X3 Audio Tracks 2 & 3 Not Saved

[Ken Berry]

I am by no means saying the program is great but you can't use most of its features. Yes, I think the program is great, and I have been using versions of it since 2002. But while it works great as an all rounder, there are obviously specialised programs out there which do certain things better. This is not surprising, and you often have to pay more for one of these specialised programs than you do for the across-the-board features of VS.

But you can't expect all of these specialised features to be incorporated into VS at the price that is asked for it. So you have the choice of using the features that *are* in the program and those alone, or, depending on your commitment to editing and your bank savings, you acquire these other programs. I personally have not had most of the problems with various versions of VS that are discussed here, and have used all of the features at one time or another. It's just that as I have progressed, I have found that these other software packages do certain things better. But I have always continued to use VS as my basic editing package.

And as a footnote, I note with a certain irony your reference to VS being the only package with SmartRender for AVCHD (though I think Nero from version 8, or possibly 9, onwards has it as well). I say "irony" because that is one feature of VS that I have consistently recommended people NOT use with AVCHD (or HDV for that matter).

[Bruceqld]

Hi Ken.

You're absolutely right - I didn't really think you were really saying that, hence the little smile at the end of the sentence. It was a a light hearted comment on how the post sounded- absolutely no slur intended. You obviously know your stuff and are a great supporter of VS.

I too am using videostudio as a basic editor. I'm actually on holidays editing some footage with my nephew and I purchased it as it is simple enough for him to use. My post was intended to praise the program - not cast aspersions on it's limitations.

I'm curious as to why is it that you recommend not using smart render. If I'm not mistaken ( and there's no doubt I could well be!) smart render simply means that sections of the file that have not been changed by transitions, titling, filters and the like will be cloned rather than re - coded in the rendering process. This speeds up the rendering process and eliminates the chance of artifacts in the final video.

Any guidance you can give me would be much appreciated!

Bruce.

[Ken Berry]

Sorry I took you so seriously! I should have known with a Bruce who is also a Queenslander! (My second name is Bruce and yep! I was born in Brisbane!!!)

As for SmartRender, it is a great thing with standard definition video. It is just that it was developed for that, and I suspect Corel have not moved beyond that and adapted it properly for high def video.

With both AVCHD and HDV (though the latter to a lesser extent) just so many -- and believe me, so many -- users have reported a variety of problems with high def used with SmartRender... And with about 90% of them, I have found that they can be avoided if you DONT use SmartRender... Sure, renders then take much longer; and there is in theory a loss in quality across the board which is inevitable with lossy formats like the mpeg-4 of AVCHD and mpeg-2 of HDV. But my feeling is that I have plenty of time for longer renders (though not everyone else is so patient); and the quality of the original video is so high, that if you use the same settings for your output, that any loss of quality is never going to be detected by your native eye.

But heck! If you can produce seamless AVCHD, with no transition blips or other problems, AND use SmartRender doing it, then all I can say is keep it up!!! But if you run into problems, then simply turn SmartRender off and see what happens then...

[Bruceqld]

Got it....thanks for that Ken. No doubt I will at some stage run into a problem, and when I do knowing that will save me a whole lot of time.
And you're right - what's the rush?? We're queenslanders after all!

[Bruceqld]

Hi Ken.

Just popped back to tell you how right you were. Smart render turned out to be a nightmare. The files produced are fabulous - unless you want to use them in any other player or NLE!
Smart render my #@$#!

Thanks again mate.
Bruce.

[Ken Berry]

[billseifert]

OK, so I learned not to rely on tracks 2 and 3, as if they are not really there. So, I have just finished my first serious show since purchasing the upgrade to X3 and I realized I forgot two photos that were really important. So I used the Ripple Editing feature. I locked all tracks except the music. I had used two title tracks for several captions, intros and credits, and narration and music tracks. I inserted the two photos and I checked the end to see if all lined up. I had to extend the music to the new end and the credit titles were there as expected.

Then I burned it. Watched the result. I was amazed to find that 90% of the title entries were gone while the remaining ones were at the end that was displayed, therefore concluding all was OK. This had happened before in X2 and prior versions. There is no way to 'undo" this, so I had to spend hours re-inserting all the captions and titles.

What is going on?

Is this yet another feature that is a nice idea but should be avoided because VideoStudio "is really only a good video editing software," as you said earlier?

Do we have a tech support that can respond to this, or are you the only avenue on these matters?

Bill Seifert

[Black Lab]

This thread has gone from Audio Tracks to Smart Rendering and now to Ripple Editing and Titles. If you intend to carry on with the latest discussion will you please start a new thread to avoid more confusion.