What’s the Best Video Editing System?

VideoUniversity by Lee Rickwood

It still depends on what you are editing.

Several years ago, VideoUniversity published Doug Graham’s excellent article, What’s the Best Editing System? And while lots of technology has changed, the basic answer that Doug put forth back then still holds true today – the answer, he said, is ‘What do you want to do with it?”

With all the choices for video editing hardware and software out there, you are still best served before making a purchase decision to ask yourself a bunch of questions- then, go ask the dealer or vendor. Ask yourself what your goals are for video editing, and what you hope to accomplish.

Are you a hobbyist who wants to make better home movies? That will point you in one direction. Do you want to go a step further, and start a video business, doing weddings or school graduations? That goal leads to another answer. And if you are aiming high, with broadcast TV or documentary film festivals in your target, well, that’s another answer – and probably a few more dollars.

Each of these video scenarios, as Doug first pointed out, has a different set of video requirements – both in terms of the equipment most suited for the job, and in terms of the skills most required to make best use of the gear you choose.

Your choice will be some combination of hardware and software. The hardware is a computer and accessories such as extra storage drives and maybe a ‘capture card’. Software is a dedicated program for editing video, much like a program for word processing. Some editing systems are complete hardware and software packages making them dedicated editing appliances, such as those from MacroSystems, like the Kron or Casablanca, or even the NewTek Toaster system. read more...