The slightest mention of Lightworks for Linux sparks a frenzy of interest across the web. Now that Alpha testing is underway, some reviews have started to appear.
This is the first video review we've found. The guys at Jupiter Broadcasting seem to love Lightworks for Linux! They say it's fast, and incredibly stable for an Alpha release.
Forgivably, they haven't quite got all the details right and it's important to remember these points when you're watching:
Some of the features in the video are only found in the Pro version. This applies especially to the codecs mentioned. Avid DNxHD is available for use with the Free version, but a one-off licence fee must be paid. You have to pay for Avid DNxHD additionally even if you buy the Pro licence. Avid DNxHD is currently UK£45 (The Lightworks shop will also provide the price in Dollars and Euros, depending on your location).
Avid DNxHD isn't actually lossless but it's arguably visually lossless. That means that you can compress and decompress it many times before you can see any degradation. The main point about Avid DNxHD is that you can work with very high quality video without too strain on your computer's processor, which means a faster workflow and more simultaneous video tracks.
The Pro version includes additional codec support. Lightworks Pro for Linux will cost $60/€50/£40, or half that for educational use.
To be fair, these guys probably only spent about five minutes with Lightworks before they did this, but they missed out loads of Lightworks features that would have made them even happier if they'd seen them.
Note that applications for Alpha testing are now closed, but with a tightly-controlled Alpha stage, The Lightworks team hope to move on to public Beta testing as soon as possible.