Flip video file problems

[Cinch]

Hi everyone,

Let me first preface this question that I am not the most tech savy user on these forums. (In fact after reading several threads already I am pretty certain I may qualify to be everyone's bellhop in terms on PC knowledge) So, if something I say comes off as idiotic or not making sense well, just chalk it up to me being an idiot.

So, onto my question(s).

I got the Corel VideoStudio Pro x3 (it came with some photo editing software as well). Mainly because I am part of a dog rescue and wanted to take some video of the dogs and edit together some videos of them and post them on Youtue and the like. It's a fact that dogs with videos get adopted out much faster than dogs with just pictures. I have always trusted Corel and I saw this product so I figured I would take the leap and learn on the fly. Holy crap... it has proven to be a big leap.

For starters I can't even get video from my little Flip Camera into the actual software I know the video is okay because I can open it with Windows Media Player and watch it just fine, I can also do a straight upload from the camera to Youtube. But I would like to edit together longer pieces from several smaller pieces and *maybe* add some effects and music. But right now I would be happy with just editing together segments.

I have no idea what I am doing wrong. I'm relatively sure it's something I am doing but I just need help getting over this first problem. Although, I fully reserve the right to be a pain later and ask for more help.

Anyone have any ideas where to start?

Thanks for all the help I hope is forthcoming. Both the dogs and myself appreciate it.

[Ken Berry]

Have a look at this very recent post from another Flip user. It may give you some ideas... http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php ... 64#p209864

[Ron P.]

Welcome to the forums, and to the wonderful world of video editing..

Your no different than any of us here. We all started at the same place, and after a little time you'll find yourself whizzing through the process of editing, and producing videos or DVDs. It's just a matter of learning the workflow that works for your situations, and the workarounds for the quirks and bugs of the programs.

First you mention you use a Flip video camera, which are nice little camcorders, but some of the video files can be a little difficult to work with. Which model of Flip are you using? Knowing this we can look up the specs on the camcorder to see what we're dealing with. What little I know about them, they record onto a Flash memory card. Getting the video from the card to your computer is just a matter of copy/paste, just like any file on any other external data storage device. Getting into VS, should be a matter of just using the Insert Video file or Insert Digital Media. Depending on the file format used to record, is how VS will or will not allow it to be inserted. There is no actual capturing with these devices, so the capture step is not applicable.

Does your Flip camcorder come with software? If so it may be needed, as some included software packages, will convert or change the file extension in the process of transferring the files to your PC. I know my Canon FS300 has a transfer utility that does change the file extension, when it transfers the files.

One other thing that has been a recent problem with VS X3, and that is the "MOV" file format, which is a QuickTime format. If you have the most current QuickTime player installed, you may need to revert it to an earlier version, something around 7.6, which I think is the version that VS X3 installs.

[Cinch]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the fast response. I'll try to answer all your questions Ron. But if I miss something let me know.

I'm not sure what model Flip camera I am using. I have had it for awhile (I'd say about 2 years maybe), I tried to check the properties when it was plugged in and all I could glean from that is that it has 2 gb of storage space on it. Does that help?

I don't recall it coming with any software, but I did see an .exe file on the actual camera and it said there is "Muvee Video Mixing Software" or something like that. Do I need that?

I put the four files I want to cut and mix onto my computer and made sure they played in Windows Media player, so I know they work. They are in .Avi format - which I thought was a pretty standard and recognizable format. Maybe I'm wrong?

I tried to do what you suggest, Ron and just put the file onto my computer (that was the easy part ) and then go to Insert Video and click open. I then get this message:

-----

[F:\DCIM\100VIDEO\VID100015.AVI]

These files cannot be added to this project. These files may be of unknown file format, the computer does not have enough memory or the file is copyright protected.

----

As I said before they are in .AVI format, and they are certainly not copyright protected. And I believe my computer has enough memory. I have 149 GB of open space on my hard drive and have 2 GB of RAM - that's enough isn't it?

The link that Ken included didn't really help me as they are mostly talking about Quicktime and I am not using that at all.

I don't think I am doing anything wrong at this point, but I very well may be. Hopefully not though.

Thanks again for the help. I'm willing to try whatever you guys ask.

Thanks again.

[Ron P.]

I don't think you're doing anything wrong. These Flip camcorders can be problematic getting other NLE (non-linear editing) programs to accept them. The current Flip camcorders are HD (hi-def) and use the h.264 codec in the MP4 container. I think I finally managed to locate the Flip Mino SD specs, which I think is the one you have. It's the only one I could find that has only 2gig of internal storage. It uses the mp4 inside the AVI container, so we're dealing with MP4. Also the resolution is only 640 x 480. Which is no problem so long as you are not intending on burning DVDs, or wanting to produce videos with resolutions greater than 640 x 480.

Now VS X3 does allow editing MP4 video. It may be that the AVI wrapper is throwing the curve. Try renaming one of the clips, using the one in your error message as an example, from VID100015.AVI, to VID100015.mp4. Then try inserting that into VS. There are some mp4 formats that VS just throws a fit over. For example some of the videos on YouTube, when downloaded are MP4. I've had VS refuse to accept them, so I had to convert them to a format that VS will accept. There's several freebie conversion programs around. Several of us here have used Super©, by erightsoft.com . I've used Super to not really convert some MP4 video files, where the output format was MP4, the same as the input, and after running them through Super, I could insert them into VS.

[tinybeetle]

I concur with Ron, try using SUPER on it to convert it to another format, even back to AVI if you'd like. You'll probably find that VSX3 will then accept the file due to SUPER making the encoding something recognizable.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

Mp 4 is based upon the QuickTime format, its as near as you will get to Mov.
So the version of QuickTime may affect the use of these files.
It is recommended that you revert your QT to an earlier version.

Corel have provided some info and a download link.


Are you able to make a short video available so we can download and view this file.?

[Cinch]

Okay, some stuff to report.

I do not have the Flip Mino camera. I read the description of that and I mine takes 2 AA batteries so I knew it wasn't that. But when I looked inside the case by the batteries there was a model number. So I did a search for that. Here is the one I have:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6830246010

Also, I do have one video that I have already posted on Youtube that I took of this dog I am currently fostering. Of course there is no editing or anything but since Trevor asked for it I'll include it here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4w5h0fWcdX0

I also downloaded the update to Quick ime that Trevor suggested.

Onto the progress. I tried simply renaming the file with the MP4 extension and Insert file into timeline. The good news is that with that option I can add the renamed file to my timeline, but I don't see an video. But, I can hear the dog barking. So I have audio but no video.

I then downloaded that Super software and tried to use that. I'll admit again that I am not super tech savy so it may have been over my head. I (think) I encoded 4 files and they edened up with an extension avi.avi. Those I could not add to VS. So I renamed one with the extension MP4 and experienced the same results as before.

On top of that it now seems that the actual VS software lags, bogs down, or freezes up a little bit.

Maybe this is just a case of me being in over my head and this software just not being right for me, although I do hope I can get it to work.

I think I got all the questions answered. If not just let me know.

Thanks again for all your help.

[tinybeetle]

Sorry for the question, but did you add the video to the video track, or the audio track on the timeline?

Also, try encoding to MPG using SUPER and see if that will get accepted.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

As you have managed to insert the MP4 to the timeline, look at the properties.
Right click and select properties, what are they.
Knowing these may help in selecting the convert options.

Looking at the YouTube video it looks like a 4:3. aspect.

Now try converting it to DV-Avi
From Video Studio ……….

1 / Add a video MP4 to the timeline
2 / Share - Create Video File-DV 4:3

Is this successful.

[Cinch]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to update those that are trying to help.

I did as Trevor suggested and converting the files to the DV format and then bringing them into VS. That seems to have worked as now I can see both video and hear the audio. Success!

So part one of this project is complete. I can see the video now.

Now my next question(s).

I was tinkering with the titles/ transitions and can not figure out how to get them to work properly and to look half way decent. Is there a tutorial or FAQ that you guys would recommend?

The plus side is I assume we have tackled the toughest part of my problem(s). Thanks again for all your help.

[Cinch]

Oh, can I ask one more question too?

Actually two.

1 - Can I add a regular picture (jpeg) to a timeline video?

2 - How to I slow down the text in the "star wars" crawl title thing?

The more I play with this software the more I learn. Just trying not to screw anything up to bad. By the rate I'm going this dog will be adopted before I ever finish the video.

[Black Lab]

Oh, can I ask one more question too?

Actually two.

1 - Can I add a regular picture (jpeg) to a timeline video? Yes. Insert it the same way you would a video clip.

2 - How to I slow down the text in the "star wars" crawl title thing? The shorter a title "clip" is, the faster it will go by. The longer it is, the slower it goes by. So to slow down the text you have to increase its duration, either by dragging the yellow trim handle on the actual title clip in the timeline, or by adjusting the time on the duration clock in the edit tab.

The more I play with this software the more I learn. Just trying not to screw anything up to bad. By the rate I'm going this dog will be adopted before I ever finish the video.

[AussieTX]

The best way to add your titles (IMHO) would be to select the "T" and take a look at the Title presets that come with VS. Select one and you can play it back in the preview window(they all say Lorem ipsum btw).
Now left click and drag that title down to the Title track underneath the video/picture you want it to appear on.
Then left click up in the preview window and the title should appear. If it doesn't already have the dotted line and yellow corners click the title again and you will then be able to move and resize the Title box.
To change the Title just double click in the box and start typing, or high light whats in the box and start typing and your own words will appear replacing the Lorem ipsum.
To the right will be the Edit tab where you can change the font colour, size, shadow and all sorts of cool stuff.
Just remember that the dotted line must be showing around your title before you try changing anything under the edits tab.
Same goes for the Attributes tab if you want to add some Animation like fade in and fade out make sure the dotted line is around the title before you start making changes so the program can apply them to that highlighted title.

As for Transitions I like to go to the Settings option (up the top of the screen next to Tools), then Preferences and click on the edit tab.
At the bottom of this page will be Transition Effect and you can set it to automatically add a random or a preferred transition whenever you add a video or pic to the time line.
I have mine set to FX-Crossfadeand the default 1 sec.
If you don't like a transition you simply open up the transitions page by selecting the AB icon and then find the one you want and drag it down on top of the existing transition and it will replace it.

Hope this helps

Cheers Pat

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

Good news that converting to Dv.Avi worked. I choose that format as VS is quite happy using it, and it was easy to find, just a few mouse clicks.
VS can also convert to MPEG4.Avi which is the same format as your original, I think.

Share Create video File-Custom- Type Avi-Options button—Avi Tab – Compression-Microsoft Mpeg4.
General tab …Set the other options to match your original files properties.

Does this work and which do you prefer?

Batch Convert

As you will need to convert several/all your clips it may be worth using batch convert..
Try it………….
Go to File Batch Convert, Add files,
Similar to set as above.
Choose Options first