Can't save a video Error:18706:1:1

[dd4oo5]

Installed the X6 trial, loaded in a test video (NTSC, ~30FPS, 720x404, MP4).

I set a start and end trim marker (as a test for where I might want to trim the first and last few minutes from a clip).

I chose Share, Create Video, "Same as first Video Clip", OK. This is probably one of the simplest editing tests I could have possibly done.

FAILED !!

frame_error.png (15.19 KiB) Viewed 18076 times

I don't see how the settings can be wrong if I chose "same as first video clip".

[Ken Berry]

Welcome to the forums!

In Settings > Preferences, around the middle of the General tab ('Project') there is a box which needs to be ticked : 'Show message when insert first video clip'. If you tick, then next time you start a project, there should be a message asking if the Project Properties should match those of the clip. You could always say yes to that.

As it is, I suspect the message relates to the default project properties which are otherwise used, and those are for standard DVD-compatible mpeg-2. In particular, though, they will contain the "normal" frame size of 720 x 480 for NTSC. So your error message is really saying your frame size does not match the default size.

To change this, you would need to select Custom instead of Same As First Clip. Then in the dialogue box which appears, click the Options button. On the General tab of the new dialogue box which appears, you can change the frame size to 720 x 404 by using the User Defined box, though I think 404 might itself be offered as one of the default NTSC frame sizes...

[dd4oo5]

Thanks for the reply Ken. Two problems though, one I already have that box checked - but when I insert my first (and only) video to the timeline (regardless of whether I drag/drop it there, or use the File menu to browser for it), no message/prompt happens. The other problem, when I choose Custom, I get a restricted set of options - all of which are based around PAL (which is what my default is set to), and user defined is greyed out and unselectable.

[dd4oo5]

So, the big problem is why this checkbox, although clearly ticked, is not causing that message to appear when I insert my first (and only) video.

That's what needs to be fixed. Yes I should also be able to choose this next option, and that should disregard the project settings and use the first video settings also, but that doesn't work either, I get the error I showed in the first message of this thread.

x6_3.png (16.81 KiB) Viewed 18026 times

As a final attempt, doing something I'd never want to have to do for every single video I edit (because option 1 "the auto message", or option 2 "the override" should work), also doesn't work. When I choose Custom, I'm not allowed to select "User Defined" and my video size 720x404 isn't available in the presets.

[dd4oo5]

I have that "show message when inserting first video clip into the timeline" checkbox enabled,

x6_1 (1).png (16.48 KiB) Viewed 18012 times

but when adding my first video clip into the timeline I get no message.

The result is that when I try and save my edited clip, I get this error (from X6):

frame_error (1).png (15.19 KiB) Viewed 18012 times

Even if, when saving the video I choose this:

x6_3 (1).png (16.81 KiB) Viewed 18012 times

I still get the save error. That "Same as First Video Clip" should override whatever the project settings are (thereby making the fact that I never got my message when inserting the first video clip irrelevant), but it doesn't override the project settings at all.

Choosing Custom doesn't work either, because it's not a true custom, it's a subset of custom based on the project settings, and doesn't allow User-defined settings.

Info: Running Video Studio X6 in the trial period on the machine listed in my specs over there on the right. As it stands, there's no chance I can even consider buying it, but it's annoying, I love how the software works. I'd just like to be able to save files. Is this a limitation of the trial perhaps?

Video spec: 720x404 MP4

[Kingston]

I'm not real sure, but I think that Visual MPEG-4 might need dimensions divisible by 8. It has to do with 8x8 and 16x16 block sizes used for compression. Either 720x408 or 720x400 are the closest. It's kind of late here and don't have time to try those dimensions.

EDIT: I was able to render to Quicktime MPEG-4 Visual at 720x404, so scratch that thought.

[lata]

Hi

Video Studio was designed to create a DVD, it used standard Mpeg2 and DV-Avi, the Same as First Video and Show Messages work well with these types of video. Indeed some HD transport Stream types will also work.
If you are able to set the project properties to match the video files then we can assume that the program can read the video file correctly.

I am surprised that the option Same as First Video is available for that particular file. Once selected what shows in the Save Options panel?

However there are many that cannot do this especially if they use non-standard sizes. Nowadays there are many formats, Camera manufacturers bring out new equipment using shall we say tweaked codecs, then leave the video editors to play catch-up, its not surprising to me that some formats are troublesome to edit.

Your video certainly uses non-standard sizes, although there are templates that will allow for user defined sizes, as mentioned by Kingston was able to create a video to your sizes.

So did you try the Quicktime MPEG-4 Visual option.
There is also AVI- Microsoft video 1 among others that again will allow user defined sizes.

If you can make a sample available for download then I am willing to look at the video file. But feel I will have to use a Video Converter to create a more editable format.

By the way what are you intending to make with your files, I assume a video for the internet.

[dd4oo5]

Thanks for the reply Trevor. I'm surprised they think of it as a DVD maker, it's name implies it's a video studio that can be used to edit any video.

I understand that there's a need for default project settings, but I'm surprised they offer that checkbox "Show message when inserting first video clip into the Timeline" which is meant to set the project settings based on the first video's settings. That fails to show me a message and I don't know why (it doesn't give me an error saying it can't use that video's settings). Then when sharing (creating), and you get a second chance, the "Same as First Video Clip" selection does nothing at all (other than report the error "The frame size (720 x 404) of the video file does not match the settings and therefore cannot be trimmed". So both attempts at using the video as an override to the project settings is failing.

In the save options there are only some presets that I don't want in a video mode I don't want (whether it's NTSC or PAL limits the options). User Defined is not available.

There are no DV cameras or DVDs involved in the source or destination of the video.

Here's how I imagined the editing session going, and taking less than a minute (excluding rendering time):

Starting with a 40 minute MP4 video which is 720x404 and decide I want to keep 5 minutes in the middle of it, and discard the rest.
1. Start VS-X6 and Import video to the timeline.
2. Drag a slider to the start of what I want, split, delete the clip on the left.
3. Drag a slider to the end of what I want, split, delete the clip on the right.
4. "Save as" filename_edited.mp4 (same settings as input file), but in X6 terms "share->same settings as first input clip".
5. Done. Or in X6 terms, failed.

I'm hoping to not have to create a template, because I get videos of dozens of different sizes. After all, that's what this "same as first clip" pair of settings is meant to do. Not force you into creating a template.

I've attached a 3 second MP4 which is 720x404. I'll be interested to know if it's only me that's not getting "the message" that's meant to appear when adding to the timeline.

MP4sample720x404.zip

3 second MP4 sample

(71.75 KiB) Downloaded 329 times

[Ken Berry]

I think what Trevor was trying to say was that the original Video Studio versions were aimed principally at the DVD market, and that the 'Same as first clip' and 'Show Message' functions were linked principally to standard def video aimed at eventually producing a DVD. In other words, while more recent versions of VS still have those functions, they have not been expanded to include the many newer video formats and outputs. I should add that we have been pressing in successive beta versions for this to happen, but it hasn't. Draw your own conclusions from that.

That being said, I get the same message as you when using Same As First Clip on your sample clip (and also no message on inserting the video).

The only formats I could customise to your frame size, moreover, were QT .mov (using mp4 properties) and the new WebM format -- which is the latest flash format and available in X5 and X6. IMHO, the latter gave better quality than the QT file I rendered. And in fact, I found the WebM format as good as your original sample -- though of course 3 seconds does not leave great room for a more considered judgment.

[dd4oo5]

Thanks Ken. I guess I'm still confused as to why it can't save as MP4, because clearly MP4 files can be created in that size. I can do it myself using WinFF (which is basically a UI around FFMPEG). It's only a codec conversion and trim/crop tool though, it's not a sophisticated editing tool.

I would say maybe when X7 comes it'll be more flexible, but X6 has only been out a couple of weeks, so it's not like it's old and doesn't much about MP4.

Do you have any recommendations of other programs in the sub $200 price range? I tried Cyberlink VideoDirector and that was surprisingly similar to VS X6, both in terms of UI/features, but more disappointingly, in terms of being strict about video templates/project settings.

There are very few limitations on width/height for MP4 and AVI files (I think odd numbers or those not divisible by 4 are a bad idea, but I bet if you could produce one, VLC could play it). It seems that VS X6 is adding unnecessary extra restrictions.

[lata]

Hi

Sorry for any confusion regarding the Project Properties and Show Messages etc
And Ken thanks for the clarification..
Maybe I should have said they don’t work unless you are using compliant Mpeg2 or DV-Avi.
And yes its about time Corel did address this issue.

Anyhow thanks for the sample.

I was able to set the project properties to use Avi Xvid and Avi-Div X
The Xvid was the easiest to do as Div X required a bit of tweaks to retain the aspect ratio when playing in VCL Player

The attached zip file contains the two project files that should open in X6
When you open the project you will receive a re-link to the MP4sample720x404.mp4 file
Share Create Video File Same as Project Settings will render the video.

The quality does look good given that it’s a 3 second clip.

Using the new rendered file I was able to create a template using Make Movie Templates Manager - Add function to copy the details of the file created.
The template being always available from Share Create Video File-adjacent to the custom option.

There are other options, Ken tried a few, but user defined for Mpeg4 is not available, which does seem a little strange, QuickTime with Mpeg4 Visual compression may be a good option, again allowing for User Defined frame sizes.

Hope this helps

VSP.zip

(3.25 KiB) Downloaded 323 times

[dd4oo5]

Thanks Trevor. This is a big step forward. It's a bit sad that I can't save as .mp4 with 720x404 (maybe one day), but saving as XviD .AVI is a perfectly acceptable second choice. Although 90% of the files I receive are now .mp4, probably about 80% of the videos I have in total are XviD .AVI and I don't mind if that's what I'm creating for now.

My only problem now is the audio. I don't see a way to embed MP3 128kbps audio. It's missing from the possible audio formats. Although in all other programs I have installed, they pickup the LAME (noun rather than adverb) MP3 encoder.

Please tell me this is a possibility

[lata]

Hi

I would advice that you stay clear of MP3 Lame codec, this does cause problems, the forum would then we then advise converting to Wav.

I have other AVI option— “Microsoft MPEG-4 Video Codec V1” ,V2 and V3
Its always been on my pc, clearly must have been installed with one of my programs, not sure which one though, I do know that the other Admin do not see this codec, so a little strange there, but does do a good job.

[dd4oo5]

Hi

I would advice that you stay clear of MP3 Lame codec, this does cause problems, the forum would then we then advise converting to Wav.

I have other AVI option— “Microsoft MPEG-4 Video Codec V1” ,V2 and V3
Its always been on my pc, clearly must have been installed with one of my programs, not sure which one though, I do know that the other Admin do not see this codec, so a little strange there, but does do a good job.

That's a shame. I searched the forums and all the MP3 issues I found were of people saying they can't save with MP3 because it's not an option, or VS wouldn't play the MP3 "input". The majority of posts are of people saying "avoid LAME because it can cause problems", but no real details of the problems. I want to try and stick with it and hope I don't get any of these original problems that might not even be there now.

I think I might be suffering from the fact that I'm using a 64 bit processor as the last post in this thread reports may cause an issue with MP3 not being available, and that's the issue I have - it's not the MP3 doesn't play, it's that MP3 isn't an offered codec for saving/sharing.

I'd rather run a 32 bit version and have it take twice as long to render, than have my audio at 10x the size it would be in MP3. Remember, I'm not burning anything to DVD, so the compression factor (and multi platform support) you get from MP3 really is worth it for me.

Update: It's already running in 32 bit mode, so that's not an issue. Not sure if it's just because it's a 64 bit processor that's the problem.

[Ken Berry]

Just a footnote: XVid (and DivX) are of course a version of mpeg-4. It's just that they use the .avi extension to wrap themselves in.