Germany’s AIST MediaLab AG has introduced MovieExplorer, a free, multi-functional tool for video production and conversion.
MovieExplorer is software for video production, which fully supports Internet functionality such as RealVideo from RealNetwork, the ASF format from Microsoft and Quicktime from Apple. It also features standard formats such as MPEG and AVI.
Features such include purely software based real-time preview, flexible plug-in structure and scalability in all directions. The software is based on the same MovieX( technology as AIST’s flagship products MoviePack and MovieDVsuite.
“The last barrierhas fallen. Video production on the standard PC not only has become possible – it now also conquers the mass market,” said Ralf Schaefer, president AIST Inc. “The ease-of-use of our free MovieExplorer software is one example of how we respond to the needs of this market.”
All current video, graphics and audio formats can be imported into a video project, animated, and then stored in different formats – as streaming video for the Internet for example. All functions for video editing and animation, titling and audio production are united in one single program interface.
Its modular structure makes MovieExplorer open to future extensions. Functions from other MovieX software – from MoviePack or MovieDVsuite – and plug-ins from third-party manufacturers can be integrated, without having to recreate existing projects.
Video productions can be recorded on a video recorder, camcorder or played back to a TV screen (with full NTSC and PAL resolution) using the appropriate hardware.
MovieExplorer is a universal tool for converting all current image, video and audio formats. MovieExplorer can also be used as a multimedia browser, for example, for displaying, searching and organizing images, videos and audio files.
MovieExplorer supports both native DV and FireWire interfaces with integrated device control for all current camcorders. For video editing and animation there are A/B-editing tracks, one overlay/titling track and two audio tracks available. The user also has access to various video and audio effects, transitions and a title generator.
Additionally, it is possible to integrate other additional modules – for example AIST plug-ins like MovieClouds, MovieTransitions, Movie3DS-Import, MovieFX-Effects and Movie3DTitler. All changes made to clips can be immediately observed in the real-time preview. The software supports output in all resolutions up to full NTSC and full PAL and 32-bit color depth.
MovieExplorer can be used with Windows 95 and NT 4.0 from Service Pack 4 onwards (without FireWire support) and with Windows 98SE, Windows ME and Windows 2000 with full DV/FireWire support. It requirea a Pentium II 233 MHz or compatible processor with MMX extension or better. 64 MB RAM as well as an OpenGL/Direct3D graphics card are necessary. Other components are not critical. MovieExplorer is available for download (approx. 13 MB) from www.aist.com
