Good snapshot:
1.What build of PD9 (Click in POWERDIRECTOR in upper right to see)
2. Please post DXDIAG (instructions on PART B at this link http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/7958.page )
3. Once we see this, we may be able to help.

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You have Shadow edit files turned on in your preferences....They haven't finished processing. This is visible by the Yellow film strip in the lower left hand corner of all you clips in the MEdia Library.

Your PC is powerful enought not to need or use them. If it were me I would shut them off. It may be causing a problem...they have in the past.

For reference...the film strip turns to GREEN when the files have completed being generated.

Not the definate problem....but something to be aware of....they take lots of valuable resources away from your PC during the editing phase while the files are being created.

Kevin
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Thanks Kev, Turned them off - trying another variation on this with Antivirus (Kaspersky) turned off and Steam turned off too - seems like a long shot, but who knows?

Also I've split the 1:28:03 into 2 smaller projects of about 40 something minutes. See if that helps.

Nope, nothing helped. Turned the shadow files off, cleared the temp files, tried a smaller project - NO LUCK. Stuck at 2% (output = about 235MB mt2s[M:/PRIVATE/AVCHD/BDMV/STREAM/00000.mts] file - perfectly rendered though).

Attached is a snapshot of the crash. Please notice the 'Rendering' progress bar (top right corner) stuck at 100% and the overall progress bar stuck at 2% (after 50 mins of work). However I looked into the rendered film, it is not stuck into the middle of a transition effect. It basically got stuck in the middle of a non-edited piece of clip. Maybe this would shed some light on the problem.

I think I've tried pretty much all combinations so far. I can only conclude there has to be a bug here. Because it does get stuck at different points in the project I cannot conclude it is a specific clip that 'PD9 doesn't like'. Yesterday it went all the way to 90%!

Another thing I've noticed (clear bug): If I mute a clip, then save the project, then close the program and reload the project the clip is not muted anymore. Everytime I load the project (after a crash for example like the one I just captured) I have to re-mute several clips because they don't stay muted.

Hi MAtt,

If it were me...I would burn to a Blu-Ray folder first to see if the authoring stage completes.

Here are the instructions to enable the "Burn to Blu-Ray folder". Once you have completed the following instructions, you will then have the option to burn to folder when selecting Blu-Ray. I would then UNCHECK "BURN TO DISC", so you won't waste any more Blu-Ray discs.
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/8131.page

If the Burn to folder is successful......and all the appropriate folders are created...then it is a simple matter to then use another piece of software to burn the folders to Blu-Ray disc so that it can be played on a player or PC. I use Cyberlinks POWER 2 GO, and it works very well.

I have been in your shoes with some Blu-Ray burning errors and it isn't fun trying to figure out what the problem is. Burning to folder can be an intermediate step that will help....I hope!

If you need any help getting the burning to folder option working...just let me know....I have tested it out with PD9 and it does work.

Regards,

KEvin
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Thanks Kev, I've played around with the registry editor and managed to get the "Create folder" enabled for BD. Many thanks dude, at least BD busting is on hold for now...which is great considering that around here they're blimming expensive (about £6.50 a pop/roughly 10 bucks)

As for the rest, I'm getting to the bottom of the barell as patience goes. Paid £90 for this software and basically is useless. I think I want my money back then get into bed with Corel's X3. That one is slower but gets there (tried before and worked ok).

I don't know, but to me it looks like this software was natively written for x64 and is not really compatible with the old 32bit engine. But then they should only sell it for 64 bit systems, I specifically asked if it runs on 32bit - otherwise I wouldnt' have bought it. Maybe I should have a word with Cyberlink - any idea who should I contact?

Hi MAtt,

There are many members here using PD9 on a 32-bit platform and it is working for them. Just thought I would point that out. I am not sure what is going on with your problem and how to correct it. Were you able to burn to a folder successfully? I know that when patience runs out...it can get too tiresome to keep going. I hear ya!

Here is a link to all that kind of stuff...refunds, etc.
https://store.cyberlink.com/store?Action=DisplayHelpPage&SiteID=clinkus&Locale=en_US&Env=BASE&resid=TQleSgoBAlUAAGKkgq4AAAAH&rests=1292459590661

Sorry to see you go!

Regards,

Kevin
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BD burning (to folder thanks to Kevin) failed at 38% (again the "Rendering" dialog box/progress bar stuck at 99%.

Any further ideas?

Hi Matt,

From the sounds of it the authoring process is what is hanging up. This could be something on the timeline in your project that is causing the problem. You would need to remove what is causing the problem from the timeline to figure it out.

When this happens to me, which it has a few times, I produce my project to a video file and see where it might be hanging by enabling preview while the file is rendering. This way you might figure out where on the timeline the problem is. From the sounds of it is hanging near the end.

I would produce the video file...select the AVC h.264 file type...and select the AVCHD 1920X1080 profile, which is what is encoded on a Blu-Ray disc, so it shouldn't be a wasted effort.

Then before you select START, check off the "enable preview during production" and you should see where it is hanging during production.

If it renders successfully....the I would open a NEW project and go directly to the CREATE DISC module and then import this finished video file using the CONTENT tab and use the import video files button.

Then try to burn this file to a Blu-Ray folder and see if this method works for you.

Sorry that you are having so much trouble.

Regards,

KEvin
Check out PDtoots. PowerDirector Tutorials and more! Over 5,000 Subscribers.

Follow everthing that Kevin has written.

I'd also like a sample 5 to 10 second clip from your camera - unedited and straight from the camera.

1. I don't have a sample from that Panasonic
2. A sample helps other members check out the structure of the file and we'll help you create a suitable customise template to assist in rendering (retaining quality).
3. I would also like to see - if you have a failure - you reduce the project to smaller chunks and isolate the error. To do that you would need to save a good number of pds files and then quarter up the project etc. More on that after you've carried out Kevin's suggestions.

Dafydd

PS Kevin, circa 1980 item is now ready for you

I managed to produce successfully a clip of 1minute 20 sec.

Attached is an original Mt2s file straight from the camera (AVCHD 1980x1080 PAL 25fps)

OK Kev, did exacly what you suggested - unfortunately a 20 mins project would sometimes (once) render just fine, other times froze at 40%, 58%, 55% and 89% - so pretty randonly really.

I managed to produce almost the entire project (1hr 45mins) as MPEG2 HD. Stuck at 90%. So something is "wrong" maybe with H264.

Out of curiosity tried the same in VideoStudio ProX3. Rendered perfectly, but there are some sound artifacts. So my computer is fine.

MattV;
Are you attempting to render either FROM or TO a flash card? Try first moving the files to an internal Hard Drive (like G: ) and rendering it THERE!

Nope, nothing helped. Turned the shadow files off, cleared the temp files, tried a smaller project - NO LUCK. Stuck at 2% (output = about 235MB mt2s[M:/PRIVATE/AVCHD/BDMV/STREAM/00000.mts] file - perfectly rendered though).

NONE of the content for the project (pre or post processing) should reside on an external card.

No, I tried to render (create disk) on an SD card as one of my (countless now) attempts...

Of course all the source/destination is on HDD. I've got a RAID 0 HDD config, obviously I want to take advantage of that. If you look at the previous post, you'd see I tried to create the BD files on the HD to avoit potential burning problems.

UPDATE: I tries splitting the projects in small chuncks (as advised), and try to produce a file.
- First 30 min chunks -> lo luck the rendering progress stops somewhere between 5-80%.
- Then 10min chunks -> same thing
- 1 min -> works everytime

I'm reporting yet ANOTHER problem.

After several attempts I managed to create a 30 min clip (from "Produce" menu). I then wanted to burn it as a AVCHD onto an SD card. I've used this card before, (yesterday actually) and PD9 worked flawlessly on it. Today it crashed miserably (see attach).

I can only conclude that this software crashes randomly, as there seems to be no "regular" type error (e.g. only rendering errors, or only errors in some projects).

Should I contact technical support or are they not very supportive? Or you guys are 'tech support'?

Hi Matt,
I'd like to pull you back from everything you've done so far.
1. PD9 2330 - was that an upgrade to or a purchase provided build?
2. What ever you decide to Produce to I want it to be on an internal hard drive with a large amount of space 50gb for example.
3. I want you to make sure "C" HDD has the same 50gb of spare space.
4. I want you to make sure the local address where you produce to is short, see example: H: Video/Part1.mts
5. DO NOT write/produce to an SD card at any time.

6. Now I want you to take one of your unedited video and place it into Track 1.
7. I want you then to select H264AVC> PAL >select a AVCHD 1920x 1080 setting template
8. You should now have Fast rendering Technology ticked and SVRT active - correct?
9. If not go to Preferences (icon top of PD9 which looks like a cog - on the right) > Produce > check the H264 AVC check box. Also while you're there check the Produce option and move the slider to Better quality.

Now back to your Produce file.

10. make sure the Output folder address is short as mentioned previously.

see attached images - a successful action.

OK to the next stage - see next write up.

Dafydd

SVRT

Hi Matt,
I'm hopeful that you have managed to work your way through what I've written so far and had some form of success.

I produced your sample file without any bother - I am on a 64bit set up.

Now we have to consider the burn process. Actually we don't at this stage. My aim is to "hand hold you" and get you to different stages that your system appears able to cope with and hit the success button each time. To do that i need to read your brief reports of did work, didn't work to know what can be tried next.

I'm concerned you're overloading the capability of your system with something and we need to split the processes up to see where and what that might be.

You still with me on this?

Ok, now I want you to look at your project and now EXPORT it to a different location.
File > export > Pack Project Materials > browse for a location - a short address and name - remember my previous instructions. The copying of data may take a while.

Please ensure you DO NOT have any background running processes. This may be what is also causing you problems writing to disc - anti-virus or you carrying out some additional work on your PC - DON'T.

When you've done what I've asked we'll use the exported project as the base for further editing.

Let me know when you've completed all the tasks and we're ready to go.

Dafydd