My search for open-source software began at the website http://www.isoftwarereviews.com/free-video-editing-software-programs/ suggested by fellow cohort Shannon Copeland. Here I found there was a difference between open source and freeware. Since I have a PC, I was limited to three programs – Virtual Dub, Jahshaka, and Cinefx. My past experience with video editing software is none – ever.
When I read the word “easy” with Virtual Dub, I downloaded this program first. I tried to load a video from my laptop into the program but it would not take it. The video would not load because it was a clip that my husband had taken on his iPhone. I had forgotten where the video had come from. Next I downloaded the free program Any Video Converter to try to use a YouTube video in Virtual Dub. This was unsuccessful. I also tried to convert the iPhone video to a file with an .avi extension for Virtual Dub, but was unsuccessful again. Virtual Dub told me it would not accept the file because the direct show codes used by Windows Media Player are not suitable.
At this point I switched and tried to use Jahshaka. I downloaded Jahshaka and found that I was easily able to load the video from the iphone into the program. Once I got the video into the program, the program closed and said that Windows 7 had closed it and that I would be notified with there was a solution. I ignored the warning and opened the program again. I was able to manipulate the video in some ways, but never could figure out how to cut segments out of it. I was able to change the video color and draw on it. But since I was stuck, I decided to get online and go through a series of video tutorials I found at http://www.vimeo.com/2924170/. Daniel Avery, the creator of the tutorials, has made a series of help videos on Jahshaka introducing it and describing the different modules and what they can do. Mr. Avery stated many benefits of the program especially that it was free open source and it could be used to produce video for business. After watching seven of them, I went back to the program to see if I could edit the video again, but was unsuccessful.
My next step was to find detailed reviews on the program Jahshaka. It appears that it is a wonderful program if you know a lot about video editing before you start. It is a professional level software program according to a review on www.cnet.comJahshaka/3000-2169 4-10542308.html. It can work on virtually all video and audio formats, and it can do real-time 3D composting and Flash animation. Jahshaka is able to work on Windows, Linux and Macs. The downside to the program is that there is no help file what-so-ever within the program, which is stated to be its biggest flaw in a review on www.videomaker.com/community/freeware/jahshaka-freeware-a-list/.
Virtual Dub was sounding better now. I sought out online reviews on this program. On the website, www.iofilm.co.uk I found out that this software was developed specifically for editing video taken on your digital camera (avi files), since digital cameras rarely allow for editing. It can also read MPEG-1 files and can handle sets of bmp images. This program provides filters to erase blur and sharpen, resize, rotate and crop your home videos. In a review at http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/VirtualDub-Review-22893.shtml by Iulian Cernot, I learned the basics of using the program. I was encouraged to try again, but this time I used a video straight from my digital camera. It loaded easily, and I was able to edit out parts of the video to clean it up. I tried to connect two videos together but could not make it work. Virtual Dub makes the file huge as it is converted. I tried to use the Windows Media encoder download to compress it, but the encoder is not supported by Windows 7. I was able to compress it back down by using the program Any Video Converter. I posted it on my wiki at www.techlearner7.wikispaces,com under Multi Media Presentations.
For future video editing, I will use Windows Live Movie Maker. For this program, I will need to be aware of the different file types this program supports. Audio files that are supported include .asf, .wma, .avi, .mp3, .mp2, .mpa, and .wav. Supported video files include .asf, .wmn, .wm, .avi, .mpe, .mpeg, .mpg, and DVD files .vob.
Although part of me wishes I had spent the hours learning about the program I will use in the next assignment, it is true that working through the open source programs helped me to get the big picture of what the possibilities are with video- editing and the constraints of the different programs. I will soon uninstall the program Jahshaka from my computer, but I think I will hang onto Virtual Dub and see if I need it again.
Avery, D.. Jahhaka Review. Retrieved September 1, 2010 from www.videomaker.com/community/freeware/jahshaka-freeware-a-list/.
Avery, D. Tutorials for Jahshaka. Accessed on September 2, 2010 from http://www.vimeo.com/2924170.
Cernat, I. Software Reviews. (2006). Retrieved September 2, 2010 from http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/VirtualDub-Review-22893.shtml.
CNET Editor’s Review. Retrieved September 2, 2010 from www.cnet.comJahshaka/3000-2169 4-10542308.html
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