VSX4 Crashes and Reboots Computer During Rendering

[docnano]

Hi,

I have been using VSX4 for several months without incident, but recently have encountered a problem: whenever I try to render a project, sometime into the process my computer reboots without warning. Some details:

- The problem is reproducible.
- It doesn't appear to matter whether the project includes AVI, MP4, or MTS files from my camcorder. They all crash.
- Smaller projects (1 min or less) are less likely to induce a crash. Projects longer than 3 minutes almost always induce a crash.
- It doesn't seem to matter whether there are transitions or not; even a project containing a simple video clip of sufficient length will cause a crash.
- I have tried freeing up hard disk space (I now have >100 GB free), but this does not help.
- Installing Service Pack 2 for VSX4 does not help, nor does uninstalling and reinstalling VSX4.

When the problem started about a month ago, I thought it was a peculiarity of the project I was working on, since it was more complex (w/ more transitions, different types of video clips, etc.) than any previous project. However, after some more troubleshooting, it seems like all projects are affected.

The most major change in my system in the last few months is that I've installed Ubuntu. Of course, I have been running VSX4 from Windows 7.

Source file details from my most recent project (but crashes also reliably occur with video files from other cameras, my phone, or the internet):

Format: NTSC HDMV 1440 x 1080
Size of video files: 1.01 GB total (19 separate files)
Frame rate: 29.970 fps
Data rate: Variable bit rate (Max. 16,000 kbps)
Audio type: Dolby Digital Audio, 48 kHz, 256 kbs
Origin: Sony Handycam HDR-CX110 via USB cable
Type: MTS

In this project, and in general, I am rendering to a different resolution than the source files. In this case, I took HD video and used Share --> Create DVD, which I presume will scale the resolution down to 720 x 480 (this is what the Project template properties says).

There have never been error messages; my computer just conks out and I have to hit the power button to boot up again.

Please help! I've been pleased with the functionality of VSX4, but this is a pretty fatal flaw for my purposes...

[Ken Berry]

There is no obvious reason why this is happening. The video has standard properties -- if now slightly outdated in the fast-moving world of AVCHD. And your computer is more than sufficient to handle the demanding AVCHD format.

When you say you go to Share > Create DVD, can you confirm that the workflow is Share > Create Disc > DVD? That means burning your edited project straight to DVD. That should also be quite possible, but for some unknown reason, some users have difficulty with it -- though none, as far as I can recall, have ever reported having their computer simply close down.

All I can think to recommend is that instead, you take a more graduated approach. Finish your editing, then select Share > Create Video File > DVD. This will then create a DVD-compliant mpeg-2 from your AVCHD mpeg-4. It may take some time, so be patient. Then when you have the new file, start a new project. Don't bother with a name -- the objective is just to clear the editing timeline.

Now select Share > Create Disc > DVD. The burning module should open and its timeline should also be empty. If there is anything in the timeline, delete it. Then manually insert the new mpeg-2 you created above, build your menu and burn the disc. That process should be relatively quick as the only think needing conversion is the menu.

Let us know how that goes.

[docnano]

Thanks for the speedy reply, Ken.

Yes, the workflow is Share > Create Disc > DVD. However, the same symptoms (computer shuts down) have occured when rendering to an MPEG-4 (Share > Create Video File > MPEG-4) or posting to YouTube (Share > Upload to Web > YouTube > MPEG-4 HD 16:9) . Interestingly, rendering to AVI has not been a problem.

I tried your suggestion of Share > Create Video File > DVD, and the MPEG-2 file was created without a problem. I then started a new project, clicked Share > Create Disc > DVD, and dropped the MPEG-2 file into the disc timeline. The DVD was written without incident (except that VideoStudio froze at the very end of the disc write on my first try -- second try with a new DVD was no problem). The quality of the video is reduced significantly, but it plays successfully on my DVD player.

Incidentally, yesterday I tried using Freemake Video Converter to convert the original .MTS files to .MP4 files so that they might be directly recognized by my TV via its USB port, and that ALSO caused my computer to shut down. So, this problem is not confined to VideoStudio. People in other forums have reported similar problems due to CPU overheating or drops in power supply voltage. I'm trying to run some tests now to rule these out.

Still, I am puzzled as to why rendering into MPEG-4 or DVD directly poses a problem, while AVI and MPEG-2 do not. I can use your procedure for DVDs, but posting to YouTube is still problematic!

Thanks,
Alex

UPDATE: I'm now fairly sure it is a hardware/system problem, rather than one specific to VideoStudio. After doing a stress test with Prime 95 and monitoring the CPU temperature with Real Temp, I found that (1) the temperature rises to >90 degrees C when under 100% load for a few minutes, and (2) if I let it go long enough, my system shuts down, exactly as when I'm encoding high-def MPEG-4 movies. I'm going to try cleaning out my fan, perhaps updating my BIOS, and if all that fails, seeing if I can't get a professional to fix the temp issues.

[Ken Berry]

Is your computer a model with dual graphics i.e. a built-in card plus an extra and separate card for heavy duty jobs? I have one and have set VS to use the heavy duty one when rendering...

As for the dropped quality in your final (successful) DVD, that is in a sense unavoidable. The international DVD standard has a maximum resolution of 720 x 480 (NTSC) and 720 x 576 (PAL), plus a bitrate/data rate of around 8000 kbps. Your original video is high definition and apart from being mpeg-4 (compared to DVD's mpeg-2), the frame size and data rate are roughly double those of DVDs. In other words, down conversion is just that, and involves a significant downsizing of quality.

[teknisyan]

If you're just experiencing this recently then you may want to check if you installed or changed somethings on your computer that can cause the problem. Could be software conflicts or a program that you removed.