NewTek SpeedEDIT Video Editing Software Review

NewTek has a reputation for making video production faster, easier and sometimes just more fun. Their latest innovation is SpeedEDIT, and according to NewTek, it is the "world's fastest video editor." As they have, in fact, created several revolutionary products, we'll certainly grant them the pole position. But such a bold claim begs close inspection and a few laps around the editing software review- track.

The first step in our editing software review was to install SpeedEDIT on our test computer, which well exceeded NewTek's minimum system specs for editing DV. However, it did not have dual dual-core CPUs as recommended for optimal HD editing. So, while we didn't assess complex HD real-time features, we did test these same features in SD. There is no hardware dongle, but installation does require you to enter a registration code that effectively locks the application to only that computer.

The interface is deceptively basic and easy to get around, but dig a little and you'll find plenty of horsepower under the hood. If you are familiar with NewTek's Video Toaster, you'll be right at home; if not, then give yourself a little more time to get acquainted with the layout and iconography and to get in sync with NewTek-think. For example, if you choose not to use the Filebin to import media, you might look under the File tab...nope, it's under the Window tab.

Unlike in many other editing packages, there is no integrated or docked preview window. To preview your project on a single monitor, you'll need to either minimize the main window to give the preview window some room or juggle the preview window around areas of the main window you are not using. You do, however, have several preview options, one of which includes using a FireWire-connected display device (or simply a throughput signal to a monitor via your camcorder). While it's not strictly required, we found a two-monitor set-up indispensable.

SpeedEDIT divides the default workspace into two main panes, each of which is user-configurable in both size and content. You choose each pane's content by clicking on one of five main tabs: Storyboard, Timeline, Spreadsheet, Control Tree and Filebin.

If you've honed your editing skills on timeline-based editors, using a storyboard view may at first seem, well, too easy. And it is! Of course, that also can translate to "fast." SpeedEDIT's storyboard does more than just rearrange clips in preparation for importing into a timeline; it actually dynamically updates the timeline in real time. If you trim or move the order of a clip in Storyboard, it will automatically update the timeline with that change. Delete a clip in Storyboard and the change ripples through the Timeline. This dynamic linking can be a huge timesaver in itself, but you need to get used to the idea that a change in one view will impact the other.

Organizing your clips visually can be very efficient, but of course you can't do more intricate operations like split edits or compositing. SpeedEDIT's timeline is a little different from most; it lacks the traditional vertical division between video and audio. Each clip, however, clearly features either a clip thumbnail image or an audio waveform, so there's no confusion of what is what.

Capturing video is simple and quick. SpeedEDIT gives you basic file management options for file naming and placement, transport control of your camcorder or deck and a meter gauging remaining disk space. NewTek also added a Chop function that allows you to create separate clips on the fly. If you're going to baby-sit the transfer anyway, creating rough individual clips could be another timesaver. Of course, if you have something better to do, you can just click Auto Chop and SpeedEDIT will create separate clips at every point where you hit the record button on your camcorder.

To see how well SpeedEDIT handled multiple formats and resolutions, we imported the following clips: 720x480 .avi, 720x480 Quicktime, 720x480 MPEG, 1280x720p M2T. There was no delay in either loading, trimming or reordering any of these files within SpeedEDIT. We were impressed that SpeedEDIT did not require any transcoding of various clip resolutions and formats before we could begin editing. This is potentially a huge time-saver. The audio portion of the clip, however, may need to be conformed to the pro-ject settings.

To manipulate properties of any clip, you simply highlight it and select the Control Tree tab. Here you'll find everything from 3D positioning, Alpha Channel control, advanced color correction, chroma keying and much more. The real-time chroma keyer offers a good amount of fine control. We were able to get a very acceptable key from a less-than-perfectly-lit background. Additionally, you can fine-tune most properties with keyframes in a graphic environment. Once you've made a keyframed node, right click on it to open up a host of additional features. Like we said earlier, the interface is only deceptively basic.

You access special effects and the titler through the Filebin. SpeedEDIT makes adding special effects as easy as dragging from the Filebin to the timeline. And for the most common transition of all, the dissolve, it's even easier: just slide one clip over another in the timeline, and you've got your dissolve!

Some of the more advanced features also contribute to increased editing speed. We particularly liked the Inherit function. Simply hold the ALT key while dragging a new clip over one to be replaced, and you automatically associate the properties of that clip, such as titling, graphic overlays, transparency values, motion, etc. This is a great way to maintain a consistent style.

NewTek has also tucked additional power into what it calls the Tool Shed. Here you'll find presets for motion control, DVEs, markers, video level and color controls, and even a wizard that helps you edit to a soundtrack. Also in the shed is image stabilization, a sometimes complicated feature of more extensive special effects programs. We loaded a moderately shaky handheld clip of a hang glider coming in for a landing, applied the Stabilize Video preset and hit Perform. It did not eliminate the larger camera movements, but the result was more stable video without the hassle.