Video-Audio out of sync

[DaisyK]

I have read the thread regarding sound breaking up in ProX3. I have this same problem in ProX3 and ProX2. But all of a sudden I am also experiencing the problem of the video and audio being out of sync in files from my Sony Handycam HDR-CX350 set on Standard. The video files I take using either a Sony or Olympus that I mainly use for still shots work fine.

When I first installed ProX2 and then ProX3 my struggle was with the changes in menus and such as I had been using VS11.5 but the videos themselves worked okay. Now all of a sudden I am experiencing the sound problems. I cannot tie the changes in with any specific Win update as I just don't remember the sequence of events.

At one point I had installed a PowerPoint video converter which gave me a registry error message at the time but the sound problems developed much after that time.

Yesterday I downloaded a trial version from another company thinking perhaps I needed to move on but I believe the out of sync problem is worse with that software than with Corel software.

I am pretty frustrated at present as this battle has been going on for some time and seems to be getting worse. I am wondering if a setting got changed in how the software manages the video from the handycam but I guess I am not smart enought to see what it might be.

Any help sure would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi DaisyK

If you are having audio sync’ problems when using various software programs then I would suspect the problem to be your PC set up, not directly the editing programs.
You have installed a PowerPoint converter, don’t know what that is but have you installed anything else, maybe a “codec pack”.
------------------------------------
Your camera Sony Handycam HDR-CX350 as far as I know is HD, records video to the internal memory or SD card.
How are you transferring the footage to the PC, it should be a simple method of Copy and Paste via USB connection?
If the camera came with software it may be best to use that to transfer the footage, then use VS to edit.
------------------------------------
Now can you give details regarding the video that is giving problems.
Right click a clip in the timeline and select properties, what are they?

As you are using HD types, are you using Smart Proxy, and have proxy files been created.
View the Smart Proxy Manager and Queue Manager.
------------------------------------------
You say the audio is out of sync’ is this when viewing within Video Studio or is the completed rendered video file also faulty?
That is played using say Windows Media Player?
Explain a little more regarding the out of sync video........

[Ken Berry]

In addition, can you confirm that when you say the Sony is set on Standard, your mean it is standard definition? And if so, is the camera set to film in standard definition, or have you down-converted from the AVCHD original during the transfer to your computer? Again, however, we need the properties of the 'standard' video.

Which cable are you using to transfer it: the USB or mini HDMI?

If indeed it is standard definition mpeg-2 -- which I know that camcorder can produce -- then in the past the out of sync audio and video (with much earlier versions of VS) was usually corrected by NOT using SmartRender. Does this change things for you?

Finally, it would be *really* useful if you could give us an idea of your computer specifications. Dealing with an AVCHD camcorder can be one of the most demanding processes for any computer, and you have to have something pretty powerful, and at the very least a decent Core 2 Duo processor. That's one of the reasons we ask new users to provide such information in their Profile, and to use the BelArc Adviser which can find out all this information for you. Even Control Panel > System in Win 7 will tell you what your processor and RAM is.

[DaisyK]

Thanks for your speedy replies. I knew it would be hard to explain everything as there are so many variable. I added my computer specs to my signature thinking that would give you the info you needed but have now added it to my profile.

The video is downloaded from the camera using the supplied software - PMB (Picture Motion Browser) is how they describe it - and the supplied USB cable as the manual calls it. The camera can be set on HD or STD and I use the STD as it seemed to work best for my needs. These settings did work for some time but then all of a sudden the sound and sync problems showed up.

Even now the video downloaded from the camera to the hard drive plays perfectly in Windows Media Player. Playing the video through VS Pro2 or Pro3 the sound is fine when playing the clip but when you use the project setting it stutters and also does so when burned to DVD. It seems really strange that the clips play okay but the project does not. The out of sync problem started some time after the sound stuttering began. The two problems did not occur at the same time.

The PPT converter, Power Video Maker, converts PPT slide show projects to video so that it can be burned to DVD and played on a stand alone player. I have several people that ask me to convert their projects for them. It does not work in Win7 even with the software upgrade. Give me XP any day!!!

As you are using HD types, are you using Smart Proxy, and have proxy files been created.
View the Smart Proxy Manager and Queue Manager.

I do not understand the Proxy question. Can you explain? This all happens before burning so is this a setting prior to an edit?

I have VS uninstalled at present and have the other software installed now so this screen shot is from that program. Hope it is not too big...

screen shot properties of video file

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi DaisyK

Smart Proxy is used by Video Studio to improve playback/editing.
It is associated with High Definition which can cause slow playback for some users, generally running a slower PC.

Your video is Standard Definition therefore Smart Proxy will not be used or required.

The video properties you provided look like compliant DVD Mpeg2. NTSC.
These should not be giving any problems?
The File size looks slightly over the size to fit to disc so some conversion would be required to reduce this size. A single layer disc holds 4.3 Gb.

Not much we can do really till you re-install Video Studio.
Before you do can you look through the manual un-install options, this may remove any remaining files, a clean install?

000004644 - How to manually remove VideoStudio Pro X3

[Ken Berry]

Regarding video properties, is usually more helpful to us if you right click on a file either in the Video Studio timeline or its library window. That gives us all relevant properties. In the image you posted, for instance, it did not tell us the Field Order (which should be Upper Field First from your camcorder) and it does not tell us the bitrate used. The latter in particular determines the final file size. In your case, it would seem that there may have been a bitrate around 9000 kbps. Normally, a video the length of yours would fit on a single layer DVD (4.3 GB as Trevor indicated) if it has a bitrate around 8000 kbps and using Dolby audio.

[DaisyK]

Okay, one problem better..

I used the file cleaner mentioned above, rebooted, installed PRO X3. The audio-video sync problem seems to be corrected. I loaded several video and they seem to be okay. I did not go in and edit the Registry. Did I need to do that also? That makes me uncomfortable to do.

The glitch in the sound is still there. Audio is fine when playing the clip but when you switch to project it happens over and over. I did not burn to DVD but I am assuming that it would still be there as before.

This video is of our church service which gets edited for length before burning to a DVD for distribution. I also trim to retain the pastor's sermon which then gets uploaded to Vimeo with a link from our website. I much prefer the 11.5 version but it also had a sound glitch on this Win7 computer. It works fine on my XP computer (which is dying!) So that did indeed make me think it was computer caused but... what to do? I think it could be a Win update situation as this software worked for awhile and now does not.

I am posting two screen shots - one from file properties and one from timeline.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi Daisy

Now that’s quite a big file. 4.8 Gb is to big to fit onto a single layer disc.
I guess by the time you have edited and removed unwanted frames that it will be ok.
I am not sure if this is a faulty file or simply a playback issue??????

I do not normally use large single files but tend to capture using Split by Scene.
So can you try using Split by Scene.

How
First……..
Start a new project……..
Go to Settings Preferences—tick Show Messages when Inserting first clip………
Add the video to the timeline then say yes to accept…………your project properties will match the video files properties.

Right click the clip in the timeline and select Split by Scene….
Scan……..when complete select ok

This process may take a while, it will split the video into virtual clips, just like using the scissors to cut the clip.
Now try playing the individual clips.

[teknisyan]

In addition to what's been suggested already... you may want to update the codecs on your computer.

Here are some of the codecs that you may want to install.
RealPlayer: http://www.real.com/
DivX: http://www.divx.com/en/software/divx-plus/codec-pack
XviD: http://downloads.xvid.org/downloads/xvidcore-1.3.2.zip
Windows Media Player: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/wind ... dia-player or just download the Windows Encoder at http://www.microsoft.com/expression/pro ... rview.aspx
QuickTime: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
Direct X: http://on-msn.com/aLrk0j (WinXP)
Direct X: http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/window ... tx-11.aspx

[DaisyK]

I do not normally use large single files but tend to capture using Split by Scene.
So can you try using Split by Scene.

This process may take a while, it will split the video into virtual clips, just like using the scissors to cut the clip.
Now try playing the individual clips.

I followed your instructions and it made no difference. I have tested with different video I have on my hard drive. The files from my still cameras work fine. The ones from the handycam give me the audio glitch. I tested one video that I had edited earlier and burned to DVD successfully and now the base video has the audio glitch which it did not have earlier in the year. It has to be a Win update that doesn't agree with VideoStudio and the other program I downloaded don't you think? But how does one find that?

These Handycam videos play perfectly in Mediaplayer and when choosing Clip in VS. It's just when you switch to project.

In addition to what's been suggested already... you may want to update the codecs on your computer.

I will try updating the files mentioned. Keep your fingers crossed.

[Ken Berry]

Updating DirectX often corrects glitches introduced by Windows updates. See the sticky at the top of this forum for the link to the current DX build. DirectX must be updated manually, it is not part of the customary windows update process. There is sticky at the top of the forum, that contains a link to the most recent version. Download it, then create a folder on your system to extract the files into, because it will extract around 200 files, and I sure wouldn't want them running loose. Once extracted, locate inside the folder the DXSETUP.exe file and run it. Once it has finished installing you can delete the folder containing all the extracted files.

[Trevor Andrew]

Hi DaisyK

Link to DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010)
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/de ... px?id=8109


We generally recommend using the software that came with the camera to transfer the video to the PC.
But can you try using copy and paste.
Connected via USB, your camera should show in My Computer / Computer as a removable drive.
Locate the video files and copy them to your hard drive.

Then import to Video Studio, are they showing the same audio problem?

[DaisyK]

To repeat the situation with the audio glitches in PRO X3 - the video plays perfectly in Media Player, it plays perfectly in X3 as long as you play the clip only. If you use project then the sound glitches, and is also there when burned to DVD. Can you tell me what the program uses differently between these two settings?

[teknisyan]

How about checking the smart proxy settings. You can go to SETTINGS > PREFERENCES (F6) > PERFORMANCE then enable SMARTPROXY.

[Ken Berry]

Abiel -- this thread is about standard definition video. SmartProxy therefore has already been ruled out, as Trevor stated clearly above.

DaisyK -- I asked first off if you had tried rendering your project to a new video file with SmartRender switched off (in the Options button when you go to Share > Create Video File). But you never answered that point. As I noted above, not using SmartRender was known to correct the out of sync problem with older versions of VS.