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In Software Downloads:
Magix Video Deluxe Plus
Vegas 4.0

Tips and Advice:
How to get started with computer video editing

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Snazzi DV.AVIO

There are plenty of options for getting analogue and digital video onto a PC for editing - some better than others. A couple of years ago, Snazzi came up with a sturdy arrangement in the form of the USB2 Gold Deluxe Edition, but how does the company's latest offering deal with advances in DVD authoring?

Even though most camcorders sold today are DV models, there are plenty of analogue camcorders still in use, whether Hi8, 8mm, or one of the four VHS variants. Given the wide range of low-cost video editing hardware and software available and the capabilities of modern PCs, it's never been easier for anyone to start video editing, irrespective of what type of footage they have.
V One's latest Snazzi-branded editing solution, DV.AVIO, can handle analogue and digital capture and is based around a PCI card - still the only route open to users of desktop PCs without FireWire capability built in - paired with a breakout box for analogue inputs.

Conclusion
This package has lots going for it. The analogue/DV hardware worked fine, likewise the (rather quirky) capture program, and the choice of InterVideo WinDVD Creator Plus for editing seems fairly sound, though we were slightly concerned at the program's initial failings. In fairness, though, the Snazzi's biggest rival - Pinnacle's MovieBox USB - comes with Pinnacle Studio, an editing program with its own well-documented problems, though support for Pinnacle is, at least, a one-stop shop.
The promised addition of a FireWire port to the breakout box is welcome, but what's most likely to swing votes is the huge range of formats that DV Studio can capture to. There are few products available at this lowly price point that offer such a wealth of options for encoding analogue footage along with full DV editing and DVD authoring capability.
As a further incentive on the price front, a discount is on offer to CVE readers for the Snazzi DV.AVIO. See the Specifications box on p78 for info on how to claim.

Hugo Frazer

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Reviewed in this issue:

Elgato EyeHome
Boris Continuum Complete 3.01
Snazzi DV.AVIO
Terratec Aureon 7.1
Sony Sound Forge 7 v Steinberg Wavelab 5

In November's news:

Ultra-slim Apple G5 iMacs
Casablanca uses MainConcept
Sony TRV950 replacement
Apple Production Suite
Hitachi 400GByte HDD
MainConcept HD DVD encoder
Networkable Panasonic DVD recorder
Software assistance for DV filmmakers
Roxio sells software arm to Sonic
Miglia FireWire800 storage