New to video editing: ditch Roxio or bite the bullet?

I am trying to get into video editing. I usually pick up new skills easily,
and I have a powerful computer with Vista Ultimate, so theoretically I
should be in good shape. Right now, I don't need to do anything too
complicated--just simple editing, trimming, combining clips from various
sources, adding titles and simple transitions, and burning the finished
production onto a cd that will play on my dvd player. However, I have been
struggling for months with Roxio Easy Media Creator 9 and have had very
little success. I am sure some of my problems have been based on
compatibility issues between Vista and Roxio, and I understand that most of
these are now ironed out; I just downloaded the EMC9.1, but before I waste
any more time with this program, I would love to know whether it is the best
one for my purposes. I have been told that if I really want to get into this
stuff, I should ditch Roxio and move up to Photoshop Elements. On the other
hand, that's an expensive program. I'm wondering if I should just give up on
the more powerful programs and go with Windows Movie Maker and until I am
more proficient at the whole thing. Two factors make me hesitate to settle
for a quick fix: first, I am capturing video off a sophisticated high def
camcorder, and I don't want to lose either video or audio quality in the
translation; secondly, I would like to be able to re-edit my video
productions without starting over from scratch later as I become more
proficient at the process. Is it possible to begin a production using a
program like Windows Movie Maker, and later edit it with a more sophisticated
program? Is any of the quality of my captured video lost in the Windows
Movie Maker transfer to dvd? Who out there has a recommendation about which
video editing program is ultimately best for me ?

"Roscoe''s Mom" <RoscoesMom@discussions.microsoft.com> schreef in bericht
news:B85D954B-4881-43AA-80B5-03C63B36235D@microsoft.com...
>I am trying to get into video editing. I usually pick up new skills
>easily,
> and I have a powerful computer with Vista Ultimate, so theoretically I
> should be in good shape. Right now, I don't need to do anything too
> complicated--just simple editing, trimming, combining clips from various
> sources, adding titles and simple transitions, and burning the finished
>
megacut
>

I'm blowed! How long-winded you Americans can be sometimes! Why don't you
simply try out WMM instead of forcing us to read your dull story, in the
assumption that you have a real problem..
WMM *is a sopihisticated, easy to use program, if not better than Roxy.

Windows Movie Maker is the easy way to go.

It also gives you the option of saving to DVD or whatever.

The Vista HELP is very informative

PS: Ignore the Kraut's snide remarks.


"Klaus" <abc@defg.com> wrote in message
news:uANP9M6SIHA.5516@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>
> "Roscoe''s Mom" <RoscoesMom@discussions.microsoft.com> schreef in bericht
> news:B85D954B-4881-43AA-80B5-03C63B36235D@microsoft.com...
>>I am trying to get into video editing. I usually pick up new skills
>>easily,
>> and I have a powerful computer with Vista Ultimate, so theoretically I
>> should be in good shape. Right now, I don't need to do anything too
>> complicated--just simple editing, trimming, combining clips from various
>> sources, adding titles and simple transitions, and burning the finished
>>
> megacut
>>
>
> I'm blowed! How long-winded you Americans can be sometimes! Why don't you
> simply try out WMM instead of forcing us to read your dull story, in the
> assumption that you have a real problem..
> WMM *is a sopihisticated, easy to use program, if not better than Roxy.