Videomaker's 2005 Best Products of the Year (page 3)

Sony Media Software Vegas 6 Video Editing Software ($450)

There was some heavy competition in this category, as the majority of higher-end editing software packages became super feature-rich. Though we would be happy using most we tested, Vegas 6 grabbed our attention as software that was beginner-friendly but would keep the interest of higher-end users not trying to work in Avid-modeled workflow that Hollywood and advertising editors are accustomed to. We loved the tags feature that let the operator attach metadata to clips, and Vegas is packed with many features professionals would expect such as nesting, JKL transport keys, Dolby 5.1 surround sound capabilities, powerful color correction tools, vectorscope and waveform monitors and so much more.

Disc Makers ReflexMax4 ($749)

This was the closest race of the year, almost resulting in a tie, but the Disc Makers ReflexMax4 squeaked out ahead by a hair, thanks to its hard drive and the fact that they've dropped their price since our first review. The LaCie Dupli Disc DVD125 is an easy to use, five-tray duplicator that does its job well, but the editors here liked the 160GB hard drive in the ReflexMax4. Lifetime tech support doesn't hurt either--we called and got a human on the line in a little more than 30 seconds.

NewTek Tricaster ($4,995)

A television producer who writes for us replaced his $225,000 switcher with the $5,000 TriCaster and found the 7.5x11.5x8" system could hold its own. If you're looking for a live multi-camera switcher that will fit in the trunk of your car, NewTek has the answer (and it won't bankrupt you). A favorite amongst the vidcasters recording their shows live at cafes around the United States, the TriCaster allows users live video switching, nonlinear editing and Internet streaming. It also features realtime output to an SD device, a VGA projector or LCD display or a web stream.

Adobe Premiere Elements 2 ($100)

Adobe has upped the ante on low-cost editing software. Premiere Elements was made with the beginner in mind, but has enough functionality to let more advanced editors do their job. A very welcome feature is the ability to capture video from just about any consumer device, including cell phones, non-copy-protected DVDs, still cameras that record video and so on. DVDs can be burned directly from the program with motion menus and audio. The software lets you import and export Dolby Digital as well as a host of other audio formats.

Apple Final Cut Express HD ($299)

It's not easy competing with the Final Cut family. Ulead's MediaStudio Pro is a great piece of editing software, but Final Cut Express HD is an unbelievable value at $299. The included animated titling program LiveType and sound program Soundtrack are worth the price alone. This new version lets those who are upgrading from iMovie to import their iMovie project files seamlessly. FCX HD supports multi-layered Photoshop files, ships with over 200 realtime transitions, filters and effects and has an advanced color corrector. Can't blame the tools any longer.

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