Rendered movie stutters / is not smooth

[gorky]

I bought the new Olympus TG-1 camera, and want to edit movies that I shoot so I downloaded trial of latest Video Studio Pro X5 to try it out. But I'm not satisfied with the quality of the rendered file. The result is not smooth. For example, I shot a short movie clip out of the window of a slow moving train. When I play the original file everything is nice and smooth, but when I import the file to Video Studio and render it (without doing anything to it, no effects or anything) the result is a stuttering movie - kind of like some frames are missing, or maybe duplicated... (Sound is just as it should, no problem there.)

Source file is .MOV (quick time) 24bits 1920x1080, 29.970 frames/sec according to file properties in Video Studio.
Using GSpot i get the following: codec avc1, name H.264, 19641 kbps, 29.971 frames/sec

I've tried every format under "create video file" in Video Studio but the result is the same every time no matter what I do, although the option "Same as first video clip" is not available (it's dimmed when using clip shot with this camera). My system is PAL and I know that 29.97 fps is not PAL standard, but I also tried rendering custom format where the result was a 720x576 clip with 29.971fps (but kpbs is only 1024) but still the same stuttering movie.

What is wrong here..?

Just before posting this I realize I have the same problem with movies taken with my iPhone 4...

[lata]

Hi gorky

and welcome to the forums

I think the problem may simply be using NTSC type video as Pal

First go to Settings - Project Properties-Edit-Compression tab--Media Type to Ntsc DVD, this will change the timeline to use 29fps instead of 25 fps
Project Playback should be smoother especially if you are using Smart Proxy.

OK
To render the video file to another format you will have to use the Custom option or use Make Movie Templates Manager in order to select 29.9fps, all default templates will use 25fps.

What are you trying to make, a video for the internet or a DVD, if the latter SD or HD

You will not be able to render to Mov H264, so try Mpeg4.

QuickTime Movie Files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
MPEG 4 Visual
50% Quality, 24 Key Frame Rate
None, 8.000 KHz, 8 bits, Stereo
OR
MPEG-4 Files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 30 fps
Frame-based
H.264 High Profile Video: 18000 Kbps
48000 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
MPEG AAC Audio: 256 Kbps

You should avoid using 25 fps, doing so removes 5 frames per second
If you are downsizing the standard definition for a DVD then use:-

MPEG files
24 bits, 720 x 480, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(DVD-NTSC), 16:9
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 8000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Finally if you right click your clip in the timeline and select properties.
The Compression details may be empty, simply because VS does not fully recognise Mov H264

[gorky]

I changed project properties as you suggested (although I notice that on General tab in Project Settings, the frame size is maximum 720x480 and "user-defined" frame size is dimmed/grayed out, can't set anything there). Then I tried rendering in various formats, but no difference in resulting movie file - it still stutters... I also found this thread and tried everything there, but with no luck: http://forum.corel.com/EN/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47113

I have now also tried two other movie editing programs. Pinnacle Studio won't even load my original source file (although it loads iPhone movies, haven't bothered to try rendering them though). Then I downloaded trial of Sony Vegas and that one actually renders my clip nice and smoothly, but I'd really like it to work in Corel Video Studio instead since it seems like an easier program to use, it's more intuitive than the sony program...

[lata]

Hi

The frame size for a NTSC standard definition is 720 x 480
The video uses this frame size for both 4:3 and 16:9.
For Pal this would be 720 x 576 again used for both aspects.

We think of pixels as being square, video pixels can be rectangular for want of a simple explanation.

Changing the project properties to Ntsc was to set the frame rate to 29 fps instead of the default 25fps. This would not affect the newly rendered file, but should make project playback smoother.

To render a video clip you have to use the Custom option, or Make Movie Templates Manager to retain the 29 fps

You do not give the full properties of your original video, but you should be able to create a new template using those properties, with the exception of using Mov+H264, but using QuickTime as i listed earlier.

You could also try Mpeg Transport Stream which should support your video properties.

Make sure you set the field Order correctly, some HD may use Frame Based.