file format mismatch

[judymacmv]

I want to create a new movie using clips from a previously created DVD made last summer. Can I insert my completed dvd movie back into the computer and edit that movie rather than recapture and edit the original film (two tapes each are 60 minutes long). The burned DVD already has some of the edited clips I want to use.

I saved the original DVD movie (in mpeg format) on the computer but when I try to open it now it says 'file format mismatch". Do you know why? Do I need to delete that movie file on my computer and download the finished movie? It also asks me to relink the clips and then the movie has clips on the timeline that are totally black.

For several files that I attempt to open I get this error message "file format mismatch" usv _______.mpg.

Suggestions? Everytime I think I know what I'm doing I run into these obstacles.

Thanks

Judy

[Ken Berry]

First, you can import direct from the DVD using the Insert DVD/DVD-VR command. Note that you have to tick the little boxes to the left of the 'chapters' in the tree structure which appears when you use that command.

As for the rest of your problem, I get the impression you saved the original project file, but did not save the individual files that went into it, only the final, completed single mpeg-2... That would be why you get the file format mismatch error and the request to re-link and resulting black frames. So if that is indeed the case, you would need to start a new project file, insert your single mpeg-2 and divide that into the parts you want and don't want.

In terms of quality, though, if the original is still on a mini DV tape, my own preference would be to recapture that again... DV gives the best quality and is fully editable without loss of quality. When you have finished editing, you convert it to DVD compatible mpeg-2. And of course if you only want parts, you only import those parts from the tapes, not the whole thing.

As it is, though, you will be capturing already rendered mpeg-2 from your DVD or from the original mpeg-2 you made of your first project, editing it further (often a hit or miss affair with mpeg video), then rendering it once again. Mpeg is a lossy format, and re-rendering inevitably results in some loss of quality. However, it will depend on the original quality and how many times it has already been rendered to determine whether or when the loss of quality becomes evident to the naked eye.

[judymacmv]

How do I save each individual clip into a file? I have them in a separate "library" folder for that project but they still want to be relinked to something. When I created the first movie I linked them to the orignal captured video. When I open a project I also open the "library video file" for that project.

Do you need to save the clips differently from putting them in a separate video folder in the library? All the tutorials I've watched don't explain the original "relinking" of the clips or even the library function that well.

Thanks for your help.

[Ken Berry]

That depends on exactly what you have saved. A project file (.vsp) is a small text file which tells Video Studio that a project includes video files X, Y and Z which are stored in such and such a folder on your computer, and they have been edited in such and such a way. So If you have saved both the vsp file AND the original edited files are still in their original folders (i.e. you haven't subsequently moved them), then you should not receive either a format mismatch error or request to re-link.

If you have saved the original project file but have moved or changed the original files, you will have to re-link and face the prospect of not being able to insert files at all if the original has been changed somehow, except by inserting them as new files into the project and editing them all over again.

[judymacmv]

I had the IT guy at work clean up my laptop as I was running out of room and I think he moved the files which is why they aren't in their original location. My video files are located on the "D" drive but I work on the "C" drive doing the editing.

Just so I understand you, I should create a new folder for each project on the "D" drive? That folder should contain the original captured movie. How do I save the thumbnail clips in that same folder so they are all together? By saving the "edited project file itself" into that folder will that suffice? I did create a "video" folder under the "library" for each project and the edited thumbnail clips are located in those individual library folders.

The problem is when I run out of space (on my laptop) since the original movies are 60 minutes each and there are two of them. What I'd like to do is to keep the "edited" clips and delete the two 60 minute movies. So I guess I should wait to delete those original movies until after I burn the 2nd DVD movie (using some the same clips as the first DVD movie).

I'm sorry that I'm such a novice and don't understand. None of the tutorials are basic enough for a non-computer person who wants to make good home movies. None of them explain the "library" concept of keeping your files and folders or how to begin from the very beginning so any basic organizational help is much appreciated.

Thanks

Judy

[Ken Berry]

Well, at least the relinking message now makes sense.

As for the rest, yes it is probably good housekeeping to create separate folders for each project on your D:\ drive. But in reality, it does not matter where the files are stored as long as the .vsp project files 'knows' where they are. They could be scattered all over the computer on various drives, but as long as the .vsp files knows where they are, that is OK. It is only when one or more of them is changed (i.e. edited) in some way or moved elsewhere, that you will get the error and relinking messages.

As for the library folders and thumbnails, as far as I am aware these are not 'real' but in effect virtual and are stored in a .dat file on your C:\ drive. That's the main reason we advise people to make back-up copies of certain .dat files if they ever have to reinstall VS (See for example http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic. ... 202#155202 ). Otherwise, the reinstall wipes out the .dat files containing all your libraries and installs the original 'clean' file in their place.

Note also that in File > Preferences, you set the working folder. By default, it is on your C:\ drive, but you can change that to the same folder on your D:\ drive where you store your video files. That way, your .vsp files will be actually stored with the video files.

Note in addition that in the Preferences in the Burning module first icon in the bottom left, there is a separate burning working folder which by default is the same as your original default folder. So you might want to shift that too to your D:\ drive.

[judymacmv]

Hi Ken, I finally got everything all set regarding file format mismatch and have successfully relinked all the thumbnails. I'm taking clips from three different videos so its quite a project.

I have now created two separate video projects and am ready to combine them into one project. I went to "insert video file" but when I select the file it again says "file format mismatch".

When I open the second project file to add at the end of the first project it closes the first file but doesn't put them together. What am I doing wrong? I can open each project independently but can't seem to get them into one video project.

Thanks for your help. I"m almost finished with this project.

Judy

[Ken Berry]

You can insert a video project into another project, as you have found. But Video Studio treats the inserted project as a single clip while it is in the other project. You cannot open it for editing while it is still in the other project.

Anyway, I am not quite sure that that is what you have been doing.

If you just want to insert project 2 in project 1, then do not open project 2. Have project 1 in the timeline, then select Insert Video File and browse to where the project file of Project 2 (xxx.vsp) is stored. It should open ... as long as it is a Video Studio .vsp file.

[sjj1805]

After relinking your clips you need to SAVE the project so that it retains the new link locations. To merge the two (or more) projects into one, the easiest way is

1. Open project one and complete all editing relating to that project.
Save this as a VideoStudio Project file - for this example we will call it part01.vsp

2. Open the second project and do the same, save this as Part02.vsp
3. Continue until all the separate projects have been suitably edited.
4. Start a new project and import each of the VideoStudio Project files by using the insert video option (Right click on the timeline) and point to the above VSP files.

VideoStudio will treat a VSP file as if it was a rendered Video.
If you want to archive a project for use at a future date the easiest thing to do is to gather all of the material used - videos, stills, sounds etc into one place.
VideoStudio 11/11+ has a new option to do this for you called smart package. This is found on the menu bar under File | Smart Package.
It prompts you for a folder (create an empty one!) and it will now copy all of your material to that folder, create a vsp file linked to that material.

[judymacmv]

Hi, creating the two projects into one video worked. I'm going to try to burn the DVD tomorrow.

I have two related questions and can't seem to find the answers when I search the forum.

When I click on share to watch a project back does it save the project somewhere on your computer? My laptop computer crashed when I was watching the 2nd video project and I had to move the original movie files to an external hard drive. I have been sharing and watching the finished projects quite a bit so I'm wondering if maybe it saves it somehwere on the "C" or "D" drive in a temp file or something? My laptop said something about a memory problem and then crashed. If so, do I need to go in and delete these shared videos or will they automatically be deleted when I turn off the computer?

My second question relates to 'transitions'. When I add transitions (after I've laid out my timeline) it crowds the thumbnail clips and makes them shorter -- even if I've clicked on "enable rippling". I have been adding the transitions closer to the end of the projects rather than as I go because I'm not sure of the order of the thumbnails. Do you need to add the transitions as you go? If not, why does it shorten the time of the thumbnails -- sometimes eliminating the thumbnails and on the timeline they appear almost on top of each other.

Thanks for all your help.

Judy

[Ken Berry]

1. The tmp files generated are just that -- temporary. They are stored in the working directory for VS (see File > Preferences > General for its location) but deleted once you go out of VS. However, if you preview a lot in one session, then it is possible that a number of temp files are created, and if you don't have all that much space on the drive where your working folder is located, this will quickly strip your available remaining space on the drive, and you will get error messages.

If your computer is generally less well resourced, there might also be a RAM creep effect whereby your RAM resources are taken up by repeated previews with no more to spare for further previews. The result would also be memory error messages. So the idea is to either close out of VS on a relatively regular basis, or even reboot the computer now and then in a long editing session. It also underlines our recommendation to make sure all unnecessary background processes are off. That ensures that maximum RAM is available for editing.

2. I am afraid that your problem with transitions highlights also the need to get a fairly clear idea from the beginning of how you are going to arrange the video clips. I am not saying this has to be set in stone, but you have discovered a major problem is leaving transitions to one of the last steps instead one of the early steps.

Transitions by their very nature provide a seamless link between two clips. To do so, they have to strip a little from the end of the first clip and from the beginning of the next clip. Thus a 2 second transition will overlap the end of the first clip for 1 second and the start of the next clip by another 1 second. That's just the way they work. Otherwise, if it just sat between the two clips, you would have the first end abruptly, then the transition then the next clip would start abruptly. That is the point of a transition -- the stress being on the prefix 'trans-' meaning across.

But in doing so, the overall length of the entire project will be less than what it would have been before you inserted the transitions. So if you, say, arranged your clips and then put in background music set to end at a specific spot, then inserted your transitions, the music would end several seconds or more later than you wanted it to...

And that is really the reason we advise you to insert the transitions relatively early in the process. Yes, if you later move a clip, it deletes the surrounding transitions. But you just have to bear this in mind, and remember each time to reinsert the transitions if you do move a clip.

[judymacmv]

Thanks for the responses. I was worried that the transitions need to be inserted in the beginning. I started doing the project over from the start but it took too many relinking the thumbnails so I just gave up.

Thanks so much for all your help. I hope the burning process goes well today.

Judy