# What's a simple and free/cheap video editing software? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 31, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-simple-and-free-cheap-video-editing-software/623629 "2012-05-31T05:08:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-simple-and-free-cheap-video-editing-software/623629/21 "2012-06-01T17:08:46Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > I merely said ‘some’ of the packages. But, sure, you can have my iPad for $95 right after I get my iPad 3, iMovie already installed. And yet none (that means “not a single one” to you Apple users) of the editing packages mentioned in this thread is more expensive than a new iPad. Sony Vegas offers a Pro version for $695, but no-one has suggested this version; people specifically suggested the Movie Studio ($44) and the Movie Studio HD Platinum ($95). And there have been a half-dozen free suggestions that would also do what the OP wants quite easily. But i guess the easiest thing would be for him to purchase a whole new device, with a whole different operating system. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-simple-and-free-cheap-video-editing-software/623629/22 "2012-06-01T17:24:38Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > But i guess the easiest thing would be for him to purchase a whole new device, with a whole different operating system. Well, yeah, if the OP is going to do more of this in the future, a single device that records, edits, and uploads videos and that fits in your backpack (or pocket in the case of the iphone) would be the easiest solution. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-simple-and-free-cheap-video-editing-software/623629/23 "2012-06-01T17:32:02Z")
I think we should start a “Get a Mac” thread, make it a sticky, and require that all Mac users post there at least once a week so they can get it out of their system and stop inundating other computer threads with their air of superiority. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-simple-and-free-cheap-video-editing-software/623629/24 "2012-06-02T03:53:39Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > Well, yeah, if the OP is going to do more of this in the future, a single device that records, edits, and uploads videos and that fits in your backpack (or pocket in the case of the iphone) would be the easiest solution. I appreciate the suggestion but I do not have $700 to spend on a new device, and an iPad would be hopelessly unsuitable for the videos I shoot. I need something very compact, so I use a small HD video camera about half the size of an iPhone which mounts to a small tripod. So I need a Windows application. Thanks for all the suggestions, folks. ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-simple-and-free-cheap-video-editing-software/623629/25 "2012-06-02T12:45:36Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > which version of Windows Movie Maker are you using? The latest version, called Windows Live Movie Maker, recognizes quite a lot of MP4 files, but unfortunately not all of them. Windows Live Movie maker isn’t the newest version of WMM. It’s really a different product entirely. WMM is the thingthat comes bundled with Windows, and WLMM is the thing you download from Microsoft’s Live Essentials site. They’re both free, but are totally different in form and function. The big difference is that WLMM is actually somewhat useful. It recognizes a variety of formats, has respectable light editing features, and can easily upload the output straight to services like Facebook and Youtube. For absolutely free, it ain’t half bad. WMM, on the other hand, has no useful function that I can discern, and isn’t even worth its $0 price tag. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-simple-and-free-cheap-video-editing-software/623629/26 "2012-06-02T15:29:52Z")
I see a lot of hate here for Windows Movie Maker, but that’s what I learned digital editing on. The only problem I had with it was occasional freezing, which I overcame by regularly saving my projects. It’s simplicity was helpful for a beginner like me, and if all you want to do is trim the ends off clips (and very likely adjust audio levels, too, in my experience), it’s pointless buying a more advanced program. I’ve since moved on to Pinnacle Studio which is bare-bones for a commercial program but still more complex than WMM. IMHO, for what RickJay wants to do, the best course of action is to download a free video converter and edit on WMM. No cost, and simple. ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-simple-and-free-cheap-video-editing-software/623629/27 "2012-06-02T15:30:52Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I think we should start a “Get a Mac” thread, make it a sticky, and require that all Mac users post there at least once a week so they can get it out of their system and stop inundating other computer threads with their air of superiority. I’d like to state for the record that I’m a long-time, diehard Mac user, was the first person to respond to this thread, and didn’t (and wouldn’t) recommend that someone switch to a Mac just for something like this. Seriously, we’re not all like that. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-simple-and-free-cheap-video-editing-software/623629/28 "2012-06-03T03:46:39Z")
VLC can do this. Configure the output format you want. Then play the video, and when you get to the part you want to extract, click on the “record” button. I’ve done this with a short scene from a DVD to post it on youtube. The “record” button should be on one of the default toolbars. If it isn’t, customize the toolbar and add it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-a-simple-and-free-cheap-video-editing-software/623629.md?page=1)