What is wrong with VS 11 Plus???

[MRG]

Hi Everyone!

So, the 'big wait' is finally over, VS-11 Plus is here!

I was waiting for this product, but instead of a solution I've got another disappointment!

The reasons: (It is very hard for me at this moment to stay civilized after hours and hours of frustrating trials, but I try...)

1 - I had VS-10Plus which was advertised as a 'true hi-def editing' software, but it was unable to recognize my Sony's AVCHD - *.m2ts format. I was told that this new version will be able to handle it, but it cant! I spent hours figuring out just how to convert the *.m2ts files to *.m2t, which I finally managed with pain and suffering... with a "reach your left ear with your right hand" sort of solution...
2 - OK, now that I've got the 'proper' file format, I've run a few short tests. I was desperately trying to create a simple 6 second Hi-Def clip in 16:9 ratio, but so far NONE of the settings were able to do that, every stupid settings creates 4:3 ONLY with those annoying black top/bottom lines that I don't want or need. All settings from the beginning are set correctly to 16:9 but no use...
3 - When I create a "HD DVD" clip in *.mpg format only a 2 second clip was made, the rest is gone.... Of course, it rendered the 'final product' in 4:3 instead of 16:9....(... in both 1440 and 1920 versions...) ...
4 - In HDV format the entire 6 seconds were made, but again, in 4:3 ratio... (HDV for HDV or PC made no difference)
5 - DivX in Hi-Def got the whole 6 seconds, but again, in 4:3 ratio...
6 - WMV format did the same, with 'good old' 4:3 ratio... and the annoying black stripes on top and bottom...

And those who wonder, I've checked (many times) and I did set everything properly, the clip was shot in 16:9, the project is set to 16:9, the saved files were selected to be 16:9, but the output is always 4:3 and on my opinion, just regular "DVD video" size, not Hi-Def size!

The ONLY half-success was when I set custom Mpeg-4 to regular 720/480 format which created 16:9 ratio, but then again, in regular format and not in Hi-Def, because Mpeg-4 does not allow Hi-Def 1440 settings.

It is strange though that the 720/480 video showed exactly the same size on the player (set to 100%) as all the other "Hi-Def" rendered clips, so, once again, on my opinion, all the video files are the same DVD size and NOT Hi-Def size! It is easy to compare with the Sony software/player to play a clip in full size and the difference is obvious and unmistakable!

So, what now????

Contact Tech Support or just ask my money back???

[MRG]

I've run a few more tests, even modified the properties from MPEG to AVI with full size Hi-Def settings, but no matter what I did, the output was ALWAYS 4:3 ratio!

There is no doubt in my mind that this is a faulty product, a programming error of some sort!

DOES TECH SUPPORT READ THIS FORUM???

Please, forward this HUGE BUG to them, if any of you know how to reach them...

Thanks!

[funtom]

Unfortunately I don't know how to make ulead read your post but I experience problems with m2ts and VS11+, too. I recently bought a Sony HDR-SR1 and since then I am looking for a reasonable NLE software. I have to admit though, that when it comes to camcorders, video editing etc. I am a compete ignorant.

VS11+ advertises full AVCHD support so I thought I give it a spin. Fortunately I only downloaded a trial, because when I tried to open one of my m2ts files I didn't get very far. For starters there was not even a preset filter for m2ts files in the "Open Video File" dialogue. Not that this is a major issue but for a product that advertises full end-to-end AVCHD support this raised my suspicion. Sure enough when I try to open a media file for editing with the "All Files" filter a "File format mismatch" error message pops up.

Of course I can't rule out that this is all due to my ignorance or due to it being a trial version. But it seems strange to me that for a software whose main purpose it is to edit (AVCHD-) videos it should be any harder than to point and click in a file open dialogue to start working.

[MRG]

Now I've removed and re-installed everything, just in case even though I had no installation problems in the first time, but there is no change, all the same!

Output is ALWAYS 4:3, and HD DVD ALWAYS cuts off the clip from the final output version.

Now I'm trying to get my hands on another computer to test it with, but I'm already pretty sure of the result, which is;

SO FAR... ULEAD VIDEO STUDIO 11 PLUS CAN NOT PRODUCE HI-DEFINITION WIDE-SCREEN 16:9 RATIO VIDEO CLIPS!

... now I go and try to get another computer to prove myself wrong ....

[GeorgeW]

Can you upload your 6-second test clip (that you converted, and if you happen to have some online storage) Maybe looking at the files we can provide some guidance on how to get 16:9 output (as I do for normal 16:9 DV footage).

Regards,
George

[MRG]

Well, that's just it!

I don't want to play around with "regular" DV format for DVD quality, I want Hi-Def!

In DV settings the output is just the old 720/480, rather lousy quality.

But when I set everything for the different Hi-Def formats, the output is ALWAYS 4:3 ratio with the black stripes on top/bottom and the reduced size and quality.

I just finished testing VS-11-Plus on another computer, but everything was the same! It is not a settings error, not a project property thing, not Jack the ripper, it is a software error!

Hi-Def video, no matter what, always comes out as 4:3 ratio instead of 16:9!

I go and try to 'fool around' with DivX, I think I can "imitate" the 16:9 Hi-Def Widescreen format with that, but it won't be a "real" one, only a "look-alike"....



Ps: I may not be the 'ultimate super-guru", but please, give me the benefit of the doubt that this is not the first time I edit video in 16:9... Thank you!

[GeorgeW]

Where are you seeing the black bars (top/bottom) I just inserted some HDV mpeg2 into VS11, and output valid HD (1920x1080i) mpeg as 16:9 -- so I'm not sure where your video gets converted to 4:3

[MRG]

Hi!

It is NOT the Input, NOT the editing, but the OUTPUT!

Go ahead and render a short clip, then play it back and check out the "Properties" panel! It will show you that your original 16:9 format widescreen made - edited - produced clip (IN HI-DEF!!!) became 4:3, as it was made for 'regular TVs' instead of Widescreen!

The OUTPUT is the problem!

And another thing....

In HDV format, the output (final clip) is 1440 / 1088. What's with that 1088 ????? instead of 1080????

(and of course, it came out as a 4:3 ratio after being created, edited, made as 16:9...)

I believe this software has a lot of problems....

[MRG]

I've tried what you did, put a Hi-Def clip into VS-11, set everything, properties, etc... to 16:9 and the output to 1920 / 1080 with 16:9.

The result;
- Win Media Player plays 1 sec of the clip, then stops (it did the same with 1440 versions)
- The ratio went to 4:3 from the original
- The resolution showed up with the "funny" 1920 / 1088 (not 1080) version again...

(on both computers....)

So, I am convinced that the version I've got has some issues.... (I purchased it online, downloaded, installed it without any issue, then came HELL... )

[GeorgeW]

Go ahead and render a short clip, then play it back and check out the "Properties" panel! It will show you that your original 16:9 format widescreen made - edited - produced clip (IN HI-DEF!!!) became 4:3, as it was made for 'regular TVs' instead of Widescreen!

I did that, and the output resolution is 16:9. I opened it up in another software, and it thinks it is an HDV mpeg2 16:9 resolution video.

WMP does say it's 1920x1088 (I'm also not sure where the extra "8" comes from)

But WMP does say it is 16:9 AR, and it does play the full clip for me...

Regards,
George

[MRG]

The "black stripes" I'm talking about are the ones that appear when you edit a widescreen clip in 4:3 format and create a clip for "regular TV".

When you create a clip like that and play it back on your WinMedia player (and others I believe) then you notice that the clip will not go 'edge-to-edge' especially on the top, because the stripes are there to fit the clip into the "normal" Tv.

Those happen to me when switching/starting any HI-DEF 16:9 ratio editing. Everything is fine, all looks nice, the video panel is in 16:9 format, the clips are the same, OK, let's create a video file, select the appropriate (or any for that matter) Hi-Def output formats with 16:9 settings, render, and then....

... Here is a very fine looking clip in 4:3 ratio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GeorgeW]

When I output, I get a video that is 16:9. WMP says it is 16:9, as does PowerDVD. Another NLE software sees it as 16:9.

I really don't know why yours is converting to 4:3

[MRG]

Obviously I'm not the only one, because there is another fellow who posted about the very same issue....

...and I can see you've tried to help him out also.

http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=22765

But no use, this is a software error.

I've downloaded/purchased VS-11-Plus yesterday. Maybe I've got an outdated version or a wrong one, who knows, but what I do know is that my software has issues beyond my control and I need some serious help fixing it.... along with the other guy....

[GeorgeW]

And I tried to help you also by asking if you could provide the 6-second test clip you are using -- that way we know we are using the same source material.

Not sure if the other thread is the same issue or not -- so that's why I asked some questions in that thread.

At this point, I don't know what is causing your output to convert to 4:3 -- so you should fill out a technical request form with Ulead...

Regards,
George

[MRG]

I've deleted those test clips but I made a few others and now I'm in the process of uploading them to a temporary place on the web.

It will take some time but I'll put out the links to download them shortly.