Audio breaks up on Project, but not Clip during editing

[Just Plain Bill]

1. SUBJECT: Please use a subject that describes your exact problem. Done.

2. Describe your problem: Once I've inserted a video file or files into the project timeline, playing the videos with the word "Project" under the screen highlighted, the audio (which is speech only) breaks up - all I hear is parts of words every second or two. Highlighting the term "Clip" just under "Project" provides clear, unbroken audio. This condition is new, first occurring after I installed VideoStudio Pro X3 Fix for MLE Database Incompatibility with PaintShop Photo Pro X3. Since then, I have re-loaded VSX3 and all the patches but to no avail. Note: the same video files can be processed by Windows Live Movie Maker and the audio and video come out fine, even if the effects are primitive.
3. What devices are involved and their mode of connection?: NONE, files are either in the VS Projects file or in my Videos folder.
4. The Version of program is being used: Video Studio Pro X3.
5. Please list all patches/updates that have been installed relating to that version of the program. I've installed all three patches and updates available on the Corel site (thru the User to User board) plus any updates offered by Corel.
6. Details of the source files. Quick Time movie, 24 bits 1280 x 720, 1 video track, 1 sound track - sound track is MPEG-4, low complexity
Where did they originate: camcorder
How did they get onto your hard drive USB cable
Type of video: Quick Time Movie
Video data rate: 29.970 frames/second
Type of audio: MPEG 4 low complexity
Audio data rate: 48,000 KHz, 16 bit, Stereo
7. Project Settings: As the software was shipped. I haven't changed any settings.
8. NTSC
9. Did this error occur at the: EDIT step - but it continues in the SHARE step - except the sound goes completely away after processing.
OR have you gone directly to the SHARE - NO
10. Error Codes NONE

I'm sorry if this is a common problem that's been answered many times before, but when I searched the forum the term "sound" and "project" were thrown out of the search list for being too common -- and that left me nothing.

And another thing - there's no point suggesting I use VSX4 - I had a 30 trial of that and decided it was too advanced for my current level of interest or skills. So I bought X3 and have been pretty happy with it -- until this. And now, it would be nuts to throw good money after bad, since I don't have much confidence in the VS product.

I would appreciate any guidance you folks have to offer.

Bill

[Ken Berry]

Hi Bill, and welcome to the forums!

A couple of thoughts... First, one thing you didn't tell was what you were intending to produce with your video -- in other words what you choose after you go to Share > Create Video File. You say you haven't changed the default project settings as they came with the program. Those project settings in their default settings are meant to produce a standard definition DVD. Audio for DVDs has to be either LPCM or Dolby (plus mpeg layer 1 in PAL countries). Your original audio you say is mp4, which is not part of the DVD standard. I am not sure, though, why it would disappear in your final product since I would have assumed X3 would have attempted to convert it from mp4 audio to LPCM....

But your main problem may be the overall .mov format of your video. Have you installed a new version of Quicktime on your computer? The current version is 7.7. Please call up Quicktime Player and check which version you have. From memory, X3 installs version 7.5.5 of Quicktime and works best with that. So if you have a newer version, that could be the source of your problem, and you may need to reinstall 7.5.5. (I mention Quicktime since, just in case you aren't aware, it controls .mov video. The downside of the suggestion to reinstall 7.5.5 is if you have an authentic Apple iPod, it will require that latest version of Quicktime and iTunes for it to be able to upload music.)

[Just Plain Bill]

Well Ken, I'll dispense with the answer to your first question about the SHARE step -- I put all that down then hit the backspace key a time or two too many -- and lost it all.

You are probably dead on about the Quicktime version. I have 7.7 and will hunt up a 7.5.5 version. Not on faith mind you - but I added a video file taken with a different camcorder (makes WMV format videos) and put it into the timeline with two MOV files and while they broke up when being played back with "Project" highlighted, the WMV file played both audio and video perfectly when it's turn came.

I'll post an update after I install 7.5.5.

Thanks very much

Bill

[Just Plain Bill]

Oh rats! While the WMV files work well, even after uninstalling QuickTime 7.7 and downloading QuickTime 7.5.5, X3 still refuses to play MOV audio back with the Project term highlighted. I even shot a quick video and uploaded it directly from the camcorder and got no clear audio.

Help, I need a new theory!

Bill

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Bill

Can you view the youtube video, is this simular to your problem?
The first part is played in Clip mode then Project Playback, the background sound is a plane passing overhead.

[teknisyan]

Is the file extension of the video is a .MOV or .MP4?

If it's .MP4, please follow these steps..

Please make sure that the latest QuickTime player is installed on your computer:

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download

Then, from your camcorder, transfer the video to your computer and right-click on the transferred video clip then select RENAME.

Change the .mp4 to .mov (for example: video.mp4 would become video.mov).

Once the video clip is renamed, please import the video.mov to VideoStudio.

If you can't see the file extension of your video, please open your Windows Explorer and on the menu bar, select

TOOLS ---> FOLDER OPTIONS. Proceed to the VIEW tab and uncheck the HIDE EXTENSIONS FOR KNOWN FILE TYPES.

Click on APPLY and OK.

If it's already on .MOV, then let try to check if the problem is with the proxy files, first save all your work, then go to

C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\Documents\Corel VideoStudio Pro\Corel VideoStudio Pro\13.0\ (for Windows 7 64-bit)

Then delete all the files that you will see. then just restart the computer and then open your project again.

[Just Plain Bill]

Hi Bill

Can you view the youtube video, is this simular to your problem?
The first part is played in Clip mode then Project Playback, the background sound is a plane passing overhead.

Hi Trevor, thanks for the link. Yes, the problem on the video is substantially the same as I get in Clip and Project Playback. The only difference is that the intervals between sounds are more random and I get snatches of words or other sounds. I guess I stumbled on the same fix as you and Lynn. After uninstalling/re-installing VS X3, I tested the Clip and Project Playback audio on a .MOV video again and with no problems. Then I installed both Service Pack 2 and Smart Sound Performance updates, and the problem came back. Once I uninstalled and re-installed VS X3 a second time, the audio playback works fine but the system crashes even if you don't look at it crossways. Better than no sound I suppose.

Since I installed two updates at the same time, I didn't know which to blame -- but Service Pack 2 is a good a culprit as any. Since you identified it as the troublemaker, I decided to install the Smart Sound patch and the audio playback is still working fine. The system still comes to a halt without warning and a message pops up notifying me that the program has stopped working and Windows is looking for a solution. (Like that's going to help.)

I'll give Abiel's suggestion a try and then try installing Service Pack 2 again to see if the crashes end.

Bill

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Bill

There are a few recommendations regarding problems with Mov/MP4 types.

1 / As you know the “Blip” problem seems to be associated with the Service Pack
I have reinstalled X3 many times, I have lost count, and always get the problem after installing the Service Pack

2 / Intermittent crashes of the program fixed by installing an earlier version of QuickTime.
Incidentally X4 software installs QT version 7.5.5, However as far as I know X3 does not install Quick Time.

3 / No sound on Mov/MP4 types or cannot insert MP4’s, recommendations to install the latest version of Quick Time.

The last two being a little contradictory, but you have to try all options.

By the way I didn’t realise you were having crashes, I thought the problem was just “Blips”
Are there any “Error Messages”

[Just Plain Bill]

Thanks Trevor, I've gone back to X3 as delivered (Version 1.6.0.272) and QuickTime 7.7 - no patches, no updates with no audio problems and no crashes. I guess the old adage: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" still applies.

Before returning to "Start" I tried deleting the proxy files as suggested by Abiel, which made no difference. That is, since I was running without the Service Pack 2 "fix", and not having audio problems on playback (but crashing like mad), those conditions continued.

System crashes weren't a problem at first. They began while I was still running QuickTime 7.5.5 (I believe) -- and had installed the SmartSound patch but not Service Pack 2. No Corel error messages -- just a Windows message trying to be helpful by pointing out the obvious ("The program stopped working". ) It got so bad the system would crash as soon as I'd inserted a few video files into the timeline. If I was convinced the SmartSound patch was worthwhile, I'd put QT 7.5.5 back (to be sure) and install that patch.

Bill

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Bill

If you had the program working with ---- no patches, no updates with no audio problems and no crashes. I guess the old adage: "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" still applies. As you said……

What happened.

I ran X3 with all patches installed except the Service Pack 2 and all is fine.
I am also using Quicktime 7.5.5.

After installing the SP2 the blips are back again, but no crashes. Famous last words.
Its not an issue for me as I have X4 which I use in preference to X3.
Otherwise I would be re-installing X3.

[Just Plain Bill]

Isn't it the middle of the night in England Trevor? Another computer guru with no life .

Maybe, just to get closure (and dispell the suspicion that Corel "fixes" unfix as much as they do fix) I will re-install QU 7.5.5 and put all the patches except SP2 in. If there's any benefit the patches, I'd like to have it.

As for VS X4, I tried a trial download and decided it was too advanced for me -- X3 seems about right. After I master X3, I'll move up to X4.

Thanks for your help.

Bill

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Bill

I must admit I have spent more time today on this machine.
I just seem to be having a lazy day, a bit of gardening in-between video editing.

I think we are about 8 hours in front of you, so its 7.41 pm (19:41 hrs) guess that makes you approaching noon over there.

Good luck with the video editing.

[Ron P.]

As for VS X4, I tried a trial download and decided it was too advanced for me -- X3 seems about right. After I master X3, I'll move up to X4.
Bill

There's no difference in the core function. They just followed their customary path of adding bells & whistles. Returning to the common DVD burn module (integrated) actually makes it much easier than VS X3. Most of the problems seem to be associated with Win7 and 64 bit. There are still others, but those seem to be the most common. Again they done nothing to change the core, basic function, aside from getting rid of those horrible Digital Studio 2010 applications.

[Just Plain Bill]

To close this out: I re-installed the patches but not Service Pack 2 and re-experienced the system crashes. Then I replaced the current version of QuickTime 7.7.80 with good old QT 7.5.5 and the system crashes seem to have ended. For the moment, I believe that Trevor has it right.

Once I'm comfortable with X3, I'll probably upgrade --- maybe to X5 if that's in the pipeline. I'm pretty much a newbie to videos - having started about three months ago when I picked up an old MotoCom camcorder/bullet camera setup I could mount on my motorcycle to record rides in this area (near Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains). It was immediately evident that the MotoCom video quality was poor and I found an Aiptek HD Action camcorder that accepts external camera(s). Once I had the equipment to make videos, I needed software to make decent movies. A little research brought me to Corel VideoStudio and I'm in process of exploring those capabilities.

Something that might interest some UK members (probably not Trevor tho), is that I'm very interested in old British motorcycles. Under my YouTube name: JustPlainBill0 - I've posted several videos featuring a friend's 1954 Vincent Black Shadow, my (former) 1951 AJS Model 18 and another friend's 1945 BSA War Department M20. If you watch any, you will quickly see why I'm working to improve my video taking/editing and publishing capabilites .

Bill

[cdoughertycd]

I've had the same problem with X3 and .MOV sound. I too discovered that the Svs Pack 2 caused it. To work around this I am using old ProX2. Do you know if ProX4 has this MOV problem with sound?

Thanks,
Candy