Crossfade Transition Audio Problems

[inyour4head]

This is my first post on here after purchasing VSX5 with SP1 several weeks ago. I've been able to find answers to most of my questions by searching these forums but I have not been able to find a solution to my current problem. I have recently completed my first video project, an 85 min video that consists of jpeg/mpeg4/mp3 files with various transitions and FX. The jpeg/mpeg4/mp3 files were downloaded from various places on the internet. The project looks good in the edit/preview stage but when I render the project I'm having issues between the mpeg4 files using the crossfade transition. In preview the audio for these files transition just the way I want them to, but when its rendered the audio is cutting out where they join together. Everything else in the project looks perfectly fine. It only happens when I transition between the mpeg4 files, and it happpens with various mpeg4 files, not just one. I have tried rendering it in mpeg2/mpeg4/wma formats with the same results. I've tried cutting the transition time down to as low as .15 sec while adjusting the fade in/fade out volume settings on the clip itself and it has solved some of my problems. However, running the clips together without a transition doesn't look good leaving that option out, and I'm really hoping this will just be an easy fix making my life less stressful.

My question is this; Why will my project not render exactly as it is in the preview/edit mode? Can this problem be solved by simply adjusting VS settings? Or does this sound like something that I will have to solve by manually making adjustments to the clips as I have already started doing?

Thanks in advancve to any and all that reply. I'll do my very best to provide you with any information that I have left out. Please be patient with me as I'm very new to the world of video editing.

P.S.

Why does it take soooo looong to render my files into mpeg4 hd format?? It took a 12min video over 6hrs to complete.....

[lata]

Hi

I would suspect the Mpeg4 video files, maybe a little non-standard and Video Studio is struggling to read the format.

The render times depend on many things, the format of the original to the format of the rendered files.
That is if you were rendering like for like it would be much quicker.

The Fade In option, I assume you are using the Fade-In ramps and not setting via the Sound Mixer.

When you Share Create Video File, choose a template, then press the Options Button, deselect Smart Render, does that improve the audio, “Cutting Out”

As your render times are excessive and 6 hours for a 12 minute clip is very excessive, try to choose settings similar to the originals.
Can you provide the properties of the original video files, right click in the timeline and select properties, take a screen shot and post the image of the window.

[inyour4head]

Thanks for the quick reply...

The render time is certainly much quicker if I select "same as project" settings but the quality isn't as good as the originals. If I choose any of the other Mpeg4 options besides HD the render time is a lot shorter as well. The quality of the Mpeg HD is very desireable but if I were to render the entire 85 min project that way it would likely take a couple days or so. I plan on uploading the video to youtube and would also like to make dvds copies. I'm not all that familiar with the different file formats so any suggestions that would render high quality results and serve my purposes would be greatly appreciated.

I also just tried your suggestion of de-selecting the smart render and I'm not seeing an improvement.

I used the fade-in transition (crossfade) between the video clips. As I began going back through the project trying to manually fix the problem areas I began adjusting the fade-in/fade-out sound effects on the video clip itself. I have been able to fix some of the problems by decreasing the time of the crossfade effect or video clip, and adjusting the sound qualities (fade-in/out) of the clips themselves, but I was really hoping I wouldn't have to go back through the entire project fixing these problem areas as it would be very time consuming.

Heres a screen shot of one of the video files I am using...

Screen Shot

[lata]

Hi

The properties of the video are relatively low quality and some what unusual.

Mpeg4 SP Video is low quality.
The frame size of 640 x 480 is ok but using 4:3 aspect
The Frame Rate of 29.00fps is odd , 29.97fps is the nearest option for NTSC video.

OK things we can try
I created a template using similar settings, Use Settings--Make Movie Templates Manager

MPEG-4 Files
24 bits, 640 x 480, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
MPEG-4 SP Video: 1024 Kbps, 4:3
44100 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
MPEG AAC Audio: 128 Kbps

That would be suitable for the internet.
Create a test project a few minutes long to test the render times.

For a DVD you would have to convert to standard DVD Compliant video file. (Mpeg2)
Typical settings can be seen by selecting Share Create Video File –DVD- DVD Slideshow 4:3.
The details will show in the lower panel of the Create Video File.
The original video is using a frame rate nearest to Ntsc settings, I assume you are in a Ntsc country, If you are in Pal country then you may have to create a NTSC DVD.

Increasing the settings in a hope to increate quality is not gonna achieve much, Silk purse and sows ear comes to mind.

Oh Video Studio project settings default to using 16:9, you should change this to 4:3, then your video will fill the preview screen

[Kingston]

Whoever or whatever created that file with the 29.000 frame rate made a mistake.

I'm sure many users of Windows see "29" when they look at the details of NTSC video files in Windows Explorer. Windows Explorer drops the decimal and everything after it. You cannot use Windows Explorer to determine the correct frame rate. Those users and software developers that are relying on it are creating files with the wrong frame rate.

The long rendering time is partly caused by the frame rate conversion from 29 to 29.97 as well as the upscaling from 640x480 to HD 1920x1080(?).

[inyour4head]

@lata

Those settings certainly render a lot faster than HD. I also ran another test by increasing the frame size and I was a little more pleased with the results. I'm not exactly sure why it gave me better results but it did. I certainly have much to learn about video editing but hopefully I'll be able to master this software in due time. I've just about fixed all the problem areas of the audio cutting out by manually adjusting the timeline/settings. The main issue I'm focusing on now is how to make my project fill the screen. Rendering in either 16:9 and 4:3 are not giving me the results I'm looking for. Any ideas on what I can do to fix the problem?

@Kingston

I believe you're right about the render time having to do with the frame rate conversion and upscaling to HD. The results looked good but the render time draws me away from rendering the entire project into HD format. I believe that the frame size is whats adding most of the time to the process as the render time for other Mpeg4 with the frame rate of 29.97 is much lower. I could be wrong though.

[lata]

Hi

Again I have to repeat your video file is relatively low quality as things go.
640 x 480 frame size is 4:3 ratio. Mp4 and Mov types are used on the web.

For a DVD disc you would use 720 x 480, that’s for Ntsc video used in the US.
“Share Create Video File DVD” 4-3

Video Studio projects default to using 16:9, change this to 4:3 by deselecting Settings – Enable Widescreen --- Your video will fill the screen.

You can convert the video to widescreen by distorting / stretching the frame, you will loose some details top and bottom.
View my guide -- a look at widescreen, http://lata.me.uk/video_studio/16_9/16_9.htm will give you some idea to changing the aspect.

Audio
I don’t really understand why you are having those audio problems, if you are using the Fade ramps then the audio should fade to zero.
From (F6) Settings-Preferences-Edit tab set the default Fade Duration to 3 or 4 seconds, by default it is at 1 second which does not give enough time to hear the change in levels. Only affects new edits.