeDv...!!

But ofcourse it runs the Xpress Pro HD stable, no crash so far, except the bug i found in the Digital Film Tools plugin when nested a few filteres in the right, read wrong..., order. That said, Xpress with for example the DFI plugins is one powerfull combination.

I'm in the land of getting a A1 to, and will stick to Avid, used to Avid stick with it...
Avid HAVE to do something with the HD and framerate support in EU or they will loose MANY BIG customers as the broadcasting standard many EU countries will use is 720p50.

HP XW8400 is a nice box!

A while back I installed Avid FreeDV on my daughter's low end Dell laptop. It ran fine. Not long after that I installed XpressDV 3.5 & no problems there either.

Go figure.

Bill

NLEs
 

Thanks for the tip - have used Premiere Pro for a while (for SD) but have now got Vegas. It is in a different league!! A good test is if it's worth my learning a new piece of software after having used Premiere Pro for so long - and even from my first day's exploration of Vegas, definitely it is worth changing over. The software itself seems very stable and the plugins seem to produce really good quality results (even if the controls are unfamiliar as yet).