|
|
|
Both the original file and the new DVD file were set up as 16:9
|
|
|
Hi Tomasc -- it was only one of the earlier versions that had the 4:3 setting. In the final version all is set to 16:9 and all the jpgs were exactly 16:9 also. I used a plugin for Lightroom that more or less adds a border to any jpg that is smaller than the desired dimensions. Its too complex to get into here but I am confident that all the jpgs were 16:9 and that all the mp4 videos were produced as 16:9 and that when I created the DVD I used 16:9 settings.
I don't think I have any more time for screen shots this week and just have to ask for any possible suggestions. I really am past running out of time, I just don't like to give up with a failure!
|
|
|
|
I tried one more thing. I discovered that I have ImageBurn on my computer and it can burn an iso image to DVD. I just tried that and had exactly the same results as I noted above.
|
|
|
I imported 2 mp4 1920 x 1080 files to create a DVD but the quality of the image is terrible when played through the DVD player onto my TV (older HD Samsung). The problems are:
- aspect ratio is distorted
- resolution greatly deteriorraed
I think the two are related, and maybe 2 is caused by 1. Here are my steps:
- Import files
- create simple menu with two scenes
- Select DVD 4.7 GB
- 16:9 ratio (this is what the mp4's were produced at)
- MPEG-2
- HQ-Best Qualty
- Burn in 2-D
- Burn to Disc
When the first one didn't work, I lowered the burn speed to 6x, but no change
I also tried AVCHD, knowing it would not work on my DVD player and I was right.
I opened the .pds file and created the DVD directly from that file - same problem
I have been reading for over an hour other people on the forum with similar issues but even though one was marked solved, did not see a relevant solution.
Things I did read were that several people say they do not allow PD to burn DVDs, they use some other sofware. I was shocked. I did save as a disc image, but as far as I know I don't have any software that can burn an iso image file to DVD and I am not willing to buy another program to do this. I have Cyberlink Power2Go 10 Platinum, but it says I can't do that with the version I have.
I am ready to give up and just send people MP4 files but that seems very unprofessional, so I am hoping someone can help.
|
|
|
I can confirm that I have produced two beautiful slideshows without any problems. I have not had time to figure out if it was a setting change that solved the problem. I will do my best to find time to test this while I remember what I was doing.
I am now facing another problem and have researched and found other people with similar problem. When I burn the DVD for playing in DVD player, the quality is extremely poor, and the images seem to be stretched out when played on my DVD player connected to TV. I know this is another topic for another post, but I am so frustrated. I just need to be done.
|
|
|
Ynot, I am glad to know that PD is not that flakey or particular. I wouldn't expect it to be.
I will see if I can do a few other tests after I produce my projects. I am running out of time, way way behind schedule. I will check out #2, #3 in my list above and will use jpgs with same specs as well as the original variety and will report back. so long as time permits!
|
|
|
|
ok, will do!
|
|
|
I think . . . . the problem is resolved. Longedge, thanks for suggesting looking at aspect ratio. I believe that was the problem. I am a bit furious that PowerDirector is not smarter than this, or that the instructions don't tell you that consistent aspect ratio is critical.
I used Lightroom to change all jpgs in one section to conform to 1836 x 3264 (16:9) after first doing the same thing at 1920x1080 (16:9). I then made a very short slideshow by dropping them on the timeline and producing to: MPEG-4 1920x1080/30p (16Mbps). It worked perfectly. I then dropped transitions on all, and even added one mp3 file for soundtrack. Perfect!
I think I was doing at least two things wrong over the various trials.
1. too many different aspect ratios in all the various jpgs due to cropping and maybe multiple camera sources
2. sometimes working in 4:3 ratio setting in PD14, yet saving to a non- 4:3 MP4 output file (why does PD allow this???? There are warnings about so many other obscure settings . . .)
3. produced at a non- 16:9 profile (for example, I tried 2048 x 1080 at least once, with the new jpgs sized to 1836 x 3264, and had consistently bad results.
I wish PD would inform us in the Produce mode what the aspect ratio is of each profile that is available. I did not see anything in the manual under slideshow that aspect ratio of images needs to be consistent, or that aspect ratio of images needs to match the produce profile.
Maybe this is obvious to more experienced video editors, but I have done a "lot" of video editing over many years, and truly a staggering amount of still image editing of many kinds over the decades and this was not obvious to me. I did have a nagging question about this in my mind, but the program has so many parameters to consider that it was hard to figure out what could be the problem.
I am very grateful to everyone who suggested things to try. I learned a lot about the program in the process, though I had successfully edited several videos earlier in the year without much trouble, there is still so much to learn.
I will report back after the complete project is (hopefully!!!) finished. I need to completely recreate everything yet again, but now I feel much more optimistic.
I hope this thread helps someone else in the future!!!
|
|
|
Hi Tony
My apologies to any other artists out there ; I am an artist, but not technically phobic. I know many of my intended audience though, and its a challenge for many!
I'll step through my workflow later, hopefully today. I'll see what I can do about uploading original photos, though that doesn't make sense to me because a jpg is a jpg right? if resized, then its a new "entity" ???
One thing notable is the photos are from a variety of sources, all jpgs, but some from phones of various sorts, some from DSLR. I have cropped some to different proportions also.
Will upload requested files later tonight or tomorrow.
Thanks! (I am still waiting for the support response now that they have my entire project files)
|
|
|
After reading the article, I think I can't use the m2ts format because I need to share the video with many people with many different operating systems and most are artists without much ability to resolve technical issues.
I should stay with mp4. I'll either need to keep troubleshooting and experimenting or else I have to live with the problem which is really frustrating. I bought this software in order to have more reliable video and slideshow editing than Windows Movie maker.
|
|
|
a quick look at the M2TS file looks greatly improved. only one quivering lower section in the first minute, not the constant prolonged abberations. I can't do any more until tomorrow.
thanks everyone!
|
|
|
Hi Dafydd, I turned off Shadow File (had no idea it existed) I have tried breaking it down into smaller chunks, and also have tried recreating small new files with/without various components like titles, music, transitions, and every slideshow I make has these problems in the lower 1/4 of the screen.
Back in May I created a la one hour mp4 file with lots of video, some photos, but not slideshow and did not have this problem.
Ynotfish--I cant find the earlier suggestion for another type of production--a couple days ago I mentioned that I could not find that option in produce in PD 14.
Do you mean H.264 M2TS (was this the suggestion made a couple days ago-not sure where that is in the chain) ? I am trying variations on M2TS next. Can you clarify if you have time? Also, will M2TS play on all machines? this is a video I need to distribute to a bunch of people with all kinds of different computers.
Thanks!
|
|
|
Hi Carl, I looked at the errors in the file, but its meaningless to me. Regarding vertical orientation, I have two monitors and the supplemental one is vertical but that shouldn't make any difference.
In the slideshow I have both vertical and horizontal images.
Tony, I just updated my AMD drivers, thanks for finding that. I need to reboot and can test after that. I finally heard back from technical support and they now have my project files to inspect.
Is there any chance that the problem is in my playback software rather than Power Director? I am using Windows Media Player to play the mp4 files.
I don't know what else to try!
|
|
|
Thanks, here is the info. DX File is attached. (I did not compress because it is pretty small) Please let me know if I didn't do this correctly. Thanks!
PD 14 64 bitBuild: 14.0.2820.0
|
|
|
one thing that has puzzled me all along, is why the preview looks perfectly smooth, with no artefacts in edit mode, yet the mp4 production introduces artefacts? Does anyone have any ideas?
thanks to everyone who has helped. I am going to try a few more times, but I am running out of time and may just have to live with the artefacts.
|
|
|
Sorry, I missed Carl's earlier question about the jpg res.
I sized all jpgs in Lightroom to 2100 longest side. most are about 2100 by 1400, with file sizes that range from 1.2 MB to about 2.5 MB max.
I have an eight core processor, I can't remember the bus speed or the processor, but the computer is not that old and was custom built. I don't usually have trouble with it.
One thing I have not done is to see if my graphics card has any updates.
What is a Dxdiag.text?
I definitely disabled hardware acceleration in all subsequent tests. thanks!
|
|
|
OK, reporting back on my latest test -- again a failure but not as consistently corrupted. This time I started from scratch and created two separate slideshows from jpgs using the slideshow tool with motion transition template and chose advanced editing to place individual slideshows on the timeline.
there is no music and no titles. on about 1/3 of the images, the lower quarter shifts and wiggles sometimes, similar to the corruption in the earlier versions.
Anyone else have any suggestions?
Are there any other settings like frame rate? Jpgs don't have frame rate but there is still a setting to choose in the settings preferences.
|
|
|
Hi Tony
Darn, that is disappointing to hear. I had hoped I found a solution. I have started over a few times, and I had created two separate slideshows as I described, without actually using the slideshow tool. Both had the same kind of corruption. then I tried a series of very minimal projects and all had the same problem.
However an earlier project that was much more complicated with lots of video, title slides, and some photos did not have any corruptions like the recent projects that only had jpgs, titles and music.
I created a new project tonight and will proceed to try using the slideshow tool. I discovered that it is much easier to work with slideshow using the storyboard view than the timeline view. wish me luck, and please hang in there with me in case I have more questions? I will post results if successful.
|
|
|
Sorry, I was not very clear in my previous question. What I meant was: is it necessary to create the slideshow (not sure if I am using the right terms) in Edit mode, before producing as mp4.
What I had done before is to lay out all the jpgs on the timeline in the order I wanted, then add transitions and music and then proceed to produce to mp4. I bypassed the slideshow tool
By the way, I should have thanked you much earlier for your help! I have been tearing my hair out for days, and researching without a clue what to look for or to try! I really appreciate your help.
|
|
|
is it necessary to produce a slideshow before saving to mp4? could this be the problem?
also can you advise me how to reset the launcher so I can always have the option of starting out in slideshow?
|
