Capture/Import Features

Capture/Import

Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0

Magix Movie Edit 10

Pinnacle Studio

Ulead VideoStudio

Main Capture Interface

 Discussion:

Premiere Elements initial capture screen is very simple, and the program gets extra points for shuttle control on the bottom (drag the control to make tape move forward or backward). 

Things get techie fast, however, and the configuration screens are more than most users will want to deal without a good reference guide).

In general, MEP tries to do too much, rather than doing a limited set of functions well, and ends up being a mile wide but an inch deep. Perhaps functionality like import from DVD and capture to MPEG is there, but it's hard to find in the interface and the manual is inadequate.

Most users will be able to figure out the simple stuff, but any advanced features are simply too obscure.

Studio's capture capabilities are due for an upgrade.  Though simple to use, they lack features like a shuttle device, tape scan or the ability to set a capture duration and walk away. Also missing is DVD import.

Studio wins some ease of use points with a very user friendly interface as shown on this secondary capture screen, which even lets you choose a storage location, a key configuration decision.

Beyond tape scanning, VideoStudio's capture features are good.  We like the ability to set capture duration and walk away, but really miss the shuttle controls that Premiere Elements provides.  

In addition, VideoStudio's DVD import capabilities are among the best we've ever seen, and this feature becomes more and more important with each DVD that you create.

Scene detect

DV only

Supported Devices

DV, DVD Camcorder, mobile phone, digital still camera

Adobe Premiere Elements

Magix Movie Edit 10

Pinnacle Studio

Ulead VideoStudio

VideoStudio’s tape scanning feature can scan a 60-minute DV tape in under 7 minutes, identifying all scenes on tape.

Then, you click which scenes you want, and VideoStudio goes off and captures. 

No

No

Yes

Mature tool that lets you preview and select which titles and chapters to import.

Summary

Adobe Premiere Elements

Magix Movie Edit 10

Pinnacle Studio

Ulead VideoStudio

Pluses:

• Shuttle control

Negatives:

• No MPEG capture

• No analog capture (need to feed through external box that looks like DV camera to Premiere.

• Can't set capture duration and walk away

Pluses:

• Set capture duration

Negatives:

• No MPEG capture

• No shuttle control

• Interface unnecessarily complicated

Pluses:

• Very simple to use

Negatives:

• No batch capture

• No shuttle controls

• No DVD import

• Can't set capture duration

Pluses:

• Tape scanning feature

• Mature DVD import feature

Negatives:

• No shuttle on manual capture