HD camcorders: Getting the most from your digital camcorder Editing
Software and computer spec
Editing can turn raw footage into a highly polished movie
You can do lots with video editing software. You can delete scenes, merge scenes, add music, create a DVD for distribution and lots, lots more. Check out Video-editing software report for some great tips and Best Buys or take a look at our guide to basic video editing.
Most models come with basic software in the box, but you can buy more creative and flexible packages too.
Microsoft has quite a good package called Microsoft Movie Maker that you can download for free – it works well with footage recorded on Mini DV. Mac users can try iMovie – again free.
Computer power
Video editing requires a lot of computer power. We recommend a minimum of 512MB of RAM on your computer, and preferably more.
To see how much RAM your Windows XP computer has, go to Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance. Click on ‘See basic information about my computer’, then click on the tab called ‘General’.
