Video Studio X3 Wish List for Future Versions

[Peem]

I have used VS 9, VS 11 and now just acquired X3 by download.

My first wish would be for a decent set of instructions and then I might find that some of my wishes are already included, although presently I am not aware they are there. Using a program should not involve serendipity; all its tools should be explained. Downloaded instructions are minimal to say the least, and the book that came in VS11 box is still pretty basic. It is also irksome, n a great time waster, to have to get onto the Internet anytime more detail is required, particularly if the Internet is not available at the time. Trying to guess what a feature might be called is a frustration, with no ¡¥see such and such¡¦ entries. E.g. What would be wrong with an entry in the index ¡¥narration- see voice over¡¦.

Often when I am using the program I get the feeling that more functions might be available but only accessible if you know the keystroke combinations. For instance I watched a Corel video on adding key frames during the use of filters and thought something similar might be available for use when altering the clip speed which would be much simpler than multiple splits of a clip.

Being able to set one default folder in ¡¥ Documents -my Videos¡¦ for storing all files associated with the project including ¡¥Voiceovers¡¦, which seem to make up their own mind where they store them selves, would make it much easier to move projects between computers.

[Ken Berry]

Re your latter point, normally everything created/captured in a project is by default stored in the Working Folder which you will find (and can change) in Preferences.

I normally create a new working folder for each project and direct everything to it -- though I confess I don't really know much about VS's audio editor destinations. I use a third party program for any audio editing and with that, I can of course direct its output to the same working folder as everything else.

[Roberto]

Hereafter, I summarize my last "wishes" plus some new ones
For the next release/patch:

1. to be able to select several video/audio clips and mute/unmute them with a right-click pop-up menu option
2. also be able to do the same for the full track (i.e. main video track, video overlay, etc...) by adding a mute/unmute button in the leftside track area (nearby the "ripple" button)
3. at the end of a rendering, add a message that specifies the start and end time of the operation (I think it would be very useful for benchmarks)
4. the possibility to render only a selected group track (i.e. between the main video, overlay, audios, etc.)
5. a BETTER and SERIOUS error management (the current one is absolutely non-profesisonal)! Several times, I experienced: crashes during the rendering, hanging during the editing, no output file created after the rendering... Every time I had to go through the project to figure out what was wrong. A serious error management would simply head off the problem and report a significant bunch of information
6. in case something goes wrong, in addition to the binary report sent to Corel (I wonder whether they really take care of them...), a log file that clearly states what project time did the rendering stop and which "object" (clip/pics/sound etc.) created the problem

[KennethDaves]

Bring back DVD Workshop, not just Movie Factory. Bring back Cool 3D and 3D Production Studio. Yeah, I know. Fat Chance. Bring back the Surround Sound editor and audio wave form (Perhaps I overlooked those in the X3 trial).

[Black Lab]

Bring back the Surround Sound editor and audio wave form (Perhaps I overlooked those in the X3 trial).

They are still there, but instead of opening it with the Audio View button that used to be in X2 and earlier versions, there is now an icon above the timeline, called Sound Mixer.

[KennethDaves]

Thanks for the information.

[Mary H]

I searched, but didn't find this...

I badly need to be able to make AVI files with Xvid and MP3 audio! I can't believe they removed MP3 from this product!

I upgraded for the increased speed and a few other small features, but I feel that I just threw the money away since I still have to use ver. 12 for the majority of my projects.

What are people using instead of MP3? Is there no way to add it back in with a plugin or some such?

[Ken Berry]

Can we assume you manually installed the XVid codec on your computer? X3 -- and all of its predecessors -- do not install XVid themselves, but can of course use it.

I have just checked in my set-up of X3 MP3 audio is certainly available with the XVid output. I simply added a video clip to the timeline, then selected Edit > Create Video Clip > Custom. Then I chose AVI as the output format, then clicked the Options button. In the new box which appears, I clicked on the third tab, and chose 'XVid MPEG-4 Codec' as the Compression. And down in the audio drop down, instead of the standard PCM, I was offered a variety of audio options, the last of which is 'mpeg layer 3'.

More generally, X3 can certainly handle MP3 -- though like its predecessors, seems to have difficulty accepting MP3 files from certain sources -- notably those produced using the LameMP3 codec. In those cases, we recommend that people convert those files to standard .wav. But if you then use that, and select XVid as the output with MP3 audio as described above, X3 will then use its own MP3 codec for the output.

[Mary H]

Yes, Xvid was installed manually, and causes no problems. MP3 works fine from other software, BTW, like AutoGK, TMPGEnc Xpress, etc. So I know it's on the system.

But MP3 is definitely not in the list of audio options in the same place you describe in VS X3. I've looked for it many times.

This is the Trial version of VS Pro X3, which has been upgraded with a valid registration code and activation code. I hadn't tried it for a couple of weeks, and today when I closed it after verifying the above audio offerings, it asked if a patch should be installed. I said yes, but it made no changes to the audio choices.

[aafuss]

I'd doubt Corek has any interest in releasing a new version of DVD Workshop for DVD/BD authoring.

A PDF version f the onlone help.

[Roberto]

Another wish: to be able to apply transitions between adjacent titles.
It would allow some interesting and creative effects...

[Ken Berry]

Well, if you didn't use the in-built Titles facility, you could make titles with third party programs (like Xara 3D or BluffTitler) and render them as video clips. Then when you insert them in the timeline, you can also insert transitions between them as with any other video clips...

I do it all the time. And you're right: it can allow for some interesting effects!

[Mary H]

Following up on the 'no MP3 with AVI output' issue... I submitted a support request with Corel earlier today that read as follows:

"I've used VS since ver. 9 to create AVI (Xvid) news clips with MP3 audio for my website. I upgraded recently to VS Pro X3 and was dismayed to find that there is no option to choose MP3 audio with AVI files! MP3 output works fine with TMGEnc Xpress 4, AutoGK, and other software, so I know it works on my system. I prefer to use VS only because of the overlay and title functions.

What do I have to install or update to restore MP3 function to VS Pro X3? I upgraded in good faith and feel that my money was wasted since the software is useless to me now."

This is the reply I got back a little while ago:

"Thank you very much for your e-mail. No, MP3 is not an available codec for the audio part of an AVI file in VideoStudio X3".

So what I want to know is... how is that SOME people say they still have it, when even tech service says it's not included??? I told them this is ridiculous and crazy, and I want my upgrade money back!

[Black Lab]

Can we please stick to the topic of this thread: "Video Studio X3 Wish List for Future Versions".

If you have an issue please start a new thread.

[sankarz]

1. Customized masking tool so that one can draw points around an object that s/he wants to mask in the video to get the desired masking shape instead of using default masking frames.
2. Three point color correction (magic bullet look alike)
3. possibility to use more keyboard shortcuts. For example ; shortcut copy and paste attributes. shortcut to switch between clip and project modes etc...
I'll add more if I find any on may way... If any of these suggestions are already implemented, then please edit this post and I'll start new threads for them.