Just wondering if there is a cheap, more powerfull tool out there than movie maker. Making car related shorts is a new found addiction of mine but i see movie maker, while much better than before, is still kinda glitchy and is obviously geared towards people who want the computer to mix videos for them
I started using Kdenlive but it is for linux, not Windows.
I'm not doing any fancy transitions or graphics but it does let me play 4 channels of video simultaneously.
+1 for Kdenlive, it's what I use.
good to know... maybe i just need linux
I think what bothers me most about mm is that (just like back in the XP days) the preview isn't nearly the same quality as the final save, especially when you speed something up more than 2x the preview just cant play it fast enough so if you wanna see what your video really looks like, you have to "finish" save it (time consuming) then make notes on where you want to make edits, change timing etc.
Race render has a free version limited to three minute vids. Allows for automotive specific stuff including data overlay.
Try Cinelerra if you are on Linux.
It is a pretty serious non-linear editor with a full video composting engine, 64 bit audio, independent frame/speed, floating point color, etc so it can support video of any size and frame rate. It is not as easy to use as some of the other suggestions here but it is more powerful if you need more control. I don't need 99% of what is in it... but it works perfectly well for ripping race videos and adding some text, bumping up the contrast/color, adding fades and such too and when I figure out what the other stuff is for maybe I can add Jar Jar Binks to narrate my race videos :)
That sounds worth it for the speed control alone. . . sometimes I just cant get the timing I want with 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x, etc. plus the floating point color sounds like i could use it for pin point edits. . . like say, fixing a license plate 
I admit i'm a noob but i'm working on that the diy way
Davinci Resolve
Davinci Resolve has a free version but isn't open source. In recent years I've been using Shotcut for anything beyond basic conversion and trimming that I might do on the command line with ffmpeg.
I've been using DaVinci Resolve and liking it reasonably well.
I had used Windows Movie Maker for eons. DaVinci was a learning curve, but it does so much more for me.
Canoe awakens 10-year zombi
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:Canoe awakens 10-year zombi
Maybe a helpful canoe? It would be good to see what is available now. DaVinci Resolve Seems still seems to be the go to these days but it can also be complicated for those just getting started. Someone told me they use windows movie maker and liked it for its simplicity.
I use a pay for program that they seem to release a new version every year or so. The mayor changes seem to be content/art packs. I have been getting the new version from them every 2-4 years. I have been using it for at least 15 years or so.
Davinci resolve is the most powerful free solution. Shotcut is less overwhelming but also a lot less stable (at least the windows version). I used it for a bit but got frustrated.
I wish there were a solution between the two. If I made videos more than once in a while Resolve would be the solution.
I was using a paid version of Corel Studio Pro that was only a couple years old, but I keep having issues with it crashing. Fixed it (I thought) and started doing it again.
Now I'm using Clip Champ or whatever seems to come with W11, for simple editing, text, and transitions, it seems to work for me.
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