Video Freeze Problem with PD7

Jack

Newbie Joined: May 21, 2008 02:14 Messages: 17 Offline

Solved by

Jun 02, 2008 00:39

Hi

I'm very much a newbie to video editing and working my way to understand and use PD7. However, I've met a problem with the video freezing. An elementary example of the problem is shown below together with some background information:

Cyberlink Program: PowerDirector V7.00 Build 1714

Computer Data: CPU Intel Pentium 4 CPU 3 GHz; 1.5GB RAM; 190 GB free HD space; Windows XP SP2; Radeon XXL 9800 128MB video adapter.

Problem: Edited video clips freeze during playback in ‘Preview with Media Viewer’ mode.
Example:
1. Opened PD7 v1714; added Aquarium.mpg to video track on timeline
2. Selected Text Sepia from Effects Room and added it to Effect Track
3. Selected Movie in normal 'Preview Window' and clicked Play
4. Video and audio tracks ran with no problem
5. Then I selected 'Preview with Media Viewer' and clicked Play
6. The video clip froze at around 5 secs for 2 to 3 seconds before resuming; the audio track was unaffected.

Further Data: With longer videos containing more edits, the video freezing can occur in the normal Preview Window.
No background programs were running except AVG anti-virus and essential XP programs.

I have run PD7 on 2 other computers with the same result. I've also run PD7 V 1628a with the same result.

PowerDirector V 6 Trial Version does not appear to have this problem.

Questions: Is the problem caused by the program, the computers or me? And how can it be solved?

Jack

Benjamin

Newbie Joined: May 14, 2007 15:22 Messages: 8 Offline

Jun 02, 2008 16:19

Hi

Just a few thoughts:

Your process works fine on my machine (Core 2 Quad, 2Gb, Vista, nvidia GT8500, PD7.00.1628a).

Have you tried turning AVG off? You never know - it does do an awful lot of processing in the back ground.

Are your graphics drivers up to date?

What happens if you produce said process? Does it produce and play ok then?

What happens if you change the playback quality settings?

If you don't get anywhere try Tech support - they're good - but be patient.

Kind regards

Benjamin

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Jun 02. 2008 16:32

Jack

Newbie Joined: May 21, 2008 02:14 Messages: 17 Offline

Jun 03, 2008 01:48

Hi Benjamin

Thanks for your suggestions; here' are some results:

1 No success with switching AVG off.
2. Ran the programme on one of my computer club's computers (on XP SP2- I'll try Vista tomorrow) and the video still froze
3. The video produces OK with no freezing
4 Changing playback settings produced some interesting and, for me confusing, results, as follows:
a) Opened File/Playback
b) Selected 'Play Selected Clip in Media Viewer'
c) Clicked and then clicked to start play - Result: Played without any freezing!
d) Ctrl-Enter is given as the shortcut to Play Selected Clip in Media Viewer so I tried the shortcut and pressed Control-Enter and clicked start play.
Result Video froze as before.

So that's a partial but not particulalrly satisfactory solution

Cheers

Jack

Jack

Newbie Joined: May 21, 2008 02:14 Messages: 17 Offline

Jun 04, 2008 01:15

Hi Benjamin

I have now run PD7 build 1714 on 2 computers both running Vista.
On one of them the video being edited ran without a problem. On the other the video froze as it had done on 5 - yes five! -other computers running XP SP2
Conclusions: If I can run it on one Vista computer and on the PD6 Trial version without a problem, then it's not an operator problem
If the program runs on some computers and not others, then Cyberlink's statement of the program's system requirements are incorrect.
Cyberlink's FAQ gives no insight into the problem
I'm very disappointed with the program. I would expect better from Cyberlikk.

Jack

Cindy R

Member Location: Louisiana, USA Joined: Feb 27, 2007 16:34 Messages: 124 Offline

Jun 04, 2008 07:41

Video editing/burning programs take up TONS of resources.

Try turning off everything running in the background (Spyware programs, virus protection programs, etc). But be sure to unplug your internet connection before turning those programs off! I just recently got a virus (what a pain!) from turning off those programs (and not unplugging the internet connection) while burning a DVD.

Cindy

PS - Vista is a crummy operating system!

babindia

Senior Contributor Location: India Joined: Aug 16, 2007 06:11 Messages: 884 Offline

Jun 05, 2008 10:42

I repeated what Jack did.
Result
Video plays nice 3/4 way through, freezes for a second, plays on.
Solution
1.Right click my computer on the desk top
2.Click properties
3.Click advanced tab
4.Click settings against performance
5.Click "Best perfomance" Under visual effects tab.
6. Click OK
7. Exit the menu
8. Open browzer
9. Click tools
10.Click settings against browzing history under general tab
11.Increase the disk space for temporary internet files to 1024 MB.
12. Click OK and exit

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at Jun 05. 2008 10:43

PC specs :
OS Windows 10.0 Pro
MB - AS rock Z77 extreme 11
Intel 3770K @ 4.0 Ghz OC
Gskill 32 GB RAM 1800 Mhz
6 TB HDD, SSD bootable
nVidia ASUS GTX 660 Ti
BenQ 22" LCD monitor 1920x1080

Jack

Newbie Joined: May 21, 2008 02:14 Messages: 17 Offline

Jun 06, 2008 03:00

Hi
Thanks for these suggestions which I appreciate. Unfortunately they have not cured the problem.
Cyberlink technical guys suggested a possible solution which involved, among other things, lowering the screen resolution to 1024*768, the refresh rate to 60Hz and the color down to 16 bit. I tried it but with no success.

I have re-examined the 2 Vista OS computers that I tried the program on - the one that ran PD7 without a problem had a NVidia GeForce FX 5500 256MB video card whereas the one that didn't run PD7 properly had a Radeon XT9600 128 MB card (my computer has a Radeon 9800XXl 128 MB card).
My computer expert colleagues suggest that video editing needs more than 128 MB and that I should upgrade my video card.
All this work, and believe me I've spent a lot of time on it both at home and at the computer club, begs the question of why the PD6 trial version on which I based my decsion to buy PowerDirector, does not have this problem when I run it on my computer.

Any advice on whether upgrading my video card would be a good move and on what card as I should buy, would be very welcome.

Thanks

Jack

JeffK44

Newbie Joined: Jan 14, 2008 12:41 Messages: 11 Offline

Jul 17, 2008 08:16

Jack,

Did you ever upgrade your video card? If so did it solve your problem? I am having the same issues with PD7. PD6 worked fine but with PD7 the freezing in the preview mode makes it very dificult to judge the final product.

Donald

Newbie Location: Michigan Joined: Mar 07, 2008 10:40 Messages: 16 Offline

Jul 22, 2008 15:10

I am still having the exact same problem with PD6 and I have a Radeon X700 series video card with 256 megs of ram, so It isn't the video card that's causing it.

Whats funny is if I just click on a video on the storyboard and play it, it plays without freezing, but anything down in the timeline sucks!

Don Take away our handguns
Then only the criminals will have them!

Jack

Newbie Joined: May 21, 2008 02:14 Messages: 17 Offline

Jul 23, 2008 02:48

Hi Jeff

I tried a different AGP card, 256MB GeForce 7600GS, but there was no improvement - the freezing remained with the result that PowerDirector V7 just didn't work for me. Despite the help from Cyberlink's guys nothing solved the problem and finally Cyberlink refunded my money. This was not the result I wanted but I have concluded that my computer was just not powerful enough (Pentium 3GHz, 1.5 GB RAM & Windows XP, HDDs of 200GB & 250GB).

I hope you have better luck than I had and that Cyberlink find out why the program didn't run properly on a computer which apparently met the stated system requirements

Cheers

Jack