If you really want to take performance to the next level Episode Pro allows you to work through a work group to do network rendering. This sounds cool but for the purposes of this review we were not able to test it. I have no doubt that it lives up to the performance of the rest of the software.
The one improvement I would really like to see in performance is the issue I mentioned earlier: the sluggishness of the preview option, even on my faster machine. In fact, it was so slow that I ended up not even using it most of the time. Honestly, that issue and the higher price tag is the only reason I rated this product anything less than a 10.
Value
For most microfilmmakers, the fact that Episode Pro with Flash 8 compressor cost almost as much as FCP suite, which comes with its own compressor, is a big deterrent. Even the basic version of Episode with Flash 8 Compressor is nearly $500.
Honestly, the value here is based on how seriously you want to make sure you are presenting the best video possible online. In today’s film market you have to look good online if you even stand a chance of getting people out to the theaters or purchase your DVD’s.
If you just need to get small amounts of material online in a couple of different formats, the basic version of Episode is a good starting place. However, if the ability to have unlimited batch conversions and the addition of the professional formats is worth the additional cost, then you should go with Episode Pro. Whether you are looking at Episode Pro or the desktop version, it may look tempting to save a hundred bucks off the price we mentioned by choosing to not include the Flash compressor option. However, it is worth the extra money to go ahead and get the flash version. There may be cheaper ways of doing flash compression but with in the structure and flexibility of Episode and the ability to compress multiple formats at once, I wouldn’t go home without it.
Despite all the great value to this package, I would really like to see Telestream lower Episode and Episode Pro’s price, as this would increase its market to more microfilmmakers, and other video professionals. $299 for Episode and $799 for Episode Pro would be a nice price point that would expand the user base substantially, as would slashing the upgrade cost on the Flash 8 compressor from $100 down to $50.
Final Comments
Both Episode and Episode Pro may be a stretch for most microfilmmakers, as most of us have a hard enough time putting together the cash to finish our film much less purchase streaming software. However, there is no denying that streaming video is only going to become more important in the coming years. Being able to control every aspect of you online video is only going to help you stand out as a quality provider of video content. Episode and Episode Pro are powerhouse tools that allow you to create quality video online, for computers, mobile phones, and whatever new formats come out in the future.
