Media Player seek slider doesn't work with VS-edited MPEG2

Sven77 · Post by **Sven77** » Mon May 21, 2007 2:36 pm

After editing MPEG2 files captured from my WinFast TV2000 TV Card, using Videostudio 10 Plus, when I play the resulting re-rendered file in Media Player, the seek slider (or progress bar?) doesn't work at all - when I try to go forward (or backward) using the slider, it doesn't let me. Viewing with Winfast PVR, the seek slider works, but is really slow.

When rendering I've used the "Same as First Video Clip" option, which seemed a sensible option and appears to result in the same video settings as the original file (ie. PAL 25 fps, MPEG-2, Lower field first, 24 bits, 720 x 576, VBR - max 6000 kbps). File size is not huge ~ 500Mb.

Can anyone tell me what I need to do to achieve usable edited MPEG2 files?

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Mon May 21, 2007 4:40 pm

When you insert your video files into VS it should prompt you to match the project settings to your source video (this is important to do so answer Yes).

When you create a new video file use "Share->Create Video File -> Same As Project Settings"

This should produce a program stream video file that can seek.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Mon May 21, 2007 11:41 pm

etech is right. I used to have the Winfast DV2000 card, which I assume worked identically to yours. I would capture using the Winfast sofware set to capture in DVD format (by memory, identical to the properties you give).

I would ensure that in VS10+, I had ticked the box in File > Preferences > General beside 'Show message when inserting first video clip in timeline'.

Then when I inserted my first clip, I would get the message asking if I wanted the project properties to match those of the file. I would answer OK.

I would do my editing, then go to Share > Create Video File > Same As Project Properties.

Never had any problems.

The only quirk I remember was that my files, like yours, were captured using Lower Field First, whereas most people would say it should have used Upper Field First given that we were capturing from an analogue source. But my card at least worked absolutely fine like that and gave me no fielding problems in panning or fast motion shots. It was good quality video.

Incidentally, I have now changed my card to the Winfast DTV 2000H, and it is truly excellent. No comparison at all to the quality I got from the DV2000, though I was happy with that at the time! Again, I use the Winfast software to capture, then edit in VS10 (and now 11+). Wonderful results, especially from digital/HD channels... And it cost me A$40 less than what I had originally paid for the DV2000!!!

Sven77 · Post by **Sven77** » Tue May 22, 2007 1:37 pm

OK, I've done that - the source and project settings are defintely the same - but unfortunately I still get the same problem. (Thanks though Ken, for the tip re ticking 'Show message when inserting first video clip in timeline'.)

I've now tested with completely different MPEG source videos (different settings to those from my Winfast capture) but I still get exactly the same problem. I'm doing a simple test edit - just chopping/saving first minute or so of video (I think I'm doing this properly!).

I found an old post which seems to suggest it might be a codec issue (see link below). I can't see how this could be the problem, given the source video plays fine, but codecs are a bit of a mystery to me. Maybe I should follow this lead?

http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic. ... layer+seek

Any other suggestions?

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Tue May 22, 2007 6:13 pm

If you previously read a post in this tread and it didn't make any sense, well it didn't

I posted to the wrong thread so it's deleted.
etech

DVDDoug · Post by **DVDDoug** » Tue May 22, 2007 11:42 pm

You may need to get a special-purpose MPEG editor. Or, you might want to get a different capture device that can capture to AVI/DV.

I (and others) have also had trouble with edited MPEGs. Since some people never have these problems, it may be that we are starting with corrupt MPEGs, and the editing makes things worse.

In any case, since I started editing with Womble, all of my wierd MPEG problems* are gone!!!

(I still use Ulead programs for other purposes, including DVD authoring & bruning.) VideoReDo makes a nice low-cost cut-and-splice MPEG editor, if you don't need a full-featured editor.

Both VideoReDo and Womble include a tool that can sometimes repair a corrupt MPEG file. Some people have had success with these. (I tried the VideoReDo repair tool once and it didn't work for that particular file. I didn't buy VideoReDo, and I haven't needed the Womble repair tool since I started editing with Womble.)

* In addition to the problem you describe, I've frequently had "lip-sync" problems and occasional crashes or lock-ups.

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Wed May 23, 2007 4:52 am

I'm willing to bet if your project settings match your source video as Ken posted. Then when you goto "Share -> Create Video File -> "Same As Project Settings", then click on the Options button and uncheck "Use Smartrender".
This should work because VS will resample & restamp the file again while should create a valid Program stream mpeg2 file.

This does take longer to produce a new video file with smartrender disabled.

Sven77 · Post by **Sven77** » Thu May 24, 2007 12:48 pm

Nope. Dumb Rendering (?) doesn't make any difference either.

BUT... what does make a difference is playing the file on my laptop!! There the file seeks just fine in Media Player. So, while there's definitely something odd about the file, the problem is more to do with Media Player on my desktop, or the codec it's using.

So, guess I'm off to another forum to continue my quest for a solution! Or ditch the computers and go live in a cave. Thanks for the assistance. May yet look at Womble and also Winfast DTV 2000H.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Thu May 24, 2007 1:54 pm

There is a small tool you can download from the Microsoft site -- don't have a URL, sorry -- called the 'Microsoft Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility' which checks what codecs you have on your computer and whether any are suitable for playback in WMP. In my case, two of the three suitable ones are Cyberlink codecs and the third is an Intervideo one.

Do a Google for it, and at least it might indicate what might be going wrong e.g. no suitable codecs...