VS9 Video File Rendering Crash. HELP!

[Buckeye Steve]

After I edit my footage, I try to create a video file (DVD 4:3) from standard Mini-DV .AVI files captured from my Sony Mini-DV. When I try to create the video file, the program freezes up. I've got plenty of memory, great video card, etc... (brand New Dell 9100).

I've seen people say that you shouldn't try to create a video file with anything in the timeline but I don't get it. How does it know what to render if you don't have your project loaded? It has to appear in the timeline, right?

Also, I created 3 DVD's successfully with the VS9 Free Trial Demo with no problems. I paid the $100 to get the full version but my first attempt has been futile. I'm at wits end.

HELP!!!

[PeterMilliken]

Hi Steve,

Did you follow the recommended procedure (first sticky post on the board)? Give it a read and if your process differs from it then alter your process to comply with it.

Peter

[Buckeye Steve]

Peter,

Thanks for replying. Yes, I've followed the same (recommended) procedure for all of my VS9 projects. The only difference is that I'm now using the full retail version rather than the 30-day demo version. I've made 3 DVD's in the past month with that demo version. Now I paid for the full version, installed it on my computer and tried to create a video file for my new project.

The clip and project properties are all the exact same (same camera, same capture settings, etc....). Computer memory is definitely not a problem, I've defragged by computer, deleted my temporary internet files and done everything else I can think of. There's no good reason my video file is not being created.

Sooooo frustrating!

[Black Lab]

You seem a bit contradictary, so please clarify. You stated in your initial post

I've seen people say that you shouldn't try to create a video file with anything in the timeline but I don't get it. How does it know what to render if you don't have your project loaded? It has to appear in the timeline, right?

which makes it sound like you didn't follow the recommended procedure. Yet in your second post you say you did follow procedure.

Could you please post your procedure, step by step. Also completing your system info would be a help.

Even though you're a Buckeye I'll try to help.

"Nittany Lion" Jeff

[Buckeye Steve]

I did some research on the subject of not creating a DVD with anything in the timeline and I'm fine with that part. They mean you shouldn't attempt to "Burn" a DVD with anything in the timeline.

I'm pretty sure your timeline has to be loaded to create a video file so I've got that cleared up. I'm rechecking everything to be sure I've followed the procedure to the letter but I just can't figure out why it worked fine in the demo version.

It's 59 minutes, 59 seconds worth of .AVI footage captured from a Sony Mini-DV. Plenty of disc space on the computer. No effects or transitions in the project, just footage.

I'll gladly accept help from a Penn State guy. It's the Wolverines I'll avoid. A Wolverine fan would likely try to sabotage my project, given our recent record against them. At least you guys beat us this year so there's nothing to be sore about!

Thanks!

[Black Lab]

I'll gladly accept help from a Penn State guy. It's the Wolverines I'll avoid. A Wolverine fan would likely try to sabotage my project, given our recent record against them. At least you guys beat us this year so there's nothing to be sore about!

I'm not too happy with that "school up north" either after this year

It sounds like you have the procedure right: Edit your footage, then render it to a new avi file. Take that avi file and render it to an mpeg file. Then, with nothing in the timeline, you go to the Share module where you will insert that mpeg (of course making sure all along the way that the properties are the same).

Have you fully removed the demo version?

[Buckeye Steve]

Yes, I removed the demo version completely before installing the full version. Are there any critical patches I might be missing? I only saw one major patch on the website. The rest were for hardware support and things that don't apply to me.

After I check the properties again one last time, I'm going to uninstall and reinstall the VS9 program to see if it's just a glitch of some sort. After that, I guess my only option is to call the Ulead telephone support number and wait on hold for hours. I've never actually gotten anyone to answer the line but it seems I may be running out of options here.

[Black Lab]

I don't have any of the patches installed (if it ain't broke...)

Do you have the download version or the boxed version?

[Buckeye Steve]

In answer to your last question, I have the retail boxed version. I've made some progress and was finally able to make some progress through hours of trial and error and experimentation. Maybe what I tell you here can help someone else in the future.

After carefully reviewing the "Recommended Procedure for Video Studio," I came to the conclusion that my Video Properties and Project Properties were the same, as I suspected, since I hadn't altered my process from my last 3 successful projects with the VS9 Demo Version of the Software. The "Recommended Procedure" may need to be updated though, as some of its steps refer to steps that were in VS8 but are slightly different in VS9.

In the Edit Phase, I'm not sure you really need to select File/Project Properties/Edit and change the media type to NTSC DVD if you are using NTSC .AVI drop frame (29.97 fps) Lower Field First (Digital) files captured from a DV Camcorder. I've never done it before and it didn't help this time. Who knows though? I couldn't find anything about doing this in the user manual either.

What DID work for me was this: When I went to the "Create Video File" stage, I selected "Same as Project Settings" which would create one large .AVI file (in this case 4 large since the project was so big) rather than an mpeg2 file. Everytime I tried to Create an Mpeg2 file or NTSC DVD, that's when the program locked up and was "not responding." For some reason, it would render the project into an .AVI file.

I had an hour of footage that was made up of about 75 small scenes or .AVI files. The rendering process combined all of these edited scenes and produced four large .AVI files. Actually, 3 of them were about 19 minutes each with the last one being about 1 minute. I guess there's a limit to the size of .AVI files it will create.

Anyway, from there, I started a completely new project. I loaded those four .AVI files into the timeline, which gave me the exact same footage and project length I had before, but this time I only was using four files instead of 75. I went to the Share stage and selected "create video file" and then chose NTSC DVD. Don't ask me why but it began rendering without crashing.

I wasn't out of the woods altogether though. At 99%, the program froze and was once again "not responding." This didn't turn out to be a problem though, because at 99%, the mpeg2 video file had been entirely created. The process of rendering hadn't officially closed but who cares, right? I had my much-needed mpeg2 file in hand so I could proceed to the next step.

The hopefully happy end to the story is I was able to add my scene, create chapter points and select a background scene and music. I haven't burned the project yet b/c I realized I was out of DVD's but I'm hopeful it will go off without a hitch. With Ulead, you never know though.

Tech Support finally responded to my e-mail and told me that I may have a damaged file within the Ulead software. They say I should uninstall Ulead and then go into my C:\DocumentsandSettings\All Users\ApplicationData and manually delete all Ulead folders. Then they say I should reinstall the software and download the update patch. I will probably do this after I burn my DVD's safely. I don't want to do anything at this point to endanger my project.

They may have a point since there seems to be no other explanation for this glitch in the program. I DID have two other versions of VideoStudio (Version 6.0 & Version 8.0) previously loaded on my computer. Perhaps they've left some interfereing remnants, even though they have both were uninstalled before Version 9.0 was installed. I did notice their folders remain in my application data. I didn't know uninstalling the programs from your control panel - add/remove programs left the folders in place.

To all who read this, good luck with your projects. Perhaps my hours of frustration and work can save you time in the future!

Steve

[Black Lab]

Steve,

I don't know if tech support gave you the directions to manually uninstall, but they can be found here.

[Buckeye Steve]

Thanks. The tech support e-mail gave me some simple instructions that didn't include the last part about Run -> regedit. I'll follow the ones you sent me since they're more thorough.

Do you ever wonder why we bother with this program? I still can't believe no real tech support is available. They leave us to search these boards for our answers. I bet 90% of these questions could be solved by an educated tech support rep. in less than 10 minutes over the phone.

I guess the reason I keep using this program is that I learned it years ago with version 6.0 and now I'm too lazy to start from scratch and learn another program. I'm really starting to think that it would have taken less time to learn an entirely new editing/burning program than the countless hours of trial and error on this one. Add the time spent looking for an answer on these message boards and we're talking about a significant investment of time to create a simple 60 minute DVD of home movies. Can other programs really be that difficult to learn? It's capture, drag-n-drop, create video file, insert chapter points, select background menu/music, burn. Certainly, the other programs can't be much more difficult, especially if you're not using overlays, effects, transitions, etc....

Thanks for your help though. I'm glad this board exists b/c without it, I'd really feel like I was stranded on a deserted island. Ulead Tech Support doesn't exist and they could care less. Trust me when I tell you this was the last money I'll ever send to Ulead for anything.

Steve

[Black Lab]

From what I've read on this board, video editors that fall into the same price range as VideoStudio all have their own inherent problems. But not too many of them have a board like this one with so many knowledgable, and helpful, users.

When I looked into video editing, the tipping point for me was this board. I figured if I ever got stuck, I had someone, somewhere, who could help me. And it has happened from time to time. I must say, though, that I have been pretty problem free since I have learned to follow the recommended procedure. Also, keep in mind the many different hardware and software configurations on ones computer that can effect how such a complex process as video editing is done.

And don't give up so quickly on other Ulead products. I have a bunch of them, as do others on this board, that work fine. And when they don't, somebody is here to help, and tech support isn't

GO BUCKS!
(thought that'd make you feel better)

NOTE TO MODERATORS: As Steve said, the Recommended Procedure sticky should be updated to include the steps for v9. It can be confusing for newbies.

[Ron P.]

NOTE TO MODERATORS: As Steve said, the Recommended Procedure sticky should be updated to include the steps for v9. It can be confusing for newbies.

I agree
We complain about Ulead not updating, so why don't we try to keep our tech support updated? I think that the sticky needs to be replaced with a new revamped one or at least updated to reflect the current version. I suggest the replacement which would minimize confusion as to which one to follow. Just my opinion....

Ron P.

[PeterMilliken]

NOTE TO MODERATORS: As Steve said, the Recommended Procedure sticky should be updated to include the steps for v9. It can be confusing for newbies.

I agree
We complain about Ulead not updating, so why don't we try to keep our tech support updated? I think that the sticky needs to be replaced with a new revamped one or at least updated to reflect the current version. I suggest the replacement which would minimize confusion as to which one to follow. Just my opinion....

Ron P.

I don't disgree

But this is a problem that does not have a clear solution i.e. the Recommended Procedures post is "owned" by John Hunter - only he (and presumably the board moderators) may edit this post. So the "load" of maintaining/changing it falls onto John's shoulders. Further, I recently discovered that the PM facility of the board appears to be buggy i.e. I sent a personal message to John to request a change to the post - he didn't receive it because the system actually kept it in my Outbox (as opposed to sending it and transitioning the message into the SentBox), so for several weeks I was waiting for a change to occur that hadn't actually been transmitted There is still a post (a reply to a message from JC) sitting in my Outbox - apparently "stuck" and I have no idea how to get it "off" - I have tried editting it and re-sending but it still seems to "stick" there

This (the load of maintaining a web-site falling onto a single individual) is the main reason I created the "Downunder Perspective" (see the link of that name in the Recommended Procedure post) - it is hosted on a Seed Wiki and thus allows everybody and anybody to edit/make changes to it! John was an early contributor, but the site was down for some reason at one stage, so he copied the "Recommended Procedure" into the post itself - and thus the usefulness of having a place that anybody could edit/make changes became much diminished

So my personal recommendation would be to get the contents of the first post to point to the "Downunder Perspective" web-site and transfer the current contents (including the many links to other people's site) onto that site - where we can all participate in maintaining the information that people need.

Peter

[Buckeye Steve]

So I'm guessing John Hunter no longer monitors the board then? I'm wondering if he ever looks at the board to see what's going on. Maybe we should make a new post with the subject "ATTENTION: John Hunter." Then in the body of the message, we could recommend he update the recommended procedure to suit VS 9.0 rather than 8.0. I'm sure a lot of people are still using 8.0 but I think we need to keep the procedure current.

I have to say that I successfully burned my first project with the full retail version today. Like I said before, I burned 3 projects with the demo version before purchasing the full version. Ironically, the 30-day free trial version is problem free while the $100 retail version contains bugs. My problem ultimately had nothing to do with following the recommended procedure (as I suspected) or project properties.

By researching previous posts, I found that other people had the same exact problem I did. It seems you're better off to not download and install the trial version at all. In fact, it's better if you have never had any previous versions of VideoStudio on your computer prior to installing VS9. Somehow, I think the remnants of these previous programs affect the performance of the new one. The only way to solve this problem (I think) is to follow Uleads directions for manually removing all of the components of previous version before installing 9.0. Using the control panel -> add/remove programs doesn't completely wipe out everything.

That's what I've been able to deduce from my most recent experience. In my case, I was able to discover a work-around that gave me the desired result, but I think I'll still manually remove everything and reinstall after I finish burning this most recent project. I'm anxious to see if it solves the problem in my next project.

Thanks again for the help guys. Sorry for the windy reply.

Steve

And Jeff, thanks for the "Go Bucks." I'm looking forward to the NCAA Tournament but I still can't wait for football season. It'll be interesting to see how our teams respond to losing key players from last year. Glad you're coming to our house this time. I've never quite seen Happy Valley rock like it did this year. Talk about home field advantage. The White-Out was impressive.