failed to build a preview graph
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billv
failed to build a preview graph
Can anyone tell me why I might get the error, "failed to build a preview graph", when I open Video Capture? The software controls do work on my camcorder, but I don't see any video.
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babyv7
I'm getting the same error - failed to build preview graph
I just started using this software tonight and haven't gotten very far. The "bonus" CD doesn't work and I cannot capture video because I keep getting the message "failed to build preview graphs." So far, I'm not impressed.
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Terry Stetler
- Posts: 973
- Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2005 3:34 pm
- Location: Westland, Michigan USA
A failure to build a preview graph can come from many problems unrelated to your capture/editing software.
It can come from an interaction between a capture card drivers and the display drivers and/or DirectX. It can come from a DirectX installation that has been messed with by an installed program (common).
It can also come from using WinXP SP1, which had some rather strong weirdness going on with its IEEE-1394 and other video support. WinXP SP2 is much more stable.
It can also result from a bad IEEE-1394 cable or connection.
Suggestions run from refreshing your DirectX installs. trying another cable or, in the case of capture cards, uninstalling both the capture and display drivers then reinstalling them, rebooting and rerfeshing DirectX.
Sometimes this can be an intractable problem because Windows is so...ahem..."dynamic".
By that I mean that many times a Windows install that has been used for "general computing" (email, browsing, games, entertainment sites etc.) builds up so many plugins, junkware etc. that mess with the DirectX & Windows settings and DLL's that it's irretrievable for video editing use.
In this situation a dualboot is the best option. A dualboot has the "normal" use bootup plus a dedicated, clean, Windows bootup just for editing. When Windows starts you're presented with a menu asking which you want to use.
When there is enough room on the primary (boot) drive for another partition this can be automatically done by the Windows installer when you set it up on the 2nd partition. If you're not comfortable setting this up most computer shops or even places like Best Buy etc. will do it for you.
Nothing should be on this partiton but video editing, DVD authoring, image editing and other related software and the display drivers, capture drivers (if required) etc.
No email, no virus checkers, no firewall. The only internet use it should do is downloading program patches, content etc. from commercial sites, and darned little of that.
As soon as I set up one of these dedicated editing partitions I Ghost it and put the backup file on a DVD-RW or DVD-RAM (depending on the burner in the system) in case the bootup gets messed up. The DVD-whatever gets put in our safe.
It can come from an interaction between a capture card drivers and the display drivers and/or DirectX. It can come from a DirectX installation that has been messed with by an installed program (common).
It can also come from using WinXP SP1, which had some rather strong weirdness going on with its IEEE-1394 and other video support. WinXP SP2 is much more stable.
It can also result from a bad IEEE-1394 cable or connection.
Suggestions run from refreshing your DirectX installs. trying another cable or, in the case of capture cards, uninstalling both the capture and display drivers then reinstalling them, rebooting and rerfeshing DirectX.
Sometimes this can be an intractable problem because Windows is so...ahem..."dynamic".
By that I mean that many times a Windows install that has been used for "general computing" (email, browsing, games, entertainment sites etc.) builds up so many plugins, junkware etc. that mess with the DirectX & Windows settings and DLL's that it's irretrievable for video editing use.
In this situation a dualboot is the best option. A dualboot has the "normal" use bootup plus a dedicated, clean, Windows bootup just for editing. When Windows starts you're presented with a menu asking which you want to use.
When there is enough room on the primary (boot) drive for another partition this can be automatically done by the Windows installer when you set it up on the 2nd partition. If you're not comfortable setting this up most computer shops or even places like Best Buy etc. will do it for you.
Nothing should be on this partiton but video editing, DVD authoring, image editing and other related software and the display drivers, capture drivers (if required) etc.
No email, no virus checkers, no firewall. The only internet use it should do is downloading program patches, content etc. from commercial sites, and darned little of that.
As soon as I set up one of these dedicated editing partitions I Ghost it and put the backup file on a DVD-RW or DVD-RAM (depending on the burner in the system) in case the bootup gets messed up. The DVD-whatever gets put in our safe.
Terry Stetler