X4...Can't burn a DVD

[wstagner]

I'm using the TBYB version of X4.
I have 39 video clips that were recorded on a new samsung standard def. vid cam.
The native files are MP4 files. I transfered them from the SD card to my hard drive simply by dragging them over. They play fine in any version of VS.

I'm doing NOTHING fancy. No moving menus. No music on the menus. Just a main title page and enough menu pages to accommodate the 39 files. No audio normalization.

It NEVER gets to the point where it outputs to the DVD. As soon as it finishes whatever it's doing on file 39....whammo....unspecified error. It also takes 30+ minutes to render the file, never getting to the burning.

I have a 2.8ghz Quadcore CPU running Win7 64 bit Professional.

I tried this same procedure in X2. Burning completed successfully to the SAME blank DVD-RW and took approx 30 mins....so X2 on my system is faster.

Unfortunately, X2 is unusable for me with any video files OTHER than AVI files. Any other video files result in "skipping" audio as I've reported in another thread.

I've restared the project from scratch several times but to no avail. Is pointless to try X3 because it has the same audio problem for me that X2 has. My DirectX runtimes are from Oct. of 2010.

Any/all Ideas are welcome/appreciated.

Walt

[Ron P.]

It seems that you're jumping straight to the burn module from the editor. While that should work for most situations, it appears that it is not for you. So try the alternative workflow. Create a video file from your project, Share>Create Video File>DVD. This will produce a DVD Compliant MPEG-2 file (if you're wanting to burn a DVD and not a Blu-Ray or AVCHD). Once this is complete, start a new project to clear the time-line. Then go directly to Share>Create Disc to open the burn module. Now in the burn module insert your newly created DVD Compliant MPEG-2 file, and proceed on from there.

At least when you start your DVD authoring process with a compliant file, the program and your computer, do not have numerous things to do at one time. If you don't create your compliant MPEG-2 video files in the editor, it must be done during the burning of the DVD. If this fails, then I would start exploring problems with one of the mp4 video files being used.

[wstagner]

I tried what you suggested, but I get the same failure.
I suppose I could try burning 10 files at a time and see which file is failing.
However X2 works fine on the same group of files, except for the skipping audio issue that occurs on any files OTHER THAN AVI files.

So, I remain mist i fyed!

[c-mathis]

I am also encountering problems with X4 in the burn module. I cannot create a DVD, nor write VOB files to folders without encountering the "unspecified error" problem. I see this problem with the simplest of video projects. If I use only X4 components to create a project, without any video files at all, I still get the problem. I created a simple project test with (4) graphics, basically 4 different screen colors, red, blue, green, and yellow on the video timeline. I then went to the Share module to Create a DVD disk. I added 4 chapters, one for each screen color. I leave the Create Menu box checked, and click Next. Under the Edit Tab, I uncheck Motion Menus, and delete Music Tracks for All menus. There are three menus, Main, and two Chapter menus. All menus are performing correctly when I use the Preview button. I click Next to go into the Output screen of X4, then choose Create DVD folders. It really doesn't matter what I pick, however, because all of the choices produce the same results, "unspecified error 5.0.0.0", when I click on the Burn button.

If I perform the same test over again, but uncheck the "Create Menu" box, I get SUCCESSFUL results when I burn the folders. I don't get any menus, for sure, but I do get VOB folders created, and a little movie that runs in Corel WinDVD 9, with four functioning chapters. This works whether I add the chapters in the Editor phase, or in the authoring phase. I have Directx version 11 on my laptop, and my video drivers are up to date according to HP. Intel Core Duo, 2.26 Ghz running Vista 64 bit service pack 2 Home Premium, 4 MB RAM, current display mode 1366x768, ATI Mobility Radeon HD4650 premium graphics, 2799 MB total available graphics memory. Does anyone know what may be creating my problem with authoring Menus?

[wstagner]

Can't be just us, c-mathis, but then maybe it can?

Something is a amiss here. Are you running the TBYB version or the paid?

I'm running the TBYB....maybe they disabled this ability w/o telling anyone?

[wstagner]

On the 1st screen of the burning module where it displays the name of the video file, it seems to "forget" the name of the file even if you save it. Means name the file, save/close, exit VS4 renter the burning module from edit mode and lo/b hold the name is back to "untitled".

[Ken Berry]

I just threw together a small project in X4 and selected Share > Create Disc > DVD. The burning module opened with the project file in the timeline. I renamed it "Pond" (as it happened to be a clip taken in a swamp! ) I built the menu and preview it. It showed as "Pond" in the Menu Preview. I then burned it to a DVD Folder and played it back in a software burner -- all correct. I did not burn an actual DVD, but the DVD folder is identical to a DVD and the process was (to me at least) gratifyingly fast, even though it had to convert an AVCHD file (the one I had most quickly to hand) into SD mpeg-2 as part of the process. In other words, I am unable to emulate one of your problems.

One question, though: in the times you were trying to burn DVD Folders with a menu, did you have Motion Menu enabled? I ask because that has caused some users problems in the past.

Back in X4, I pressed the Close button, and it automatically saved the project. The problem is, however, that this automatic save appears to be like all earlier versions of VS: none of us know exactly what is saved, much less where to. Anyway, after the burning menu closed, I was back in the editing module. I then *manually* saved the project, then closed X4 down. I then re-opened it, selected that project and opened it, then went to Share > Create Disc > DVD. The burning module opened, and the project file was there in the timeline, called Pond. So I was also unable to emulate your other problem -- though I wonder if you could try the manual Save idea and see if that works for you too.

BTW, I am using a TBYB versions which has been activated. As I understand it, the TBYB version is a full one apart from having a limited number of menus and Smart Projects available.

[wstagner]

Ken, not sure what you mean by "a full one apart".
I've not purchased (was close til these problems popped up).
Is there a newer TBYB version posted?

My project never gets to the burn phase. It terminates with unspecfied error, even tho the same project works and burns w/o error in VS2.

[Ken Berry]

I mean the TBYB version is the full version. The only difference from the purchased product is that it is missing a number of menus and Smart Projects. And since it has only been out a few days, there is definitely only one TBYB version available. If you buy it, you are given a Serial Number to activate it, which is what happened with me.

[c-mathis]

c-mathis (Craig) My version is 14.0.0.342. I purchased my version as an "upgrade" and everything seemed to work great, until I got into this menuing problem. My purchased version has three sample menu templates. I have the problem with at least 2, and probably three of the X4 supplied sample menus, and whether or not I rename the chapters, or leave them as their defaults, Chapter 01, Chapter 02, Chapter 03, etc.

In my little test, after entering SHARE>CREATE DISK>DVD phase, I renamed the large "clip icon" identified as UNTITLED, from "Untitled" to "Graphic Menu". This name seems to stick throughout my testing, even if I manually close the project.

If you don't save your project, but go into the Create Disk phase, there seems to be a VSP file created, which I DID NOT name called "User Name\Documents\Corel VideoStudio Pro\14.0\PRJ_CREATDISC.VSPTEMP.vsp". I think this file was created after the CLOSE button was pressed. This seem to be the project file that's created for the "UNTITLED" project when CLOSE is pressed. if I open it, the clip icon in the authoring window is named "Untitled".

None of this solves my problem with menus, but that's what I've discovered. In addition, I'm confused by the term "Integrated Authoring" in this X4 version. If I add chapters in the Edit phase and rename them to my liking, then enter the CREATE DISK phase, the chapter markers carry forward, but the names I entered go away, and are replaced with standard timestamps. That's a bummer, since entering names for chapters makes the most sense to me in the editing phase. I have to keep a separate Excel spreadsheet of my chapter timestamps and chapter names, so I can re-enter them again in the authoring phase, then for the third time on the actual menus.

-Craig

[c-mathis]

To clarify, I purchased X4 from Corel's web-site as a downloaded "Upgrade" for $79.99, and was given a serial number for the purchase, which I entered during installation. I went straight into the "buy" option from Corel's web-site, without doing a typical trial download.

I also viewed several of the Corel Vimeo videos before the purchase, which demonstrated the event of renaming chapter points in the EDIT phase, with integrated authoring.

I too, would like to be able to create simple functioning menus without motion, and without re-entering chapter labels multiple times.

Craig

[wstagner]

Ken....I've posted the 1st 3 vid files of my project here:

http://wstagner.com/band/tampa2011/

I'd appreciate it if you'd download these and try to burn a SD DVD. they are 16x9
Main menu, chapter menu
use no menu sound or motion

Let me know your result. I get a failure after it builds the file.

Also, if you have VS2 installed someplace, see if you dup my sound problem.
Either just extract a sound file from any of the clips or create a dvd with 3 chapters and just preview the playback prior to burning. See if you dup what I get.

TIA,

Walt

[c-mathis]

Walt,

I downloaded your three files, created a new project, added three chapters, saved the project, SHARE>CREATE>DVD, Edited the menus to remove sound and motion on all menus, attempted to burn to a DVD folder, received "unspecified error 5.0.0.0". All these behaviors are identical to what I see with my simple grahic test. What we don't know is are we dealing with a bug in the program, or is there something unique about our workstations that is causing these results.

Craig

[c-mathis]

Walt,

I also tested "Unchecking" "Create Menu" box on the first authoring screen, and as expected I got a succesful burn of the DVD folders, and the video plays fine, with active chapters, but No MENUS (of course).

Craig

[Ken Berry]

Sorry -- it is late at night here. I am downloading your files, but the download speeds are fairly slow, and I need some sleep. I will have to get back to you tomorrow morning, my time!!