Video editing is becoming an increasingly mainstream activity, and new programs like Ulead's VideoStudio 9 are making this once-complex hobby easy for novices.
I tested a shipping version of the $100 application and found that it makes capturing, editing, and outputting video simple. Especially noteworthy is the DV-to-DVD Wizard, which takes video from a digital camcorder to a DVD in just a few simple steps.
VideoStudio 9 also features a Movie Wizard that can assemble a group of clips, add background music, and output them quickly in one of 12 templates, with opening title sequences and graphics.
The app includes a selection of video filters for exposure and color correction, as well as special effects (such as an impressive ghost motion filter for horror movies).
However, VideoStudio 9 is sometimes slow to respond, and the preview of the edited video is also slow to appear. And though you get a good selection of built-in transitions and video effects, you can't tweak them much.
These quirks are annoying, but none are likely to get in the way of using the program. VideoStudio 9 is an effective way for a novice user to copy movies from a digital camcorder to a DVD easily.
VideoStudio 9 is a simple-to-use video editor, though it can be noticeably slow to respond.
Price when reviewed: $100
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