Video editing software for XP

[VomitHatSteve]

So my primary audio machine is running Windows XP (64 bit) so as to reduce my OS's resource footprint as much as possible. (It's entirely offline, so don't worry about the fact that it's unsupported for now)

I've been using avidemux, but I'd like something with a better UI for splicing together separate videos.

I've heard Vegas recommended, but it doesn't support anything older than Vista.

Anyone have any better suggestions?

 

[TimOBrien]

Xp is newer than vista.
I ran Vegas studio on my Xp laptop for years (still on my old laptop)
Unfortunately the newer versions want win7 minimum so you'd have to find an older version.

Have you looked at the requirements for Premeir Elements?

 

[VomitHatSteve]

Xp is newer than vista.

You're confusing "better" with "newer".
(Seriously though, XP was 2003ish; vista was 2007ish)

I ran Vegas studio on my Xp laptop for years (still on my old laptop)
Unfortunately the newer versions want win7 minimum so you'd have to find an older version.

Have you looked at the requirements for Premeir Elements?

Yeah, the one they have on their site now requires 7+ it as an install condition, and they're presumably not selling the older version anymore.

I hate Adobe products pretty much across the board, so I'm disinclined to try Premier. (and it requires 7+ anyway)

 

[ashcat_lt]

They actually made an older version of Premier (and After Effects!) available for free a while back, and it works okay on XP.

Not to be that guy, but... Windows Movie Maker? I know it's not exactly the deluxe model, but it can often get the job done and is pretty easy to work with.

You might try NCH VideoPad. It's a step or two up from WMM.

I just learned about Power Director yesterday when I saw the popup in the video in this thread telling the dude that his illegal download had finished

Maybe check out A Quick Guide to the 5 Best Open-Source Video Editing Software...

I have used Premiere, and it is pretty cool. WMM usually does most of what I need, though. VideoPad was cool, but not cool enough to buy it. Not that I have a lot of experience with any of these things...

 

[Bobbsy]

You may have to go looking on the second hand markets (with the risks that entails, alas). Microsoft made some fairly substantial changes to how video (and especially audio) is handled with the jump from XP to Vista/7/8 and this is why you're having backwards compatibility problems.

If you can find an older version for sale somewhere, I had decent results (and not too steep a learning curve) with several older versions of Premier Elements.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

I had been using WMM (even trying to A/B the XP vs 7 versions of it), but it doesn't seem to handle HD video very well these days.*

I'll check out those other programs Ashcat. Thanks.

*That is: My win 7 computer doesn't have the hardware to handle HD video, and the XP version of WMM doesn't handle it regardless of hardware.

 

[DM60]

Not 100% sure, and I'm not going to look it up, but XP was around 99' or 2000.

I used Adobe Premier back in the 90's with I think 3.1 or 95, not sure. So there are versions out there that will definitely run on XP. Question is how to get a hold of one.

Based on what is offered today, the Cheap $50-100 ones work pretty damn well. I am sure there are some that still support XP.

 

[Chili]

I had been using WMM (even trying to A/B the XP vs 7 versions of it), but it doesn't seem to handle HD video very well these days.*

I'll check out those other programs Ashcat. Thanks.

*That is: My win 7 computer doesn't have the hardware to handle HD video, and the XP version of WMM doesn't handle it regardless of hardware.

PM sent.

 

[rob aylestone]

When I swapped out XP for the later ones, the main reason wasn't machine speed, it was the codecs and drivers - as new video formats appeared, nobody bothered to write them for the old OS. If you can find an old editor that will install on XP, you'll be stuck with the video file formats of that time too. The old software, the old codec packs and the OS will conspire against you. Bad news. Last XP machine I had Avid and Premiere on it - and quite a nice and expensive video card package to make Avid work - and it couldn't manage uncompressed HD in 720 properly, so it was strictly an SD machine. You are also going to struggle with the latest video cards, which don't have XP drivers.

 

[VomitHatSteve]

When I swapped out XP for the later ones, the main reason wasn't machine speed, it was the codecs and drivers - as new video formats appeared, nobody bothered to write them for the old OS. If you can find an old editor that will install on XP, you'll be stuck with the video file formats of that time too. The old software, the old codec packs and the OS will conspire against you. Bad news. Last XP machine I had Avid and Premiere on it - and quite a nice and expensive video card package to make Avid work - and it couldn't manage uncompressed HD in 720 properly, so it was strictly an SD machine. You are also going to struggle with the latest video cards, which don't have XP drivers.

Ah. That is an excellent point. Avidemux has handled all my Codecs ok, but it has a pretty terrible UI (which is how things usually go with FOSS)

I'm trying not to give myself an excuse to buy a new PC.

---------- Update ----------

Thanks, Chili. I'll check that out.