Test Drive: Casablanca Avio DV Pro Digital video editor

MacroSystems, 5485 Conestoga Court, Boulder, CO 80301 (877) 554-2846 www.casablanca.tv $1,995. Video adds excitement and energy to ordinary school projects, and it's also an increasingly popular way to teach. Teachers and students don't have to be intimidated by the complex, multi-deck video editing appliances of the past. The Casablanca Avio DV Pro by MacroSystems is affordable and easy to use.

About the size of a DVD player, the Avio captures both analog (VHS, 8mm, Hi8, etc.) and digital video (DV), making it compatible with virtually any camcorder. To import video footage into the Avio, users must connect it to a camcorder, a VCR, or a DVD player. All of the Avio's functions are controlled with its trackball.

The "Record Mode" button saves footage from the camcorder to the Avio's hard drive, and the clips of saved footage appear as icons in the "Scene Bin" area of the screen. In edit mode, users split the recorded footage into separate scenes, which can be added to the storyboard in any order. Special effects, like slow or reverse motion or scene transitions, can be easily added.

Soundtracks can be created from a CD player, a tape deck, or even a microphone for voice-overs. Avio also allows users to add text over the video image. However, I recommend attaching an external USB keyboard if many titles must be added because using the trackball to select each letter is cumbersome. While most of the special effects are added in real time—the effect is applied as you edit the scene—it's necessary to apply some of the complex effects separately before exporting the video. Once editing is complete, the new video is easily sent to a camcorder or VCR.

The Avio is suitable for most schools' video needs. It easily produces near-broadcast-quality video for a price starting at $1,495. Upgrading to the DV Pro model allows the import of digital as well as VHS video and permits users to work simultaneously on up to 10 different projects, as opposed to the standard three. It would be nice if it included a built-in CD-RW drive for audio input and digital output. But overall, it is a flexible video editor. The preinstalled software can be upgraded using SmartMedia cards.

The Avio DV Pro is a powerful, stable machine that's simple to operate. If video projects for students or video presentations by teachers are in your future, take a long, close look at the Casablanca Avio DV. You'll like what you see.