Video Editing Software For Your Camcorder

* *JVC Everio Camcorder Software* *

JVC Everio camcorders ship with the Everio Media Browser software program. The program has gone through several iterations, including the 2.02 version, which shipped with several 2010 camcorders. The software offers bare bones functionality and is actually quite frustrating to use at times. It has a number of useful features including clip organization, YouTube upload capability, and DVD disc creation (additional DVD burner required). Unfortunately, we were often thwarted when trying to operate the most basic functions.

Note: None of the Everio Media Browser programs are compatible with a Macintosh operating system. You will need to use iMovie or another 3rd party application to transfer files and/or do video editing.

 
From the main screen, you can easily sort your video files, using the traditional thumbnail view or a handy calendar view. The most important feature of the program is the 'Backup' command, which is how you import videos from your camcorder to your computer. That's an important step, since you'll have to do this if you want to do any editing or even watch the video on your computer.

We found the Backup feature to be confusing, since it was not obvious how to import just a single clip—and not the entire contents of the camcorder.

Aside from the backup feature, users will probably get some use out of the YouTube and disc burning features. We couldn't get the YouTube feature to work, but that may have been the dinosaur we're using as a computer. The software kept crashing and giving us error messages. A dozen attempts at this left us unwilling to bother with the DVD burning feature.
 

We couldn't get any further with the YouTube feature.

DVD burning looks simple to use, but looks can deceive.

The only editing feature available is a simple trim mechanism. For anything more complicated, you'll definitely want to look elsewhere for your video editing needs.

One other feature worth mentioning: several 2009 and 2010 JVC camcorders have built-in 'one-touch' buttons that are meant to facilitate things like burning to DVD and uploading to YouTube. However, we found these buttons to be incredibly deceptive. Pushing the Upload button, for instance, simply marks your video with a YouTube destination. You still have to install the software and go through the uploading process in order to transfer footage to YouTube.

* * JVC Picsio Camcorder Software * *

JVC's line of 2010 Picsio camcorders come with different editing software than the company's regular consumer camcorders. The GC-WP10 and GC-FM2 are loaded with strangely-named LoiLoScope EX software. The program is pre-loaded right on the camcorders themselves, so you don't have to insert a CD or even install it to use. Just plug the camcorder into your computer (PC only) and the LoiLoScope EX software should be ready to go.

The tutorial interface on the LoiLoScope EX software is very easy to follow.

The LoiLoScope software opens with a tutorial showing you the ins and outs of the program. We like this setup a lot—it is simple and easy to follow—but the program quickly becomes a complicated mess the more you play around with it. The interface has a strange "infinite desktop" design, which means windows can be scattered all over the place and you must drag the screen around to find them. This whole setup may work if it was well-designed, but LoiLoScope feels like a cheap knock off. It is unbelievably confusing, and we can't imagine anyone who is new to editing software being able to make sense of the whole thing.

The sharing and effects options are extensive, but the
software's interface is very difficult to maneuver.
 

On the bright side, the LoiLoScope software does have a lot of sharing and effects features. You can upload videos to Facebook and YouTube, as well as export files to various formats, with relative ease. In the effects window, you can add all those wonderful digital impressions (like grainy film or negative art) to your clips. We like the amount of features the software has, we just hate the way the entire program is designed.

The infinite desktop interface is very strange.