Corel Video Studio Express 2011 problems

[RelMac]

After being frustrated with sound issues with Ulead for months and discovering the issue was unresolvable, I went out today and purchased Corel Video Studio Express 2011 and installed it on my computer (of which I hope the stats appear as I included all the details Belarc provided me when I registered, if not, I'll include them in the next post.)

The videos (from my home video camera cd's) import fine, and I can play them 'in the small box' where it shows all the video's available, but if I open them in express edit, and try to view the video playing in order to edit, it only plays about 1 second of the video and then freezes, but the audio keeps playing.
I can click in various places along the timeline? at the bottom, and it will move to a new peice of the video, play 1 second and freeze, audio still continues.
I've tried importing the video's in all different ways in case it was somehow corrupted, but it makes no difference.

Can anyone advise me what I should do? Has anyone else experienced this? Hope someone can help!
Thanks in advance

[LarryF]

Hi and Welcome to the Forum. Thanks for including your PC configuration. But, there is no information on the type of file you are importing from your camera. I imagine that VS Express will do the same thing as VS Pro X4, so I will ask you to right click one of your video clips, then click on Properties in the menu window. Then copy & paste those clip properties into the reply, so we can get an idea of what format your files are. If the files are AVCHD format, processing those files takes a lot of processing power, as the Moderators of this board have stated many times in the past. Does the Express version have Smart Proxy? Is so, and you are working with High Def clips, activating Smart Proxy, will create a low res working copy of your clip, for you to view during editing of your video. This low res copy is supposed to play more smoothly for editing purposes. Once the edit stage is complete, the chages are applied to the finised product in the Share stage. There are no changes made to your original file by using Smart Proxy. Sometimes, if the original file is large, it takes a while for the Smart Proxy to generate, but I have found it worth the wait for my AVCHD clips.
Let us know what your raw file is like and then, perhaps, we can be of some assistance.

Larry

[RelMac]

Thanks for the reply Larry
Unfortunately I am a newbie when it comes to video editing, and not all that computer literate either
When I right click the video clip, it doesn't give me anything I can copy and paste, and about the only peice of information about the clip is that it's a MPEG.
I don't know and can't see anywhere if the files are AVCHD format. They are simple home movies from my handycam and recorded directly onto a little CD which is what I am then putting on my computer and importing into Corel for editing.
I don't know how to find out if the Express Version has Smart Proxy, but something is intefering with the clips, so it could be using a lot of processing power I guess, but am not sure really what this would look like to identify it that's my problem not having much luck am I, I'm really sorry. I also am not sure what the raw file is like.
I bought this program as on the box it goes on about how easy it is to use............. well.......... not for me it's not

Any other ideas with the limited information I can provide?
Thanks for the reply too I'm so happy someone at least read my problem and has tried to help.

[RelMac]

Oh, sorry, I should include that my right clicking information was from the video clip in it's folder on my computer.
Right clicking on the imported file in Video Express does not have properties listed.

[RelMac]

Can anyone give me any help at all?
I've still had no success with it at all and am really regretting buying this program........ my advise, if you are considering it..... don't!

[Ken Berry]

I'm sorry to have to say that I agree with your last sentiment. I suspect that the reason that no one has been able to help you -- including me -- is that no one really knows, or more to the point, wants to know, how this Express 2011 works. I personally did not even know there was a 2011 version. But the 2010 version was such a pile of cr*p that none of us here would have anything to do with it.

Therefore, unless you happen to find someone here who *did* buy it and get it to work smoothly, I would suggest you try to get your money back (if you have had the program for less than 30 days) and that you consider buying the far more sensible Video Studio Pro X4...