VirtualDub
Relationship to Learning
Using VirtualDub is easier if you are already familiar with video editing software. The menu bar across the top is similar to many Windows-based programs so those familiar with that look will be able to use the menus easily. What is new in this program is the frame counter across the bottom of the window and some buttons that are unique to this program. Screen tips are slow to show themselves but do eventually pop up when the mouse hovers over a button. If you are new to video editing this is a relatively good starter program because it is basic and has few choices to deal with. As you exhaust the capabilities of this program you will be ready to move on to other, more full-featured programs for editing videos in the future.
General observations
The developer says this is "proof that I had too much free time in college." VirtualDub is an easy download from http://www.virtualdub.org/download.html. To install it you must go to the saved file, unzip it, and figure out which of the three application files is the correct one that installs the program since no installation wizard is included. There is no glitz or glam about this program, but if you have used video editing software before you will be able to use this without much assistance. If you do need the help menu, however, you may be out of luck; it did not download with the program in my installation.
Video
To begin editing, you first open a video clip; capture video is not available. It is not clear how to get more than one clip in the program at a time; in fact it doesn't seem to be possible. There are no transitions available, either, which would be pointless if you can't append clips. This is the biggest weakness of the program; in fact, Lonnquist (1994) says that "To connect shots into a sequence that tells a story or records an event . . ." is one of the main functions of editing software, so this is a major drawback for this program.
There are a few video tools available: filters, frame rate, color depth, compression, range selection, recompression, direct stream copy, and smart rendering. Selecting and cutting unwanted frames is easily accomplished with buttons that allow you to step forward and backward as slowly as one frame at a time, then you can delete the selection. This seems to be the program's strength.
Audio
Rather than having a separate track for the audio, it is interleaved with the video. You can add audio from another file but it replaces any audio already in the clip. Background music, additional voice overs, or other types of audio effects are not possible. You can show or hide the audio graphics bar, but you cannot select and edit portions of the audio. Audio tools available are limited and include: interleaving, compression, filtering, conversion, volume, no audio, source audio, audio from other file, direct stream copy, and full processing mode.
File Extensions
Video files will be in the .avi format; audio files will be either .mp3 or .wav files.
Lonnquist, J. (1994, November). The art of the edit. Videomaker. Retrieved on April 6, 2009, from http://www.videomaker.com/article/1691/
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