There is no denying that when it comes to video editing, no software can even come close to the big shots in the industry like Sony Vegas and Adobe Premiere. However, just because they are the most preferred video editors by most people doesn’t mean they’re the best option for everybody. These two software aren’t ideal for people who need to edit multiple videos quickly and easily. For this reason, Avery Lee created the VirtualDub, a video editor that’s all about speed and efficiency. Does it have what it takes to be an acceptable alternative to the likes of Sony Vegas and Adobe Premiere?

Simple Features

Right off the bat, it should be stated that the features that the VirtualDub possesses don’t come close to the industry giants in terms of power. The program doesn’t have a timeline, so it’s impossible to do intricate video editing processes like transitions, animation, overlapping, and more. It’s also impossible to trim and combine videos without manually trimming each one. 

All of that said, the VirtualDub does have its own strengths. Its simplicity and ease of use make it good for quick editing. The fact that it supports batch processing also shows that’s it’s more concerned about the speed and quantity of processing rather than the quality. As stated above, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing since there are some people who do need that speed of processing.

In terms of video file format support, the VirtualDub focuses more on AVI file formats. Officially, it states that it can support many file formats. However, it does seem like the program has difficulty detecting file formats that are not AVI. 

Other Observations and Concerns

The installation and interface are simple. As a matter of fact, there is no need to install the program at all. All you need to do is extract the files from the archive and click on the executable file in order to run the program. This is a good thing since you can put the program files into a removable drive and run the program from anywhere.

One minor gripe is that the interface is less than impressive. It’s understandable that the design and interface are simple since the program is all about simplicity and efficiency. However, this doesn’t mean the design shouldn’t be updated. It’s a bit outdated in terms of design. Revamping it to look more modern would be appreciated.

Finally, although the program does come with a very extensive guide about how to use it, it would have helped greatly if the program had tooltips so that users will be able to know what the tools are about quickly.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, it’s still a pretty good program. As long as you don’t expect it to perform as powerfully as Sony Vegas and Adobe Premiere, it will serve your needs well. VirtualDub knows what it is and what it can provide for its users so it’s unfair to compare it with those other programs. It will benefit those that need to process videos quickly and easily.