[GuyWithACamera]

I know this is a Mac forum but realize there are Windows users here too.

I'm a teacher and every year I put together a video slideshow of photos and video of the kids from 6th through 8th grades to show at their 8th grade graduation. I'm trying to move this opportunity onto more of the kids to do rather than myself in my spare time. I use my own equipment at home and burn dvd's for all the kids. I've been trying to get just one Mac in my classroom to no avail as of yet. I've even offered to give up the 5 Dells I currently have for just one but they want me to keep the cluster in my room.

Anyhoo, in case I can't coax the right people to get a Mac for my classroom, is there an equivalent to iLife for Windows? Something as seamless and easy to use that I can learn and teach a few kids to use? I was told we could get some software if it weren't too expensive. All I've found so far is different apps for the different stages (one for putting together the video, one for burning, another for music scoring, etc.). I'd like to avoid mismatches and incompatibility issues.

If we have to spend at least the same amount as a Mac Mini, I may as well fight for that. But to be fair, I'd like to put forth a valiant effort too seek out a solution.

So, any ideas for cheap and easy video editing/production suite for windows?

Sorry for being so winded.

[Wiskedjak]

The Windows equivelant of iLife does not exist. You'd probably be looking at Adobe Premiere Elements and Adobe Encore for something equivelant in production quality, but nowhere near equal in terms of ease of use.

I believe Premiere Elements and Encore together will be cheaper than a Mac Mini, but when you factor in ease of use, the Mac Mini with iLife will be much cheaper since you will be able to produce equal quality movies (albeit with less special effects features) in at least half the time it would take with the Adobe products.

[Helmling]

There are many programs available for PC that fill the roles of iMovie and iDVD, but I honestly cannot recommend any of them that I have seen since none really comes close to offering the features and ease of use.

You can try the Pinnacle website and see what they offer, but if you are measuring this software against the Mac standard, then you'll be disappointed I think.

[stevesnj]

Get an iMac for education, $1,199.00 tell them for the price of a software suite and DVD writer to do what this machine can do, they would be silly not to buy it. Apple - Education - iMac in Education

specs Apple - iMac - Technical Specifications

[GuyWithACamera]

Thanks for your replies.

stevesnj, I know about the edu pricing, use it for my personal purchases every time. Thanks.

Unfortunately, the strongest influence to schools these days is the $. They'd rather save a few hundred dollars than have the best. The cheapie Acer's we're fazing out are evidence of that. The low end Dell's that are replacing them aren't much better, just a bit.

I'm going to offer the principal to keep one of my extra-curricular activity stipends in exchange for a Mac.

I wanted to be fair to the school and investigate options on the Windows side at least.

Maybe if I put a video up on the net offering to blow up the Dell's for donations would help. But I doubt I'd have a job afterwards.

[Dr. DDS]

doesn't the windows movie maker does that? I'm guessing, never used...

[GuyWithACamera]

Originally Posted by Dr. DDS

doesn't the windows movie maker does that? I'm guessing, never used...

Well, sorta. It doesn't have the integration with photo editing, music and such as well as DVD menu options. Heck, I'm not even sure it has DVD encoding.

Thanks.

[mduell]

Windows Movie Maker and NeroVision Express