After 3 months this is what I miss

[alpi69]

Used Edius now for 3 months. I am sure I did not find every feature yet and have yet to try any compositing with it (still using AfterEffects so far), but from pure editing with several workflows (apart from me capturing from tape or importing from HVX200 I have people bringing P2 material on disks, tapes, DV-recorded files on disks etc).
So here is what I miss mostly in Edius (4.13), and I am fully aware that many things are fixed but are hidden from me:

- ability to change bin-thumbnail by hitting a button when viewing in playerwindow. this wheelbutton scroll is not good/accurate enough.

- when I set in- and out-points in the player window, then move elsewhere (other clip or timeline) then these I/O are lost; So I need to set them again. It should lawys remeber the last I/O that was set.

- Wanted: Option to cut a clip in the bin into 2 or more clips. Let´s say I have a longer clip with 3 contents. I go to the first cut, press a button and Edius makes it two clips now in the bin. No copying of the clip or such should be needed. This would probably be the same fix than the one above.

- scene detection for long clips that are imported from a file. So when I import a big clip that was captured as one file I can have Edius splitting the clips automatic.

- Quicktitler doesn´t remember settings, does it?

- When I copy and paste a text-clip (made with Quicktitler) and change it, then the original changes also. It would be nice fif you could just copy it, paste it and then work on the new title as a new instance.

- Conflicts with Windows Explorer: whenever I leave Edius ( and if it is only Quicktitler) it takes 2 minutes and more to get Edius active again. So when I go to Photoshop or Explorer or any other application outside Edius it takes a while until the Edius windows come back. I have this behaviour on my desktop and laptop, so it seems not to be related to any OS or hardware. It also seems to increase in time with the growing size of as project. Looks like the software reconnects all clips every time you return to Edius from another application. This takes longer than importing the clips. Weird?!
As said: this is no issue on a new project, but the longer the bin gets the longer the wait to get in and out of Edius. It seems to reconnect every clip everytime and takes long to do so.

- 2 waveforms for left and right channel instead of one for both (at least as a setting)

 

[bhiga]

Good feedback!

- ability to change bin-thumbnail by hitting a button when viewing in playerwindow. this wheelbutton scroll is not good/accurate enough.

I think the other half of what you're saying is that the "scrubber" in the clip properties isn't accurate enough? Probably true. A "set as thumbnail" option would be good in the Player window.

- when I set in- and out-points in the player window, then move elsewhere (other clip or timeline) then these I/O are lost; So I need to set them again. It should lawys remeber the last I/O that was set.

In/Out should "stick" as long as the clip has been updated to (in) the Bin.

- Wanted: Option to cut a clip in the bin into 2 or more clips. Let´s say I have a longer clip with 3 contents. I go to the first cut, press a button and Edius makes it two clips now in the bin. No copying of the clip or such should be needed. This would probably be the same fix than the one above.

I think this would be a good feature too.

- scene detection for long clips that are imported from a file. So when I import a big clip that was captured as one file I can have Edius splitting the clips automatic.

This I definitely miss. Had it back in the Rex/Raptor/Storm Edit days...

- Quicktitler doesn´t remember settings, does it?

It seems... picky about what it remembers?

- When I copy and paste a text-clip (made with Quicktitler) and change it, then the original changes also. It would be nice fif you could just copy it, paste it and then work on the new title as a new instance.

I usually Save As to get around this.

- Conflicts with Windows Explorer: whenever I leave Edius ( and if it is only Quicktitler) it takes 2 minutes and more to get Edius active again. So when I go to Photoshop or Explorer or any other application outside Edius it takes a while until the Edius windows come back. ... It seems to reconnect every clip everytime and takes long to do so.

I've seen this. Yes, EDIUS does re-check for clip presence when it gets focus back. Not sure if it's related to the project/bin as a whole, or just what's in the active sequence.

- 2 waveforms for left and right channel instead of one for both (at least as a setting)

This you can get, if you use the audio track mapping and drop each channel to different tracks. Note that in some earlier versions there was a bug that made EDIUS always show the combined L+R waveform, but in the current releases it should properly show just the channel that's been "taken."

Brandon

 

[alpi69]

I honestly hoped for some "you can do this and that already". It is hard to believe these features are still missing. Especially scene-detection is missing. Also the waiting times after leaving Edius to fix a graphic in Photoshop is crazy. Although have to test if it is, because I use external disks. I need to make a larger project in my RAID-0 to see if diskspeed helps.

I had these features in 1995 in my AMIGA editing station! And then in Speed Razor in 1997. Come on Grass Valley this is 2007.

 

[bhiga]

I had these features in 1995 in my AMIGA editing station! And then in Speed Razor in 1997. Come on Grass Valley this is 2007.

I also had 16-bit application support in all versions of Windows prior to x64... :undecided

I think someone thought it was deprecated after the on-the-fly splitting was introduced. But it's not. I have lots of stuff that's "one big chunk" from analog recordings, so I definitely want the function.

Funny how "more professional" applications often leave out the "easy button" stuff... like Photoshop Elements has an automatic Red-Eye removal thing, while Photoshop doesn't?

 

[cici]

@alpi 69:

Is there any feature where Edius is superior to our beloved Liquid? What feature(s) is that?

 

[alpi69]

Sure, Edius does several things better:
For example the speed at wich it imports big amounts of files in all different formats. Import a folderstructure with 720p, 1080i, 576i etcx.....Edius will drop the thumbnails in the bin in seconds.
Also it has the rubberband for video-opacity. Liquid only does that for audio. It is an easy and fast way to composite films.
Overall Edius is very capable, but it has these above features missing or bugs, like the one that the programme hangs for minutes when it has many files). I think Edius is one step behind the others, but it can do almost all things needed.
Beware: No software does everything, not even Liquid or FCP.

 

[cici]

No software does everything, not even Liquid or FCP.

Just like the HVX.... It's always a compromise (and the HVX is a HELL of a compromise!)

As Edius, Liquid, FCP etc. do always more than 90% of all the features some may need, it's up to your personal requirements.

For me it's the color correction for underwater videos - so I'll stay with Liquid. I won't miss the nice rubberband for opacity as I don't work with opacity.

If one day I need to work with it, I'll just use Edius at some place.

Compared to the software we had only 10 years ago, we must feel so good to have the choice today between half a dozen of phantastic programs!

 

[alpi69]

YEs colorcorrection is amazing in Liquid. Edius has curves though ;-) True....compromises all over. Try FCP.....just as many compromises what I saw. Especially with P2-HD material (in 5.1.2)

The problem I have with Liquid is the missing 720p feature. I use that a lot in the HVX because it is a great format (size, framerates) and enough for my needs right now (broadcast, no big screening). So I edit most of my HVX stuff in Edius. Keeps me also warm with it. To output the programme I then use Liquid (don´t have a component out card for Edius yet; the NX).
Also as I said Edius imports stuff lightning fast. I had a project where we importd hundreds of clips in different formats in a folder with many subfolders. I Edius it is one click. In Liquid you would have to create all the racks and import one after the other directory-content. And then evey clip takes a while. In Edius i was done in 5 seconds. In Liquid it would have taken 2 hours at least.

Both have their strengths. That is why I use both. And will keep using both. It is a bit tricky to keep up with all updates and stuff, but I have too many programmes where I need one feature here and in the next I need the one there. Edius Broadcast has paid itself after one week. So I don´t regret using it. It is still the best P2-integration out there.

And why do you think HVX is a compromise? The LCD/EVF are weak, but other than that? It rocks IMO.

 

[cici]

And why do you think HVX is a compromise? The LCD/EVF are weak, but other than that? It rocks IMO.

I say "HELL of a compromise"

Yes, it's especially the LCD/EVF, then in my dreams it would use at least 2/3" chips for not having to use a 35mm adapter (but it's the size of the camera and its price that make 2/3" chips impossible today) and also some details like missing HDMI, missing battery capacity in minutes, missing manual focus without servo motor etc. etc.

But I bought it anyway because for me it was the best compromise for underwater videography. The varicam is just too heavy (and for me too expensive) without a group of assistants, its housing is so big and heavy - impossible for freediving, the Sony V1 is tape and GOP - and so is the Canon A1.

The HVX is probably the best camera that people could get for their money since the beginning of videography.

 

[Jason Ramsey]

Sorry, but completely disagree about the HVX being a "hell of a compromise" or even a compromise.... Unless you are coming from a world of 100k dollar cameras... for example.But, then lets compare apples to apples... But, I'll leave that one for another thread

Anyways, on topic... you should check out a thread in this section somewhere cici. I'm not going to sit here and say that the CC with EDIUS is amazing or anything (in fact, I don't have the credentials to say it is or isn't). Anyways, there's a guy who posted in this section some underwater footage he shot and CC'd in EDIUS. You might find it interesting. Was shot with an HDV cam though, but since we are talking about EDIUS

Now, concerning EDIUS being 'several steps behind the others', or whatever... I can understand where you are coming from, but I have to say that you are painting with a very broad brush with that statement, and as a result a bit of a misleading one.

When you talk about the speed, raw power, and PROPER format support for virtually any camera out there, EDIUS is miles ahead. When it comes to being intuitive, and user friendly.... well, then yes... we have a bit to go... It can be quite frustrating at times... the user interface. But, we have 4.5 around the corner, and I think that will be a good indicator of what's to come.

Though you may not have meant to... you kind of come across as saying that EDIUS is some half baked NLE. But, the pure speed and power that is under the hood, and the extensive format support would definitely indicate otherwise... EDIUS is just light years ahead there. It does have a capable feature set(albeit, not as robust as some others). We might even realize how much more capable the feature set is if it weren't for the sub-par user inerface. In terms of being user friendly, intuitive, etc. Yes. I'm with you, of course.

Then it just comes back (again) to what's most important to you the individual. For me, it was proper, thorough, and real time support. I couldn't be happier from that stand point. Especially when I read all these threads of people using other NLE's who are having all these problems and hating their HVX as a result. For me, the workflow is just beeeautiful. It's a completely painless breeze. And, I won't change that for any feature in the world.

Anyways... not trying to be argumentative, just felt the need to be the devils advocate here

Later,
Jason

EDIT: Well, I think I got the jist of it back. My daughter hit my keyboard, and somehow nuked a bunch of my post....

 

[bhiga]

For me it's the color correction for underwater videos - so I'll stay with Liquid. I won't miss the nice rubberband for opacity as I don't work with opacity.

Have you tried using the White Balance filter?

What EDIUS calls White Balance, most other NLEs call Color Correction, and it can do secondary CC as well (also remember that you can add more than one filter on a clip).

One EDIUS user does underwater stuff almost exclusively...
http://www.hdvunderwater.com/

 

[wags]

We certainly do.
We started of with Premiere Pro and Aspect HD but EDIUS and the Canopus HQ codec with CC is so much better . We did much side by side testing on the same underwater shots to compare.

Just finished a Whale Shark Training DVD for the Government here.
On a DV 16.9 timeline we cut up the DV 4.3/DV16.9 and HDV altogether in realtime. If we were not using EDIUS we could not have mixed the formats and completed the job.

And as for EDIUS & CCing?
Here is a dirty water pic shot with the FX1 in the Amphbico Phenom housing.

And here it is after we blued up the background and enhanced the foreground.
Its so easy and realtime.

 

[siniarch]

Hi Wags,
Could you post some screen grabs of what the color correcting filters looked like to make this image?
Thanks,
Luis

 

[THoff]

I'm sure wags will respond, but here are the key steps to using color correction in Edius. The process is not explained at all in the documentation, the only thing it seems to cover is white balance correction -- I think that gives people the impression that Edius is somehow lacking in this department.

1. Add the "White Balance" effect from the "Color Correction" subgroup of the Video Filters list to the clip.
2. Bring up the settings dialog by double-clicking on it.
3. Check the "Hue", "Saturation", and "Luminance" checkboxes in the "Limit" group.
4. For the Color Picker, select "Color Range".
5. Click on the color you wish to correct in the Recorder, and then Shift-Click on other hues and luminances of the same color. You'll see the "Hue", "Saturation" and "Luminance" controls adjust as you do this to describe the color range.
6. Next, enable the "Key Display" button (on the right, underneath the White Balance controls). When the "Key Display" is enabled, the color range being corrected is shown in white, and everything else is black.
7. Fine-tune the color range selection by adjusting the limiters in the "Hue", Saturation", and "Luminance" controls. The "Key Display" should still be on while doing this so you can see exactly what colors will be affected by your changes.
8. Finally, correct the selected color using the "Black Balance", "Gray Balance" and "White Balance" controls, which correct the darks, midtones, and highlights, respectively.

 

[dregenthal]

THoff- Thanks for that--extremely helpful to me.

 

[THoff]

One other thing you ought to be aware of when doing color correction in Edius is that when you reopen the Settings dialog for the White Balance effect, it will always default to "Auto" instead of "Color Range" even if it was previously used for color correction instead of whitebalance. Make sure you click on "Color Range" before you try to further adjust the settings, or you'll screw up the whitebalance instead of correcting the colors.