Serious frame rate issues VS X3 Plz Help

[TadaoAndo]

Plz Help if u can, im quite distraught.

Hello all, I'm have issues with editing my videos on Corel Video Studio Pro X3. I've been working with the trial version and really enjoy the program and considering purchasing except for one xtremely frustrating problem. I am getting serious frame rate and sound accuracy issues while editing. My video files are H.264 files recorded off of a ps3 at 1280 X 720, 59.94 fps and 20k max variable bit rate. I was wanting to make video montages...adding effects like music, transitions, titles, and FX and then uploading to internet...but am having serious annoyances. Whenever I play in clip mode, whether it be in the timeline or not, the program runs perfectly, no complaints. But whenever i swith over to project mode, the video becomes catchy, audio is unsynched, freezes, frame rate drops...in other words, goes chaotic. I am trying to get certain parts of the video synched with music, but the preview is completely screwed up.

I tried messing with the proxy, but doesnt help. I am pretty sure that my computer can handle meager 720p editing, but something is wrong. Also tried rendering into mpeg optimized mpg format and then input, but doesnt help either.
Could it be under the project properties? All of the changes to the project properties and overall performance settings only allows up to 720 X 480 at 29.97fps. How can i get the project to be above just meager NTSC settings.

In summary...The preview window quality, fps, and editing works perfectly when working only in clip mode. But when I switch over to project mode, serious issues concerning frame rate, resolution, audio synching, and others arise.

I am also know very little about the techinical aspects of this stuff, so plz be patient with me.

THANKS!!

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi
Welcome to the forum

Project Playback does not always represent the true quality of the video, but should be good enough to play without to many problems.

First can you please check that the Proxy Manager is defiantly on and created the relevant files, View the Smart Proxy File Manager and Queue Manager.
A small icon will be placed on the clips to indicate proxy.
I do not use X3 and am unsure if Proxy is on by default or if we have to turn it on.?

Second there is a link to an update for Direct X at the top of this forum.
Please manually update Direct X.

Music

Some types do cause problems for VS , can you give further details of the types you are using.
In fact please give details of all clips used in your project.

Project Properties.
Changing these probably wont help, the important is the aspect ratio as 16:9.
The project properties will be set to use (media type) DVD compression, change this to Mpeg2 and the sizes you require should become available.

Finally, what are you intending to make with your files, a standard DVD or Blueray??

[TadaoAndo]

ok thanks, ill try to respond to each comment...

Intentions: Edit and Upload 720p HD videos to youtube...not burning to disc.

File Details: My video files are H.264 files recorded off of a ps3 through Hauppage HDpvr at 1280 X 720, 59.94 fps and 20k max variable bit rate.
Music: Itunes songs converted to mp3

project playback: i dont need it to have great visual resolution, i only need it to play smoothly. Its jerky and sometime nonresponsive. It renders just fine.

Proxy Manager: Should I use one of the given templates, auto generate, or create my own? Templates provided are NTSC DV(4:3), NTSC DV(16:9), NTSC DVD(4:3), NTSC DVD(16.9). DV creates AVI format, DVD creates MPEG format. I have been messing around with the proxy, but it doesnt seem to stop the jerking and frame freezing.

Directx: I can't find what version Directx I have. Checked the Belarc summary and couldnt find it. I've done numerous updates to device drivers through microsoft. Downloaded the
DirectX End-user Runtime update from microsoft. I have played numerous games, flash, etc. but I cant be sure what version I have. At least 9 at min., perhaps higher...just cant find anywhere that tells me what I have.

Project Preferences: I am thinking that this may be where the problem is at. Because...clips play fine, but chaos occurs when i switch to project mode. Edit file format is set to mpeg mode, but the highest setting i can get is an NTSC drop frame rate of 29.97fps and a resolution of 730 X 480. I go over to the pull down menu for resolution and the highest option is 720 X 480, i cant choose a higher reso. Many of the options are locked or only give 1 option, so I can't change anything. Video format is locked to mpeg-2 and the video data rate will not allow me to go above 10,000kbps.

This is the highest setting I can set the project preferences to:
NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
(DVD-NTSC), 16:9

[DVDDoug]

Some H.264 files seem to cause trouble for Video Studio, and it may be that Video Studio doesn't "like" the files from your Hauppauge device.

You may need to convert them to something else (like MPEG-2 or HDV). The Hauppauge device may have come with a file conversion tool, or you can try SUPER (FREE!!!), or search for another conversion program. (I don't think SUPER can make an HDV file. It can make an MPEG-2 file, but it cannot make 1280x720 MPEG-2 .)

Ideally, you'd like to minimize the number of conversions (to maintain quality), but you may want to re-render it as H.264 before uploading to YouTube. Check the YouTube file specs. I think there is a bitrate limit, and/or YouTube may re-render to a lower bitrate automatically so that people don't need a super-fast internet connection to watch the video.

Of course, another option would be to try a different video editor...

[TadaoAndo]

thanks for the advice doug, but I've just about given up hope on editing. Sony Vegas crashes immediately upon editing, can't find trial version of Pinnacle, and Corel was my last hope.

I've pretty much narrowed the problem down to this. In the project playback window there are two playback options...clip and project. Whenever i choose clip only mode, the program runs beautifully. Plays near 60fps, beautiful 720p resolution, audio synched perfectly....cant complain. But...whenever i switch to project mode...frame rate plummits, audio is unsynched, resolution drops and becomes blurred, and accurate editing becomes impossible. I am trying to synch specific frames and sounds to music, and it is impossible to do this if the preview skips frames and the audio is wrong.

I dont care about the quality of the resolution in the project preview...all i care about is that the preview runs at decent enough frame rate and audio accuracy that i can synch video and audio together accurately. That's all i'm asking for in a video editing software.

The fact that the videos plays wonderfully in clip mode makes me believe that the problem doesnt lie with the program, video source, or my computer; rather, the problem has to be hidden somewhere in the project properties.

I've messed around soooooo much and cant risk paying $80 in hopes that i can figure it out.

[Accolades]

Did you try what was suggested above and convert your video to MPG 2 format?

Did you check to see that the proxy file(s) have been generated?

Have you tried doing the video only edits/playback to see if it is the MP3 file that may be causing the error?

If the CLIPS play fine then have you generated a final MPG file of your project to see if the errors are still occuring?

What is the final format of your video file? MPG, DIVX, FLV?

[Trevor Andrew]

ok thanks, ill try to respond to each comment...

Intentions: Edit and Upload 720p HD videos to youtube...not burning to disc.

File Details: My video files are H.264 files recorded off of a ps3 through Hauppage HDpvr at 1280 X 720, 59.94 fps and 20k max variable bit rate.
Music: Itunes songs converted to mp3

project playback: i dont need it to have great visual resolution, i only need it to play smoothly. Its jerky and sometime nonresponsive. It renders just fine.

Proxy Manager: Should I use one of the given templates, auto generate, or create my own? Templates provided are NTSC DV(4:3), NTSC DV(16:9), NTSC DVD(4:3), NTSC DVD(16.9). DV creates AVI format, DVD creates MPEG format. I have been messing around with the proxy, but it doesnt seem to stop the jerking and frame freezing.
There is a Smart Proxy File Manager from the Tools menu, should contain files relating to your original files, do you see them in a list?
Otherwise right click each clip in the timeline and select--Create Smart Proxy Files

Directx: I can't find what version Directx I have. Checked the Belarc summary and couldnt find it. I've done numerous updates to device drivers through microsoft. Downloaded the
DirectX End-user Runtime update from microsoft. I have played numerous games, flash, etc. but I cant be sure what version I have. At least 9 at min., perhaps higher...just cant find anywhere that tells me what I have. The update does not change the Dirext X version, but does improve/fix some problems with Video Studio, if you have not manually updated then it is recommended that you do so
Project Preferences: I am thinking that this may be where the problem is at. Because...clips play fine, but chaos occurs when i switch to project mode. Edit file format is set to mpeg mode, but the highest setting i can get is an NTSC drop frame rate of 29.97fps and a resolution of 730 X 480. I go over to the pull down menu for resolution and the highest option is 720 X 480, i cant choose a higher reso. Many of the options are locked or only give 1 option, so I can't change anything. Video format is locked to mpeg-2 and the video data rate will not allow me to go above 10,000kbps. (Alt = Enter) or File--Project Properties--Edit--Compression Tab--Select Mpeg as the MediaType
This is the highest setting I can set the project preferences to:
NTSC drop frame (29.97 fps)
MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
(DVD-NTSC), 16:9