VS11+ crashes during rendering of simple MPEG-2 edit

m_powrd · Post by **m_powrd** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 7:36 am

I have some DVDs that were recorded on a stand-alone Toshiba DVD recorder from my Digital-8 Sony camcorder. I just want to get them into my computer and perform simple cut edits to break each 1 hour DVD into a couple of sections based on content.

The import DVD utility seems to work well, giving me a roughly 3.5 GB file for the entire DVD.

After putting this single file on the timeline and doing a simple mark in/mark out edit, when I try to save a new MPG file, VS11+ will crash trying to render. I've gotten a couple of edits to save, but 80% of the time I get the crash.

Loading a much smaller MPEG-2 file (like 200 MB) and doing edits seems to go through and write out a new file without problems.

Could the size of the single large input file be causing the crash?

My other option is to import from the DVD in sections, selecting like 1/3 or 1/4 of the chapters. The chapter marks are just at 5 min intervals, though, so some edits would require joining multiple sections.

Once I sale all my Digital-8 tapes as MPEG-2, we'll be moving to a hard drive camcorder, so I'll still be editing MPEG-2, not DV AVI files.

I tried a trial version of Womble to do some simple editing and it is very fast on the render, but I don't like the editor interface as well as Video Studio.

Anyone run into a similar situation?

Post by **Ken Berry** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:42 am

Can you please clarify one point. When you say 'save a new mpg file', do you mean you make a cut, delete the part you no longer want, and then go to Clip > Save Trimmed Video (as I would)?

Or do you mean you make your cut, delete what you don't want, and then go to Share > Create Video File > DVD to create a new file that way? And if you use this method, do you have SmartRender active?

m_powrd · Post by **m_powrd** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 7:33 am

Ken Barry,
I was doing the latter method, but when I tried the first one (clip - save trimmed clip), it crashes as well.

As for smart render, I don't remember seeing the option in VS11. Where is it set? (I haven't used Video Studio since the V5 & V6 days).

Thanks,
Steve

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 8:06 am

In VS11, when you have finished editing and go to Share > Create Video File > DVD, a dialogue box appears which allows you to give the file which is going to be created, a name. If you click on the Options button on that dialogue box, a new box will appear, and about half way down, you will see 'Perform SmartRender'.

As for the size of the file you are using, this should nor normally be a problem. I have done this with files over 2Gb in size with no problem.

Can you right click on one of the files inside VS and copy down the properties here please?

m_powrd · Post by **m_powrd** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 9:34 am

Ken,
Thanks for looking at this issue.
I found the SmartRender switch and it has been ON when I've been seeing the crashes.

The file properties are:
NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-NTSC), 4:3
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 384 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

I tried two different cuts and both wrote out fine with SmartRender turned off, just a lot slower. Go figure...

-Steve

etech6355 · Post by **etech6355** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 4:15 pm

m_powrd,
Some have reported problems not having the lastest directx drivers on their computers, there was an update to Directx 9.0c so I would download and re-install the latest directx 9.0c to eliminate any problems. This re-installation of the latest Directx has seemed to fix many users problems editing mpeg2 video.

I've found it better to import the complete video rather then the chapters (which breaks up the videos).
Under "Preferences" turn on "Show message when inserting first video clip into the timeline". This will match your project settings correctly when inserting/importing videos.
Under the "Edit" Tab make quality=BEST.
Under the General Tab turn the Mpeg Optimizer on.

A new feature in VS11+ is going to "Share -> Mpeg Optimizer", click on the "Show Details" to see what parts of the video will be smartrendered & which parts will be re-encoded.
If you still have a problem with smart rendering then it could be a problem in the program. I've come across a smartrendering conflict but not in this mpeg optimizer module, it's in the HDV writing back to tape module.

Even using the Mpeg Optimizer I think you can still disable smartrender under options.

m_powrd · Post by **m_powrd** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:25 am

etech6355,
Thanks for the tips.

I checked by DirectX install and it was already 9.02c
I set all the options you suggested and a 7 min edit out of a 1 hour MPEG-2 source file still crashes after about 90% rendering with SmartRender turned on, but goes through fine with SmartRender turned off. At least it's consistent.

Thanks,
-Steve

Post by **Ken Berry** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:48 am

Just on the DirectX point, unless you downloaded the February 2007 patch to version 9.0c, you don't have the latest version... The patch is on the Microsoft site.

m_powrd · Post by **m_powrd** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:08 am

To Ken Berry and etech6355,

You guys are the best!

I installed the latest patches to DirectX 9.0c (I'm on XP Pro) and it works fine now with SmartRender turned on.

'Til later,
Steve

Sektionschef · Post by **Sektionschef** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:18 pm

Thanks Ken and the others.
That's very interesting for me too.
Could anyone please tell me how I can query what directx version I have on my PC?
And does anyone has the download-link for the 9.0c feb.07 patch handy?
I googled around and went through MS site but could not find the link to download that patch.
Many Thanks and Regards
Sektionschef

m_powrd · Post by **m_powrd** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 5:38 pm

Hi Sektionchef,
I'm not sure how to query the DirectX version.
I just downloaded and installed the latest (June 2007) end-user runtime that is supposed to update any part of your DirectX installation it can. The link to it is:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta ... laylang=en

Good luck,
-Steve

Sektionschef · Post by **Sektionschef** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 7:24 pm

Thanks m_powrd
Inbetween I found out how to query the installed directx version.
In system32 folder run dxdiag.exe. on bottom line it shows the directx version.
On my PC it is 9.0c(4.09.0000.0904).
Seems that this is the latest available, isn't it?
Do you have the same value?
Regards
Sektionschef

m_powrd · Post by **m_powrd** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 7:54 pm

Sektionschef,
Yes, that's the same value I have: 9.0c(4.09.0000.0904)
-Steve

Sektionschef · Post by **Sektionschef** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:35 pm

m_powrd wrote:Sektionschef,
Yes, that's the same value I have: 9.0c(4.09.0000.0904)
-Steve

Many Thanks for confirming this!!!
Regards
Sektionschef