Review: Pinnacle releases second patch for new Studio video editor

by Bob Crabtree on 8 November 2005, 16:24

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Out-and-out enhancements are hard to find on the list of changes


Last weekend, Pinnacle made available the latest patch for its budget video editing program Studio 10 – the second updater since V10 was launched at the tail end of September. On the updates page for Studio 10,  Pinnacle says it, "strongly recommends" all V10 users install the patch - to V10.1.1 - including those running 10.1. Two versions of the 10.1.1 patch are available for download – "light", a mere 31MB and intended for those who've updated to or bought V10.1; and "full" (62MB) for all other V10 users.

The 10.1.1 patch is said to include a number of "fixes and enhancements" to V10.1, though out-and-out enhancements are a bit hard to find on the list of changes:

* Fixed - grey picons in timeline
* Fixed - hanging with a large number of stills in the timeline
* Fixed - some render-hangs and render-crashes
* Fixed - DVD player compatibility problems with DVD+R Video discs created in Studio 10
* Fixed - various SmartMovie issues
* Fixed - progressive project formats can now be created
* Resolved - "Disc is dirty" error
* Can now create DVD from VIDEO-TS image
* Stability improvements
* Playback performance improvements
* Switch to Make Disc/File/Tape is now faster

Early installers of the patch are having mixed results according to feedback on the Studio 10 support forums. A number of forum members report that various problems do seem to have been fixed; others complain of the issues still outstanding; some say that the patch is causing new problems; and a good many query why Pinnacle launched Studio 10 in such a state of unreadiness.

The only answer we've been able to come up with is that the company decided it had to put out the product roughly on time, no matter what state it was in, so as to be able to fill the supply channel in time for the lucrative Christmas market and avoid other makers having the chance to sell their products in place of Pinnacle's.

The big question that remains is just how soon Pinnacle will be able to launch a third, and substantial, patch that does sort out most of the remaining issues without bringing about too many new ones - and the smart money seems to be on late December, in time for use by those who've bought, or been bought V10 for Christmas or in the January sales.

Pinnacle Studio 10 box shot


Oh, and for the record, this is how Pinnacle describes the first updater, which was released on October 14:
 
Studio 10.1 includes the following fixes and enhancements from Studio 10.0

Installation

Solved multiple problems, including problems  with installation using a different path than default
Performance and stability:
Reduced application launch time
Improved  memory management
Improved editing and preview performance

Import
Now imports .MOD files (JVC Everio cameras)
Now imports 3GPP files
Now imports most Studio 9 projects correctly (NOTE: Surround keyframes, and menu-menu links are not imported)

Capture
Corrected field reversal problems with MPEG-2 capture
Fixed Crashes in HDV capture
Fixed scene detection problems

Edit
Improved preview performance
Improved on Pan& Zoom responsiveness
2D transitions now use GPU
Fixed problems with transitions on Overlay Track
Fixed problems with Picture in Picture
Fixed problems with audio transitions
Fixed problems with roll or crawl titles
Fixed problems with display of transition picons
Fixed Field reversal with mixed formats

Make Movie
MPEG now uses minimal rendering
Fixed problems with Make tape to HDV
Fixed multiple disc burning issues
Can now burn multiple copies of disc