|
|
I'm addressing two matters in this topic - a request and a helpful hint.
First, I'm looking for a good way to do a simple crop. On production switchers, we can mask or crop with the ability to adjust any edge (independently) right where we want it without resizing or repositioning. A good way to do this in PD has so far eluded me. Currently I'm using New Blue's garbage matte. That tool is great except that the ability to precisely positin the corners is woefully lacking. I need to adjust with pixel accuracy and bumping a red dot around is pretty tough!
Here's what's up: During a long shoot I discovered that I developed a couple bad pixels in my camera so I have two little dots in my video which I find distracting. Although the camera seems fine after a night, my footage isn't. So I'm using a trick borrowed from broadcast TV to do pixel compensation. I'll outline it here so you folks can do it too. It's really tough without simple cropping, but it does work.
Start a new project and import the clip you want to fix. Put a copy on track 2. Now put a color matte (like CK green) on track 1. Apply the New Blue garbage matte to the clip on track 2 (don't confuse this with placing it on an FX track). Now edit that effect. Click the "invert" box and you'll see a large green area. Now move the corners one at a time to reduce that green area to a single dot just to the left of the bad pixel. It helps to enable/disable the effect with the check box to the left so you can see how close you're getting. Once you have a dot the same size as the pixel(s) that you are trying to fix, uncheck the invert box. Now remove the green color background from track 1 and replace it with another copy of the clip to be fixed (but with no effects applied). Now select the clip on track 2 and go to the keyframe function. Scrub through the movie to a place where the bad pixel is most prominent then add ONE keyframe by adjusting the X position of the clip on track 2. You should be able to tick the X value up about 2 or 3 times to get the good spot on track 2 to cover the bad spot on track 1. You'll have to do this whole thing again on an additional track to fix any other pixels. Once done, produce a "fixed" video from from this project and use it in your remaining editing. Incidentally, broadcast cameras allow you to do this pixel compensation internally - that's where I got this idea in the first place.
So on a production switcher this is really easy to do because doing nice clean crops with precise control of each edge separately is very simple. Other NLE's can do this too because it's a really simple feature. But HOW can I do this in Power Director??? I don't mean to be so critical because PD is great for production when you want to get all the way to finished DVDs and Blu Rays - BUT it lacks the really simple features which are the building blocks to great tricks. What's not to like about simple-to-do PIPs and artistic effects? But if we don't ask for the basics (like keyers) we won't get them, will we?
Thank you guys so much for helping me try to find a better crop/mask function!
|
|
|
Quote
Hi
I try to make an effect that crosses the frame in two(or more) and see two color gradient. As you can see in the February Webinar, right at the beginning - in the second 14 and up:
https://youtu.be/Oiw4yCUJZjA?t=14s
thanks!
My approach: Arrange tracks 1 and 2 so that your FX track is on track 2. I do this by adding a video track before track 1 but there must be a better way. Next I'd put the same clip on tracks 1 and 2. In the Enhance world of the clip on track 1 take out all the saturation. For track 2 add whatever color effect you like. Now add the New Blue effect (name escapes me right now) which cuts out a picture by shape. Adjust it to a box, set left corners to true positions on the left. Now use the key framing to move the right corners from true left to center. Wait a second or so then move the right corners to true right. That should do it.
|
|
|
Quote
"Real keyers" has me beat too, Len.
Yes, differing lingo from the different disciplines can annoy all of us.
On production switchers, a keyer is a device that takes a fill (AKA video) and matte (AKA alpha or key) as inputs and produces a layer on top of the background video. The fill signal is cut out as defined by the matte just as we see with files like .PNGs that have an alpha channel defined. The fill can also be the matte (for what's called "self keying"). Chroma key simply derives a matte based on a selected color. Critical, however, is the ability to vary clip (threshold) and gain (sensitivity). Keyers have many useful modifiers such as inverse mode (where the key is reversed), shaping, and masking. ALL of these are exsecises in very simple logic and very easy if one was to program them in an NLE because they had their roots in actual electronic circuits which have to work in real time.
Keyers, while very simple, are the building blocks of a wide array of cool effects and processes. Complicated live television broadcasts make heavy use of keyers to deliver all kinds of magic to the screen. I have successfully created an effect on a couple switchers that produces a functioning (and very accurate) waveform monitor using keyers and a couple other basic features.
So while PD-15 has a lot of tools available, none are nearly as good in terms of power and simplicity as the keyers found on switchers. Clip blending is close, but lacks the important things like clip and gain functions, inverse, and the ability to choose mattes independently. What's more, using the ancillary tools to try and acheive the same results can be ridiculously time consuming if possible at all.
If someone writing an NLE wanted to create something with stunning power, fast performance, and ease of use right in the basic editor, they would do well to take a look at production switchers.
Len
|
|
|
Quote
Just got a reply back from Support... The ability to apply a video mask does not exist in PowerDirector 15...
Wow... I think that's unbelievable... I've asked for a refund of PD15. Maybe they'll put that in as a future 'feature.'
Best of luck to everyone, thanks for the support.
I have been struggling with this for about a week too. No luck. I'm amazed that PowerDirector lacks this very simple functionality (especially when blending is so close in concept and execution). I've said before that PD is a very nice tool to with so many appendages that take you from start to finish better than most pro-sumer NLEs. It's this puzzling lack of the simple things that should definitely be part the basic functionality that's got me. Real keyers are NOT hard to code at all! Neither are adjustable gamma curves nor are very basic audio functions to deal with stereo, mono mix-downs, and channel panning. I just shake my head when I hear about all the plugins available to "fix" editing problems when having the ability to do it right from the basic editor itself would solve so many issues.
The only reason I still use PD is its suitability for good work flow and the ability to do an entire project all the way to DVD burning without having to call upon several different software packages. I just hold out hopes that Cyberlink will decide that real power is a matter of simplicity and built-in function, not glitzy add-ons.
Len
|
|
|
Quote
...You should also use a different drop down arrow to change the LPCM audio to Dolby Digital if you want more free space to allow a higher bitrate encoding for the video.
What is the general consensus on the sound quality of Dolby Digital vs. LPCM? Are there any disadvantages?
Len
|
|
|
Quote
...And secondly is there a way to make some sort of effect of a second or so to show bridge the gaps, rather than the abrupt change my produced video
The first thing you should consider for simplicity are the canned transitions in PD-15. However, I dislike most of the transitions that are available with PD-15. This is not so much a knock at PowerDirector, but my general distaste for things that are supposed to look flashy and end up more gawdy than anything else. A few are nice and you should experiment with them.
I prefer to build transitions from more rudimentary tools so I'll have transitions that aren't over-used. Here are a couple things you might try:
Dissolve: Just drag the second clip onto the first clip by about 20 frames or however long you want the transition to be. When it asks if you want to overwrite, select Crossfade. If that does not show up in the context menu, you did something wrong or the other end of the clip is stuck in a crossfade. Too simple? Try a....
Fade to and from black: This is SO basic that many people forget that it often looks nice. There are several ways to do this but you can do it just like the white flash except with 20-30 frame dissolves on the ends and about 20-30 frames of black in between. Speaking of....
White Flash: In the media room the pulldown media type menu lets you pick a matte ("colorboard" in PD parlance). Drag a white one (or whatever color you like) to the timeline after your first clip. Now create a dissolve between the two by dragging the matte into the first clip (about 3 to 10 frames depending on how soft you want the flash to look... shorter for a flashier effect). Now adjust the length of the matte to about 10 to 25 frames. Make that longer if you have the shorter dissolve on the front end to enhance the off-symmetry effect. Now drag your second clip onto the exposed part of the matte, creating a dissolve. When you play it, you get a white flash. Still too boring?
Flare: Create about an 8 frame dissolve between your two clips on one track. Now on the next track place a "cover" effect. In one of the rooms (I want to say Particle but I'm not sure) there is a selection of flares. I like the one that travels horizontally, flaring up to almost fill the frame when it reaches the center and then retreats. Put this on the next track and place it over the dissolve. It's a long slow flare but if you hold CTRL and drag one side in to make the whole thing around a second long, you get a nice flare effect with a dissolve in the back to hide what didn't cover. There are neat ways of hiding the dissolve too, but that's more than I want to describe here (hint: Think about changing the backlight compensation over the span of a few frames via timeline during your dissolve). What I really like about this approach is that you can build alpha channeled animations to look like anything you want and use it to cover your clip change. The sky is the limit! This is how we do most transitions in live television.
Some of these effects take a bit more work than just picking a canned transition but if you want a more unique look, PowerDirector is flexible enough to create your own.
Len
|
|
|
I think alpha processing is lacking in PowerDirector. When we use blending effects, an alpha channel is created and used internally by the blending mode and applied to each track as it is layered on the track before it. However, the control we have over the alpha channel and how it is used is lacking. This is not rocket science because the alpha/layering logic is already in place (has to be if blending is to work). I would suggest a few improvements which together would make PowerDirector SO much more flexible without compromising ANY of the ease of use that it has now.
1. Have a toggle on the preview window called something like "Diagnostic". This splits the preview window into 4 quadrants. Upper left is the video "fill" component of the activated track - not the full composite over prior tracks, just the activated track. The upper right shows the alpha component derived from any blending modes, chroma key, or the alpha inherent in any alpha capable media like .PNG files. The lower left is a vector scope. The lower right is a wafeform monitor. If a clip or track is highlighted, that is the view. A second view can exist if no track or clip is selected. It can show full composited video (just as Preview shows now) in the upper left and anything at all in the upper right. Note: Thanks to New Blue for making the waveform and vector scope possible, but these are clumsy to use and clog up work flow. A simple inherent tool is so much better!
Alternately, the window described above could be an undocked and hideable window easily dragged to a different monitor. It could have a toggle on it to latch this window to one particular track so that the usual editing steps don't wreak havoc with it. If no particular track or clip is selected, the window can show the vector scope and waveform monitor applied to the preview output. I rather like this one better but it suits itself well only for those who have second monitors.
The whole point of this is to add tools that are helpful and streamlined when more powerful alpha processing is put into place. That leads me to......
2. Just like there is an Fx and other tracks available other than video and audio, there should be an optional Alpha track available to every track (but is normally hidden). So one could put a still or video source on this track and it will act as the alpha channel. Any color is reduced to black & white in the diagnostic window and for the layering process. This allows traveling mattes of any level of sophistication. I would think that any blending mode can, if desired, be applied just as we have now, but with alpha replacement by the new track. This alpha replacement is called a "Split Key" and is powerful when you learn what you can do with it yet stunning in its simplicity.
3. By far the most important feature that I think should be added in the Alpha and blending department is the ability to adjust Clip and Gain (aka threshold and sensitivity). If #2 is not implemented, at the very least there needs to be a "self key" feature as a blending mode where the same video is both fill and matte (alpha). This may already exist but without adjustable clip and gain, it is not very useful.
I would like to point out that what I'm advocating is the same level of power that has been present in production switchers since about 1970. Simple keying allowed us (back in the stone age) to do monochrome, sepia tone, knee simulation, masking, traveling mattes, and a whole lot of cool things that PowerDirector relies on NewBlue and other plugins to provide. It also brings functionality that PowerDirector might not have in any form, let alone something as simple as adjustable clip/gain and selectable alpha sources.
Few things annoy software developers as much as "experts" who tell them how they should write their code but having been both, I would be happy to collaborate with the development team on how this can be done in a way that makes their job easier and the pesky video engineers happy.
Len
|
|
|
Quote
I just got the editor and was wondering if I could draw a custom crop around an object in my video. Also, is there a way to make the crop follow the subject. PiP is not an option as the rest of the video must be transparent.
I'm relatively new to PowerDirector but I found a lack of custom cropping which would be a natural fit in the clip resizing/repositioning feature. I eventually found (for my purposes) that the NewBlue Picture in Shape works for that. However, it seems that you have to apply it to the clip and not on the FX track. This is a nasty problem if you have lots of clips you need to crop and float. I just posted on this in another thread and hope that one of the wizards here can show us a better way.
There are other effects that can crop, but they like to crop opposite sides equally. How annoying!
As for following the subject? Maybe someone can weigh in on whether motion tracking will help you out (I haven't used it yet). If the subject does not move too much, you could use keyframes but don't do it in the Picture in Shape effect. Do it in the repositioning/resizing area in the clip attributes.
Len
|
|
|
So the project at hand involves video (with cuts and dissolves) squeezed into a window using "Picture In Shape." Under that is a background image and over it is some text with Title Pro 1.5. Simple, right?
The problem is this: With my video sequences built on a track and then PIS added on the fx track, I don't get the background image to show through. If I apply the PIS to the video clips themselves, then the background does show up. The problem here is that I have a variety of clips from different sources needing different enhancements and some needing repositioning. All the intricate parameters of the PIS box setup (some of which are positions where you don't see the actual numbers) have to match exactly from clip to clip. So I can use the keyframe attributes copy and paste to set these on all video clips except that this copies white balance. positioning, and video correction/enhancement parameters too! So I copy the keyframe attributes before applying video correction but this is a real hassle!. To top it off, if I need to adjust the position of the box or animate, I have to do this across many clips, having to rebuild the video enhancement portions. This is so time consuming that it's become easier to render all the video at full frame and re-import it as another clip. Now with one clip in place with all video modificatiopn done, I can apply the PIS to the clip and everything works! ...UNTIL I find that I have to change out clips in the sequence. Then it's a big hassle to re-render the source video sequence, re-import it, build up the PIS box again, rebuild animations of the PIS box, etc.
So it appears that effects (in the FX room) apply at the clip level and the composite level, but not the singular track level. Applying the PIS to a clip produces a fill and a matte which then is applied to the layering (blending) logic. So I can layer the box over a background on a prior track. OR the FX can be placed on the Fx track where it takes input from that and all previous tracks BUT the resulting fill and matte from the effect do not come into play in the layering logic and it is not possible to layer a background behind the box.
What I need is a way to apply effects like PIS to the output of a single track and for the resulting fill and matte to be processed through the layering logic. Is this possible?
Len
|
|
|
I would like to re-iterate a "wish" for gamma curve control on both an RGB level and with R, G, and B channels independently. Earlier I talked about how NCH Videopad has this as one of its built-in functions. I would encourage readers (and Cyberlink developers) to download Videopad for two reasons: 1) To see how the gamma function works and why it is so much better than the gamma options in Powerdirector and 2) To gain a huge appreciation for Powerdirector when it comes to ease of use, work flow, and DVD authoring power.
In earlier discussion some helpful folks talked about how I can use various tools stacked together to do level, gamma, color modification so that I can match camera painting. After doing this rather extensively, I have concluded that this approach is inadequate. It does get me pretty close to where I want to be, but in terms of work flow (one of Powerdirector's biggest strengths) it is a log jam. Using the gamma curve tool in Videopad is faster and produces much better results. Later I can describe how to make this tool a lot easier and faster to use.
ColorDirector was suggested as a solution but besides the price being high for what I need, it's like using a jack hammer to crack a walnut (note: those of you who have black walnut trees will agree that a jackhammer is nearly warranted). Worse than the overkill problem is that it makes no sense to use an add-on that may add intermediate files, certainly add to overhead, and certainly slow down the start-to-finish project work flow when gamma processing is a VERY simple algorithm! It's so simple that I could write it - way easier than de-noise, image stabilization, etc. It only makes sense that Powerdirector would work a process like this at the same level that it does brightness control (that is, in the Fix/Enhance world).
When you look at what makes Powerdirector a great choice, a clean and intuitive user interface with strong and flexible tools built right into the core application is right at the top of the list! This is why Powerdirector is good for workflow. Having to use add-ons and work-arounds slows things down and clutters the editing process. It can be argued that many people would not use this proposed gamma curve tool because they won't understand it, but there are a couple good ways to use a UI solution to make color and level matching very simple. I also think that since there is a multi-cam editor, there is a demand for multi-camera capability. Critical to that is a way to match those cameras without a lot of fooling around.
Len
|
|
|
Here's what I'd do:
1. Shoot a time lapse of the sky with clouds moving toward you. Be sure the horizon is low enough to be hidden by your cityscape graphics. This goes on track 1.
2. Shoot the road on a dolly. A wheelchair works as does a wagon with smoother pneumatic tires low on air. This goes on track 2 but be warned that you may have to move, enlarge or rotate it. You also have to crop the top of that video frame off so that it does not obstruct the sky footage. There is a New Blue effect that does this. I forget the name but it ends in, "...by shape."
3. Get a picture of your cityscape. In a paint program, make the transparent areas where the sky and road show through. This goes on track 3. Enlarge and position if necessary.
4. Now get a shot of you and your couch against a green screen (if you want it to be looped video) or just get a still shot and in a paint program put green all around you and the couch. Put this on track 4 and use chroma key. Reposition as necessary.
Now to loop the videos? To loop the road and the sky, go to the middle of each clip and split each one. Now swap the halves so that the second one comes first on the timeline. Finally, drag one into the other to create about a 1 second cross dissolve. Because the beginning and end of each swapped up clip used to be together, the loop will work.
Now make sure all tracks are the same length, produce the project to a video file, and use any method you like to play back a loop (like a tool that creates animated .gif files from video).
If you use video of yourselof against a green screen (waving or whatever, you can loop it the same way as the road and sky.
Len
|
|
|
Forgive me if I get the terminology wrong as I'm not in front of my PD-15 installation right now. I'm trying top do some tricks with the various "blend modes" available in the clip properties (normal, lighten, darken, multiply, etc). These allow a clip to be used to derive an alpha channel used in the layering over another track.
How do I adjust the levels of keying using the blending? On production switchers we have keyers that allow us to select a fill and matte and to adjust clip (threshold) and gain (sensitivity). Popular paint programs (even some simpler ones like Paint Shop) allow this. How do you do this with Power Director?
|
|
|
This has my attention! Where can I learn what .ini files might exist, especially for the Disc Create operations. Both beautiful and annoying is the small number of "handles" that Cyberlink has built into PD-15. Being able to experiment might help me isolate some problems I've been having. How should I approach this?
Len
"If someone offers you a penny for your thoughts and you give them your two cents worth, how should you bill for the difference?"
|
|
|
Quote
There are many HD1080 file types like mov, mp4, along with the more common avchd. It is possible that the timeline interaction with a resized type of video and title is causing the problem. Try this: Do a 10 second range produce of that part of the timeline in mpeg-2. View that in PD15 and in the vlc. See if they agree. Make sure that title is right aligned with the safe zone enabled.
Yes! I tried this with my credit roll (a little under 6 minutes in length) and it worked! It produces the Mpeg-2 file exactly right. Authoring that to DVD also works just as it should. Next I rendered the whole production. It took a long time! Then I went through the DVD arrangement and the burned 1.5 hour DVD reproduces the picture perfectly! This means that I now have an ISO file for duplication.
Quote
The heavily cropped menu chapter thumbnails are normal with cyberlink menus Some of them have less cropping.
I have no problem with that. It is what it is.
I would still like to find a way to reference projects as the Contents while creating a DVD and not rendered files. On my PC it takes about 2.5 to 3 hours to burn a 90 minute DVD from project files. To render individual projects and reference those Mpeg-2 files in the Content list costs about 4 hours in rendering and 1.5 hours in burning to the DVD. What's worse, if I have to make a simple correction somewhere in that 90 minute production (which happened twice) then I have to re-render one of the 4 projects that make up the final video, mark off all my chapters (15 in one case) and then do the 1.5 hour burn again. I'd much rather work from the project files directly, retain my chapter definitions, and let the DVD creator do it all while I sleep.
I think the hardware acceleration is somehow involved (even though I have it turned off). Maybe Direct Draw is involved. Maybe something from the graphics card misleads the authoring code. Maybe the processor has some inherent capabilities that are not being turned off. I did check for "off size" video that might fool the software, but everything is 1920x1080. The problem makes me wonder if somewhere along the line there is confusion between square pixels and the aspected ones (.9 or 1.2) in the DV format based around 720x480.
Anyway, thanks for the help! Any more info or troubleshooting advice is appreciated but at least now I have a finished product.
Len
|
|
|
Quote
I suspected the setup from the very beginning. The problem can be easily fixed. The 16:10 AR monitor can be causing the issue when used with the old quadro card. Have seen this issue before with other user’s setup.
Try this:
- Temporarily substitute the computer monitor with a 16:9 AR monitor.
- In PD Preferences/Hardware Acceleration uncheck both checkboxes and click OK.
- In the Final burn screen ensure that the hardware encoding is not checked.
You can do the above 3 steps on a created short project with the sample files, titling, test chart, etc. to see that the problem is solved either with burn to folder or to a dvd+rw.
Let us know your result.
I made a change in monitoring and am uploading a new DxDiag text file. I have disabled hardware acceleration in the Preferences menu as described in the instructions. I restarted PD-15 and loaded my project. I went through the burn process being sure that no acceleration was checked in the burn menu (which I couldn't do anyway as it was greyed out). I burned a DVD-RW and the same problem still exists.
What now? Are there any cached files that should be deleted or anything?
Len
[Edit] I noticed something interesting and just attached a picture. The menu plays back from the DVD exactly as expected (with no change in aspect or cropping). All scenes exhibit cropping. Not sure if this helps.
|
|
|
Quote
There is probably something about your setup that I suspect is causeing this issue. That is why in my initial response that I ask for a screenshot but you supplied only a cropped photo. Would like a full screenshot from your pc with that dvd playing in a window or PDVD playing in a window. That could give us the information we need to determine the problem… and .. the possible solution at the very beginning.
An alternative to that could be to supply a DxDiag.txt of the pc. See this sticky: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/50105.page#post_box_263486 . That would allow users to maybe see the problem.
I'll do both. I'm attaching the DxDiag.txt file and two screen shots.
The first screen shot is of the preview mode in the DVD authoring section. Once I completed all setup for burning, I previewed the DVD and you'll see what the authoring tool "thinks" the DVD will look like. No cropping.
The second screen shot is of both PowerDVD and Windows Media player playing back the very same DVD I burned after that preview. These player windows are sitting on top of PowerDirector which is positioned so that the "test scene" is visible in the preview window.
The symptoms I noted earlier are all there. Right side cropped, left side isn't. Also, the center of the frame in the PD preview window plays back shifted to the right due to the right crop.
Len
|
|
|
Quote
My issues are that my camera Panasonic GH4 audio and external recorder Rode NTG-2 microphone using a pre-amp USB mixer and recording with Audacity, saving as wav files, do not "Sync by Audio" in PD IF the clips are short. Example, the syncing usually works perfect if the audio clip is longer than three seconds. But, if the audio is shorter than 3 seconds long, it will usually never match up with the GH4's recorded audio.
Here's my hallucination about how the audio syncing works, why short clips fail, and what might work better for you. I don't have special insight into how the audio syncing algorithm is written, but having done some work like this in spam identification, I have a pretty good guess. You can't just do a slice by slice comparison of wave levels between two clips because any interference (like echo within a building) will throw that right off. Instead, a statistical "color map" is derived from the reference audio (your long clip). The clip to be placed is run through the same algorithm which then asks the question, "What part of the color map is this second clip the most similar to?" This means that the decision is made as a matter of statistical significance, not exact matches. Therefore, there can be error.
I believe the reason short clips fail is that their statistical fingerprints are a little less developed and can therefore match up with more areas in the color map of the reference audio. Further, the statistical certainty over any of those potential matches is lower.
The solution? Well obviously, longer clips to match to the reference will help. I have good results that way. But what if your clips are unavoidably short? Just reduce the size of that "color map" so that there are fewer potential match points. Go to your reference audio clip and take a good guess where the proper positioning of the second clip will be. Now temporarily shorten that clip by dragging in the edges to isolate your approximate match area. Then do your audio syncing! Once you get placement, restore the original bounds to your reference audio clip.
I'll say that this has helped me but it's also true that I've had few opportunities to do it as I put lots of pad on both ends of almost anything I'm recording.
Len
|
|
|
Quote
My laptop has died and looks like I cant recover any files or software. I recently upgraded to PD15 and am hoping I can pop it on my spare laptop until I can get my main one working or buy another.
Anyone else had to do this?
I have heard that you can install on another computer and activate with the key and it will work. However, you are licensed for use on ONE computer. If you have to re-download the installation files, you may have to go through Cyberlink. If you registered the software, I don't expect you'll have any problem.
I had to uninstall and re-install on the same PC with some upgraded parts and I had no trouble (that I know of....).
Len
|
|
|
Quote
...I want to intercut the two videos, showing a few seconds from one, then switch to the other for a few seconds, back and forth, combining my helmet-eye-view with his following view.
I don't see any obvious way to do this? Got any hint?
The solutions presented are pretty good, but I'd use the Multi-Cam designer (if your version has it available). I bought the "Ultimate" version and I don't know if all of them have it.
Look in the upper left of the Edit world at your "Import Media" icon. Just to the right is another mysterious looking icon that opens a tool menu. Multi-Cam designer is at the top. Highlight both of your video clips and select Multi-Cam Designer. The rest is pretty easy to figure out. First sync your videos together (try audio sync and click Apply, upper center),. Next, start at the beginning, hit the record button, and click on each camera that you want to cut live when you want it to appear. Very easy! Once you finish your rough cut, you can click OK at the bottom to pull the work to a single track in the Edit timeline. There you can add dissolves, fine tune, etc.
Three things should be said about this nifty tool: 1). The preview windows for each camera are a Godsend because you can see all cameras simultaneously. 2). You can re-record over any part of the finished cut to change or refine it. You can also grab the edges of a cut and drag it left or right to adjust when the cut happens. 3). If you re-record parts of your finished track, you may end up with fragmented clips (same clip, plays contiguously but shows up in parts). These will carry back to the Edit timeline but you can highlight the parts of one clip, right click and Combine them. 4). Hint: You can take just one clip to the Multi-cam Designer and then import the rest from your hard drive. The nice thing about this is that whatever clips you end up using are automatically carried back to your media room and the ones you don't use aren't.
If you have Multi-Cam designer, it is well worth learning to use!
Len
|
|
|
Quote
Tried to duplicate as much as possible with the old equipment that I have that are still working. I have seen all those defects and distortions you mentioned in the past on old analog crt televisions not sold anymore. The cheaper and older the TV the worse the distortion and they all have considerable overscan when compared to a modern flat widescreen TV.
{snip}
Let us know if this help you in some way.
Tomasc, thanks for taking the time to help me out with this!
To clarify, the "old" 4x3 TV I use is actually a large video monitor from the 1980s and is calibrated well enough. It is fed by a 5 year old DVD player so I don't think antiquity is the issue in either the player or the monitor. The right shift of the video is indicated both in the monitor and in playback through a Windows Media Player so I'm convinced the problem sources from the DVD itself.
You have demonstrated that there IS a successful formula, so I'm trying to figure out what the difference is. I used the "smart fit" option as the DVD Creator was begging for something in excess of 7GB. I wonder if that encoding does something odd. I also installed a patch distributed by Cyberlink about a week or two ago. No idea if that makes a difference.
What's next for me is to take what you've done and duplicate your steps. That way I can (largely) rule out a faulty install and go from there. As I'm out of town, it will be a day or two before I get to it.
Thanks again!
|
|
|
