Videos don't load into edit pane from time line!

Branxholme

Newbie Joined: Oct 26, 2009 11:26 Messages: 46 Offline

Solved by

Dec 28, 2019 04:50

PD 13

Have been using PD 13 for 5 years and today it has not loaded video into the edit pane for editing from the time line. The sound is there but no picture? Only a black or green blank frame appears. Stupidly I uninstalled the program thinking I could re install from the original source. I wish! I then installed trial version of PD18 and before using I deleted loads of data to ensure there was plenty of free space on the hard drive.
First try was success after importing new video and editing an hours worth. Next day the program has reverted to the same issue I had with PD13. OMG!
There appears to be background things happening when PD is running and it is slow and freezes sometimes. I checked the process running in taskmaster and PD is running 2....new project 189mb and something called PD Hanuman Svr App 18.4mb?
PD loads jpg's OK from the samples but not the mp4 videos from the samples offered.
When loading an mp4 file the progress bar is 100% and blue but doesn't disappear? My own video comes from Panasonic HC-X920 avchd camcorder.
Is it the fault of a graphics card on the PC running windows 10 maybe .??
It is all a mystery to me as you can see from my predicament explained!
Any help would be most greatfully received. Thanks Alistair.

optodata

Senior Contributor Location: California, USA Joined: Sep 16, 2011 16:04 Messages: 8630 Offline

Dec 28, 2019 14:05

You've posted a wide range of issues and steps you've taken here, and it's not clear to me what you'd ideally like to do at this point. Reinstall PD13 and get that working again? Update to PD18/365 and go from there?

I see that you also posted in the PD18 forum that things seem to be working, so maybe you don't need any help with this now.

If you would like some assistance, please follow the steps listed in the Read Me Before Posting sticky thread and attach the DxDiag results, as that's the only way we'll even have a clue about the condition your computer is in. Once you can provide that, along with which version of PD you want to use, we should be able to get you moving in the right direction.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Dec 28. 2019 14:08

Branxholme

Newbie Joined: Oct 26, 2009 11:26 Messages: 46 Offline

Dec 28, 2019 16:22

Quote You've posted a wide range of issues and steps you've taken here, and it's not clear to me what you'd ideally like to do at this point. Reinstall PD13 and get that working again? Update to PD18/365 and go from there?

I see that you also posted in the PD18 forum that things seem to be working, so maybe you don't need any help with this now.

If you would like some assistance, please follow the steps listed in the Read Me Before Posting sticky thread and attach the DxDiag results, as that's the only way we'll even have a clue about the condition your computer is in. Once you can provide that, along with which version of PD you want to use, we should be able to get you moving in the right direction.

Thank you for your response. The issue does not materialise on the Windows tablet that I installed Pd18 on. Only on the pc that previously used pd13. Cyberlink kindly offered to give me the download files for PD 13 again. But as the problem persisted with both applications on the same computer I doubt the new pd13 download will function properly once installed. Some conflict with the pc I would guess.
I will do as you suggest and view the read me before posting sticky thread... Sticky thread?.... DXDiag results? I will head over there now and see if I can make sense of what that requires in my limited technical capacity!

I have been experimenting with the preferences of the program and noted several 'quirks' , for want of a better word. The shadow files only load totally after about an hour with a 70 clip import! ... 10 in the first few minutes and the rest very gradually. The task manager shows PD using 867mb of memory! (48%) However, still regardless of what I change the clips won't load into the editing mode preview pane.
Many thanks for your reply.
Regards
Alistair

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Dec 29. 2019 13:23

Branxholme

Newbie Joined: Oct 26, 2009 11:26 Messages: 46 Offline

Dec 28, 2019 17:28

Quote You've posted a wide range of issues and steps you've taken here, and it's not clear to me what you'd ideally like to do at this point. Reinstall PD13 and get that working again? Update to PD18/365 and go from there?

I see that you also posted in the PD18 forum that things seem to be working, so maybe you don't need any help with this now.

If you would like some assistance, please follow the steps listed in the Read Me Before Posting sticky thread and attach the DxDiag results, as that's the only way we'll even have a clue about the condition your computer is in. Once you can provide that, along with which version of PD you want to use, we should be able to get you moving in the right direction.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello again
Thanks again optodata
I have generated a dxdiag file which I now attach. I hope this sheds some light regarding the issue.
Kind regards
Alistair

Filename	DxDiag Mackay December 2019.txt	Download
Description
Filesize	67 Kbytes
Downloaded:	254 time(s)

tomasc

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 25, 2011 12:33 Messages: 6464 Offline

Dec 28, 2019 20:24

Thanks for the DXDiag info. This pc will struggle with modern HD video.It was built back in 2009 with windows Vista. MS never offered the free upgrade to win 10 because it is not compatible. AMD has no win 10 support or drivers for the 4800 series video card here. See this link: https://www.amd.com/en/support/kb/faq/gpu-615 . The cpu passmark is below that desired for HD video editing. MS has been telling win 7 users to buy new computers instead of putting win 10 on their pc.

Branxholme

Newbie Joined: Oct 26, 2009 11:26 Messages: 46 Offline

Dec 29, 2019 02:37

Quote Thanks for the DXDiag info. This pc will struggle with modern HD video.It was built back in 2009 with windows Vista. MS never offered the free upgrade to win 10 because it is not compatible. AMD has no win 10 support or drivers for the 4800 series video card here. See this link: https://www.amd.com/en/support/kb/faq/gpu-615 . The cpu passmark is below that desired for HD video editing. MS has been telling win 7 users to buy new computers instead of putting win 10 on their pc.

Thanks for the reply. The computer has coped for the last 5 years with video editing with pd13 with no problems whatsoever. No issues of the kind I am faced with in the last couple of days so it makes me ask what has changed in that time to make the computer not compatible all of a sudden?
Kind regards
Alistair
The program can't even open one of the sample mp4 files that comes with the trial version of pd18!

Fenman

Senior Contributor Location: Cambridge, UK Joined: Nov 24, 2011 04:44 Messages: 731 Offline

Dec 29, 2019 05:53

Quote it makes me ask what has changed in that time to make the computer not compatible all of a sudden?

The most likely thing to have changed is a Windows 10 update. As you're probably aware W10 does not allow the user control over updates and this has been known to cause problems with users in some cases reporting their computers have become completely unusable. Video editing applications like Power Director are very sensitive to changes in system configuration and for this reason I've stuck with Windows 7 and exercise strict control over updates of anything on my system.

If you had not already uninstalled your original Power Director I would have recommended you to try a System Restore to a date before the problem appeared. This would at least have shown if an update was responsible, although W10 would probably have then tried to reapply the update. I think there are ways, using third-party applications, to get some control over updating although I have seen reports indicating that Microsoft has made changes to prevent these from working.

Regrettably I think the only recourse for those unfortunate enough to be stuck with Windows 10 is to keep upgrading to the latest version of Power Director. Regards,
Mike

Home-build system:
Intel Core i5 Quad Core 3.3GHz, 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333MHz,
Asus Nvidia GT440 1GB, 2 x Western Digital WD10EARS 1TB, 1 x Seagate ST1000DM010 1TB,
Windows 7 Prof 64-bit, PD 9 Ultra 64, PD 13 Ultimate 64

Branxholme

Newbie Joined: Oct 26, 2009 11:26 Messages: 46 Offline

Dec 29, 2019 09:47

Quote
The most likely thing to have changed is a Windows 10 update. As you're probably aware W10 does not allow the user control over updates and this has been known to cause problems with users in some cases reporting their computers have become completely unusable. Video editing applications like Power Director are very sensitive to changes in system configuration and for this reason I've stuck with Windows 7 and exercise strict control over updates of anything on my system.

If you had not already uninstalled your original Power Director I would have recommended you to try a System Restore to a date before the problem appeared. This would at least have shown if an update was responsible, although W10 would probably have then tried to reapply the update. I think there are ways, using third-party applications, to get some control over updating although I have seen reports indicating that Microsoft has made changes to prevent these from working.

Regrettably I think the only recourse for those unfortunate enough to be stuck with Windows 10 is to keep upgrading to the latest version of Power Director.

Thanks Fenman
I will install the pd13 files that cyberlink sent me and see if it works OK.
It still makes me wonder why the trial version worked at the time I downloaded it and then reverted to the problem issue the morning after?
If the trial version of PD 18 doesn't work would you not think the full version would be the same? Also if the video performance on other applications was still OK would that not indicate the it was powerdirector related only? I remember that Windows explorer itself even opened clips prior to importing into PD! I still have a gut feeling that the problem is with a conflict of resources with any video file but I shall see what the results are when I install PD 13 again. You could also wonder why it works on the Windows 10 tablet that I installed pd18 trial version on! Strange!
Many thanks
Alastair

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Dec 29. 2019 13:24

Fenman

Senior Contributor Location: Cambridge, UK Joined: Nov 24, 2011 04:44 Messages: 731 Offline

Dec 29, 2019 10:34

Hi Branxholme,

To be honest I don't have the knowledge to interpret the dxdiag fully, I have to leave that to the true experts on this forum, and hence I don't have answers to your questions. I was just making the observation that when things suddenly change out of the blue the most likely explanation is that something on the system has performed a background update. It doesn't surprise me that the performance of your other applications was unchanged, this was why I mentioned that PD appears particularly sensitive to changes. This is based on many years of reading posts on this forum. For instance a small change to the Windows environment can result in certain functions in a graphics driver no longer being supported.

I presume you've obtained a new download link from Cyberlink so I hope you can get it working again. If not it might still be worth trying a System Restore if you have a suitably dated restore point. Finally I hope I'm not 'teaching my grandmother to suck eggs' if I recommend archiving the PD setup files, preferably by burning to a DVD. Regards,
Mike

Home-build system:
Intel Core i5 Quad Core 3.3GHz, 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333MHz,
Asus Nvidia GT440 1GB, 2 x Western Digital WD10EARS 1TB, 1 x Seagate ST1000DM010 1TB,
Windows 7 Prof 64-bit, PD 9 Ultra 64, PD 13 Ultimate 64

Branxholme

Newbie Joined: Oct 26, 2009 11:26 Messages: 46 Offline

Dec 29, 2019 11:38

Quote Hi Branxholme,

Thanks Fenman
Your technical knowledge is a trillion times better than mine so I do appreciate your time.
I'll back up from the cyberlink PD program files in that folder if that is what you are on about. Yes, the. mts files in Windows load fime so I think it is more PD issue as I previously said. I'll see if a system recovery makes any difference but first I'll try re installing pd18 and make sure nothing remains remotely connected /associated to that program and reboot. Kind regards
Alistair
Just as a further point of interest what file format would you recommend for final output for the.mts files assuming size was not a factor ? (best reproduction of original Panasonic footage that is)? I upload to my channel on YouTube (Google.com/anmackay) as well so I have to know what is best for that as well!

To be honest I don't have the knowledge to interpret the dxdiag fully, I have to leave that to the true experts on this forum, and hence I don't have answers to your questions. I was just making the observation that when things suddenly change out of the blue the most likely explanation is that something on the system has performed a background update. It doesn't surprise me that the performance of your other applications was unchanged, this was why I mentioned that PD appears particularly sensitive to changes. This is based on many years of reading posts on this forum. For instance a small change to the Windows environment can result in certain functions in a graphics driver no longer being supported.

I presume you've obtained a new download link from Cyberlink so I hope you can get it working again. If not it might still be worth trying a System Restore if you have a suitably dated restore point. Finally I hope I'm not 'teaching my grandmother to suck eggs' if I recommend archiving the PD setup files, preferably by burning to a DVD.

tomasc

Senior Contributor Joined: Aug 25, 2011 12:33 Messages: 6464 Offline

Dec 29, 2019 16:50

There was no win 10 upgrade offered 5 years ago. Win 10 was first available in 2015. Try this: Go to Preferences/Hardware acceleration and uncheck both checkboxes and click OK to exit. The cpu and/or the gpu fan may not be spinning. That could also cause the problem of it not working now but worked previously.

Branxholme

Newbie Joined: Oct 26, 2009 11:26 Messages: 46 Offline

Dec 29, 2019 17:26

Quote There was no win 10 upgrade offered 5 years ago. Win 10 was first available in 2015. Try this: Go to Preferences/Hardware acceleration and uncheck both checkboxes and click OK to exit. The cpu and/or the gpu fan may not be spinning. That could also cause the problem of it not working now but worked previously.

Bingo(maybe)!
Now that you say that about the fan I don't notice the noise it used to make at startup.!
It used to make an exaggerated noise(has done for a few years) when starting up for the first 4/5 minutes but I can't hear it when I started my computer a moment ago. Will get it checked out asap.
Fingers crossed 🤞
kind regards
Alistair
Will let you know after it's done.

Fenman

Senior Contributor Location: Cambridge, UK Joined: Nov 24, 2011 04:44 Messages: 731 Offline

Dec 30, 2019 07:56

Quote I'll back up from the cyberlink PD program files in that folder if that is what you are on about.

Hi Alistair,

The files to back up are the ones you downloaded, not those in the Program Files folder. A backup of these files is always a commonsense idea because the download link expires after 30 days. I don't know if there is any warning about this as I haven't personally bought PD this way. Mine was on a boxed CD so I've always got it in case of problems.

On this forum there are regular posts from users who need to re-install but haven't kept copies of the setup files. It used to amaze me (but doesn't any longer) that they didn't keep copies that they'd paid good money for, it seems such an obvious thing to do. Whenever I buy software on download I always keep copies either burned to optical media or backed up on multiple hard drives. Regards,
Mike

Home-build system:
Intel Core i5 Quad Core 3.3GHz, 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333MHz,
Asus Nvidia GT440 1GB, 2 x Western Digital WD10EARS 1TB, 1 x Seagate ST1000DM010 1TB,
Windows 7 Prof 64-bit, PD 9 Ultra 64, PD 13 Ultimate 64

Branxholme

Newbie Joined: Oct 26, 2009 11:26 Messages: 46 Offline

Dec 30, 2019 08:55

Quote
Thanks Mike
The files from the. exe download after installation go where.? If not into the program folder?
I assumed the files extracted into the same destination? Thanks. The questions about the produce of the edited files! What were your comments in respect of saving to a particular extension.. EG mpeg2/mpeg4, a I etc
Regards Alistair

Hi Alistair,

The files to back up are the ones you downloaded, not those in the Program Files folder. A backup of these files is always a commonsense idea because the download link expires after 30 days. I don't know if there is any warning about this as I haven't personally bought PD this way. Mine was on a boxed CD so I've always got it in case of problems.

On this forum there are regular posts from users who need to re-install but haven't kept copies of the setup files. It used to amaze me (but doesn't any longer) that they didn't keep copies that they'd paid good money for, it seems such an obvious thing to do. Whenever I buy software on download I always keep copies either burned to optical media or backed up on multiple hard drives.

Fenman

Senior Contributor Location: Cambridge, UK Joined: Nov 24, 2011 04:44 Messages: 731 Offline

Dec 30, 2019 10:30

Just save the .exe download somewhere else on your hard drive, or on an external drive or optical disk. As I said, I haven't obtained my Cyberlink software this way so I don't know in what form it is offered but I presume from your comments that it's a self-extracting file. If so it'll be fine to just save it somewhere safe in case you need it again.

As regards producing the .mts video the best format would be the same as the original. If you get the properties of the files in the media folder then just select the matching profile in the Produce page as shown here. If the profiles match the SVRT button should illuminate showing that the footage will only need to be rendered where special effects have been applied, such as transitions, titling, zooming, cropping and so on. Unaltered footage will simply be copied across. This is faster, more efficient and maintains the original quality.

Edit: I can't really advise on the best format for uploading to YouTube as I haven't entered that world. There are plenty of experts on here such as @tomasc and @optodata who can better advise you on that.


Filename	Profile.jpg	Download
Description	Produce profile
Filesize	141 Kbytes
Downloaded:	3 time(s)

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Dec 30. 2019 10:35

Regards,
Mike

Home-build system:
Intel Core i5 Quad Core 3.3GHz, 2 x 4GB DDR3 1333MHz,
Asus Nvidia GT440 1GB, 2 x Western Digital WD10EARS 1TB, 1 x Seagate ST1000DM010 1TB,
Windows 7 Prof 64-bit, PD 9 Ultra 64, PD 13 Ultimate 64

Branxholme

Newbie Joined: Oct 26, 2009 11:26 Messages: 46 Offline

Dec 30, 2019 11:35

Many thanks Mike

Quote Just save the .exe download somewhere else on your hard drive, or on an external drive or optical disk. As I said, I haven't obtained my Cyberlink software this way so I don't know in what form it is offered but I presume from your comments that it's a self-extracting file. If so it'll be fine to just save it somewhere safe in case you need it again.

As regards producing the .mts video the best format would be the same as the original. If you get the properties of the files in the media folder then just select the matching profile in the Produce page as shown here. If the profiles match the SVRT button should illuminate showing that the footage will only need to be rendered where special effects have been applied, such as transitions, titling, zooming, cropping and so on. Unaltered footage will simply be copied across. This is faster, more efficient and maintains the original quality.

Edit: I can't really advise on the best format for uploading to YouTube as I haven't entered that world. There are plenty of experts on here such as @tomasc and @optodata who can better advise you on that.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Dec 30. 2019 15:26