Quote: Hello,

I tried to post this at the end of another forum topic that did didn't seem to answer the question, so I will try here. I am a newbie to Powerdirector (and video editing), having just purchased PD12. I am having a problem with the video "freezing" for about 1/2 a second after a transition. After looking at some previous forums, others with earlier versions seems to have had similar problems. It is especially noticable when using the cross fade transistion.It happens in both preview and final movie output (I have tried a few different options). The video was shot in HD, 24 fps, with my Canon T3i, though it also happens with video shot in lower resolution and with a different camera. I am editing on my laptop with i5 CPU, Windows 7, 6GB ram, Intel Graphics card.

From other posts I've read, people have had this issue with high-end graphics cards and different versions. Sometimes they've fixed the problem with some upgrades or other bug fixes. I don't see anything like that in PD12. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Hi matt@expaz,
I started to hunt down the spec of your camera and really the best thing you can give us is some more data on what video you're editing.
Please visit the Guide and provide Part A, B, and J, the latter is important to know what video you're editing.
Guide: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/29701.page

Things you can do:
1. Activate Shadow edit files and allow them to be fully produced (green icon in thumbnails) BEFORE you start editing on any video.
2. Ensure you have your Preview player set to High Preview Resolution and NOT to any HD setting.

Your laptop is at the minimum level for HD editing, your editing experience will be slow and tedious. The transition issue is related to the capability of your graphics card to display the change in real time. If you don't allow your computer to process the shadow edit files (and maybe you might not need these to edit but....) your whole set up will be problematic. Canon's output MOV files and some are really high bitrate, difficult for low powered PC's/laptops to handle. The Part J info will help us look at your video in more detail.

Dafydd

Thank you for responding! I have PowerDirector Ultimate 12 version 12.0.2109.0 Part A). I have attached the Diag files (Part B) and the Media Info files (Part J). Please note I have included two different files that I am working with, but not in the same project. One was from my Canon T3i in HD, the other was shot with a Panasonic point and shoot in low resolution. Both freeze during a transition from one video to another of the same type.

There's a limit to three attachments, so I will attach the Canon Media file to the next post.

Thanks again for your help!

Here is the Canon Media file.

Hi Matt -

The high video bitrate from your T3i would certainly be a factor with the stalling at transitions - 46.5MBps - you could enable shadow files, as suggested, or convert the MOV clips to a lower bitrate, just to allow you to do some fluent editing.

I thought shooting in 720p might be a good alternative, but that uses a 46MBps VBR too.

Oh! You get the same transition freezes with low-res clips from the Panasonic That shoots the above paragraph out the window!

MediaInfo report for sample clip attached - shot in the same mode you're using (superfluous because you posted the same info as I'm typing).

If you remove the transitions, do the clips play smoothly in preview (i.e. from one clip to the next)?

There may be some advantage in updating your graphics driver (date 18 August 2011) - http://www.official-drivers.com/installer/?seed=intel&cate=Graphics&gclid=CIOg3_nB5boCFY4tpAodCj0ALg

Cheers - Tony
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Yes, the video looks smooth if I remove the transitions. I went through windows driver update and it stated that it was the best/latest driver for my graphics card. Also, the HD videos are very short and have completed the shadowing prior to me editing them. But, I don't think it's an HD issue, my other videos that are shot in low res do the same thing.

Hi Matt

Further to the excellent already given advice does the happen when you Produce your project?

To Produce a project go to the Produce tab and select a profile as close to your original file type.

Note my Canon shoots at over 88 Mbps Silly really Happing editing

Best Regards

Neil
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Thanks Matt for the information.
Please update PDR12 with the latest patch to 2209, your build had issues that needed correcting. See links: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/30502.page

Your system will struggle especially your graphic card set up as it relies upon the little ram you have to bolster it.

Have you tried to pre-render the transition points to see how they play? Previewing in real time isn't working for you.

Mix matching video has to be dealt with carefully by an editor.

Dafydd

Quote: Hi Matt

Further to the excellent already given advice does the happen when you Produce your project?

To Produce a project go to the Produce tab and select a profile as close to your original file type.

Note my Canon shoots at over 88 Mbps Silly really

Yes, it happens in both preview screens and when I produce a project. I have tried producing a project with a few different varieties of files and they all show the freeze happening. I'd like to ask what may be a stupid question since I'm such a newbie. I am hearing a lot about the Mbps rate. Not sure if this does anything for that (or makes a difference), but I brought in a few clips to Windows Movie Maker (I wanted to keep in separate from PD), then saved the file in different resolutions. Does this effect the Mbps? I think brought in these new files into PD and tried transistions. They still had the same freeze point.

Quote: Thanks Matt for the information.
Please update PDR12 with the latest patch to 2209, your build had issues that needed correcting. See links: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/30502.page

Your system will struggle especially your graphic card set up as it relies upon the little ram you have to bolster it.

Have you tried to pre-render the transition points to see how they play? Previewing in real time isn't working for you.

Mix matching video has to be dealt with carefully by an editor.

Dafydd

I'm not sure what you mean by pre-render the transition points. Could you explain what that is? Also, the previews AND the produced movies have the same behavior. Does that help. The examples I gave you of the mixed resolution videos were done in different projects. The problem I am having all have the same videos from the same camera. I have also updated my software with the updates shown on the page suggested. They did not help solve the problem.

Quote:

Quote: Thanks Matt for the information.
Please update PDR12 with the latest patch to 2209, your build had issues that needed correcting. See links: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/30502.page

Your system will struggle especially your graphic card set up as it relies upon the little ram you have to bolster it.

Have you tried to pre-render the transition points to see how they play? Previewing in real time isn't working for you.

Mix matching video has to be dealt with carefully by an editor.

Dafydd

I'm not sure what you mean by pre-render the transition points. Could you explain what that is? Also, the previews AND the produced movies have the same behavior. Does that help. The examples I gave you of the mixed resolution videos were done in different projects. The problem I am having all have the same videos from the same camera. I have also updated my software with the updates shown on the page suggested. They did not help solve the problem.

Hi Mat,
Sorry my error. I meant "Non Real-time Preview". This can be selected in Preferences/Display/Preview mode or when selecting the "Preview quality" options, icon below player.
Dafydd

Hi Matt -

The reason we were talking about the video bitrate was that we thought it would be a major factor in how your laptop was handling the clips. With more information, it seems that's not the case here, evidenced by:
(a) smooth playback without transitions
(b) same thing occurring with low res (probably low VBR) clips
(c) same thing occurring with WMV files from WMM.

So - you put some clips in WMM - produced them (that, in itself, would have significantly decreased the VBR) - brought them back into PD - tried some transitions & the same stalling occurred. Yes?


Yet - the original videos play smoothly in PD without any transitions applied.

Matt - when you apply transitions between clips in WMM, what happens? Is the playback smooth?

Cheers - Tony
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1) I have tried the "Non-realtime preview" and it doesn't make a difference either way.

2) Yes, I put the files into WMM, produced them and then brought them back into PD and the transition still freezes.

3) I've uploaded some examples to Youtube that I am working with (these are HD, but the same thing happens in low res) so you can see what I'm talking about.

A) This is the PD12 version without any transitions: http://youtu.be/tQCmzXm0NJ0

B) This is the PD12 version with the cross fade transition: http://youtu.be/rz2pG3UcNB0
You can see how the Jeep freezes during the transition

C) This is the PD12 version with the fade transition now done as overlap (which isn't what I want). This transition seems to work just fine. http://youtu.be/FSnlKFd2Sv0

D) This is the WMM file done with the blur transition, similar to fade overlap. I don't think WMM has a cross fade transition??
http://youtu.be/Wqm8FHmxWSg

Forgive me if I missed this above. I just came into the last couple of posts and the videos.

This type of issue was seen in a different video editing program with certain nVidia video cards and certain drivers. Are your up to date?

What you tried to work with the videos with the hardware encoding turned off? .
.
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Quote: I went through windows driver update and it stated that it was the best/latest driver for my graphics card.

You should go to the actual site of the GC manufacturer and find the TRUE latest update (certified, no beta). HP Envy Phoenix/4thGen i7-4770(4@3.4GHz~turbo>3.9)
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Quote:

Quote: I went through windows driver update and it stated that it was the best/latest driver for my graphics card.

You should go to the actual site of the GC manufacturer and find the TRUE latest update (certified, no beta).

Thanks! I went to Intel, updated to the latest driver ~ 6/27/13. Rebooted, ran again. Did not change. The freezing still occurs.

I have tried it with hardware encoding turned on and off. No change. The freezing still occurs.

matt@expaz, sounds like you are using the "Cross" transition with the "Cross" transition behavior. The effect I believe you are seeing is the one perfect frame (no transition) that occurs at the interface of the two clips. To check this out, go to movie mode in a zoomed in timeline and advance one frame at a time (period key) through the transition. You will see this "perfect" frame in the middle, no offset blur motion from the cross transition. During playback, this will appear as a freeze, as it is, there is no offset blur transition effect, it's one fixed frame.

If you only have a few of these you can produce this footage and then edit and cut out the one frame of the still transition so it's not noticed during playback.

I believe the above is also why you don't see it with "Overlap" transition behavior as for that method one still frame does not exist as you always have a blur overlay effect because the clips are overlapping so no "perfect" frame exists.

Jeff

Quote: matt@expaz, sounds like you are using the "Cross" transition with the "Cross" transition behavior. The effect I believe you are seeing is the one perfect frame (no transition) that occurs at the interface of the two clips. To check this out, go to movie mode in a zoomed in timeline and advance one frame at a time (period key) through the transition. You will see this "perfect" frame in the middle, no offset blur motion from the cross transition. During playback, this will appear as a freeze, as it is, there is no offset blur transition effect, it's one fixed frame.

If you only have a few of these you can produce this footage and then edit and cut out the one frame of the still transition so it's not noticed during playback.

I believe the above is also why you don't see it with "Overlap" transition behavior as for that method one still frame does not exist as you always have a blur overlay effect because the clips are overlapping so no "perfect" frame exists.

Jeff

Jeff, thanks for your response. I'm not sure if I understand what you said, but maybe this will help. The second video (the one I am transitioning to) "freezes" during the entire transition period of the first video. So, if the entire transition period is 2 seconds long (1 second on video one and 1 second on video 2), the second video freezes for the entire second while the transition is playing on video 1. As soon as the playhead crosses to video 2, the second video begins to move. It is much longer than 1 frame.

Also, the inverse happens. The fist video freezes during the part of the transition over the second video.

Does that make sense?

Quote: Jeff, thanks for your response. I'm not sure if I understand what you said, but maybe this will help. The second video (the one I am transitioning to) "freezes" during the entire transition period of the first video. So, if the entire transition period is 2 seconds long (1 second on video one and 1 second on video 2), the second video freezes for the entire second while the transition is playing on video 1. As soon as the playhead crosses to video 2, the second video begins to move. It is much longer than 1 frame.

Also, the inverse happens. The fist video freezes during the part of the transition over the second video.

Does that make sense?

Sorry, I don't see that effect in your posted youtube files, nothing freezes for anything close to a second during my playback. Your item "B" for me is smooth except for the one static freeze on a single frame. Your item "C" plays through without this effect. I can believe playback of the timeline while editing on your computer may freeze as you state but I do not see it in the posted youtube files and in a earlier post you stated it happens during preview and produced movies so I'm unsure of the issue.

Quote: Also, the previews AND the produced movies have the same behavior.

Jeff

Matt -

Thanks for posting the different samples. There certainly is something wrong there, but I think having a full 2 second transition is highlighting the issue. If you dropped the duration to 1 second (or less) it would not be so noticeable.

A few other observations:

1. What have you done with the aspect ratio? Is that how the produced file looks on your PC? or is it just YouTube messing it up? If it's just YT, you can add a "yt:stretch=16:9" tag (without quotes) to force the player to display it as 16:9.
- what WMV profile did you use to produce?



2. WMM has "Dissolve" and "Fade" transitions. Not sure which version you're using.

3. 00:00:05:04 is the centrepoint of the cross transition (i.e. the duration of the first clip)... the "perfect" frame Jeff is referring to is at the centrepoint of the overlap transition. * I'm not seeing that as a "freeze" either.

4. The effect has similarities with those achieved using the new Pixelan Plug-in, Dissolve Master

Cheers - Tony
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