X2 Pro Smart Proxy Problem from a newish user

[Lymers]

I'm editing AVCHD footage and recently found that part way through a 20 clip sequence the usual stuttering playback occurred suggesting there were no Proxy files created for these latter clips. Sure enough it looked like these clips weren't in the Smart Proxy file Manager.

My question is therefore how do I force these clips to have a Proxy file generated from them to enable smooth playback whilst editing?

Messing around, I then deleted all the proxy files in the SP Manager and relaoded my project thinking this would then re render all the proxy files in the project. No, nothing ! Now I cannot play any of the project as there are no proxy files created in the Manager nor are there any files shown in the Queue manager.

I do get the occasional crash and "Blue Screen" shut down whilst editing, is it possible the installation has been corrupted ?

Any help that can be offered as to how VS generates SP files and if you can "force" this process would be appreciated.

Andy

[Ken Berry]

Is SmartProxy still enabled?

[Lymers]

It sure is Ken,thanks for the prompt reply to my mail last night as well requesting reregistration details by the way !

Andy

[Ken Berry]

And you have done the 'usual' things like rebooting the computer? If so, then it is possible the program has become corrupted somehow, but I can't really see how... I am sorry I can't be much of a help with SmartProxy because I don't really use it.

One alternative suggested by another user is as follows:

I first convert my avchd videos to standard definition mpeg2 dvd compliant videos.

I then use those dvd compliant videos for editing.

Making sure the "Re-Link" feature is turned on after I save the project, I then either move the original mpeg2 dvd compliant videos or replace them with the original avchd vidoes.

After you¡¦re done editing the standard mpeg2 and save the project, then rename their folder so when you reload the project VS asks you to relink the videos. That's where you then select the original avchd videos. This is my own method using the dvd compliant videos as proxy files (plus I have them to make a standard dvd).

When I render the file or burn an avchd disk I turn off smartrender and the avchd vidoes look fine. I prefer using this proxy method compared to VS method of working with proxy files. Plus I also have them all in DVD compliant format.

[Lymers]

I may well try this Ken but it doesn't alter the fact that I've managed a good 40 mins of video clips in full AVCHD with proxy files rendered fine and then the following clips weren't.

If anyone else can offer suggestions I'd be grateful.

Thanks
Andy

[dalemccl]

........

My question is therefore how do I force these clips to have a Proxy file generated from them to enable smooth playback whilst editing? .......


Andy

Please try this:

Select the clips in the time line that don't have proxy files, then right-click. The menu that pops up should have a choice to create the proxy files.

[Lymers]

Success ! That seems to fix it, many thanks. I still don't know why this isn't happening reliably and automatically when I drop clips to the time line though? I'll persevre though because at last I seem to finally be able to edit AVCHD !
Thanks to all on the forum !
Andy
[/quote]

[JackTheBear]

Never a dull moment with X2 - Formated a hard drive and just put X2 on it and a few other essentials - Have essentially a dedicated video machine. Noticed a new phenomenon - After shutting down or the program crashes ( does all the time - you know it, everybody else knows it - ha ) The smartproxy files are no longer linked - They are still there in the folder - but don't show in the smartproxy file checker and, of course, impossible to edit mts files without being smartproxied. Any suggestions?

Also (I did search) do you have a link to an optimal setup for doing AVCHD videos - preferences. AND how to set up optimal settings for windows xp itself. I have to research how to shut off unnecessary TSR programs in windows that don't have an effect on the operation of X2 - I have 8 gigs of ram in a Windows 64 bit machine.
Main question - why don't the proxy files show?????????????

I have a confession to make as well - I downloaded trial versions of Sony Vegas 9 (got blue screen of death when ever I tried to output to BluRay) and Adobe Premiere 8 and Adobe Premier C4 - The ADP 8 did not recognize either of my optical drivers and the C4 didn't allow outputting to HD files and etc. (was very limited in the trial version) Got to admit, the high end programs were nice, but didn't work on my machine. So now I am back messing with X2 - I sure hope Corel comes up with a new version to handle the 64 bit machines which are becoming the rule rather than the exception. I just want a program that doesn't crash at least 5 times before I crank out a finished product. I just want a program that I don't have to reload the mts files to smartproxy every time X2 says it has to close and is sorry for the inconvenience. They say frustration builds character - I must have some of the highest character in the land! And Ken must as well, trying to rescue folks like me from the reality, Corel X2 Pro is not ready for prime time yet.
Cheers
JackTheBear

[Ken Berry]

Have you tried the alternative to SmartProxy I suggested on 10 September above?

[JackTheBear]

I haven't tried it - probably because I don't understand it.
I'll try and break down the parts for you.
1. YOU SAY: "I first convert my AVCHD videos to standard definition mpeg2 dvd compliant videos. I then use those dvd compliant videos for editing."
[u]QUESTION: How do you do that? What program do you use? [/u]

2 YOU SAY: Making sure the "Re-Link" feature is turned on after I save the project, I then either move the original mpeg2 DVD compliant videos or replace them with the original AVCHD videos.
[u]QUESTION: I got the relink part - but don't understand the rest.[/u]

3. YOU SAY: "After you¡¦re done editing the standard mpeg2 and save the project, then rename their folder so when you reload the project VS asks you to relink the videos. That's where you then select the original avchd videos. This is my own method using the DVD compliant videos as proxy files (plus I have them to make a standard DVD).
When I render the file or burn an AVCHD disk I turn off smart render and the avchd vidoes look fine. I prefer using this proxy method compared to VS method of working with proxy files. Plus I also have them all in DVD compliant format."

QUESTION: I got the "turn off the smartrender" part - but that is about it.
Sorry

Why would the smartproxy files not re link with the original project after you have a shut down or a crash? Just another quirk with Corel X2 or is there some setting on the hard drive I should adjust or with Windows Xp itself? The machine processes the mts files fast enough with smartproxy, but can't find them after a shut down or crash.

[Ken Berry]

1) You can use Video Studio for it: Share > Create Video File > DVD. Or you can use any other conversion program, such as the freeware program SUPER. While not really instinctive, the latter program is a bit faster than VS in the conversion stakes.

2) When re-linking, you don't want to re-link to the mpeg-2 files, you want to re-link to the original AVCHD files. So you have to get the mpeg-2 files out of the way. You can, for instance, rename them, but the easiest is to move them to another folder and simply replace them with the original AVCHD files.

(All of this of course assumes that you have not cut the mpeg-2 files as part of the editing process. If at the time of relinking, the length of the mpeg-2 files is different from the AVCHD files, they will not re-link successfully.)

3) I have been saying for a long time that at least some of the problems people have with AVCHD are linked to their use of SmartRender. As you are probably aware, SmartRender saves time by only re-rendering those parts of a video in the same format which have been edited. The rest is left alone.

However, SmartRender over the years has been known to cause a number of other problems (including out of sync audio and video with some formats). With AVCHD, I think it is associated with blockiness and pixelation being introduced into those parts being re-rendered. Whether it has anything to do with the transition blip discussed at great length in another thread, I simply don't know.

However, my view is that I get significantly fewer problems when I turn SmartRender off. The original AVCHD is such high quality (usually!) that a full render will not introduce any loss in quality which is detectable by the naked eye. Sure, it takes considerably longer to render, but hey! Who said video editing was supposed to be easy or fast (especially with AVCHD!!)???

As for your specific problem with the disappearing proxy files, I simply have no answer, I am afraid. I have not had that problem myself (nor, thank goodness, the problem of regular shut-downs of the program) -- but as I have said elsewhere (and as is implicit in my alternative method above), I simply don't use SmartProxy very much anyway...

[JackTheBear]

I must have frightened the smartproxy files - they are back. I noticed the first batch of files were saved as mpeg files and they did not link - These are upx files - I made a back up of the files just in case - They are still here. I think as long as they are still here I will use the smart proxy for now and appreciate the fact that there is a work around.

Is there a post somewhere on the board which mentions the optimal setup for corel x2 ? I know you have said in previous posts not to turn on this and not to turn on that and etc.

Also what should the paging file be set on for Windows Xp? I would like to force X2 to use some of the 8 gigs of ram I have, but it doesn't seem to use it according to task manager. I did try the core tweak program you mentioned and that is when I ended up formatting a new hard drive - According to task manager, I am using all 4 cores pretty much equally without any outside assistance. My goal with setting up the new drive was to have pretty much nothing else running except X2. Of course there are other TSR's running with Windows XP Pro and I have to find out which ones I can shut off to free up more resources.
Thanks again - Maybe Corel will give us a Christamas present and announce a new pro type video program. C4 was really nice, but I couldn't spend that kind of $ on a program I really didn't know would work with my system. The Sony Vegas was smooth as well, until it came to output and then I got a BSD..............
Creating HD Videos is work and coupled with X2, it is one tough job!
Thanks again
JackTheBear

[sjj1805]

I must have frightened the smartproxy files - they are back. I noticed the first batch of files were saved as mpeg files and they did not link - These are upx files - I made a back up of the files just in case - They are still here. I think as long as they are still here I will use the smart proxy for now and appreciate the fact that there is a work around.

Is there a post somewhere on the board which mentions the optimal setup for corel x2 ? I know you have said in previous posts not to turn on this and not to turn on that and etc.

Also what should the paging file be set on for Windows Xp? I would like to force X2 to use some of the 8 gigs of ram I have, but it doesn't seem to use it according to task manager. I did try the core tweak program you mentioned and that is when I ended up formatting a new hard drive - According to task manager, I am using all 4 cores pretty much equally without any outside assistance. My goal with setting up the new drive was to have pretty much nothing else running except X2. Of course there are other TSR's running with Windows XP Pro and I have to find out which ones I can shut off to free up more resources.
Thanks again - Maybe Corel will give us a Christamas present and announce a new pro type video program. C4 was really nice, but I couldn't spend that kind of $ on a program I really didn't know would work with my system. The Sony Vegas was smooth as well, until it came to output and then I got a BSD..............
Creating HD Videos is work and coupled with X2, it is one tough job!
Thanks again
JackTheBear

XP can only read up to 4 Gigabytes of RAM.
You might also be interested in:
Creating a Video Editing Profile.
also...
Optimising the computer for video Editing

[JackTheBear]

I will check this out for sure.
FYI - I usually get 5 to 10 crashes per video - Here is an example - Couldn't pull down a title to the time line.
Just little things like that - This is probably one of the most frustrating "things" I have ever had to work with, except my first wife. The 2nd wife is just fine after 15 years - I hope Corel comes up with a new program soon - Perhaps I will have to try and Apple computer aka MAC. I have heard the Final Cut program is good. I couldn't get the Sony or Adobe programs to work. Corel X2 hardly works. One has to ask "Is anyone really producing HD videos on their home computer?"
Thanks - I will open the links and print out the info
JackTB

[Ken Berry]

One has to ask "Is anyone really producing HD videos on their home computer?"

The question would be more accurately "Is anyone really producing AVCHD videos..." It is the most difficult and demanding format there currently is on the consumer market.

But I for one am happily producing the HDV form of HD with no trouble at all, and indeed even converting it to AVCHD hybrid discs without trouble... A far more usable and editable format!