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With some hesitation some additions to the already perfect Optodata answers. In my early video days, I had the same confusions and newbie questions and I was always grateful when someone took the time to explain things in easy terms:
1) nowadays devices are capable of showing the 16:9. You ONLY select another ratio when you have specific requirements.
2) 1920x1080 is a resolution that can be handled by most devices. Although a number (older) may have difficulties with it, as explained above, because it may consume a lot of resources (read computer power and file storage) to display it smoothly. So for older devices it may be prudent to select a lower resolution. A number of devices do not go higher, like the standard DVD format with 720x576.
Displays (TVs computer screens) with a higher resolution become more and more available. 4K is a resolution that is 4 (four!) times larger than the 1920x1080. We see 8K devices gradually coming too. So to answer your question: ALL these (4K) devices are able of displaying 1920x1080 too. What you get is a much better picture, and although most 4K devices are able to “upscale” the resolution in the flight, obviously the optimal picture you get when the recording was done in 4K too.
More and more recording devices are capable of capturing the images with the resolution of 3840x2160, and you can imagine that 4K recording shows better on 4K devices than 1920x1080. As Optodata explains, new formats like H.265 were introduced to keep file sizes and network transmission within limits. Warning: the H.265 takes more computer power and special software for the translation into displayed images, so don’t select this if don’t know what output device is being used or if you know that and older computer will be use.
3) AVI, MPEG2, MP4 (actually MPEG4), MOV, VOB, etc. are all in essence video containers that each in their own way tell the displaying device computer where the images are that need to be displayed. Optodata is spot on: select the container that is requested or best for the viewing party (or device), and if you don’t know, go for MP4. And within that AVC/H.264 which is most commonly used and applicable. PD helps you to make the right choices although I admit it is sometimes not easy.[/list]
4) As said, selecting the output format is with the display device or purpose in mind. That does not only count for the editor and the output formats used but also for the input device/format. If you know that the viewers are going to use a 4K device and you have a 4K capable input device, then it is best use that format. In many cases the input and output devices are not the same. Fortunately, (PD) video editors are able to “understand” many formats to input and many formats to output.
You can imagine that when you go from low input format to higher output format, the quality will not be as good. But the reverse applies: if you go from higher input to lower output, the quality is usually good enough for that output format.
So it can be wise to record a video in 4K even when you know the audience is going to look at 1920x1080 max. In the video editing process you have more flexibility to e.g. do some cropping etc. without losing too much quality considering the lower output format.
And …. Working with higher resolutions takes more computer capacity, e.g. PD will take longer to produce output.
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The starting point is: Please look at the aspect ratio’s like 16:9, 9:16, 4:3 all as the aspect ratio for the final result of your video. So the first thing to is, to define what kind of output video you want to make. Obviously YouTube “likes” 16:9 best. And nowadays most of the other showing devices (TV, computer screens etc.) use the same 16:9 ratio. If you want to make a video that has to look great on an cell phone, then 9:16 might be the best ratio. Once the output ratio has been chosen, all input video and images will have to fit into that ratio, either with side bars or with enhancing the material (see below).
So:
1) The setting can be considered as aesthetic, but also (see above) what may be the best fit for showing the video. You can either leave the bars at the side or at top and bottom alone, and thus respecting or showing the original input device (look at the old 8mm movies that are shown on the 16:9 TVs with side bars….). You can also decide to show the takes “full screen” and crop the input to make it fit the aspect ratio of your (output) video. The decision to crop may also depend on the quality of the input material (cropping enlarges the input and may also enlarge the poorness of the quality) and the subject (e.g. 4:3 movies may have essential information (a face, a sign) that you don’t want to drop while cropping). But remember you make the choices with the chosen output format in mind, not the input format.
2) If you decide to change the aspect ratio of your video after you have created the timeline, it is not entirely impossible that your output looks distorted. The might be ways to correct that, but the simplest approach is to redo the timeline after the ratio change. Better, as you might guess by now, is to define the output ratio before you start filling the timeline.
3) This question may have been answered in to above. Indeed 16:9 may be 1920x1080, which is the resolution of full HD TV screens and many computer screens. But the 4K aspect ratio is also 16:9 and the resolution of a 4K (TV or computer) screen is 3840x2160 4 times as much pixels). Each video (file) can only have one aspect ratio but also one resolution. But once you have defined the aspect ratio for your video, at production (output) time you still can select the resolution within that aspect ratio, e.g. with 16:9, 1920x1080 for HD TV, Blu-ray, or 720x576 for TV DVD, or 3840x2160 for 4K TVs. I think for the usage you mention 16:9 and 1920x1080 might be the best option. Maybe you want to do some testing before you define what to go for.
This testing is also important for the quality. Although PD enables you to select the ratio and the resolution, as mentioned above the quality is very much depending on the quality of your input material. 8mm video may not look so good in 16:9 4K:
Hope this helps a bit.
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An excellent test Optadata.
I have downloaded the files and manually produced them. The result is as expected: only the numbers mentioned in the filename are called out.
I have then executed all projects in batch mode and indeed ALL numbers are called out also the ones not mentioned in the filename.
I have re-excuted the batch with some different output formats and even toggle the dolby switch. The result remains the same, WRONG.
I think Optodata, that a bug has been found and the issue can be reported. have any other issues with B atch-mode been reported?
The batch mode is a valuable function to me, and I guess to others too. It should work reliable.
For what it is worth and I wonder:
Note I have used: 17.0.2314.1. (like Optodata)
I see that your project files tags, Optodata, show that appversion 16 is used? and ARAversion= 5.4.1.2203. My project files (that I saved with version 17) show Appversion 17 and ARAversion = also 5.4.1.2203
Warry
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Quote
To actually produce the clips, you'll have to manually queue up some number at any one time using the Batch Produce function, and unfortunately, you'll also have to manually set the output (produce) profile for every.single.project. unless you happen to want to produce them all to the default profile, which is DVD HQ 720 x 480/60i (8 Mbps).
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Optodata's approach is spot on, except:
Output does not have to be set for every single file. The approach is:
- Add one (1) project to the batch window.
- Change its output specifications (PAL/NTCS, format, the output folder etc.)
- Add the other projects to the batch, the output specs will be copied and the same as the first one.
Unfortunately, this batch mode resets the output to what Optodata mentions, so the method has to be repeated every time.
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Hello
A bit hard to determine what may have gone wrong here.
It would be good if you can share somewhat more information, like screen shots of the timeline, the disk and menu settings, and whatever may seem relevant.
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As you know, to enter a sub-title you press + and double click in the new title field.
When entering text you can also use the “enter” or new-line key to go to the next line and enter text.
I did not try at length but many lines can be added in this way.
Also using the T button for a multi-line subtitle will enable the alignment field for left, right en center alignment, which obviously is only useful when there are more than one line.
Note that some of this functionality became available in PD17.
Let me know if this works for you.
Regards
Warry
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I concur with Optodata. I frequently use the batch facility to produce a series of specific output files form the same sources.
Typically to produce DVD ready and Blu-ray ready files. The disks created outside PD. In such case I have about 25 projects that have not more than 4-5 tracks. So I find this feature very useful. Until now I did not have any problems. I do not touch or more the source files though, which obviously might be a reason for malfunction.
They only thing that is annoying is that PD does not remember previous settings and that filling the list needs to be done with extra care in in the right order to get the output right.
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Well, my PD17 crashed once when I tried to replay your case. But in the replay and in all other tests the video went black and the sound continued. I even tried to produce with a gap between video and sound; with the sound in the video track off and the video in the sound track off, video first and sound below, and the other way around :
Maybe try and use the beta version 17.0.2224.0 just to be sure. Something must be different in your setup or approach?
I agree, working with colour boards is not ideal. You know what they say: if things cannot be done as they must, then they must be done as it can.
Warry
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Depending on the way the titles has been constructied there might be a possibility to work with keyframes in the title designer.
The quick and dirty solution is to make a snapshot at the end of the title and add that just behind the title and set the duration as long as you need it. You may have to make the background (black?) of the title transparent by using the Chromakey in the PIP designer.
Warry
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Hi,
Can you give a bit more information, please. I have done some tests using PD17 and the produced videos include the sound track beyond the video pictures.
Warry
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Hi IreneJ
Inserting produced and not produced project, in a disk menu should not be a problem. As was pointed out, the disk creating process will take longer because PD likely has to do some additional work because of the features you may have used in the timeline.
Your reaction about the missing files messages indicates that we have found your problem of the missing pieces in a reloaded project. PowerDirector stores the place of the files used rather than the files themselves.
The recommendation is:
1) make sure that the files you will be using for a project are in the folder where you (finally) want them.
2) then insert them, edit them with PD etc.
3) save the project
4) do not move the files around anymore.
5) loading projects and/or using projects in the disk menu should go fine as PD is still able to point to the files in their final place and you have not moved them around.
The packing of a project is actually PD collecting ALL the files and features used in the project and copying them all into a folder you have assigned for the package. As I understand the communication we had on this topic, the packing is doing what you expected the saving of the project to do. You may now have understood that is not the case.
So, Saving the project is saving the status of what is in the media room and on the time line, PD points to files used in there location on disk, at the moment of saving.
Packing a project is copying all de media to a folder.
Since PD17 PD is checking the display-hardware used and its driver software. If there has been a change, like a new driver, PD recognized that and will ask you whether you allow it to select/define the most optimal usage of the display hardware. PD17 might also recognize (changes in) the magnifying software. I am not familiar with that.
Using the Windows magnification or scaling might have the same result, but I find that less obvious. Anyway, we must assume that PD handles all that well, and (as we have seen) it is not the cause of the black holes you have seen :
Unless there are any other issues, I don’t see any reason for re-installation of PD. It seems to work fine, it is only the user who needs to get the hang of the software :
In principle your method of creating a DVD disk is fine. PD should be able to handle that. The disk creation time might be reduced if you produce/create MPEG2 files and use them as the source for the DVD. However, the MPEG2 specifications of these files must match those for the DVD thus should be selected very carefully. (It can be done and as Optodata writes, PD can do that for you, you don’t need an additional video conversion program)
But If the DVD creation process works for you as it is, I would stick to that.
Take care!
Warry
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Where to start Irenej.
Basically, a project is a project, whether it has been produced or not. A production is not more than the creation of an output file, the result of whatever you have in the time line.
The result of the production, the video file created will be added to the media-room (when you go back to the edit mode after production).
There is one reason I can think of that both files disappear in the media-room and on the time line, and that is that after you have saved a project you have deleted the files from your disk or have moved them to another place. In both cases PD is not able to retrieve them and will consequently leave empty spaces. This has nothing to do with production or not.
Should PD not find files used in the project at save time, you should when loading the project get error messages that files are missing and whether you want to browse for them or ignore them. Do you get those messages?
If you see reason to move files around or delete them after production but want to be sure that all your project resources are kept save, then pack the project files/resources together in one folder by using the “pack project materials” from the PD file menu. If you want the resulting video file added, please go back to edit mode after production and let PD automatically add this file to the media room.
You can use the cloud to save files and projects and even pack and save into the cloud. Unless you have insufficient disk space, or want to use these files from other computers as well, you should want to use your (safe) local disk and not the cloud storage, which may lead to yet other problems:
Hope this helps a bit or triggers you to look at the file/media maintenance in windows around the PD usage too.
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It depends a bit what goes wrong. You say the burning? If the actual production of the DVD goes right, you may want to decide to create the DVD and not burn it and use separate DVD burning software to make the DVD?
If the DVD creation process goes wrong, then the focus is perhaps on the correct settings for the creation? Have you selected 2D disk (Which I guess you want), and within that DVD with either 4.7GB or 8.5GB. Have you looked at the video and audio settings? Are they correct? The selection for NTCS or PAL (in the preferences). Etc.
And … since I don’t know what precisely goes wrong, did you try the preview to see whether it works?
I agree with you that before you know it, see all parameters, you need to know a bit more to get them doing what you want.
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You are welcome!
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It has been a long time since I worked with PD14. I don't recall that I had similar problems. What has changed of course since PD14 is that the video specs and size have changed. May this stopping, slowing and hanging have anything to do with that?
Maybe you recognize that you are currently using higher spec videos? If you don't, and PD14 used to work fine for you earlier, I would certainly look for any processes on your computer that may have a slowing (etc.) effect.
Likely, PD17 is able to handle higher range video formats, and may (automatically) generate lower specced video that make the editing a more smooth process, while using the higher formats for the production.
Anyway, you can always download a demo version of PD17 and test its performance yourself. Mind you: a full 17 version may perform faster than the demo version. And also demo 17 may not handle ALL the video formats. But it maybe worth it while to test it before youdecide to buy it.
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Difficult story :
Some remarks that may be of help:
- Transitions should all show in the preview screen, there may be something wrong if they don't
- When saved (manually or automatically) in principle the complete status of what you have on your timeline and in the mediaroom etc. should be saved into the project file. If things are missing that that may mean that they were not there when the project was saved.
- When you load a project, AND there is already something in the timeline and/or the mediaroom, PD asks whether the new project should be added to the already existing or not. MAYBE you can use that to rebuild your project? In that case it would make sense to (re) load projects from old to new.....
- PD autosaves projects (default every 10 mins, you can change that to a higher or lower frequency). please have a look in the settings / Project to see WHERE PD saves your project files by default. In that directory you may also find the autosaved project files. They have a date-time stamp in the filename. MAYBE this is a way to restore your projects work (maybe in combination with the mentioned rebuild?
Going forward, based on your experience it may be good to make a project per event and save that separately. PD17 makes it easy to load several projects in the timeline e.g. one you want to produce?
Hopethis helps a bit
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Hmmm. The objects from the previous version(s) do not automatically show? They should.
My PD17 recognizes to customized and created titles, Particles, Strokes, Transfers from previous versions. The files are stored in the folder c:\users\<name>\Documents\Cyberlink\PowerDirector\
Depending on the versions you have used, you may find next to the 17.0 folder also a 16.0 folder (15.0 etc.).
Apparently PD scans all these folders and makes the objects available for use in PD17.
If your object files are somewhere else, you can always try and move them to the folder mentioned above. You have to make sure that you dont overwrite objects with the same sequence numbers. Renumbering these will do the trick.
Hope that this helps.
Warry
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:
Let me know how it works out, or whether you have found another solution!
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Not an easy way that I can think of. The video is build from separate images, see
C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberLink\templates\PowerDirector Content Pack Essential\PiPObject\PDR12_EarthTV
Maybe have a look at the slideshows. Some, like Waltz and Frozen Space generate a moving images effect.
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Using PD17 17 2211.0 when I insert a TS file. I get the TS file and two copies in the media room. They get a sequence number (1) and (2) and seem to be all the same. When I remove (1) and (2) I get the situation I expected: one file in the media room. Anyone similar experiences?
(same for 2224.0)
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Hi Keith
I did try this:
Open the CHAPTER track in the time-line (right-click in the track number field to open the menu to do that) and
create a chapter for the video (-part) you want to appear in the menu behind the button. Obviously this can also be the whole movie in the timeline, it that case select the chapter start to be the first frame.
PD (17) has the option to select a (or any) frame from the timeline as the chapter image.
So I pointed to the frame I wanted to use in the button and clicked select current frame.
Well, that button image is the precise image of the frame as shown in the preview screen.
So I manipulated this frame temporarily to show the image I wanted to use in the button, (You can do that by moving the white frame around the movie in the preview screen to crop the image so that it shows that part you need)
and pressed select current frame again. The temporarily enhanced frame appeared in the/as the chapter image.
Then I restored the movie image in the preview screen to normal again. Now dont press this select frame button again for this chapter. In my test the enhanced frame image appeared in the menu as required.
Now, there may be a way to select or overrule button images. It would be good to have that option anyway, but I have not found how (yet).
Maybe this helps?
Warry
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