Video Capture/Playback:  

Movie Edit Pro 15 Plus by Magix can import nearly all common video, audio and image file types. You can either drag and drop videos into the timeline, or use one of the many importing tools found throughout the program. In terms of video it can import AVI, DV-AVI, MPEG (1,2,4), MXV, MJPEG, Quicktime and HD WMV. It can also capture analog type files such as video from old VHS tapes or TV. If you would like to add an audio file or clip to your video you can import WAV, MP3, OGG, WMA, MIDI, Dolby Digital Stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1 file types. It can also support JPEG, BMP, GIF, TIF, TGA and more image file types and most scanner and digital camera formats.

Movie Edit Pro 15 Plus also has improved batch processing. We were able to quickly import multiple movies from DVDs and folders in a few clicks. Version 15 also supports all of the same features found in the previous version, including single image recording and drag and drop tools. There is also a screen capturing feature that will purportedly allow capture of streaming video from YouTube and NetFlix, but we had a little trouble getting it working.

In terms of playback or publishing Magix Movie Edit Pro is compatible with all portable devices like cell phones, iPods, Sony PSPs and more. And it can export AVI, DV-AVI, MPEG (1,2,4), MXV, MJPEG, Quicktime, RealMedia and HD WMV video file types. It can even help you compress files so they can be easily sent by email.

Editing Tools:  

One of the most frustrating things about video editing software is its tendency to hog system resources, and it's infuriating when you've spent hours on a video only to have it crash your computer right before you were about to save your project. Of the many upgrades Magix made for version 15, smoother editing is by far one of the most noticeable. Where we experienced some lag and choppy behavior in the previous version, editing the same videos on the same system with version 15 went much better.

Editing with Magix 15 Plus has been streamlined, with a more intuitive interface that makes it easy to use storyboard and timeline layouts, and split, divide, crop and trim scenes. It can configure video for wide screens and it has video correction tools such as stabilizers, filters and color and contrast adjustment abilities. Of course, it also has real-time previews so you can see your added effects right away, so you can quickly decide whether you want to keep your edits or not.

Export/Production:  

Movie Edit Pro can export most popular file types and is compatible with pretty much all online services, such as YouTube, Google Video, Yahoo Video and Metacafe. And it works with most video players including Windows Media Player, QuickTime and RealPlayer. It includes quick load buttons for YouTube and you can also use this software to create and export video files to portable devices such as iPhones, PSPs, smart phones and PDAs.