Nervous Newby...

[Stratocastermagic]

The story so far...
I've successfully imported video from my Hitachi DVD Camcorder - DVD-R discs go straight into the PC's DVD drive, but I have to use the camcorder via USB for DVD-RAM discs, because my drive won't read them.
I've used UVS9 to compile some simple movies (without converting them from 704 x 576 to 720x 576) , turned them into video files and have burnt a DVD with four or five files on (about 27 minutes of video, taking 42 minutes to burn to DVD).
So far, so good! But now I've run into the OOS issue that seems to occupy so much space on this forum! So I've had a look at the advice that's around.
Bearing in mind that I'm new to this and not that technically minded, it seems that my options are:
1. Convert MPEGs to AVIs in order to edit and then convert the finished product back. (Sounds like extra work to me! And will it mean degradation of the signal?)
2. Get software that is specifically designed to edit MPEGs. (Sounds like more expense. I was hoping I would be able to do this using USV9.)
3. Separate audio from video and fiddle with the length of the audio track in the hope that I'll get a workable compromise.
I suspect I'll go with the last of these - for most of the stuff I have, very precise synchronisation is not so important. (I have very few shots of people talking to camera.)
So, there's a project for the weekend... (And there was me hoping that VS would all be very intuitive and I'd be knocking out DVDs in minutes...)
But here's a quicky for you:
I tried to play back the video file MPEGs using Windows Media Player 10 and Winamp. WMP plays them at half speed, while Winamp plays them at double speed - and with the picture upside down!
Oh well, it's all good fun!
Alan

[jchunter]

Alan,
First of all, you already have software that edits Mpeg - Video Studio.

Do not convert it all to AVI(DV) because the extra unnecessary transcodings may reduce image quality, not to mention, wasting your time and further confusing the situation.

See if you can identify which video files are OOS, try recreating them with Smart Render turned off. This often repairs a damaged GOP structure.

Download Media Player Classic (MPC) from http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Med ... lassic.htm - this can playback just about anything. I use it regularly to playback high definition video files in the PC.

As for "knocking out edited video in a few minutes," forget it. All video editing software is just past the "bleeding edge" of usability. None of it is perfect. Bugs just seem to come out of the woodwork when people try to do things that are "out of the ordinary."

[Hunkulus]

Hello Guys
My VS9 used to crash all the time while editing a video clip. I un-installed Microsoft Installer 3.1 and no more crashes............BUT............
I changed my computer to a more powerful P4 Dual Core 2800 with tons of memory and more than 300 Gig of HDD space and now VS9 crashes in the menu design phase.
Ulead tech support told my to use a better quality disk for burning???? Daaa..
What has the quality of the disk to do with a crash before the burning phase??
Well, when I find out (by myself) why the crashes I will post it.
Hunkulus

[Ron P.]

Hi Hunkulus,
VS 9 uses an earlier version of MS Installer. There was a post on this, where a member posted the fix. Read the following post:

http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic. ... r&start=30

Ron P.

[Stratocastermagic]

Well... It seems to me that VS9 falls over if anyone in the room is breathing or looks in the direction of the PC...
And I can't see a pattern: files that I was working on yesterday, and successfully burned to DVD, now crash the program as soon as they are opened. Literally: yesterday I created some .VSP projects from my clips. Today, I open them, try to add a title and the program crashes.
I can't even look at the flash animations that came with VS9. Well, sometimes I can... and then I can't.
I'm beginning to despair... Can someone throw me a lifeline?

[bop]

There is a patch for crashing caused by flash annimation, if you have alreadt down loaded it i can not be any other help, the patch is here http://www.ulead.com/tech/vs/vs_ftp.htm

Regards Brian

[sjj1805]

Result of test: RCA cable -v- co-axial cable.

jchunter
I think thats confirmed a suspicion I have. when I have a bit of downtime I shall try comparing an edited capture from standard co-axial -v- RCA Cable. I am interested to see if the stronger signal has any effect on the OOS issue.

Thanks
Steve J

Finally found a bit of free time to check this out.
Captured via the RCA cable using WinTV2000.
Settings from WinTV2000 are
Output Stream = DVD.
Video Variable 3000 with peak 4000. Gop's 15
720 x 576.

Then edited with VideoStudio using mult-trim I selected 5 mins, skipped 5 mins, selected 5 mins etc to the end of a 2 hour TV Program.
Then to put it through its paces used a clock transition to join all the clips together (OK - This is a test its not a real video!)
Saved the video as
MPEG files
24 Bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-PAL), 4:3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2
With Smart Render turned ON.
(Resulting file played back in synch.)

I then opened the file with DVD Workshop 2
Auto generated 4 chapters and produced a DVD
used the default High quality setting:
MPEG files
24 Bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
(DVD-PAL), 4:3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
AC-3 Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Resulting DVD came out with audio/video out of synch towards the end of the DVD.

Therefore the result of the test - to see if using RCA cables rather than standard co-axial cable had any impact - is
The type of cable made no difference.

Steve J

[Stratocastermagic]

After my last post about UVS9 falling over as soon as anyone breathes or looks at the PC, I thought I ought to let you know that things have definitely got better!
The secret for me - apart from following the recommended procedure at the top of this forum and the helpful advice in this thread - is to re-start the computer before opening UVS9 and closing down as many things as possible (those annoying programs that open at startup).
The result is many happy hours (too many, to be honest!) putting together UVS9 projects.
Thanks to those who have offered advice. Maybe I'll look at some other threads now!

[Stratocastermagic]

So, things were bowling along nicely - see my last post. And then I was back to UVS9 falling over if someone in the next room sneezed.
So I decided to re-install the program. I followed the instructions in the forum for a clean re-install... and then it all went horribly wrong.
You're supposed to delete various folders. So I did. Not realising that one of the folders I was to delete was the one with all my footage in.
Yes: I deleted everything.
And, No: it isn't in the recycle bin, because I got a message telling me that one of the folders I was to delete was too big to go in the recycle bin and did I really want to delete it? Well, I was following instructions and went ahead and deleted it, not realising that all my work was in that folder.
So, I have lost 30-40 hours of work - maybe more! - and I'm not happy!
And now I'm here again, starting from scratch and UVS9 is crashing as before... making everything such hard work.
Any thoughts?

[sjj1805]

Stratocastermagic
Which folder did you delete that contained your video files?

[tyamada]

Stratocastermagic:

Before you do anything else do a google search for "file undelete", you will get a lot of information on utilities to undelete files on your computer.
Try to keep from writing any files to your hard drive until you download and install a undeleter.

I have used an undeleter and recovered all files I deleted, you might not because you have installed software, its worth a try.

[Stratocastermagic]

Steve J
I deleted the folders listed in the post http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=11923
quoted below - including C:\Documents and Settings\[Username]\My Documents\Ulead VideoStudio, which, I think is the one that the clips were in.

Re-Installation of Video Studio 9
Copy of a reply from ULEAD received by forum member chinito
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Recv'd from ULEAD July 2005

Please logon as Administrator and try this reinstallation procedure;

1) Clean up C:\Windows\temp directory. Clean up all files in C:\Documents and Settings\[UserName]\Local Settings\Temp folder.

Uninstall VideoStudio 9 from control panel Add/Remove programs. Delete following folders =>C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Ulead Systems\Ulead VideoStudio =>C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SmartSound Software Inc =>C:\Documents and Settings\[Username]\My Documents\Ulead VideoStudio =>C:\Program Files\Common Files\Ulead Systems\

Proceed to step 2, even if you can't complete step 1.
(...)

tyamada
I have tried a few different undelete apps, so far without success! Still trying though...

[sjj1805]

Stratocastermagic
Many thanks, I have altered the uninstallation procedures to include a warning about users own files in the folders to be deleted.
Apologies if my posts have caused you to lose work, they were a compilation of replies to other users from Ulead Tech Support and included on the forum with good intent.

[Stratocastermagic]

No hard feelings, Steve!
I take full responsiblity for deleting stuff on my PC - but I do feel an idiot!