VS X3 Crashing When Trying To Load .mp4

[Tasselfoot]

I saw a thread that had something to do with X4 and .mp4 issues involving some other software or something? I'm using barebones X3 and when trying to add some .mp4 files, X3 crashes. Some of them work and are added to the library, but most do not and crash X3.

This is the most recent dump file, if that helps: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Z49PF20O

Thanks very much!

[DVDDoug]

The more-advanced highly-compressed formats can sometimes be "difficult" to edit or convert. Have you applied all of the updates to X3?

The solution is often to convert to a different (less compressed) format. What final output-format do you want? Or, what are you doing with the video? Making a DVD or Blu-Ray? Uploading to YouTube?

Do you know any details about your MP4 file? Resolution? bitrate? etc? If you convert to MPEG-2, you'll need a higher bitrate to maintain similar quality (which will create a bigger file).

I generally use SUPER (FREE!!!!) to convert "problem files". And, since I'm usually making DVDs, I convert to DVD-compatible MPEG-2. If you don't need high definition, AVI/DV is the most trouble-free format. And if you want to convert back to MPEG-4 when you're done, that should not be a problem.

(If you download SUPER, don't get fooled by the ads on their confusing website. Follow the links and make sure you are downloading SUPERsetup.exe.)

[Tasselfoot]

Thank you for the reply...

I don't currently know the answers to most of the questions you're posing; The files I'm trying to work with have been given to me by a sub-contractor. Also, I should clarify that X3 is crashing as soon as I try to add the files to my library... so I can't even edit or convert them at all.

Where can I get the most up-to-date patches/updates for X3? In my quick search of Corel's site, I only found patches for X4. It is possible that I'm not current.

As for the final format and use: All of my final videos wind up in .flv for use on YouTube. Such as: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n19DU8_Y1MM

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi

X3 updates and patches, you probably have them installed as X3 prompts you when we run the program

To check…..
Launch Video Studio X3
Select the Circle icon top right (help and product info)
From the popup window choose a similar icon—top right---Check for Updates

Quicktime

Some users do have crash issues using the latest versions of QT
Re-Install QuickTime using an earlier version.
There is a post at the top of this forum referring to QT versions

I would suggest you try V 7.5.5 as that is installed with the X4 program.

However corel have also provide this info

Good luck

[Tasselfoot]

X3 is up to date.

Looks like it is an issue with QuickTime; I'm running 7.6.9... guess I'll uninstall that and reinstall 7.6 or 7.5.5

Thanks very much!


EDIT: I just downgraded to 7.6 and it still crashed. Guess I'll try 7.5.5
EDIT2: Tried 7.5.5... still crashing.

[Ken Berry]

I seem to recall that before ever installing X4, I used to have the same problem with X3 -- and the only way round it was to reinstall the version of QT that came with X3, which IIRC was 7.5.5. However, since installing X4, I find it works happily with QT 7.6.9. And more to the point, it seems to have affected X3 and X2 which are still installed on this computer. In other words, I can now import .mov mp4s in all three versions of VS using QT 7.6.9. But I have no idea why!

[Tasselfoot]

Just tried that Ken... still getting the crashing upon trying to add a .mp4 file to the library. With 7.6.9, 7.6, and 7.5.5.

So there are no patches for this and no other solutions? Frustrating.

[Ron P.]

Where are your MP4 files coming from? I know you said you got them from a sub-contractor, but are they created with a camcorder, screen capture program, downloaded from the internet, or just where did he/she get them? You might try asking your sub-contractor, as there is something about them that is causing a problem. There may be something just a little out of the norm with them causing VS to throw fits. In the past I have had some MP4 files refused by VS, with the file format mis-match error, but not crash the program. With those files, I simply converted them, in fact I've ran some through Super, converting to the same format MP4, and was able to insert them into VS.

To help determine what codecs are being used with your video clips you can try one of the following free utility programs;
Gspot
MediaInfo

[skier-hughes]

As you are going to end up on youtube I'd just go straight for the conversion to a different format. Super, as already mentioned is great.
Convert the mp4's to a high quality wmv file, then import thios to VS X3, edit and off you go.

[Tasselfoot]

Could it be an issue with the dimensions of the video i'm trying to add? They are 628x418... and when I tried to convert it in SUPER, it tossed me error after error, eventually settling on the fact that the dimensions were not divisible by 16. However, when I am doing my own work, the .wmv files that I am adding to the library are all sorts of various sizes, and I've never had a problem. So it would specifically have to be an issue with dimensions and the .mp4 file type?

EDIT: this solved the problem... however the ugly black bars at the top/bottom are unacceptable for my projects. :-/. Why does this problem only occur for .mp4 files, and not with the .wmv files that I import at any aspect ratio?

[Ron P.]

Is your project settings set to 16:9 or 4:3? That video clip is using a peculiar frame size. Most common video files are 1.333 :1 (4:3) or 1.77 (16:9) and some even use a 1.5:1. Your video clip is a 1.4:1. The black-bars, Letter-box would indicate a 16:9 wide-screen video clip in a 4:3 project. To test this go to Preferences (press F6 on your keyboard) then change the background color by clicking on the small color block (default is black) beside the Background Color, to some other color like blue or red. Then look at your video clip in the preview window.

If it is 16:9, and your project is set to 4:3, you will see what appears to be Letter-box. What your seeing is the background color. If your video is 4:3 ratio, you should not see the background color.

Change the project settings to 16:9 and if your video clip is 16:9 you should not see the background color. If your video clip is 4:3 ratio, then with the 16:9 ratio set for the Project Properties you will side the background color on the left and right sides, which is called Pillaring.