Smart Proxy

[Baldrick]

Hi,

I'm using VS Pro X2.
My original posting was last month titled VS Pro X2 hesitant project playback. I have learnt a lot since then but I'm still having problems with Smart
Proxy.

Smart Proxy is enabled.
My project is large and I've tried to load it all on the timeline and create Smart Proxy files but VS never completes this before crashing. I then tried
loading smaller parts into the library (naming it 1, 2 etc), creating proxy files and then loading onto the timeline. The Smart Proxy icon then appears
on all the clips in the library and timeline - good and I save the project as 1.vsp. I then do the same with the next section of the project, loading
it into the library (naming it 2) and creating proxy files and the proxy icons again appear on the library and timeline clips and I save it as 2.vsp.
The problem is when I re-open these projects again later, only 1.vsp has the proxy icons on the clips. All subsequent vsp's need proxy files creating
again!

Why can I save and reopen 1.vsp and retain it's proxy icons but not later vsp's?
Why aren't proxy files generated automatically as it says in the user manual?
Why cant I load all the clips (5 hours unedited) on to the timeline and create proxy files for the whole project?

I've repeated this sequence several times with the same result and have again run out of ideas to try, please help.

Nick

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

Smart proxy should auto generate a proxy file when files are added to the timeline, provided the frame size is larger than the Smart Proxy settings.
It does not generate files when adding to the library

But you can tell smart proxy to create the files by right clicking a clip, provided the frame size is larger

If you are having crashes it probably not smart proxy problem.
I would suspect your video files.
Give us some details of the types of video files you are using?
Right click a clip in the timeline and select properties.
Are all video files the same?

[Baldrick]

Trevor,

Thank you for your continued help.

To answer your question - file properties are

PAL HDMV
H.264 Upper field first
24 bits, 1440x1080, 16:9
Variable bit rate 16000 kbps

I checked several clips and they are all the same. All the source files (type m2ts) come from my Sony camcorder and all have been treated the same.


Smart proxy is enabled and set to Create proxy files when video size is above 720x576 and the template is

MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 576, 25 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-PAL), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Last night I repeated what I did orignally, opened parts 2,3 and 4 of my project. The proxy icon did not appear in the library or on the timeline in any
of the parts. I then selected all the clips on the timeline and did a Create Smart Proxy on each of the parts 2,3 and 4. The proxy icon then appeared
and I saved all the parts in turn.
I then cleared the timeline by selecting New project and the re-opened parts 2,3 and 4 in turn. None of the clips in the library or on the timeline in any
of the parts displayed proxy icons. But part 1 does and always has done. Part 1 is doing what I want but I can not understand why the other parts do not
behave in the same way.

Why cant I create proxy icons in parts 2,3 and 4, save them and the re-open and retain the proxy icons??
Why doesn't Smart Proxy auto generate?

I really do not understand, any ideas?

Thanks,
Nick

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Nick

I don’t understand what’s happening either.
I have run a few tests using X2.
Created a few projects and in each case a smart proxy files are created.
Opening each project shows the proxy icon within the thumbnail.
The Smart Proxy Manager shows the proxy files.
The Queue Manager is empty as expected.

Have you updated X2 with all the available patches from the Corel site.

Also a ‘must do’ is manually update Direct X
There is a link at the top of this forum regarding direct X

Moving on a little, what are you intending to make with the video files?
If you are intending to create a standard DVD then you may be best to batch convert the M2ts files to Pal DVD format. This should over come the use of Smart Proxy.

I assume you are still having crashes.
So how did you get the video files from the camera to the pc? It may be best if you used the software that came with the camera. Then import to Video Studio.

[Baldrick]

Hi Trevor,

I had updated VS with SP1 and Direct X earlier this year but to make sure I downloaded both again (the Direct X being a later version dated June). After installing them, Smart Proxy works, even auto create and I can clear and reopen vsps retaining the proxy icons. So I don't know which corrected the problem but that doesn't matter.

To answer other points, I will be saving the finished project to Blu ray and I did use Sony's Picture Motion Browser which came with the camera to load it onto the computer.

No wonder my previous project was so difficult, I don't know how I managed to do it without Smart Proxy.
Now I can get on and start editing this one. Once again, many thanks for your help.

Nick

ps: I did have problems with lip sync in HD and someone on the forum said there would be a patch issued to correct this in Smart Render but I have not seen it yet. Perhaps that problem has also been fixed by the above.

[Ken Berry]

Regarding your lip sync problem, hopefully it too has been corrected ... though I have not heard about any special patch for it. My own personal recommendation in any case is not to use SmartRender with high def video, whether it is HDV or AVCHD. It takes much longer to render, yes, but I have never had any problems like lip sync or anything else. And if you maintain the same high quality settings throughout, then one lot of rendering is not going to degrade the quality to any degree that your eyes will be able to detect.

[Baldrick]

Thank you Ken, yes the lip sync problem was fixed by your advice. I hope Corel are working on a Smart Render patch, it would save a lot of time and it shouldn't cause this error anyway.

Nick

[Ken Berry]

Just don't hold your breath... They are well aware of the problem and have been since at least X2. Nothing has appeared, and as I have surmised elsewhere, SmartRender was written essentially for standard def DVDs and other standard def video a long, long time ago -- well before high def ever became a possibility. While they have brought out more recent versions of VS to cope, I don't think they have ever re-written the SmartRender code to cope. So many users -- and I mean so many -- have thus had problems, and the only way round is the way I suggest i.e. never to use SmartRender with it. My message has, unfotunately, been very slow -- far too slow -- to catch on! But I keep on trying!!! So if you see any other posters with similar sounding problems which I haven't yet seen, please feel free to jump in with this suggested solution!

[Baldrick]

I have already warned some VS HD user friends when I met them recently and will continue to spread the word when I can.
Congratulations on a great forum, it has helped me so many times.

Nick