I have to echo the comments about Adobe. I've been a big fan since version 5.0

I know HD demands a lot more of your hardware. That's not Adobe's fault but when I made the jump from 2.0 to CS3 I bought a nice new computer to go with it. I was hoping this sould solve some of the performance issues I'd been experiencing with PPro 2.0 in my previous computer.

While the faster hardware helped I've found CS3 even more bloated than 2.0. I'm so married to Adobe and my workflows that changing still seems scary. I'm considering Final Cut Pro though.

John,

Speed Edit does not have a demo version. I have been in contact with them to no avail and finally just gave up. Probably the worst business mistake ever and/or they just don't want to put in the effort in to engineering a demo version.

Mark

Mark,

I am very leary about companies who do not provide demos for their products. They are either hiding something or they just don't care. They are in it just for the money and don't care about their customers.

While SpeedEdit does sound like a nice application, I have to wonder about the company who makes it. Too many scams out there. For now, I will stay devoted to the professionals such as Adobe and Sony who I know produce dependable applications and support them.

-John

BTW, I just emailed newtek and told my opinion of them as well.

I am absolutely dying here. Newtek a scam? Do you have a clue about the history of this company?

Newtek? Why, only one of the oldest, most consistent and most deeply entrenched corporations in the NLE sphere. They were literally the first in the business to gain wide acceptance, with the ubiquitous Video Toaster, back in the days before the DV format, when the platform of choice for running it was the Commodore Amiga (and yes folks, I've been there and done that; Newtek's Video Toaster was my very first immersion into "video through a computer." Our Toaster paid a lot of bills at our studio. Geez, can't believe that was nearly fifteen years ago already).

Newtek's been in this business long before Randy Ubillos ever wrote the first version of Final Cut Pro -- heck, even before Randy wrote the first version of Premiere. I don't think Newtek needs to justify their existence to anybody... but yes it would be much more appealing if they offered a demo like everybody else!

I just bought Speed Edit for my particular workflow. (I use HDV in a SD project so I can 'blow-up' the video for 'close-ups' or size-down for 'wide shots' using the same footage.) This cannot be done in realtime in either Final Cut or Premiere Pro. I own both so I do know what I speak of. Speed Edit and Edius could play mixed formats in real time, Speed Edit gave me the flexibility I needed, so voila. I'm happy with it so far, but it is very different user-wise.

As to the demo issue, I've been told that due to legal/piracy issues, NewTek is wary of serving up an online demo. I agree that from a marketing POV, it's a stupid move. OTOH, NewTek has been putting most of their money in LightWave, their 3D modeling application, and their hardware/software based stuff, like their tri-caster.

While I'm happy with Speed Edit, Premiere Pro and Final Cut are a bit deeper and their workflows are very similar, something you might want to consider. Having used both PPro and FCP, I find myself going to Premiere for most of my corporate work. (I've been a professional editor since the days of tape machines, and like Chris Hurd, I remember working with the NewTek Toaster. I also remember Grass Valley, Ampex, Abekas and other DVE companies quickly dropping prices or coming out with cheaper DVE boxes within a year of the Toasters' appearance!) Anyway, I like FCP, it has a solid workflow and feature set, but I edit lots of dialog and find it easier in Premiere.

If you have a decent computer, (at least a Core 2 duo for HDV work), you can download and try any Adobe products for 30 days. I don't know if FCP has a demo, but either way, from my point of view you'll get a good deal.