I love VideoPad. It's simple, yet loaded with features. After using an older free version for some time, I purchased my first licenced copy today after briefly trying out the trial of v7.30 . I should have paid more attention to the changes before paying i think. Though most of the features are still intact (and a bunch of new features that have some cool potential), I can't help but notice the "Change Preview Settings" are gone, replaced by an array of slightly confusing aspect ratio options. What seems like a minor change can have a huge impact on the usability of this software.
The truth (i think): VideoPad is for amateurs. That's not a bad thing. Far from it. There's something about this software that keeps me coming back. It's easy to learn and use, has lots of neat features and isn't more complicated than it needs to be.
Another truth: Amateurs never have great gear. I love VideoPad because (until recently) I could scale down my video clips to a resolution that this amateur could live with... that my amateur gear could work with... in order to make my amateur videos.... on software geared at amateurs. Before you say, "have you tried proxy editing?", please stop. VideoPad had it right before with the Change Preview Settings which allowed us to tailor the program towards our CPU limitations. (As any amateur knows, video editing is a CPU heavy endeavour.) Though proxy editing no doubt works, something about it feels wrong. I shouldn't have to prepare my media so that my software can handle it, especially when older versions had that flexibility built in, flexibility that I found essential to being able to create accurate projects. Was there a good reason for axing this feature? If not, BRING IT BACK so I can love VideoPad again and continue to use it! Otherwise, I might as well chuck my cheap gear in the trash, go to film school legit - with all the best gear - and make my same synonymous with Spielberg....😆 but I'd rather use VideoPad for some elusive reason I'll never understand.
I read on another thread that registered customers receive free updates for six months after purchase. What about older versions? I've seen other posts where customers are begging for access to older versions. I understand why this isn't possible. With a one licence/one computer policy, giving current customers full access to past versions would allow them to have multiple copies (albeit different versions) of the software that they could in theory share with others. I suppose the solution is to give potential customers access to all the older trial versions and allow them to purchase the one they like best. The alternative is to have to read posts like this, complaining blindly to the internet, hoping for the improvements in the next update.
There's no way to please everyone all the time and so we struggle on. VideoPad is without a doubt improving. New effects, GPU acceleration, cleaner interface... but there's a reason so many amateurs love it: Does anyone else miss the Change Preview Settings for caching in low resolution? We all want a faster CPU with more cores, more RAM, dedicated GPU ad infinitum, but in the meantime there's VideoPad! Don't forget the professional amateurs!
(And if it isn't unbearably obvious, I cast my humble vote for bringing back the Change Preview Settings in VIdeoPad!)