Editor’s Note: This review is based on version 11.1 of Pinnacle Studio Ultimate. Pinnacle has since released version 12, so some of the items discussed may no longer apply.
Pinnacle Studio Ultimate is a well known home and pro-sumer digital video editing software suite that retails for $129.99. This suite still includes a hard copy manual, which is always a nice surprise. The suite is full of great features and has a nice interface.
The main suite is easy and intuitive to use. It offers optional theme specific titles, transitions, and menus. It can capture, edit, and burn HDV and AVCHD formats. One of the biggest surprises is that the package comes with a “green screen” cloth for use in superimposing images on another background.
Included with the package are three third-party applications. Stagetool’s Moving Picture allows you to pan and zoom and accepts input of up to 8,000 x 8,000 pixels.
The Limited Edition of BIAS Soundsoap offers excellent noise removal.
Prodad’s Vitascene offers a range of high-quality, key-frameable effects such as sparkles, a binocular mask, a soft white vignette and configurable old-film looks.
The included titles, transitions and menus seem out of date. It offers only two video timelines. The chromakey and slow-motion effects were uninspiring.
The three third party applications all have their own tech support lines, and each interface is different.
An extensive library of event specific effects packs are available, but cost an additional $9.99 each.
My number one complaint is the way Pinnacle handcuffs you to one PC and their multiple methods of preventing piracy. Not only do you have to enter the serial number, but you must also enter an unlock key. This also goes for each of the effects packs. You must be connected to the Internet so that the application can confirm that you have a valid license. If you decide to transfer the application to another PC, you will have to contact Customer Service for a new license key. Hopefully, this silly practice has been discontinued in version 12.
Although this is a powerful application with many wonderful features, I have to give it a thumbs down due to the licensing and validation requirements. Installing an application that you already own on another PC is not piracy and treating customers as untrustworthy leaves a foul taste in my mouth.
I would like to see the functionality of the three third-party applications built into the suite, rather than being add-ons.
Compared side by side, I would recommend Cyberlink’s PowerDirector Ultra v7 over Pinnacle’s Studio Ultimate v11.