No detailed controls for audio set up?

rbowser

Contributor Joined: Aug 08, 2011 16:48 Messages: 515 Offline

Solved by

Aug 09, 2011 18:49

Just when I was sure I'm buying Power Director 9, I've developed an audio issue. The other video editing program I'm auditioning is Vegas Platinum 11, and it doesn't have the same issue - I Much prefer the interface and tools available in PD9, but if my audio won't work, obviously that would be a deal breaker.

I use an audio interface, bypassing my on board card, because my primary use of my computer is producing music in Cakewalk Sonar.

This is a new 64 bit machine, Windows 7, 8 gigs RAM.

My interface's driver is for 32 bit, so I use ASIO4All to bridge into 64 bit programs that require a 64 bit driver. In Sonar, ASIO4All immediately kicks in when I open the 64 bit version of the program - that's the way it's supposed to work.

In Vegas, the preferences are much more detailed. I was able to specifically assign ASIO4All as the sound driver for the program instead of my interface's 32 bit driver.

But I can't find any controls like that in PD9. It just seems to detect whatever the sound card or interface is, and uses it, without the user being able to fine tune things. That makes it impossible to get to ASIO4All, since it's not automatically kicking in for this 64 bit program the way it does for the 64 big Sonar.

I know a lot of users may not be familiar with everything I'm talking about here - But it's critical that I figure this out:

--As it is now, I get intermittent, and sometimes constant VERY loud static when playing a video track in PD9. Sound is coming through the speakers that are hooked up to my interface, so I know it's using my interface (on board card is disabled)-- but it's easy to surmise that the horrible static is happening because PD9 isn't accessing my ASIO4All which is the bridge needed for 64 bit operation.

Any ideas would be much appreciated. Is there some hidden deeper settings I haven't found beyond the simple, kind of sketchy things listed in PD9's preferences?

rbowser

PlaySound

Senior Contributor Joined: Dec 02, 2010 10:26 Messages: 2031 Offline

Aug 09, 2011 19:48

The PD9 still has many errors including the audio, I think the last update gave an improvement but still have errors, such as audio disappears, it only one click, the graph of peaks does not synchronize the audio and more, so I have avoided use them to long job.
The PD8 and better for both audio and video, unfortunately does not have all the tools of v9.

PD9 often solve problems with audio, deleting it the time line and add again.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Aug 09. 2011 20:07

AMD-FX 8350 / 8GB DDR3
SSD SUV400S37240G / 2-HD WD 1TB
AMD Radeon R9 270 / AOC M2470SWD
Windows 7-64 / PD16 Ultimate

rbowser

Contributor Joined: Aug 08, 2011 16:48 Messages: 515 Offline

Aug 09, 2011 20:27

Thank you very much for the reply, PlayVideo.

This is very disappointing - Extremely so. I was ready to push "Buy" and unlock my trial copy of PD9, but this is an insurmountable problem, an absolute deal-breaker. How can I use software that I can't rely on for solid sound--?

Just as you say, the sound will just drop out sometimes, but the worst for me is a very loud static, easily twice the volume of the sound track, which will come up at a moment's notice.

Repeating that my machine is solid. Brand new, custom built by an expert. This is the first program where any sort of problem has come up.

Really too bad - But Cyberlink has to fix this ASAP. Word will get around that there's a major gremlin lurking in their otherwise highly touted program.

I'll be buying Vegas Platinum - A much less interesting program. But it has no sound issues - So, it wins.

Thanks again for the help.

rbowser

Quote: The PD9 still has many errors including the audio, I think the last update gave an improvement but still have errors, such as audio disappears, it only one click, the graph of peaks does not synchronize the audio and more, so I have avoided use them to long job.
The PD8 and better for both audio and video, unfortunately does not have all the tools of v9.

PD9 often solve problems with audio, deleting it the time line and add again.

PlaySound

Senior Contributor Joined: Dec 02, 2010 10:26 Messages: 2031 Offline

Aug 09, 2011 22:00

But not all is lost, the audio of the video after the 2930 update had no problems, only for the additional audio and is not always. AMD-FX 8350 / 8GB DDR3
SSD SUV400S37240G / 2-HD WD 1TB
AMD Radeon R9 270 / AOC M2470SWD
Windows 7-64 / PD16 Ultimate

rbowser

Contributor Joined: Aug 08, 2011 16:48 Messages: 515 Offline

Aug 09, 2011 22:42

Quote: But not all is lost, the audio of the video after the 2930 update had no problems, only for the additional audio and is not always.

Do you mean there's a program update I would need to run after buying the program, and it would maybe fix the audio problems I'm talking about? You said "for the additional audio"---and I'm not sure what you mean. I'm just trying to rip a DVD from an old project of mine so I can give it better menus. The DVD imports as one big clip, which is good, I can now mark new menu chapters for it. But the audio is not playing back without these horrible bursts of static.

--You think the problem would be fixed once I install an update to the program which I don't have access to right now since I'm on the trial version?

These are too many "Maybes"---I need to know for sure if this program is going to be reliable on sound. And at this point, I'm saying that the audio doesn't work with my interface. But with the trial version of Vegas Platinum, there is no problem at all with the audio.

rbowser

PlaySound

Senior Contributor Joined: Dec 02, 2010 10:26 Messages: 2031 Offline

Aug 09, 2011 23:19

Putting audio, and how to replace the original audio, mute the original audio, using the other background music, or even leave the two audios, in some cases.
I have a job when the audio is very important to use other specific programs to treat it.
Finally, add the video, changing or removing the original audio.
The PD9 contains WaveEditor, looks good, but I not found the tool Normalize audio, that's why I still use another program.

His recent PD9 already downloaded this updated version 2930

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Aug 09. 2011 23:22

AMD-FX 8350 / 8GB DDR3
SSD SUV400S37240G / 2-HD WD 1TB
AMD Radeon R9 270 / AOC M2470SWD
Windows 7-64 / PD16 Ultimate

rbowser

Contributor Joined: Aug 08, 2011 16:48 Messages: 515 Offline

Aug 09, 2011 23:30

Ah, I see, PlayVideo - I understand the problems you are describing. I think if one has Sound Forge or a similar program, this is still the best way to edit audio.

My problem is worse than what you are talking about, however, because I cannot get audio in an imported video to play back at all without horrible bursts of static. I would change settings in the audio set up of the program, but PD9 has no detailed information to edit. That's why I asked that in my subject line about detailed controls.

Vegas Platinum is not nearly as good looking a program, but I'm going to have to buy it instead, because there I can very specifically set my audio interface up to work with it, and now everything plays without a single problem. Vegas is just a more sophisticated program, while PD9 looks to me like something simplified and aimed more at the general consumer market. That can be OK, but not when important functions are simplified so much that there are problems.

I tried to make my English understandable enough in this reply, I hope I succeeded.

Thank you again for all your help.

rbowser