Sorry, I have no answer for you but your post is of great interest to me as I will be doing AVCHD edits eventually, outputting some to Blu-ray discs and producing AVCHD (m2ts files) and archiving to an external hard drive.

I have had audio sync issues but managed to correct them by splitting the audio and video. However, I was working mainly with AVI files. I also used a couple of m2ts files and did the audio-video split and it worked fine. I noted though that you mentioned that up to the 30-minute mark, there was no synchronization problem. The project I worked on was less than 20 minutes.

Dafydd, who moderates this forum for Cyberlink, had been in contact with me and I've sent him the pds file of the project I worked on for Cyberlink to look at. I did mention that the audio sync problem happens on longer projects because I tried recreating the problem doing a few seconds of video but the problem did not appear.

Dafydd, any news yet about this issue and a solution?

Arturo

Actually Steve, I may have a temporary solution for you to finish your project. I used this workaround on the project I worked on.

What I did was produced separate video segments or files of the parts where I had the sync problems and then dropped them all back on the project timeline. Now this is the important part. You can not do anymore editing once you drop these files back onto the project timeline because you'll have the sync problems again if you do anymore editing. So what you have to do is make sure you have done all the editing you need before putting everything back in the project timeline. You can produce 20-30 minutes of each video segments and then put them all together. You might also be able to use the SVRT feature of PD7 so that all the video files that have already been rendered (or produced) will not be rendered again to save time when you output to a Blu-ray disc.

I hope this solution works for you in the meantime while Cyberlink is working on a permanent solution to the sync problems.

CYBERLINK - WE NEED A SOLUTION TO THIS SYNC PROBLEM. Thank you.

Arturo

Thanks for the reply.

I have a question: Did you mean output the individual files to a "Blu-Ray folders" (ready for burning) on the HD then re-introduce THOSE m2ts files into a new project timeline. If so, do you think it is OK to introduce chapterpoints and create a main menu & a chapter menu? (What I mean is, would you consider that "editing" the project?).

Steve

You're welcome.

Yes, combine several m2ts files to make up a 20-30 minute segment. Make all the edits - e.g. PIP, effects, titles, music, narration, etc. - and produce or render the file (save to your hard drive). Under Produce select Create a File and click Next. Select MPEG2 and under Profile name/Quality, select BD 1440x1080 or BD 1920x1080. Save to a file on your hard drive and select Start rendering.

Once you have all the segments you want, create a new project, drop all the segments into the timeline and then create your disc. It is okay to introduce chapter points and create a menu at this point. Well, you need to anyway unless you want to create a disc without a menu. Creating your chapter points and a menu will not introduce sync problems. I didn't have any problems when I created my Blu-ray and DVD discs after I followed what I just outlined. So to answer your question, I do not consider creating chapter points and the main and chapter menus editing.

Ideally, we shouldn't have to go through all that but until we get a solution from Cyberlink, we'll have to use workarounds. I hope that helps you complete your project.

Arturo

Hi again,

You said to go to "produce" & "select MPEG2". Should I not be selecting "AVCMPEG4" "1440 x 1080" as the original files were in AVCHD?

Steve

Hi Steve,

Oopps, I stand corrected. Yes, you should be selecting AVCMPEG4. AVCMPEG4 also has better compression compared to MPEG2 and the quality is similar.

Arturo

Hi Arturo,

I have chased the pds and audio sync issue up.

Dafydd

Hello Dafydd,

Thanks Dafydd. I hope Cyberlink will have a solution soon.

Arturo

Hi Arturo,

Have had no success with "splitting" sound files. As a matter of fact I have upgraded to version 1911 of PD7 ULTRA and added the 1915 patch. Still the same audio issues and now even new problem in rendering.

1) If I use SVRT3 to make AVCHD files they "lock up" and cannot be played (hear just sound & picture freezes).

2) If I output to a Blu-Ray Folder (to burn later), It RENDERS the clips (instead of just linking them) and the rendering is terrible when compared to the original AVCHD file quality. There is horrible "pixalization" especially where there is water involved. The original clip had NO "pixalization" whatsoever of the water.

So, after doing all the upgrades & patches, I still have my OLD PROBLEM (no audio sync) & NEW PROBLEM (horrible rendering). Only owning a LADA could be worse.

I spent ALL weekend to render every possible combination of "Split & non-Split" audio as well as output to every format.

The only one where there is good audio sync is when you output your Blu-Ray disks as MPEG2 format (NOT AVCHD), BUT the picture is rendered and is HORRIBLE compared to the ORIGINAL NATIVE AVCHD.

I am completely degusted. I am about ready to give up on PD7. Do you have any ideas?

Thanks again for trying to help.

Steve

PS: Sorry for the ranting but I am just "venting"

Hi Dafydd*, Arturo and Steven, *[Edited by Moderator]

I too am still waiting for this audio sync prob to be sorted. Here is my experience so far.

I am editing golf footage, which is really great because you get a real spike in the audio waveform when the golf ball is hit. The footage I'm using is MP4 1280x720 29.97fps. I've dropped a raw 13m 50sec file into the timeline, the footage is full of golf balls being hit. The audio plays in sync for the entire clip, however:

At 6 secs the spike in the waveform is displayed 2 frames prior to the ball being struck. At 24 secs the spike occurs 6 frames prior...at 2m30sec the spike occurs 30 frames to early.

I then right-clicked the raw file in the media viewer, extracted the audio and imported it into the timeline below the raw file. The imported extracted wav waveform displayed correctly. This highlighted the problem as the displayed waveforms did not line up and the V1 waveform was out 5 sec at 13m 50sec.

It would appear that the audio displayed in the V1 is out 1 frame for every 3-4 secs of video.

Have a look at the audio waveform at the end of a long clip (the last few seconds/frames), the audio may play correctly but it just vanishes in the waveform display.

Now remember this is a raw file, I haven't even begun to edit. No wonder we're having so many problems with audio sync as the program gets confused with whats going on with 1 file.

Surely someone at Cyberlink can workout why the audio waveform is not displaying correctly and therefore fix the sync prob.

Cheers

Mark

Hi Mark*,
When you brought in these files to PD7 what method option did you select? I ask because the audio sync has the signs of frame droppage - is there any noticable jump in the video when the audio gets out of sync.

As I've already mentioned I have chased this matter and the Head of RD/PowerDirector is fully aware of the issue.

Dafydd
[Moderator]

*Mark, I do get a bit confused when members have the same first name... and I have been writing to two Mark's lately. If you could tag a bit more onto your Forum name to ID yourself it would help me a lot. Thank you. Dafydd.

Hi Steven, Mark & Dafydd,

Sorry to hear that the audio-video splitting solution did not work and introduced more problems. Unfortunately, I don't have another workaround to suggest. That definitely is not good news because as I mentioned previously, I will eventually be doing edits of my AVCHD video footages, archiving mostly to a hard disk and burning some to Blu ray discs.

Having just recently switched to PD7 Ultra after being a faithful Pinnacle Studio user for so many years, I have done only one project using PD7 for a family gathering next month. I did have a lot of problems with the audio sync issues with that project but managed to finish it with that audio splitting workaround and rendering separate video files and dropping them back into a new project without any further editing. I must say also that those segments that I rendered separately and then re-combined were less than 25 seconds each. Also I used MPEG2 format, not AVCHD as I was working mainly with AVI files. I have digitized all my home movies taken with Video 8, Hi8 and MiniDV video cameras so they're now all in AVI format. I updated last October to the Sony HDR-SR8 which uses the AVCHD format. I wish I waited until the full 1080 models became available but I guess the good thing is although the HDR-SR8 is not a full 1080 camcorder, the picture quality is very high and is close enough to a full 1080.

I have digitized 102 tapes taken with the older video cameras and am slowly editing them taking out accidental, blurry and very shaky shots and combining footages of the same events that are on different tapes into one segment. I am now on Tape #49 and so this project will take sometime to finish. And once I'm done with these digitized tapes, I will continue with the ones taken with the Sony AVCHD camcorder. These videos contain a lot of family history so it is very important that they be preserved. This way too, they can be easily accessed with the use of a computer.

So hearing more problems about PD7 does not give me a warm feeling. I switched to PD7 based on a review I read and thinking it was a solid video editing software and much better than Pinnacle Studio. I do hope that Cyberlink resolve these issues. I can understand your frustration because I went through that to finish my project and also wasted a lot of time.

I like what I have seen so far despite the problems I've encountered but at the same time, I do not want to waste my time and be frustrated when I do my projects. I really hope that I do not have to switch to another software again.

Arturo

Hi All,

Dafydd, same Mark. I haven't experienced dropped frames since 1995 with a FAST AVMaster, problem was the hdd. The files are drag and drop from the cam. No capture process.

1. I sent you a file, have you put it in the timeline and looked at the waveform at the end ?

Arturo, I too am converting hours of family footage, I'm converting to divx for storage on a 500G hdd I put in a PS3. I like the menu structure and ease of access on the PS3. I've already converted 50 or so Pal DV and DVCAM tapes with no problems, my sync problems began when I tried to edit footage of my new cam which is MP4 1280x720 29.97. I've never editted NTSC before, I'm in Australia (Pal), The footage you had problems with was it NTSC or Pal ?. I could be wrong but I believe the error has something to do with the softwares interpretation of 29.97 footage displayed in a 30 fps editing environment.

Mark P

Mark, I am in Canada so the format is NTSC.

I too have sent a pds file to Dafydd which he forwarded to Cyberlink so they can have a look at it.

I am eagerly awaiting a resolution to this problem as I'm sure you are as well as everyone else who is experiencing the same problem.

Arturo

Mark P (gotcha - )
The Daytona1.pds - you have to understand it's just a route address and an open PD file. Look at the attached image I view when it's placed in my time-line of PD7.

All: I've sent each of you a PM asking for more data - CyberLink are actively trying to locate the cause and need more data from you.

Mark and Arturo have supplied their pds - Steven how about your's as well please. Please note that if you send a pds file use a compression zip software. Here's a free one http://seemyworldonvideo.com/pages/extras.html that I recommend if you don't have a zip program.

This issue is for CyberLink to resolve (they will resolve it asap) - I'll monitor and follow up. Thank you for the help so far.

Dafydd

Hi,

Just a quick update.

Mark and Arturo are trying out a patch to resolve the a/v sync issue. I'm just waiting to get the results back from them.

Dafydd
[Moderator]