PD7 Trial Issues - Want to puchase but unsure

Shannon

Newbie Location: South Carolina Joined: Sep 14, 2008 11:49 Messages: 2 Offline

Solved by

Sep 14, 2008 12:38

Hi all, firstly I must apologize for this very long post. Over the past 2 weeks I have been trying various DVD authoring tools to see which I would get for my editing needs. I am down to 2 choices, PD7 and VideoReDo.

Although there are not any effects or text features and Menu choices are slim and basic using Redo, it is solid and edits DVD VTS files from my stand alone recorder perfectly. That said, I would rather use PD7 especially for the effects and options. It's very impressive when it works.

I have browsed the forum for hours last evening (before I joined) looking for answers and I see many with the same or similar problems I am experiencing.

There is mention of a trial build 1915 if I remember correctly, yet the Cyberlink link points to an build 1829 at Cnet, and I have not found a link to 1915 anywhere (trial).

My issues are random freezes at start (logo screen), if I get past that, then I am free to edit, but when I go to author or burn, I get the same freeze again (not always but a good portion of time). These freezes affect my entire computer, not just the program, I have to "hard reset" to recover. I am running an AMD 3000+XP with 2Gig of RAM, 250G HDD, Nvidia 6600 video with 256MB Vram. OS is Windows XP Home SP2.

Although I have some older games that occasionally freeze (running in win98 compatibility mode), the game is the only thing that freezes and pressing the windows key usually allows me to exit the offending game. Nothing until PD7 has ever froze my computer completely (reminds me of Win 95 and the Blue Screen of Death).

I have stopped processes that were not needed, followed a lot of the recommendations mentioned in this forum. I can't remember everything I tried now, was late last night. Whether I stop processes or not the same random pattern of freezing happens, seems to be no connection.

The other issue is regarding importing VOB files from a VIDEO_TS folder. The other product (redo) will recognize the separate VOB files that make one title and import them as a single title. The end result is seamless where the single files are brought together on the timeline, playback is flawless. I also found a couple of other apps that handle this well. Especially after using VTSFix to correct any errors that may be created by the recorder.

PD7 does not seem to recognize the separate VOBs as a single title, and imports them individually (as I select). The problem is when they are brought together on the timeline, the result is not seamless, there is an audible and visual glitch when playback gets to the joining point between two files. The glitch is less than a second but it is noticably there. Close examination of the audio track shows an audio dropout in the last milliseconds of the clips. I would initially assume the problem lies in my source files except for the fact that other apps seem to have no problem with this. Has this been corrected, or is there a method I am unaware of the get the edit seamless?

I guess my question to the community is, if I puchase and get the official latest version, will most of these problems go away? I so very much would like to purchase PD7, it looks amazing and when I have gotten it to work, it's simply brilliant.

Thanks for any help. And again I must apologize for the very long post.

Bif

Member Location: San Angelo TX Joined: Aug 14, 2008 01:48 Messages: 147 Offline

Sep 14, 2008 15:51

Quote:

There is mention of a trial build 1915 if I remember correctly, yet the Cyberlink link points to an build 1829 at Cnet, and I have not found a link to 1915 anywhere (trial).

Download the trial version again but this time from this section of this site (http://www.cyberlink.com/multi/download/trials_4_ENU.html), that one will always be the latest build, in this case it is 1915.

Cnet and other sites will probably always have an older build.

Quote:
My issues are random freezes at start (logo screen), if I get past that, then I am free to edit, but when I go to author or burn, I get the same freeze again (not always but a good portion of time). These freezes affect my entire computer, not just the program, I have to "hard reset" to recover. I am running an AMD 3000+XP with 2Gig of RAM, 250G HDD, Nvidia 6600 video with 256MB Vram. OS is Windows XP Home SP2.

I suspect your editing computer is not up to what editing takes these days. Are you trying to work with DV, HDV, or AVCHD?

What you list should be able to handle DV and I surmise that is what you are trying to edit.

I suggest first uninstalling PowerDirector entirely, run something like WiseRegistryCleaner or the Registry Cleaner part of CCleaner (formerly Crap Cleaner) both free, then download the trial from the link above and give that a try. Some of your issues may have been corrected in the 1915 build.

One other idea. Video editing is RAPIDLY moving in directions that will absolutely require an extremely fast dual core or serious quad core processor. The relatively new machine with AMD Athlon 64x2 5000+ dual core processor I purchased 11 months ago had to be set aside because it was too sluggish with HDV (and that's with 3GB RAM)

What it takes for me to edit AVCHD is one with Intel Q6600 quad core 2.4Ghz processor, 4GB RAM (although a 32bit OS only accesses 3GB), and an Nvidia 8800GT 512MB graphics card (and the processor is a tad slow for some software)

It's getting insane.

Shannon

Newbie Location: South Carolina Joined: Sep 14, 2008 11:49 Messages: 2 Offline

Sep 14, 2008 21:55

Hi Biff, thanks for the reply I appreciate it.

The link you posted is the exact link I used, it will take you to the information screen, then after you fill in your email, etc.. the download button redirects you to Cnet and the file version is 1829.

I am only trying to edit standard DV, but I agree, my machine is in need of a serious upgrade (actually I need to build a new one). I will certainly try your recommendations if I find that elusive 1915 trial. Then I could get some idea if I should hold off on a purchase until I get a new computer.
Anyway, Thanks again.

pjc

Senior Member Location: Aus Joined: Sep 12, 2008 03:48 Messages: 262 Offline

Sep 17, 2008 23:58

Quote:
What it takes for me to edit AVCHD is one with Intel Q6600 quad core 2.4Ghz processor, 4GB RAM (although a 32bit OS only accesses 3GB), and an Nvidia 8800GT 512MB graphics card (and the processor is a tad slow for some software)

It's getting insane.

Hi Bif,

just about to upgrade : my two thoughts are 1. the system as yours above or the 2. E8500 3.16 GHz and rest as above. What do you think - more GHz or more cores?

Thanks

pjc

Bif

Member Location: San Angelo TX Joined: Aug 14, 2008 01:48 Messages: 147 Offline

Sep 18, 2008 13:35

Mine is OK for now but if I had the resources to get another machine I would go for quad core 3GHz or faster if possible. My answer to your question is:

BOTH! More cores AND more speed.

I'm seeing references to Q6700 or Q9300 (I have Q6600 and it's just barely OK for AVCHD) processors so I'd look at maybe a Q9300 and whatever MB it works well on.