Pinnacle Studio
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| Pinnacle Studio | |
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| Developed by | Pinnacle Systems |
| Latest release | 11.1.2.5231b / February 15, 2008 |
| Preview release | None / None |
| OS | Windows XP, Windows Vista |
| Genre | Video editing software |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | pinnaclesys.com |
Pinnacle Studio is a non-linear video editing software application manufactured by Pinnacle Systems, a division of Avid Technology. It is the consumer level counterpart to Pinnacle's former professional level software, Liquid Edition (now Avid Liquid). It also inherits from VOB Computersysteme's Instant CD/DVD. Studio allows users to author video content, create VCD/DVDs with menus and burn them without the need for any additional software.
Pinnacle Studio may be purchased separately, but is also included in bundled packages with various video capture hardware devices. These include analog and digital capture, either as PCI cards or connection via USB. In September 2007, Pinnacle released new versions of their Moviebox devices, including HDV and AVCHD support, shipped with their new Studio products.
In addition, a cut-down SE version entitled Pinnacle Studio QuickStart is included with the Pinnacle Dazzle (another USB capture device) and Pinnacle PCTV products.
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[edit] Versions
Since version 9, Studio has been sold in two editions: Studio and Studio Plus, with some additional functionality in the Plus edition, notably a second video track. This allowed Overlay and Picture-in-Picture.
Studio 10 and Studio 10 Plus were released on the 17 August 2005. While retaining the same user interface as Studio 9, the code base was taken from Liquid Edition, now called Avid Liquid. Real time preview at full resolution was introduced along with the ability to mix PAL, NTSC, 4:3 and 16:9 footage on the timeline. The standard version of Studio 10 has fewer features than the standard version of Studio 9, but Studio 10 Plus offers further enhancements including HD editing. Version 10.7 Plus allows users (after purchasing a premium feature) to burn High Definition video to standard DVD media that will then replay on the Toshiba HD-DVD players. Vista compatibility was added in version 10.8.
Pinnacle released Studio 11 in June 2007. It features three versions: Studio, Studio Plus, and Studio Ultimate. All three are designed to be compatible with Windows Vista and feature a new scalable interface and replace Smartsounds music generation with Scorefitter, a midi-based version written in-house.
Studio 11 Plus adds native HDV and AVCHD editing, and HD DVD from standard discs. Keyframing is now possible on most effects. Bluray AVCHD to standard DVDs was added in S11.1.1.
Pinnacle Studio Ultimate is the new top-of-the-line consumer video editing application. It includes an advanced sound-cleaning tool, Dolby 5.1 Surround encoding, proDAD VitaScene, Precision pan and zoom. A green-screen sheet to produce the chroma key effects with is also included in the Ultimate version, or can be purchased separately.
Studio 12 has now been released, and is available in downloadable format in the USA
[edit] VideoSpin
In the second half of 2007, Pinnacle introduced VideoSpin, a freely downloadable non-linear video editor similar to Studio but with several features missing. Some of the missing features include the storyboard, the ability to capture digital and analogue video, the video and audio toolboxes, the SmartSound/Scorefitter music generator, SmartMovie capabilities and DVD burning. Projects created in VideoSpin may be opened and edited in Pinnacle Studio 11, though not vice-versa, and once a project has been loaded in Studio, it may not again be reloaded in VideoSpin.
An advanced codec pack can be purchased allowing users to use MPEG-2, MPEG-4 and DiVX codecs, all of which are available freely for the first 15days after installation.
[edit] Criticism
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Early releases were criticized for crashing and running slowly.[citation needed] The software has regularly been the subject of harsh reviews and a disproportionate number of disgruntled users, especially on Pinnacle's forums. Some of the older Pinnacle, and all the Dazzle, capture devices don't have 64-bit drivers available.
Studio 11.1 (now currently 11.1.2) has been more stable than many previous early releases of the product, but there are still a variety of outstanding bugs[1].
Personal Computer World in the UK gave 11 Ultimate the "Editor's Choice" award in a group test of Video editing software under £100 in the November 2007 edition.
Pinnacle has been criticised for cynical marketing practices because the company requires additional fees to "activate" numerous functions of the software. However, none of the bonus material is a "function", and without unlocking Studio 11 Plus and Ultimate still contain the features advertised, which are on par with its rivals.
