# Free/inexpensive a/v editor **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 30, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-inexpensive-a-v-editor/664875 "2013-07-30T02:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-inexpensive-a-v-editor/664875/1 "2013-07-30T02:50:13Z")
I’m not expecting the moon, but I’m hoping to find a cheap or free video editor which can: \*Convert between major formats. \*Compress video \*Let me add audio from my desktop mike, preferably right in the program itself rather than trying to add specific clips \*Easily cut and replace video, add splash screens at the start, etc \*Be really easy to use by someone who’s stupid enough to really screw it up (me) I’ve done a little video editing, but not enough to know what I should look for. Anyone have experience in this field? ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-inexpensive-a-v-editor/664875/2 "2013-07-30T04:22:48Z")
What computer / operating system are you using? ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-inexpensive-a-v-editor/664875/3 "2013-07-30T04:58:07Z")
If you’re on Windows, Microsoft’s [Movie Maker](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-live/movie-maker#t1=overview) is probably good enough – but you’ll need VirtualDub (also free) and other codecs (often free) to convert to anything other than WMV. [Lightworks](http://www.lwks.com/) is another free option but a lot harder to use and full of limitations in its free version. If you’re on a Mac, it should’ve come with iMovie. And on the very slim chance that you’re on Linux, you can probably find a bunch in your package manager app. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-inexpensive-a-v-editor/664875/4 "2013-07-30T07:46:40Z")
I found [this](http://www.videosoftdev.com/) recently for a small editing job, and it worked pretty well for my needs. Certainly better than Movie Maker. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-inexpensive-a-v-editor/664875/5 "2013-07-30T15:02:05Z")
May I refer you to another forum to which I make the occasional contribution. > **[Video Editing Bangs per Buck](https://www.avforums.com/threads/video-editing-bangs-per-buck.1561109/)** > > I've searched back as far as last May but not found a definitive answer. > > I need a package for editing AVCHD when (if) I manage to put together all the bits for my new i5 2500K system. > > Amazon shows (other software retailers are available): > > Sony... ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-inexpensive-a-v-editor/664875/6 "2013-08-06T23:13:56Z")
I forgot to say thanks to everyone for their help.