Thank you for your reply.
I am running Windows 10. I did do an update recently, so that may have killed Video Easy, it sounds plausible given the age of the program.

Thank you for the alert about trying to uninstall and reinstall Video Easy, I won't do that now.

As for Movie Studio, I'm doing a trial of the 2024 version now as best I can as I am pressed for time, but so far I'm not crazy about the messy interface and don't need all the options. I'm trying to learn video editing on my own for YouTube because there is no other way to do it. The 2025 version is cheaper right now so I am going to switch to that trial to see if it is different in that way. I checked my PC specs and I think I'm good to go. It is custom built, about 2 years old. Boots up in about 9 seconds and runs everything fine except older games and the like, which is no shocker. It is more than ready for Windows 11, which is something I made sure of in the configuration of the build for when I decide to switch over, which I will likely do at the last minute as I do not have the patience or skills do do debugging work.
My processor is 4.4gHz, 32GB RAM, Video card is NVIDIA with something like 128GB memory or something, etc.

I'm trying my hand at starting a YouTube channel (which is turning out to be one of the more stupid moves I ever made) and I need to do quite a bit of voice over work, which is difficult in and of itself. I think my non-voice over, real-time videos might be easier when I go to film them.

@Eric-Elliott

Hi.

Your computer specifications can be found under the Windows Settings / System, and scroll to the bottom and select 'About'

This should then give you this page.

To find out what nvidia GPU you have, right click anywhere on your screen and select nvidia control panel. Once opened click at the very bottom for the specs in the System Information section. There is no nvidia GPU with that amount of vram. (memory).

If you put all that information up here minus the bits I've redacted in my image then we can advise better.

As for the confusing layout. In my previous post did you look at my image and see which timeline is highlighted as a blue square box?

Can you find that setting?

A pdf manual can be downloaded by going to the help section in the top tool bar.

Ray.

My CPU is an i-5 2.6Ghz, 16GB RAM, Nvidia GForce RTX 3060 with 12GBRAM 6DDR. For the record, I have seen video cards with 128GB RAM. They exist, but are $60k to $80k and primarily used by bitcoin miners.
Anyway, I'm currently running the Trial of Movie Studio 2024 Platinum and it's fine. I'm not doing any actual work in it, just going through screens because I don't have time right now and it will take me at least two to four months to learn just the basics, if possible. At any rate I am getting the 2025 version.

@Eric-Elliott @CubeAce

Hold your horses, Video Easy has NOT been discontinued; it is the software component of Rescue Your Videotapes or Video Saver, whatever the Magix analogue capture package is called today. VideoEasy is currently running at version 8. I have version 7 (from Ashampoo) and it runs fine on Win 11. A program "designed" to run on Windows 8 will almost certainly run on Windows 10 and 11. It's the other way round which is generally the problem.

As for reinstalling, provided you have your P3 number, then there should be no issue. If you're registered the program, it's details will be in the My Products section of your account. Of course, a re-install may not work if the issue is deeper than simply the program files themselves.

That said, Movie Studio is definitely what you want. It has Storyboard mode, which you've been using in Video Easy, but the Timeline mode makes life so much easier. Intuitive visual control of your video and audio clips, more effects, video cropping, much better file export control (important for Youtube) And it won't take you 2-4 months to come to grips with. There are some excellent tutes done by our tute expert JohnCB; check them out on the TUTORIALS link at the top of this page.

@AAProds

Hi Al.

Video Easy became a subscription service only a long time ago and no longer appears on the main Magix Website.

However if you do a web search for it you get to this page which has shown the same information for over a year now.

Can you explain how a program that is only available for download and does not require a dongle is constantly shown as sold out on the manufacturers website if you can find the page url?

I still think a reply from Magix would be nice if your version is still working as it should be if you have checked before replying.

If your copy is working you compare version numbers?

I see it is still available from Ashampoo.

At least they seem to be offering a 30 day money back guarantee.

@Eric-Elliott

Hi.

Thanks for the computer specs al;though the Intel i5 you quote does not give us the generation of processor as you have left off half of the processor's ID.

Those high vram types of GPU cards normally do not have a video out component and are meant for data servers.

I do agree with Al on the fact that Movie Studio is the way to go and the interface if you wish it can be made to work similar to the workflow you are used to but equally contacting Magix for some type of answer would not go amiss. You may get your program back up and working as a backup program. It may also depend on how old your copy of the program is.

Ray.

@CubeAce

Ray, As far as I am aware, you have never been able to buy Video Easy as a standalone product from Magix. Why it is available from Ashampoo without the dongle I don't know and quite frankly, I don't care. I bought it to have an idea of what the users of RYVT were using and because the dongle is just another USB digitiser; VE works with all of them.

I'll say it for the umpteenth time, Video Easy 7 works fine on Win 11 and obviously, v8 would as well.

Can you explain how a program that is only available for download and does not require a dongle is constantly shown as sold out on the manufacturers website if you can find the page url?

You will find that the answer to that question is the same as why the Magix website as a whole is a dog's breakfast, including the gibberish which is the Specifications sections for the various programs, what they will or will not import etc etc etc. I don't have an issue with what VE is or how it is supplied; from Magix, it only comes with the dongle. I would suggest that instead of asking me, you get on to Magix and ask them to sort out the inconsistencies of their website that you have discovered.

@Eric-Elliott

Eric, if you want to have a go at re-installing Video Easy, the P3 number is on the Help>About Magix Video Easy. You can copy and save it before you re-install.

@Eric-Elliott @CubeAce

Hold your horses, Video Easy has NOT been discontinued; it is the software component of Rescue Your Videotapes or Video Saver, whatever the Magix analogue capture package is called today. VideoEasy is currently running at version 8. I have version 7 (from Ashampoo) and it runs fine on Win 11. A program "designed" to run on Windows 8 will almost certainly run on Windows 10 and 11. It's the other way round which is generally the problem.

As for reinstalling, provided you have your P3 number, then there should be no issue. If you're registered the program, it's details will be in the My Products section of your account. Of course, a re-install may not work if the issue is deeper than simply the program files themselves.

That said, Movie Studio is definitely what you want. It has Storyboard mode, which you've been using in Video Easy, but the Timeline mode makes life so much easier. Intuitive visual control of your video and audio clips, more effects, video cropping, much better file export control (important for Youtube) And it won't take you 2-4 months to come to grips with. There are some excellent tutes done by our tute expert JohnCB; check them out on the TUTORIALS link at the top of this page.

Tech support told me Video Easy is discontinued and no longer supported. Geez, I don't know what to believe now. Yes, of course I have it registered and have the P3 number.

Movie Studio makes life easier if one knows what they are doing, but I do not. It's pretty intimidating to me. Watching tutorials don't help me much, but better than nothing. I prefer written tutorials so I can follow along, I can't do that with videos. I also do not need most of the effects or such. I want to keep it very simple. I'm not looking to make YouTube a fulltime job and I don't want to monetize beyond affiliate links, I can't do PayPal and I don't need the hell of having Patreons and paid subscriptions and all that. I have nothing to offer such things anyway.

I'm not sure what to do at this point. I don't want to spend money that is hard to get if I don't need to, but I can't trust Video Easy now.

@AAProds

Hi Al.

Video Easy became a subscription service only a long time ago and no longer appears on the main Magix Website.

However if you do a web search for it you get to this page which has shown the same information for over a year now.

Can you explain how a program that is only available for download and does not require a dongle is constantly shown as sold out on the manufacturers website if you can find the page url?

I still think a reply from Magix would be nice if your version is still working as it should be if you have checked before replying.

If your copy is working you compare version numbers?

I see it is still available from Ashampoo.

At least they seem to be offering a 30 day money back guarantee.

@Eric-Elliott

Hi.

Thanks for the computer specs al;though the Intel i5 you quote does not give us the generation of processor as you have left off half of the processor's ID.

Those high vram types of GPU cards normally do not have a video out component and are meant for data servers.

I do agree with Al on the fact that Movie Studio is the way to go and the interface if you wish it can be made to work similar to the workflow you are used to but equally contacting Magix for some type of answer would not go amiss. You may get your program back up and working as a backup program. It may also depend on how old your copy of the program is.

Ray.

I got my copy of Video Easy from Ashampoo. (That and a lot of other really good programs from them).

Here is my CPU info: 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-11400 @ 2.60GHz   2.59 GHz. I don't know why Generation would matter unless it is from a commodore or 286 PC or something crazy like that. I know there is a windows 11 reason, but that also applies to motherboards as well.

As for those high vram GPUs, yes, you are correct.

This is why I have such a hard time using forums. I'm more confused now then when I started. I know you are all trying to help and I appreciate it, but it is starting to get messy for me as what always happens in forums.

I think my plan is to go ahead and take the risk of getting Movie Studio 2025 platinum, even though I only want or need about 15% of it, maybe. The rest can disappear and I would not miss it. I'd love to find a way to get rid of what I don't need in the program. I want it to look like Video Easy, not Divinci (Talk about intimidating!). (I'm also going to uninstall that stupid map thing it comes with). The unfortunate part is that Movie Studio is geared towards action videos and travel and such, everything I am not doing. All I'm doing is showing records, talking about music, doing demos of record care and custodial stuff and all off camera. (I have intense fear of cameras, they are like loaded guns with hair triggers to me. I won't do selfies or anything and will never point a camera at a person without their permission).
I'm doing voice over for my CDs and plan on doing real time recording for my vinyl records and of course the demos. I also plan on doing screen capture or screen video for showing databases and such.

@Eric-Elliott

Eric, Davinci Resolve? I hear you! I watched a tute on a feature and immediately thought: I'll pass on that thanks!

Movie Studio will be perfect for what you want to do and you will get the hang of it in no time. As I mentioned, you can set it to Video Easy's Storyboard mode, but you'll find Timeline mode so much better.

FYI, I've never used Travel Maps either. 😉

@Eric-Elliott

Hi

To aid with familiarisation with Magix Movie Studio - there is a list of tutorials here. Some of the older ones are done in Movie Edit Pro which was rebranded a few years ago to Movie Studio, however the principles still apply to the latest version.

@AAProds

Hi Al

. . . . Video Easy has NOT been discontinued; it is the software component of Rescue Your Videotapes or Video Saver . . . .

It is no longer available as a 'standalone', I think that it has been dropped from further development due to rationalisation of the product range, Video Saver (Rescue your Video tapes) is its 'replacement'.

John EB
 

@johnebaker

It is no longer available as a 'standalone',

John, yes, as I said on the other thread, I don't believe it ("Video Easy") has ever been available as a standalone product. It has always been the software component of Video Saver/Rescue My Videotapes (can't Magix even make up it's mind on a name for the package?). I'm pretty sure V8 of VE exists; and in any case, VE must still be "current and supported" because it is part of the current RYVT product.

@AAProds

Hi Al

. . . . has ever been available as a standalone product . . . .

Video Easy was the 'bottom rung' capture software with fewer features than the old Rescue Your Video tapes, Video Easy v7 (2021) was the last standalone.

As you say, technically it is still available, however it is 'merged into' RYVT/Video Saver.

From latest news the product ranges are being simplified, more by rationalisation of editions, this may be an example of this.

John EB

@johnebaker @AAProds

Hi.

For a while there was also Magix Fastcut which was also a more basic standalone product and I remember seeing it available on the Microsoft app store for some time. There was a very basic free version you could download and then upgrade it if you needed a bit more capability.

At the time I first got MEP 2018 Video Easy was available under Video 'other' for a one time payment but I can no longer find links to those pages.

@Eric-Elliott

Hi.

The reason for asking about the CPU information gives us the CPU core / thread count as well as if it also has an inboard graphics chip which not all processors have but your one does (an Intel UHD 730) and can help with the video processing for smoother playback and faster export times, which Movie Studio can take advantage of.

Ray.

 

Hi.

The reason for asking about the CPU information gives us the CPU core / thread count as well as if it also has an inboard graphics chip which not all processors have but your one does (an Intel UHD 730) and can help with the video processing for smoother playback and faster export times, which Movie Studio can take advantage of.

Ray.

Ah, ok. Thanks for explaining why the "Generation" is important. I have never had problems with playback or anything on my current PC (which is a behemoth), which makes more sense now. In Video Easy a 5 minute video would take about 2 minutes to process/finalize. Of course, that same 5 minute video took me about 4 hours to make and it was just stills with voice over! One of the things I hate about this YouTube attempt. That likely won't get much faster, but I am hoping to get quicker and better at video editing over time. I likely have at least another 50+ videos to go before I see any signs of improvement, but that is just how it works. (I've only done about 5 so far and only two the audio was fine and all. I also save them to my PC because I am not ready to post them right away and right now I don't even have a channel. I don't want to get one until I have something to post (as cringy as the first few may be).

In fact, that is what I worry about with Movie Studio. I need to be able to see the segment/picture to adjust how long it appears on screen while I talk about it and of course they are all different. Video Easy Storybook mode made it easier to see and then the audio track would be below that, nothing else to make a clean screen I could see.
The timeline mode in Movie Studio is very difficult for me to see (I have poor eyesight) and seems cluttered. So I am not sure using timeline mode will makes things easier, it could make them next to impossible. I uninstalled the trial version of Movie Studio 2024 last night and loaded the trial of Movie Studio 2025. It's start screen is slightly cleaner (doesn't load a hundred tracks squeezed and stacked on each other), it just loads one. However, everything else is the same.

I'm going to go through the tutorials of course if I can find any exact matches in terms of interface and such, I'm a lifelong learner anyway, but I'm not sure if that will help, it usually doesn't do much for me. I prefer printed step by step tutorials. I have near zero short term memory due to a TIA. The trade off is that I can recall details of all the way back when I was 5 or 6 years old for example, but ask me what happened 15 or 20 minutes ago and I struggle to say. It is as if my long term memory was given a boost. Not sure I dig that, but it is what it is. I'd rather have at least a little short term memory back.

@Eric-Elliott

Hi.

The problem for us on the forums answering questions is we often get people with very different systems of varying age ranges. Sometimes people need different answers to similar questions.

It helps to be able to eliminate various possible problems that hardware could be responsible for. Your system is relatively new and while the processor is mid tier for it's generation it will for instance outperform my older higher tier processor just in its performance capabilities per core being much more powerful than the cores on my processor. I would think your system would be capable for a few more program updates to come yet.

But it is not always down to hardware. Sometimes changes to operating systems and device drivers such as used for graphics and audio components may sometimes cause problems due to software mistakes, omissions or just bad coding releases and we may have to roll back a driver until a patch or update comes out. Often there are bugs in the programs themselves in new releases that have not even been patched despite also being present in previous releases. Things are seldom perfect and we just have to try the best we can with what we have.

I can understand frustration of short term memory loss. I occasionally suffer searching for the correct word when typing or in conversation but so far not that bad yet.

I know one or two people here have done some written tutorials on a few a few video editing topics but they seem to be just a few.

At the top of each page on the forum there is a section labeled TUTORIALS which may be worth clicking on to see what is available.

The layout within Magix Movie Studio can be altered, sections resized, and stored as templates.

So you could reduce those parts you do not need and increase the sizes of those you do need and save it as a Window Arrangement In the Window section of the top tool bar of the program.

If you have any specific questions never be afraid to ask on the forums.

Ray.

Thank you Ray. Yes, Computers are something, they become obsolete the minute you finish building it. It is impossible to keep up. My rig is about 2 years old, but it is an antique compared to today. I'm somewhat surprised my processor is good enough sometimes. I had a choice of getting 4GHz CPU multi-cores and more, but they were four figures in cost and not really needed unless I was doing CAD or mining crypto coin or trying to make the next blockbuster Hollywood film (or simply trying to take over the world and control the weather..ha ha ha). To that end though I did try to choose something I could afford somewhat future proof for a time and because I know one day I will be forced into Windows 11 (I'm not impressed with Windows 10. I liked Win 3.1 over DOS, Win 95 was ok. Everything after that has been junk). I also never buy off the shelf PCS, I always go custom. It may be slightly more expensive, but not by much if one tries to get the same or similar config off the shelf, if possible.

Yes, then there is the software issues, which mostly are with the OS. That is why I am waiting until the last minute to adopt Win 11. I'm still getting updates from MS and other programs with drivers and such no problem. I also have a Driver Update program that picks up anything missed.

Yes, the one thing I have figured out is that I can delete the bars under the preview window (I'm not sure what those are called, "work areas"? SO I can have just one or whatever I need and don't have to look at 60 of them wondering what goes to what. As for templates, I never learned how to use them in other programs that well except for Excel.
I just need the preview window, the storage section to the right side of it of course and the bar thing under it all where the segments go. I wish I could get rid of all the Chinese symbols or whatever all of the place that do stuff, but I have not figured out how yet or if one can. I'd love to make it like Video Easy, limitations and all. I will never need the advanced stuff that only professionals can use. "Professionals" being anyone who has done even 10 videos for YouTube and more.

@Eric-Elliott

Computers are something, they become obsolete the minute you finish building it. It is impossible to keep up. My rig is about 2 years old, but it is an antique compared to today. I'm somewhat surprised my processor is good enough sometimes.

Eric, do not fall into the catastrophist's trap. Obsolescence is measured entirely on what you are doing and what you want to do. If I'm reading your YT mission correctly, your machine will last you years. My last machine lasted me 12 years with every version of Magix and despite the doom and gloom predictions, it ran/runs Magix 2024 just as well as the versions from 12 years ago. Now it doesn't do things as fast as the latest machines, but for what I wanted, it was great. There was a step change in the Magix programs a couple of years ago where it introduced a new encoding process and the latest computers take advantage of that; yours is one of those with your 3060 graphics card so you'll be set for years.

To address a couple of your issues, Movie Studio has the same Storyboard mode that Video Easy has. You can change the interface using these buttons (far right of the MS screen, half way down):

You can also change the height of the tracks in the "work area" (called the "arranger") using the buttons lower down.

In Timeline mode, you will quickly see you can visualise the length of your images and your voiceover and drag the image to change it's length to match the voiceover.