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Five and a half years later and Cyberlink still have not fixed it!
My workaround was to move to Corel Videostudio where these transitions work brilliantly. Pinnacle Studio I think has some connection with Corel and also uses the same 'engine', so probably also works well.
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Sorry about not replying earlier - I have been busy with other things.
Also my apologies, and you are both right. I was getting mixed up between my MPEG-2 disk and my H.264 disk. The MPEG-2 disk was 32 Mbps. The H.264 disk was '23239Kbps data rate'
Also Jeff, on the timeline, Set Clip Attributes, Set TV Format, its set to the top of 3 options, namely Interlaced and the field order is top field first, which I guess is correct.
Maybe using H.264 and the same setting that the cameras recorded at, its actually OK, and I was being too critical.
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Carl, I looked at the 00000.m2ts file on the Blu-ray disk, and it was 1920x1080 @ 32 Mbps.
Tomasc, I see what you are saying about Commercial BDs. Maybe its my BD player. Its a Laser BD connected by HDMI to a Sony Full HD TV. I will see if I can try out my disk elsewhere.
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I do not have Enable Hardware encoding checked in the final burn window (and its grayed out so I can't enable it even if I wanted to).
Also I do not see the horizontal stripes when playing that 00000.m2ts file using PowerDVD, and my monitor is 1920 x 1080, but when playing the Blu-ray through my player on the TV it looks worse. I do not notice a problem with commercial Blu-rays on that player.
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Sorry to resurect this thread again, but I just tried what was suggested at the end, ie outputting to the Blu-ray option with H.264 1920x1080/50i (24Mbps) setting (as I had recorded with the MXP setting with both video cameras), and the result looks like its suffering from interlacing. ie horizontal stripes where there is movement.
Not sure what to do about that. I think I came across this when I was using PD12 also, and I think I just used a workaround of recording with the cameras on FXP (17Mbps) instead which seemed to make the interlacing disappear, although potentially the quality is not as sharp as MXP (25Mbps). Is is possible that the two Canon video cameras are not processing the MXP correctly?
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When using h.264 unfortunately I overlooked that extra 1920 x 1080 options, and I did the 1920x1080/50i option instead of the one with 24Mbps after it. Andrew and Jeff did tell me correctly. I think that is my answer, to use the H.264 1920x1080/50i (24Mbps) setting in future for the MXP setting. Thank you for your help.
Thanks also to Jeff for showing me how to find out whether MPEG-2 or h.264 is used by using the PD media library.
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Hi JL_JL,
When referring to the Default, what I meant was, when you first install PD and use the Blu-ray option for the first time it is set to something, and this is the default I meant. but maybe MPEG-2 is OK for a new install default (see my comments below).
As for the 00000.m2ts file, I misunderstood the instructions earlier, as I thought it would be like a type of file created on a hard drive after a burn. After re-reading the instructions I realize that that was a mistake on my part, and I should have been looking at a Blu-ray disk itself. OOps.
After discovering this I checked an old Blu-ray disk where I used PD12 and its 1920 x 1080 with data rate 32000kbps and Frame rate 25 frames/sec (I'm in Australia). I cant tell if MPEG-2 or h.264 was used, it does not seem to be shown in this file, is it meant to?
I found a disk made with PD14 and with MPEG-2 its the same ie 1920 x 1080 with data rate 32000kbps and Frame rate 25 frames/sec. So my perception of the quality being worse seems incorrect. Sorry, it appears I have been wasting people's time.
Also with the disk made with PD14 and the h.264 setting it shows as 1920 x 1080 with data rate 16000kbps and Frame rate 25 frames/sec. I can notice this drop in frame rate - 32000kbps seems to be noticeably smoother.
Due to the better frame rate for MPEG-2 I will probably stick with MPEG-2 rather than h.264. I know you can't fit as much on the Blu-ray disk, but are there any other disadvantages?
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Thanks Andrew.
OK. I burned an h.264 blu-ray with the 1920x1080 50i (24mps) profile and it seems to improve the sharpness. I now seem to notice a small amount of what may be interlacing when movement occurs, but I may be getting too picky. I threw away the disk I produced with MPEG-2 so I could not do a side by side comparison of sharpness etc.
Thank you Andrew for your help.
Getting back to when I clicked on the Create Disk button, then the 2D disk tab, clicked on disk type Blu-ray, it defaults to video encoding format MPEG-2. If h.264 is best for Blu-ray should it not default to n.264 when selecting Blu-ray, and therefore its a bug? (I wonder what the default for Blu-ray was in PD12, maybe it was h.264?)
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Thanks tomasc,
I am using mpeg-2 rather than h.264 as I am making disks for people to use on their standard DVD or Blu-ray player, just like they would when buying a DVD or Blu-ray disk from a shop. As I understand it h.264 would not be suitable for this.
You asked 'It is possible that your PD14 defaulted to SD 720 x 576/50i since it is the first time you used it.' That is correct, but I don't understand the significance of this. I changed it to HD 1920 x 1080/50i so I would have thought that it would change it to this quality.
I do not have Enable Hardware encoding checked in the final burn window (and its grayed out so I can't enable it even if I wanted to). Also I could not find any 0000.m2ts created BD file, even when I did a full search of my 2 drives.
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Hi Andrew,
Was using 2 video cameras, a Canon Legria HF S20, and a Canon Legria HF M52 for the last few years, when using PD12 and PD14
Back when using PD12 the cameras were both set to FXP which is 17Mbps. The Blu-ray produced was visually of high quality. Using PD14, for the first project the cameras were both set to FXP-17Mbps. For the second project both cameras were set to MXP-24Mbp. Frame rate was set to 50i in all cases. In both PD14 projects, when producing a Blu-ray disk the quality was visually about the same as a DVD, and well below Blu-ray quality.
To make the Blu-ray disk, in all cases using PD12 and PD14 I did the same thing. I clicked on the Create Disk button, then the 2D disk tab, clicked on disk type Blu-ray, video encoding format and quality MPEG-2 and HD 1920 x 1080/50i, audio Dolby Digital and 2 channels. I am using Verbatim (Mitsubishi) Blu-ray disks. Then click burn in 2D button, set my burn speed down from 4x to 2x and start burning.
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I used to have PD12 in which I would create drama/musical projects and burn them to DVD, then I would also do a Blu-ray version where I would find the better quality quite noticable.
Now I have PD14, wjhere I have created 2 more drama/musicals, and then burned them to DVD, then also doing a Blu-ray version. The Blu-ray version using PD14 was very disappointing as the resultant quality (sharpness etc) was no better than the DVD version. This would seem to be a bug in PD14, as it worked well in PD12. Unfortunately I no longer have PD12 as I 'Upgraded' and so PD12 was uninstalled for me.
As in the title I was using the HD 1920 x 1080/50i setting. I live in Australia where we use the PAL setting, although this may be irrelevant when discussing Blu-ray.
Has anyone else had this problem?
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Please fix the "Cross" Transitions, particularly on the commonly used Fade, so we don't get the freeze at the beginning and end of a transition. This freeze is very noticable and quite annoying. Apparently the problem is not universal, it only seems to affect fades, wipes, threshold and a few others.
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Hi Joe,
Reply to 'It's my experience that when you have two 10 second videos, transitioning with a cross, you WILL have the videos stop/start in the middle of the transition. That's the nature of Cross. '
Yes that seems to be the way it is, at least in PowerDirector.
Reply to 'When I place the first video I make it end at the second marker. I then hold the Alt key while I drag the second video on top of the first, so that it starts at the first marker. I also have my preferences default setting to Overlap. I get a perfect, syncronized transition.'
I tried something like this, but did not work for me. What I did was set my prefereces default to Overlap. Then I grabbed some previously edited video which I had done with Multicam and then put transitions in with the full editor, I deleted some of these transitions, chose a point where I would put a new transition, then dragged the second video section partly over the first while using the Alt key. Then played it back - not synchronised.
My projects are drama/musicals and I do not use the beats markers. During the drama parts I use straight cuts as it comes from Multicam, and during the Music parts I use Fade Transitions.
Hi Neil,
Regarding 'Maybe this one could be put in the "suggestions For PD15" bag, do something about fixing the "cross" transitions so we don't get the freeze at the beginning and end of a transition. I should note though, the problem is not universal, it only seems to affect fades, wipes, threshold and a few others. Still, it's something Cyberlink needs to work on. '
Sounds like a very good idea, I would be all for that. I will add something to that thread.
PS. I have added it to that thread. I have used similar wording to what you said above, and I hope you don't mind. Thanks for that.
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Three replies, thank you so much guys.
I'll reply in reverse order
Jcardana,
Yes, my problem is when I use a fade in 'Cross' mode and not 'Overlap' when in the Full Editor after I have done my simple editing in Multicam.
Neil,
When Using the Cross Fade in the Full Editor (after using Multicam to do my simple editing with multiple cameras) I get the freeze frame at the beginning and the end always. When I set it to overlap I get a smooth transition and like you I have found it shortens the length of the video and therefore throws out the synchronisation with the audio.
Kyle,
In answer to 'Is this unwanted effect happening on every transition ?' Yes, when set to Cross fade and not Overlap.
In answer to 'After you've used Multi Cam designer and your new video is placed in the PD14 time line, do you then perform your transitions or do you first produce a video and work from?' After Multicam editing I do not produce a video to work from, I just perform my transitions. I think Neil was suggesting earlier to try producing it first and then perform the transitions, as a workaround. Would this work? I have not tried it yet.
In answer to 'is there definitely enough moving picture available at the point where you are making a transition? ' I think so, I dont understand why not. If I change to an overlap it works smoothly, no freezing, but then as I mentioned earlier it shortens the video and it is no longer synchronised with the audio.
For 'Please could you try this? Start a new sequence, add a few shots to your time, line then add a transition to a shots making sure you have enough video available on the heads and tails. Do you see the same unwanted freeze frame effect? It maybe something to do with MultiCam Designer !!! ' I will try this later, and report back here.
In answer to 'are the freeze frames happening while you play the PD timeline and in the Final produced video? ' Yes in both. It is noticed visually in both, and if in the PD timeline I move frame by from through the fade the freeze frames are there every time.
Kyle, when you say 'I do at time use 3 cameras and use the audio off just one of those cameras. MultiCam Designer is great for switching the audio source if there are any problems. I've found that after using MultiCam, the new video is automatically place in the timeline and I'm able to adjust the duration of the edit OR place an effect with out any freeze framing issues except where the original source video was at an end!' do you use 'overlap' transitions, and not 'cross' in the Full Editor after coming out of Multicam Designer?
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Thanks Neil for your reply.
To record the audio I usually get a feed from the sound desk into a computer and use Audacity. Then output the sound file in wav format.
I knew that the clapper board was used for synchronising the video and sound, but did not know it was an Australian invention, so thanks for that. That has just prompted me to update my profile to show my Aussie status, after I noticed you are a fellow Aussie. (Hope you had a great Australia Day yesterday).
So are you saying that if I synchronise the sound with the video and do a mix in Multicam Designer with the multiple cameras, (which gives a single video channel with the audio), then before I do any transitions I produce (render) this to a file, I can then feed this back into PD and then use transitions (such as overlap) without losing synchronisation with the audio?
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Thanks Kyle. However I have edited with the very useful Multicam Designer plugin, and this results in hundreds of clip transitions on the one video track, so I cannot see how I can use your method. Even if I could move every second clip to another video track and then do what you said, it sounds like it might work OK for a few transitions, but not when you have hundreds.
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I downloaded the older Nvidia driver, uninstalled the current driver etc and installed the new driver.
Tried PD14 again and while general editing was much smoother (indicating that CUDA was probably working) it did not fix my Fade Transition.
However I looked further into the Fade Transition. I am using a Cross fade (sorry, forgot to mention that) rather than an Overlap fade as I found Overlap was putting the audio out of synch, and for these projects the audio is recorded separately (I dont use audio from the cameras as the main audio). It now looks like the Cross fade is probably working like it is defined to, and I need to change to Overlap, but to find get the audio to synchronise. Synchronising with the audio if using Cross fade was a problem in a previous version of PD for me, so I need to try it again in PD14. I will try that and report back later.
Later:- tried Overlap Fade but that changed the length and therefore it became out of synch with the audio. I will continue to search in other forum threads for any clues.
Like someone else in another thread I am sure that Adobe Premiere Elements about 10 years ago did not have an issue with this.
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Thank you for your reply. As I mentioned above I unchecked Hardware Decoding but did not fix my problem, also the program seemed to run more sluggishly.
You mention 'Hardware encoding doesn't work except with old drivers'. This is confirmed by [url=http://www.cyberlink.com/products/powerdirector-ultra/spec_en_AU.html?&r=1]http://www.cyberlink.com/products/powerdirector-ultra/spec_en_AU.html?&r=1
[/url]which says
NVIDIA:
GeForce 8500GT/9800GT and above
GeForce GT/GTS/GTX 200/400/500/600/700/800/900 Series
PLEASE NOTE: For users of NVIDIA cards using pre-Kepler architecture who have updated to graphics driver 340.43 or later, the CUDA video hardware video encoder feature in PowerDirector is no longer available. To re-enable hardware acceleration, please download and install an earlier driver.(with link).
How very annoying of Nvidia to disable the CUDA video hardware encoder in their later drivers. Sounds like sloppy programming to me. Maybe I should have gone with AMD video instead.
Anyway I will try an earlier driver to see if this fixes it.
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I have had this problem with Fade Transitions on PD9, 12 and now on PD14 Ultimate. I do at least 2 projects each year with multiple cameras, and when PD12 was released with MultiCam Editing this made editing much easier. After I edit with the Multicam module I use the Fade Transition during musical numbers to fade between cameras. While this works by fading out one camera while fading in another it has always looked terrible. I have now analysed the fade frame by frame (which I should have done years ago), and it seems that during the first half, the camera video its fading To is frozen till the halfway mark. Then after the halfway mark the camera video its fading From is frozen will the end of that fade. No wonder it looks bad. It also did that on PD12 and I think also on PD9.
I had the latest Nvidia driver downloaded from the Nvidia site. In Preferences - Hardware Acceleration I had 'Enable Hardware Coding' ticked (but not OpenCL as I have a Nvidia card). I tried unticking it and it was the same. I believe my hardware should be up to the task.
The project was using 2 HD video camera recordings.
(Edited to show my specs in my signature below)
Any suggestions?
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1. Audio scrubbing - Yes, others have mentioned this before. Very useful when editing. (And if I'm not mistaken it this feature was in Adobe Premiere Elements v1 back in 2004.
2. In burning to DVD add customization of project settings. (This was in APE1 also). Smart Fit works OK but customization is better.
3. In Multicam Designer being able to resize the 4 camera windows, which for me are too small on a 1920 x 1024 or larger resolution. This request was sent to Cyberlink after PD12 came out, but its been ignored.
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