[tlug] Video editing on Linux - Kdenlive is a front runner

[Dave M G <dave@example.com>]

TLUG,

A while back I was part of a discussion where I expressed general 
satisfaction with video editing on Linux.

However, I've just discovered a program called Kdenlive, which I 
recommend for those who are interested in video editing.

Reasons I like it:

1. Didn't crash.

This is a simple yet obviously a deal breaking issue. Every single other 
video editing application* I have tried on Linux was unable to continue 
for more than a few minutes without crashing. With Kdenlive, I was able 
to get from importing clips to exporting a rendered version without a 
single crash. I'm sure I've jinxed myself for the next time I try 
something, but still... stability wise it is the first and only video 
editor to even get on the score board. (Your results may vary, of 
course. That it didn't crash for me is no garuntee it won't crash for 
others.)

* So far I've tried LiVES, Cinelerra, Jahshaka, Kino and one other that 
I can't remember the name of. I haven't tried Main Actor.

2. Intuitive interface.

I have not been able to understand with other video editors why they 
make such crazy interfaces. Again, of all other video editors, I was 
unable to start simple tasks such as importing a video clip or putting 
it on a timeline without consulting documentation. With Kdenlive, I was 
able to get all the way from beginning to end of a simple* project by 
simply poking around and finding things. Nice. When I started to get 
fancy with audio effects, I had to stop once to check for how to handle 
the audio timeline and that's it.

* By "simple", I mean I was able to import some clips, trim them, append 
them together, put a fade from black on the start, add a fade to black 
on the end, and adjust volume settings, then export the complete 
timeline in a format and size of my choice.

3.Handles all the video and audio formats

When I say "all", I mean all that I tried. Seems to be tied into 
whatever codec libraries drive my Mplayer or other media players can 
handle are all handled within Kdenlive. So basically, if I could play it 
on my system, I could edit it. This was a really nice discovery. With 
the other editors, I found that they were picky about what they would 
take (Cinellera only accepts one format - Quicktime, I think), or would 
not handle them well (LiVES would import the video, but not the audio). 
Kdenlive even took the oddball MPEG format that comes straight from my 
Sony video camera.

What are the drawbacks? Well, I haven't hit any yet, though I haven't 
pushed it. It's KDE based, so if you're a Gnome guy like me that means 
loading all the KDE libraries just to get the interface up. But, that 
said, it seems really, really spritely. The video files that come off my 
Sony camera are uncompressed MPEGs at about 2 GB each, and this thing 
loaded em up instantly and I could navigate within them without delays.

Overall, I'm giving this a thumbs up. It may yet turn out to lack 
certain features for truly slick video production. But for now, I would 
totally recommend it if you're just looking for an effective and simple 
editor to handle home movies, simple manipulations, and other basic 
functions. I'm keeping my expectations low, but it is the first and only 
Linux video editor that I feel actually opens the possibility that video 
editing may yet come to be on Linux.

http://www.kdenlive.org/

Hope that info helps others.

--
Dave M G
http://www.tlug.jp/wiki/User:Dave_M_G