Kevin - I have 2 clips... one is 345M - the other is 750M

On the PD8 / Vista machine the Media Source Error message came up at the 6 minute mark... but the program was still rendering so I let it.

I was producing the video into > WMV > Windows Media Video 9 DVD Quality (2000Kbps)

It took a couple of hours to complete (video is 1 hr long)... what is interesting is at the 6 minute mark, where the error message popped up, is where the audio quit.

This video clip is of a speech... I had a camera man record > convert to WMV and forward to me... so I don't have the details of camera - I can get that info tomorrow...

I do know the audio track and the video track were recorded seperately, then mixed togther to produce the wmv file... it appears to me that it is the sound track may be messing this up.

Back to your first question... I could cut one of the clips down with the program and re-render ... but then it wouldn't be the original file... your call... let me know your thoughts - thanks.

I will make sure that we get our forum moderator to give some input. The clips would be a great troubleshooting tool but he might suggest an alternate way to get them.

The error you are getting has been in the forum before as a topic. But they were with earlier versions of Power Director, and patches were relesed to fix the error. They were however often related to imported audio files.

Three bits of information that will prove helpful that you should provide:

1. Attach a DxDiag file...get to your RUN command...type in DxDiag and select OK...save the results as a text file and attch to your next post. If you need help we will be happy to help.

2. Attach a screenshot of the open PD including the entire screen....clips in the library....clips on the timeline...etc.

3. Download and install a free application called MediInfo.....google it...once installed...you then right-click on the wmv file in windows explorer and then select MediaInfo. It will profide ALL the information about you video file...save it as a text file and include this as well. This can help us see what makes up your wmv file.

Regards,

Kevin
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Kevin - on my Win 7 PD9 ... I just took another source file (from a Panasonic SDR-S7) camera in it's MOD format... imported, did a little editing and then PRODUCE > WMV > Window Media Video 9 DVD Quality (3000Kbps)... and rendered with no issues... this clip was 26 minutes long.

I am thinking the other wmv file is the issue, for me anyways.

I'll play some more and let you know

Thanks - and I do appreciate your comments.

I am thinking the other wmv file is the issue, for me anyways.

I completely agree! I suppose you could always convert it to another type of video file using converting software. then try importing the newly created file into PD9.

Your decision if you want to pursue trying to figure out the wmv problem. If you do...then you should give those three pieces of information. Otherwise we are guessing without information and it is frustrating to everyone, especially you!

I sent a Private Message to have the moderator take a look at this topic.

Good Luck!

Kevin
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I agree - I am just downloading the MediaInfo script...

I will forward info asap.

Also, I can FTP one of the original clips to my server for you to download... if you feel that is necessary... but like I said the small one is 345M

If we do the FTP I would prefer to send you the URL in a PM

GRRR... I can't get the MediaInfo script to work... it downloads, runs and says it is installed.

I go to a media file, right mouse and nothing about MediaInfo

There is only the Windows Properties...

Got the MediaInfo script working...

Kevin - Here are the 3 items you requested....

Thank you very much for this - I really appreciate it!!

Hi cmsintent -

You got it working (MediaInfo). Good.

To me, it sounds like something's gone amiss when the cameraman converted the original file to .wmv format. You'd be better off editing the original file from the camera.

MediaInfo is saying 720x480 - 3:2 AR (may be just a misread?)

I'd forget about the .wmv file & call the camera guy

Cheers - Tony
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OK,
I've taken a quick look at the wmv media file data, I don't have ones that replicate it and it differs somewhat from those that I have. With Audio and Video settings which have been selected.

I agree you should ask for another video file.

Dafydd

Dafydd - thank you for your response.

Could you tell me what is different with the Audio & Video settings ... what should the settings be...

I will ask for another file but if we knew what not to do before hand, that may be very helpful.

Thanks - appreciate your expertise!

Please download and insert the test wmv into PD9 on your system and see if it will display.

I would prefer to confirm or not a test wmv file displays or not on your OS first.

Thanks

Dafydd

Yes - your test file displays, plays and renders with no problems...

I also took another wmv file of mine and rendered it with no problems

I am convinced the original wmv file audio track was corrupted... I have the camera guy redoing... when I get the new one I will do my edits and transistions and see how that goes.

I will refer him to your txt file spec sheet.

Thanks - I'll let you know how this goes.

Just a side note on this issue. When I got this error, it was intermittent, not all the time on a specific clip. It occurred only twice in my weekend of fighting with PD9 on my recent project and at different points in the rendering. Don't know if that helps in any way or just throws in a red-herring but thought I'd offer that tidbit.

I suggest you retain the video's original frame rate, increase the bitrate to where you're happy with the quality.

The attachment isn't intended as a guide.

Dafydd

Just in general, here's a trick I've used with all kinds of files. See if you can find some program, somewhere that will open the file. When you do, save the file from that program. It will probably clean it up.

Some programs are more strict than others when it comes to format checking, and the looser ones will sometimes read files that are out-of-spec in some minor way. Also, different algorithms might be more tolerant than others.

Of course, if the file is corrupted then there's not much you can do about it.

By the way, would Window Media Player or QT do anything with that file? Jerry Schwartz

Hi jerrys... thanks for the info...

What is weird it the above "corrupt" file player perfectly in Window Media Player 9

But the saga continues... I have received additional files from the camera man (processed differently than the first video) - these will import, edit and convert in PD9 with no issues... but after I produced the video in PD9 (Produce > WMV > Window Media Video 9 DVD Quality (3000Kbps) the sound track gets shifted a few milliseconds outta wack so the sound doesn't match the lip movement of the speaker... ?? Looks fine in preview mode... just messes up and producing.

Back to the drawing board...

Hi guys, I have been playing with PD8 for a couple of weeks then upgraded to PD9. Just a novice and not a power user, yet.

However I have been getting the 'Media Source Error..' message at the beginning of almost my video clips in my current project. I have one video that I split and the first portion plays fine. A few .jpg clips later I play the other portion of the video and I receive the error. Both video clips are played at .50x speed. The image files are .jpg, video files are QTand I have .mp3 files in the music and voice over channels (have music clips cross fading).

If I delete the video clip I do not get the error in Media Viewer preview. Have not tried to produce a file yet as it takes about thirty minutes to get to the point where it fails.

So long as I crank down the resolution the files play without generating the error. But once I move the preview quality up to Full HD Preview Resolution, it bombs out.

Anyway, I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.

Just a little more troubleshooting info. If I do not edit the video within PD, it plays without error. If I trim it or add any effects the Media Source Error message is generated.

At least in my instance it seems as if the Power Tools is corrupting the source file in some manner.

Sticking my oar in... I seem to vaguely remember this happening to me once, but I sorted it without coming to the forum. Perhaps just as well, as I might have gone digging rather big holes.

I am not guaranteeing that this will work, for all the obvious reasons but here it is:

I reasoned that 'a front-end graph' was some sort of clumsy descriptor for some media resource stored outside PD and the streaming error was that the media was damaged or could not be found (I am used to decoding obtuse error messages). IIRR it was a case of a file which was locked by another application. I have unlocker on my computers and I think I found the lock with Unlocker.

Perhaps your problem is due to the same simple problem which I had. The quickest thing to do, without unlocker, would be to log off and on again (thus closing completely any apps you might have going) then fire up and see if PD still displays the error. If that does not work, you might try rebooting into safe mode and see if PD still behaves the same. At least these two suggestions will not cost you much time and effort, even if they come to nothing. i7 980x; W7 Pro; 12GB; Nvidia GTX 285; 2x300G Velociraptors in Raid 0; 2x1.5TB Barracuda in Raid 1; 2TB WD Studio Ed.II (eSATA); NEC SpectraView Reference 2690 + MultiSync EA232

Tried the Unlocker. Files not showing to be locked.

Started a brand new project. Brought in the .avi clips, no problem. apparently does not like .mov files in 640x480 resolution. The .avi files are also in 640x480 resolution but does not create a problem. Stumped.

(Sony Vaio laptop - Win7 Pro - Intel duo core - GMA 4500 )