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Just a bit of web search reveals that the feature which is supposed to make the amplitudes alike is called dynamic range compression. This is available in good old free audio editor Audacity. I've never tried it though...
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Hey Chuck,
This is the PowerDirector 11 forum if I am not wrong.
To the topic: I don't think normalizing audio across multiple tracks is as straightforward as it may appear. You actually want to normalize each clip separately since this level normalization is 'dumb' (as opposed to 'smart'). It will only change the amplitude offset for the entire sound track. If some of your clips are low and others high, you don't change the differences between them if you normalize their levels together as one recording. Using this feature, you might actually want to do the exact opposite: cut up the clips to parts that have noticably different levels and normalize each one separately.
If someone knew of a smart normalization feature in any software, I'd be very much interested in hearing about it...
Jirka
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Hi again, Peter
You might actually need to check your project aspect ratio setting at the very top main menu.
In order to reproduce the size to each clip quickly and precisely, you should be able to use the Keyframe Settings, Clip Attributes section, where you get by clicking the Keyframe button above the time line and where you can enter the numeric values with your keyboard...
Jirka
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Hi Peter,
I think you need to untick (uncheck) the Maintain Aspect Ratio box within the Aspect Ratio section on the left of the PiP Designer popup windows that opens on clicking the Modify button above the time line while your video clip is highlighted...
Jirka
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I'd try to go Edit -> Preferences -> General -> Manually Delete -> Select All -> Delete Selected Files (while no projects are open)...
Jirka
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Hi Longedge,
I've learnt to ignore YouTube's suggestions to improve my videos. PowerDirector could do a bit of a job there but I think that particular video of yours is as good as anybody else's footage taken without a tripod. I'd probably myself prefer the original resolution to sacrifycing it in the image stabilization process. The story and the uniqueness of the video are more important than the technical merits, in my humble opinion...
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Hi Michael,
Your question is very similar to one asked recently (Well, it may have been on the PD11 forum; I can't remember or find it now).
Saving your project under another name should be your solution. You will thus preserve your original project, under the original name, while being able to remove whatever is necessary to produce its interim stage under the new name...
Jirka
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Hi Sam,
I suggest deleting those "manually", using a file management application or whatever program that can do that (for example one that finds duplicate files on your disk), then emptying the trash bin. There's no real risk involved in such an operation.
Should you wish to annihilate the data to prevent any further reading, you need to use some file "shredding" software; there's freeware available...
Jirka
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Hi Simon,
Why don't you save your project under different file names? This will allow you to make any changes while keeping the original project intact...
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Indeed, you can select a range in the timeline view by moving the yellow blocks at the sides of the slider. As soon as you set the yellow markers a bit of a distance apart (the section of tracks gets highlighted in yellow), the Render Preview button shows up just above the tracks. The progress of the highlighted section being rendered (on pressing the button) is shown with a green bar at the top of the timeline. Needless to say, you can cancel the rendering process at any time. The resulting file is saved in the temporary folder...
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In my opinion, every computer's specific configuration may potentially produce different kinds of issues. Are you sure it's the operating system that is to blame in the first place?
I run Windows XP on my desktop and Windows 7 on my laptop. Microsoft started using new technology called Deferred Procedure Call (DPC) with Windows Vista. I experienced a problem commonly referred to as DPC latency on my laptop replaying media files. After spending a considerable amount of time trying to figure out how to fix the issue, I finally embarked on installing Linux Ubuntu on my laptop, which plays media perfectly fine.
Perhaps you could give it a try and install Linux Ubuntu on your computer to check if Windows 7 is really the culprit. It's free and there's really no risk as you keep Windows on the machine. You choose which system you want to run on booting. It's just that there are also different applications under Linux, definitely not PowerDirector.
I can imagine that even digital "signal" from a microphone can be deteriotated by software but that would have to be some wrong setting somewhere or disfunctional software...
Jirka
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Hi there,
I suggest using a microphone with digital output (USB microphone)...
Jirka
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Hi Manuel,
Have you been to the Audio Mixing Room (on pressing the F9 key on the computer keyboard while in PowerDirector's Edit mode)? You don't mention it.
If, however, the voice audio is much too low as compared with the music, I'm afraid you can't but "amplify" it in an audio editor. (Going to WaveEditor from within PowerDirector may be a tedious way. I myself prefer using a separate program, such as free Audacity.) You could first put all your audio clips concerned in their places desired on the timeline in the video editor, then produce the audio only or produce the video and extract the audio afterwards; simply to get one audio file for the entire voice over with the correct timing and thus one continuous audio track which you can modify all at a time. "Normalize" should be the feature you need in an audio editor but you may need to change the level manually either in an audio editor or subsequently in PowerDirector using the Audio Mixing Room. There are some other ways to skin this cat for sure.
Actually, there is the "Normalize" button for each audio track in the Audio Mixing Room in PowerDirector. It basically puts the highest amplitude in the audio clip you apply it to to the "normal" level by offsetting the amplitude throughout the clip. In other words, it is not "smart" to amplify low parts and damp high parts in the same clip. If someone knew of a smart "Normalize" audio feature, I'd be very much interested in hearing of it...
Jirka
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Hi Graham,
I guess I misunderstood your problem the first time I read it. I thought your music and voice were mixed but I see now they're at different time positions. I suppose Michael's guide was what you needed, then.
As regards Carl's advice, I don't think it's necessary to produce the audio. In fact, you can "Unlink Video and Audio" on right clicking a clip. Then you can split, delete, move around or whatever you wish to do with the audio track independently of the video within your project.
If you do want to "produce" the audio only, click on the Produce button in the top menu row (below the main menu, actually), next to the Edit button, which should be highlighted. You will be presented with a choice of output formats through eight relatively large buttons at the left top. The bottom right one (musical notes) is to produce audio only.
Have fun...
Jirka
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Hi Graham,
I am no expert but let me give you my views:
As long as the music and voice are together in the same file, they will also be on one audio track in PowerDirector and you can't simply separate them from each other in any common software.
The audio may be together with the video if they are originally together in one file. You can separate the audio from the video in PowerDirector to have them on two separate tracks OR you can mute the audio and use new audio tracks instead.
I assume your audio is one recording that doesn't allow separating voice from music.
If I were you, I would record new voice over using a microphone and put it on one track. I would put the new music on another track. You can mix the audio tracks setting each one's volume in PowerDirector.
Now how exactly you proceed is probably shown in some tutorial videos. What are the practical limitations from your visual impairment. Is it better for you to use such video tutorials with voice comments or handle a written text?
Jirka
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Hi there:
It's perhaps just common sense to think that your still pictures could be just the same resolution as you need for the output: 1920 pixels across and 1080 down. Depending on how you want to use them in your video, they could be smaller; for example, most slideshow styles in PowerDirector never put images over the entire area.
I wouldn't worry about your pictures being too large though. This will not affect the output file size. Larger photos should be better as that probably mean sufficient quality which will be simply reduced by PowerDirector as necessary; no mental intervention required on your side in this respect.
If you should worry about anything, it could be the aspect ratio. In other words you might want to crop your stills.
Bottom line: just import your photos into PowerDirector as they are...
Jirka
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Hi John,
I didn't even realize I'd bought those when I upgraded from PowerDirector 10 to PowerDirector 11. I'd thus conclude they're worth the price since I didn't even notice paying much.
I've used some of the NewBlue effects before and I liked them. Also perhaps because they allow relatively high level of modifications and your video isn't then just like someone else's. I find them the best effects of all those available within PowerDirector...
Jirka
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Hi Rebecca,
I'd say posting videos other than on YouTube could be a bit like recreating the wheel. However, I have a Vimeo account as well, for example, and you might further want to consider DirectorZone at directorzone.cyberlink.com...
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Hi Milan,
Common sense is keeping your footage in its original format unless you consider economic factors. I would further recommend hard disks over optical disks as long-term storage media.
Regards...
Jirka
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I see your point, playsound. To be frank, I wouldn't have even thought of using this feature if there hadn't been for yesterday's thread Clip Export. It occurred to me using the feature could be a good answer to the question asked there...
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Thanks, Dave and Hal, for your input.
It sheds quite a bit of light on the topic but there is still a question for me left to answer:
I understand what the benefit of using this feature is now. I don't notice any difference because I don't have problems viewing my projects without such rendering.
The issue for me is I can't find the rendered file(s), which could be of some use (not such a big deal though).
I see, in Dave's screenshot, the same filename pattern as on the old thread I mentioned: team1_????????.mpg but I don't have any such files on my computer BUT my source files are *.m2ts AND I have the Enable HD video processing (shadow file) option checked in Preferences.
The folder analogous to that in Dave's screenshot is empty on my computer.
I do have the green bar above the timeline over a section I have tried to render this way, and that's why I think there is a rendered file saved somewhere but perhaps I'm wrong. I've tried searching for all *.mpg and all *.m2ts files on my computer, and sorted the search results by file date/time: nothing found...
Jirka
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