Debut Pro Edition review
Debut Pro Edition is NCH's shareware video capture tool. It boasts a logical layout with easy-to-grasp controls, an extensive Web-based user manual, and the ability to capture video from your desktop, webcam, or video card.
Pros
Easy to use: Debut Pro Edition eschews dark gray themes typical of video software in favor of a plain but refreshingly logical layout with player controls and important settings and options right up front. Toolbar labels like Device, Screen, Schedule, and Recordings clearly describe their functions.
Screen capture: The software launched with our desktop displayed in its preview window, including cursor motion, and other onscreen activity. We merely had to choose our options to start recording immediately.
Options: Each format has its own Encoder Options panel with audio and video settings such as compression level, sample rate, and bit rate. The Video Options include aspect ratio, time-lapse, frame rate, and frame capture.
Effects: We could add watermarks, text captions, and color and video effects.
Cons
Play/view: Debut Pro Edition automatically downloads and installs extra software to play videos. Awkwardly, the video display window and the Find and play dialog wouldn't minimize. You can use another player, but you shouldn't have to.
Bottom Line
Overall, Debut Pro Edition performs well and is easy to use. Whether it performs better than similarly capable freeware in your system is what the trial will tell.
Editors' note: This is a review of the trial version of Debut Pro Edition 2.02.
