Can't import .MOV files with PowerDirector 8

NANCY

Newbie Joined: Mar 17, 2010 22:23 Messages: 4 Offline

Solved by

Jul 14, 2010 20:01

I've been jurywrigging solutions for this since the first of the year and find myself once again with a handful of .MOV files and a reluctance to jump through hoops to get them to import into PowerDirector.

It's not a problem with my camera or .MOV format .. I've tried different cameras and other MOV file creations including flash to .mov export. I've done all the hoops with tech support back a few months ago (sending DxDiag etc. uninstalling, re-installing ..... I fully expect MOST PEOPLE give up) and eventually got impatient and converted the files one by one with Windows Movie Maker LIVE.

In reading the threads, I have yet to see anyone actually SOLVE this problem with Vista and MOV imports. But I am hoping that I missed something. Anyone have success with an MOV file?

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Jul 14, 2010 20:24

Hi Nancy -

PD8 (as a rule) has no trouble importing .MOV files. I'm surprised you've had to jump through hoops about it.

I gather the source of the clips is your camera. What is your camera?

When you try to import a .MOV file into PD, what error message do you get?

Occasionally, when I come across this, I use a third party converter to re-render the file in exactly the same format. 99% of the time this resolves the issue... though I'm not sure what it is, in this case.

Cheers - Tony

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jul 14. 2010 20:37

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NANCY

Newbie Joined: Mar 17, 2010 22:23 Messages: 4 Offline

Jul 14, 2010 20:33

My current set of .MOV files are exports from Adobe CS5 Flash. Though I have trouble with any .MOV file.

The PD error is "An error occured when opening this media file in the Media Library. ..."

Dafydd B

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 26, 2006 08:20 Messages: 11973 Offline

Jul 15, 2010 08:12

Quote: My current set of .MOV files are exports from Adobe CS5 Flash. Though I have trouble with any .MOV file.
The PD error is "An error occured when opening this media file in the Media Library. ..."

Hi Nancy,
I'd like you to supply a sample (10seconds is good enough) of the troublesome .mov file for members to try out please. I can provide you with a CyberLink FTP upload location if you're willing, ok?

The .mov is a QuickTime/Apple file format and as such should play without a problem in the QT player, does it?

Tony has already mentioned you should have no problem bringing in the .mov file into PD.

Dafydd
[Moderator]

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jul 15. 2010 08:31

NANCY

Newbie Joined: Mar 17, 2010 22:23 Messages: 4 Offline

Jul 15, 2010 16:40

Thank you for the offer. My sense is all the .MOV files are fine. So if other folks can import them into PD then I have to dig into what else might be causing the problem on my laptop.

I've mocked up three short 10-20 second clips. One as an MOV export from Flash. One as an MOV saved with QuickTime Pro. And the last as an MOV generated from my camera -- Panasonic DMC-FZ8. All play fine inside of Quicktime.

Let me know where to FTP the test files and I'll send them over.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jul 15. 2010 16:40

Dafydd B

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 26, 2006 08:20 Messages: 11973 Offline

Jul 16, 2010 15:37

Hi Nancy,

OK, I've sent you a PM with instructions.

Dafydd

NANCY

Newbie Joined: Mar 17, 2010 22:23 Messages: 4 Offline

Jul 16, 2010 16:52

RESOLVED!

Ah, the power of yet another clean install.

Thank you all for your help.

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Jul 16, 2010 17:36

Love a happy ending!
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Patrick

Newbie Joined: Jul 28, 2010 20:32 Messages: 3 Offline

Jul 28, 2010 20:36

Hi Dafydd & Tony,

I have a similar situation except I have powerdirector 6 that is bundled with my hp laptop. While the help info says .mov is supported, when I try to import, the popup that lets me choose which files to import does not even show files with .mov extension. When I enter *.* and then choose the .mov file, it gives me the same error msg as Nancy got. Any pointers?

Thanks.

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Jul 28, 2010 20:55

G'day Patrick -

A couple of questions...

Source of .MOV files?
Codecs installed?
Operating system?
Does the .MOV file play in QuickTime player (or whatever you use)?

Cheers - Tony
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Patrick

Newbie Joined: Jul 28, 2010 20:32 Messages: 3 Offline

Jul 28, 2010 22:36

Good morning Tony,

the .mov files come straight out of my canon digital camera and unedited

I'm running vista home premium 64bit

not sure what you mean by codecs installed - how do i check?

but I do have quicktime and the .mov files can be viewed using quicktime and zoombrowser (canon's viewer)

previously I had converted .mov files into .avi and then used windows movie maker to do some elementary editing (fade in/out) but that only outputs .wmv I think and the output file sizes are much smaller than the .mov that I started out with (presumably lossy). I'd like to be able to process directly in .mov.

Thanks!

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Jul 28, 2010 23:03

Hi Patrick -

If it's playing OK in the Canon Viewer, maybe it's not codec related (though I don't completely understand all that stuff). You can check what codecs are installed by going to Control Panel > Programs & Features. In the list you'll see all the programs installed on your PC, including any codec packs.

You can download free codecs from http://www.free-codecs.com/

in fact this may be what you want http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Vista_Codec_Package.htm

I guess you're importing the .mov files from the ImageBrowser folder. Yes? and you're getting a consistent error message with all those files?

I would try using a third party converter to re-render one of the files as a .mov file (keep same format) & see if that helps PD read it properly. I use FormatFactory for that.

Cheers - Tony
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Cranston

Senior Contributor Location: USA Joined: Aug 17, 2007 02:26 Messages: 1667 Offline

Jul 28, 2010 23:32

Hi Patrick,

As you say that your PD6 came “bundled”, I suspect it may be a DE or HE version, which is not the full version of PD6. I can not remember way back to version 6, or find the PD6 comparison chart, but if you look here…
https://membership.cyberlink.com/prog/support/cs/product-faq-content.do?id=6377&prodId=34&prodVerId=223
…you will see that in the later released PD7, that the HE and DE version did not support QuickTime. So if your PD6 is a DE or HE version, this “may” be the reason that your PD6 is not recognizing those .mov files.
I may be wrong, but that might be something for you to investigate.
When you open the “Produce” room, is there a .MOV option available to produce to?

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at Jul 30. 2010 06:27

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Patrick

Newbie Joined: Jul 28, 2010 20:32 Messages: 3 Offline

Jul 29, 2010 21:27

indeed, Cranston & Tony, it's HE 6.50.2129.

and the choices in produce room are file (dv-avi, win-avi, mpeg1, mpeg2), streaming file, dv tape, hdv tape, youtube, mediamax.

the only codecs I had showing in control panel->program & featuers are canon mov encode & decode

simply installing the vista codec package from Tony's link does get past the unable to load .mov issue

I guess I have a $$$ decision to make.

Thanks folks for trying.

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Jul 29, 2010 22:17

Patrick -

I'm glad Cranston chimed in there. I read right past the bit about "bundled with the laptop".

Until you make that $$$ decision, you could still try out PD with your .MOV files by first converting them to (say) mpeg-2. At least you'd be able to play with PD for a while.

Cheers - Tony

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Dafydd B

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 26, 2006 08:20 Messages: 11973 Offline

Jul 30, 2010 06:13

Conversion of HD to a standard mpeg will require you to use a third party software AND can be problematic (frame size shrinking), time consuming (to render), lead to the degradation of your video.

Just bit the bullet and get the full version of PD. You'll have more tools etc etc and wont waste time with an older program

Dafydd

Sandeep Rathod

Newbie Location: Mumbai, India Joined: Sep 17, 2010 05:29 Messages: 4 Offline

Sep 17, 2010 05:34

Someone pls help me fix the issue. Problem is: I'm able to import .MOV file to V8 but while playing the video, I could see only white screen on the player (no visual, I could hear the audio); but no visual at all. Please help me resolve the issue.

Thanks

Dafydd B

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 26, 2006 08:20 Messages: 11973 Offline

Sep 17, 2010 06:49

Grandeur,
As this topic was started and answered for another member's question and your post is now on a tangent subject, please post as a NEW topic.
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/jforum.page?module=posts&action=insert&forum_id=55

Please read the guide and provide the information required PART A and B.
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/7979.page

I'm locking this thread.

Dafydd

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Sep 17. 2010 06:50