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I guess it's similar. Reading a few reviews it seems like it has an internal hard drive. The one I have does not (and that's the way I prefer it) but you can connect any external USB hard drive to it. I tried that once but what I use it for is playing back my own edited HD content from ordinary "thumb" drives (USB flash memory device also called "jump" drive or "travel" drive.
No moving parts and it's as simple as can be.
This is what I have, two USB inputs one HDMI out and one composite out. This listing appears to be for refurbished items and the price is very good. I'd grab one at that price while they have them.
Later versions have added wireless but I like the original design for it's utter simplicity.
Bruce Foreman
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Anyone have suggestions?
Jeff, I've had good luck with the company that supplies the music that comes with PowerDirector, SmartSound.
If you get on their email list you get notice of one or two special sales a month and while I've paid full price ($99.95) for a few of their albums, most I've purchased have been at special sale prices as low as $24.95. Actually one sale had one I purchased for $19.95.
Recently they went to download delivery and now sell single tracks also, even from their newer music. Most features full rich orchestral sound and there is a lot of "mood" setting music. What came with and installed with PD is actually just a light sampling.
The only limitations on use are national TV and nationwide theatre distribution and in those two cases whoever has purchased your production is responsible for negotiating usage fees.
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Alex:
The purpose of that TV safe zone is to insure that you can put titles and other important details in the zone that is likely to be displayed by all TV's. Some TV's will display everything in the full frame you see while editing and many will not.
PD and other editors have no control over this, so that set of limits is displayed to remind you of the area it is "safe" to place titles and graphics you wish to be seen fully by all viewers.
Use it and be glad it's available.
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One bright ray of sunlight. PD8 will import 1920x1080 files from the Canon T1i and 7D where Pinnacle Studio 12.1 will not support those.
Once imported on a quad core machine PD8 cannot play them smoothly on the timeline but will render (produce) one or a few clips to 1920x1080 AVC H.264 files which either program will now edit and play somewhat smoothly on the timeline, PD8 will then produce edited content to various file formats but I've had no luck so far figuring out disk menus.
But to make a disk I can edit the AVC files in other software, burn disks with menus, and finish out projects.
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I chatted to forum member Bif about his i7 and so far he hasn't reported issues to me.
I'll email him this link to see if he has some feedback
Dafydd
[Moderator]
Not much feedback yet. Still waiting on copy of PD8 ordered from amazon.com, will install when it gets here and see what kind of trouble I'm in.
All I've had a chance to do is edit one 4 minute project in PD7 on the Core i7 machine. I experience multiple "hangs" that it did recover from in a few minutes on it's own, and one total PD7 crash.
I did get the project edited (a tutorial on manual aperture control on the Canon T1i in video mode) and it's here:
http://seemyworldonvideo.com/view/660/t1i-and-dof-control-with-efefs-lenses-1/
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Adrian,
A few days ago I used Pazera on the file you couldn't view. I just uploaded first as an MP4 without realizing that wouldn't work. So then I used Pazera to convert the original WMV to FLV, it was simple and it looks good.
Give it another try:
http://seemyworldonvideo.com/view/660/t1i-and-dof-control-with-efefs-lenses-1/
And Clive, Pazera works great.
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I don't have one of those nice 40+ inch LCD displays to test
Just upgraded to PD 8. Bought canon HF Legria S100 next day. This cam records to SD card only.
Transferred video to computer using canon software. Excellent quality when previewing file with same.
But OH! when dragging the file into PD and checking the preview the quality is appalling. Did not even try to produce(will the quality improve during production?) I am shooting at 24MBS 1920x1080.
PD 8 will not even recognize my cam so I have to use the Canon Software.
Do you guys have any advice or must I buy a different camera ?Or Software? I actually thought I could drag video direct from the sd card onto the computer using a card reader. Not so it appears.
Any help will be much appreciated
Couldn't find the original post from James on this but here's a few answers for him.
Using Canon software: Awkward, next to useless. Best off using a reader for copying MTS files to a folder where they can be first renamed then imported as media files.
Apalling preview quality: This is true of just about all NLE's. The resources are needed for the editing process and prevue quality is often held at a minimum, just enough to see what is going on. Producing results in much better looks.
Recognition of your cam: PD8 and most other software will not recognize flash memory cams anyway. That is for capture from tape. You CAN drag the video from the card with a reader to the computer, you are probably not "drilling down" into the right folder on the card. I don't have the file structure memorized but the MTS files are in a subfolder (STREAM I believe) a few levels down from the root directory of the card.
If you transferred the files to the computer already using the Canon software, search for MTS and you will be able to import those as media files into PD. I started editing on a project last night using both MTS files from an HF100 and MOV files from a T1i.
You don't need to go looking for another camera or different software. What you have will do if you will do.
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I noted that my camera is not on the list of supported AVCHD video cameras. I have a Canon HF-100. Is it simply that the MTS files my camera produces aren't compatible with PD8?  
The HF100 was not on the list of supported cameras for PD7 Ultra either. When I queried Customer Service they advised I was better off not purchasing PD. I downloaded the trial and there was no problem with the MTS files so I purchased PD7 Ultra.
I was able to edit HF100 MTS files just fine with it. I suspect the same of PD8.
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I don't have a problem with synch wandering. In an NLE where you can see the waveforms on all audio tracks you simply drag your separate audio until the waveforms align and match up. Maybe expand the timeline to get a tad more accurate alignment.
I have the mono audio with the video, and the separate audio done with the ZoomH2 in stereo (and sometimes done with the Rode SVM connected). Instead of trial and error dragging back and forth, align the waveform peaks once and maybe have to "touch it up", mute the main video audio and...Done.
In PD7 with no waveform visible on the separate audio track, you have to "drag" the audio track back and forth until you think you have it, you're literally working half blind.
Does that explanation help?
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Well, now I potentially have a similar problem. Just picked up one of the new DSLRs that do video, the Canon T1i (Digital Rebel 500D) and the only audio it does is mono with built in mic and NO EXTERNAL MIC input.
So I've been recording audio with a ZoomH2. Unfortunately unless the latest patch adds visible waveform to separate audio tracks synchronizing stereo audio from the H2 with the mono audio on the main video track is not workable.
In Pinnacle Studio 12 I can align waveform peaks on the separate audio track with waveform peaks on the main video's audio and then mute the audio on the main video track. This leaves the separate audio track and synch looks good.
It too may drift some but I do this scene by scene and it just doesn't have a chance to drift.
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I understand wanting to be able to use what's there. My prejudices have been re-inforced by seeing critiques of videos (competition and challenge entries) where "gimmicky" stuff really takes severe hits.
One thing to try is to put an clip you want to use as an overlay on the timeline and add the transition effects where you need them, produce that to a file you can import as a media file with your main project open.
Drag 'n drop it on the PiP track and see if the transition works.
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The thing is, I want to use fades and wipes.. I guess you cant??
One thing you might keep in mind is that wipes and fancy transitions are "gimmicky" and often call attention to themselves. While there may be a bit of a "wow" factor at first, in too many cases they can ruin the mood that is being set.
PD7 has a "boatload" of "glitzy" transitions (as do the other NLE packages) that I will never be caught dead using. Remember the first "Star Wars" movie? They used a lot of different wipes and the transitions were almost "cartoonish" for a second or so.
The two I use exclusively are the crossfade (lap dissolve in the old film days) and fade out to black with fade in from black. For the latter in PD7 you have to make that one by putting a black color board with fade on each end on the timeline, produce it to a format you can reimport as media and then drop it in when you need it. Unfortunately I could not get that to work the same on the PiP track.
A gentle dissolve is a beautiful transition and should be perfect for most transitions needed in a wedding video. Does not look "glitzy" (cheap).
Fade to black signifies end of a chapter or sequence with fade in from black, the beginning of a new one. And you will have to use this one on the main video track.
For a wedding I definitely would not use wipes and page curls and that sort of thing. (My wedding experience is from the old film days before digital. I've photographed a ton of weddings mostly with Hasselblad.)
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However after uninstalling the trial version and installing the full product I have experienced some issues such as crashes and some features are not working properly, I'm using it on Windows 7 build 7100 RC, my computer has an Intel i7-920 Processor at 2.66GHz with 1GB RADEON HD 4850 by ATI and 6.00 GB DDR3 of RAM.
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Ely,
Problem you are having may be the common one of "stuff left behind" in the uninstall of PD7 trial version. Try uninstalling (be sure your full product is safe on a disk or external hard drive) then run a good registry cleaner (some run this twice). After that install the purchased version and it should run clean.
It seems PD7 is one of those programs that leaves behind entries in the registry than cause problems with the next install.
Let us know if the procedure above helps. It has for quite a few here.
Bif
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Sorry I didn't see this earlier. I just opened a test project where I have living history cavalry unit riding in patrol formation off an old fort grounds. I used the PiP track for a cutaway to a hawk gliding above. The hawk clip simply cuts in and plays until the clip end and the cavalry on the main track is seen again.
I clicked on the hawk clip on the PiP track to select it, then clicked on the "Modify" button just above the timeline. When the PiP designer box appears you have two rectangular buttons at the top left of the box. If the left one is black and the right one gray, click on the right one and you get the "motion designer" box.
Now at the very bottom are two very small check boxes labelled "Fade in" and "Fade out". Click on both of these and what you will get is a dissolve (or cross fade) at both ends of the PiP clip. Simpler than what you are trying to do and the effect looks professional.
The main video track and it's audio remain undisturbed so you won't lose synch. Biggest synch problem may be dragging the PiP clip back and forth until actions synch with the audio. Expand the timeline a lot if you do this, then compress it again to your normal working setup when done with a clip.
I'm glad you raised this question, I just learned something I'll be using.
Bif
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I place "B" roll clips on the PiP track, expand the timeline and drag the clip until audio synchs with the main track then mute the clip on the PiP track. When the timeline marker (scrubber) hits the PiP clip, the video from it shows but the original audio plays uninterrupted.
Be sure you have "show audio waveform" checked in setup.
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Well, it's not problem unique to PowerDirector. Non linear video editing programs/packages are incredibly complex and all of them can exhibit problems. Due to variations in computer design, assembly, and configuration one program may work superbly on your computer and cause mine to literally barf all over the keyboard.
It's a wonder ANY of them work well. I've used Pinnacle Studio since one of the earliest versions and despite many complaints of freezes and crashes, on all of my computers versions DV, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 12 have been stable. 10 was generally "buggy" for everyone.
PowerDirector would not run properly with full HD 1920x1080 video on my now 15 month old Dell quad core because it didn't like the graphics card that came with it. After replacing it with an Nvidia card with more memory things got MUCH better.
We cannot be too quick to blame the companies that put out programs like this as long as they keep trying to fine tune, improve, and "stomp bugs" like the number of builds shows Cyberlink is right in there.
And an uninstall followed by a good registry cleaning should be standard procedure whenever replacing a trial version with a purchased version of anything unless the upgrade to full version is by way of unlock key.
Glad you got it working, now you can get down to having some editing fun. PD7 is a package that has a lot going for it. Now, when you get to rendering to DVD getting a menu going may be a bit of a learning curve, but if you do a search on this forum for "menu" you will find a posting or two that cleared up a lot for me (I was fixing to lose some hair over the process and I don't have any to spare these days!).
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I don't know anything about SUPER but if it will convert your MP4 file try converting to AVI. Also can you shoot a short sample file, something less than 50MB and put it somewhere where I can download it.
I want to see if the format will work on PD7 on my system.
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Matt,
Which video camcorder do you have? Is it HD?
If you can provide a short file (30 seconds or so to keep transfer times down) on some site where I can download the original, I'll see if I can import it, play it, put it on the timeline and trim it, and generally see if PD7 on my system will handle it.
Also it will help if you list your editing computer specs such as processor and clock speed, amount of RAM, and graphics card.
Each one of these can have some bearing on problems such as you describe. It is extremely unlikely the trial version has any issues that bear on your problem.
I just imported a 1 min 20 sec sample MP4 QT file shot with a Panasonic Lumix GH1, dropped it on the timeline, split it and removed a segment and it plays just fine. I'm using a new Core i7 processor based computer with an ATI 4670 512MB graphics card
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Hi,
First save off the downloaded update to 2726 so you know where it is, then totally uninstall PowerDirector using the Windows control panel "Add/Remove Programs".
Then run a good registry cleaner (some suggest running it twice), I use Wise Registry Cleaner which is free to download and use. Google for it. The reason for doing this is that PowerDirector is one of those packages that if ANYTHING from a previous version or install is left behind errors pop up.
Then install 2726 and I think you'll find it works.
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Jim,
Kevin described the situation of "quiet" times in between dialogue and such causing the AGC to increase the audio level in the camera, which brings along with it all sorts of potentially unwanted and distracting "noise".
Yes, it's possible to try to bring that level back down in post but you cant always do that precisely and cleanly so that background ambience "matches". It's much better to be able to manually set your audio level in the cam where you want it.
I'm going to be looking long and hard at the Panasonic GH1 and the one shortcoming I think I see is lack of manual audio level control in the camera. It does have stereo mic input for external mics and mixer input.
Philip Bloom's test videos with it are absolutely stunning.
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