VS6 - How to display video and video's audio

[jklein]

I am a new VS6 user (coming from Pinnacle Studio). Is there a way to display the video and the video's audio waveform on the timeline at the same time. I see where I can select the Sound Mixer button above the timeline, which does show the audio waveform, but then the video thumbnails disappear.

2nd question, when I put a fade-to-black transition between two clips, it seems like the clips' audio does not get faded out then in with the next clip. Do I have to add a separate audio fade for every video fade?

Thanks in advance for the help.

-jklein

[Ken Berry]

I don't think it is possible to show both together -- only one or the other...

And is there any special reason you are using the fade to black between clips (unless the second clip is a black colour matte)? I would usually use crossfade. But in fact the audio should also crossfade. If it doesn't, then you would need to go into audio view and manually do the audio crossfade by pulling down the node at the end of the first clip, and the node at the start of the second clip using the "rubber band" method which I think also applies in Pinnacle...

[jklein]

Ken, thank you for the response.

In regards to the transition, I like to use fade-to-black(fade-out/fade-in) effect between clips instead of crossfade.

When I put in the fade-to-black transition, I can hear the 2nd clip's audio start to play before the 1st clip's video has faded to black. Thinking this may be an audio out of sync issue on the timeline only, I created a full HD mpeg2 file from the project, and it exhibits the same behavior where I can hear the 2nd clip audio while still seeing the first clip video. In Pinnacle Studio I am used to seeing the audio and video fade to a true black frame and silent audio before seeing the 2nd clip video fade in and audio ramp up.

[BrianCee]

Fade to black is NOT a "fade out - fade in" transition - it is a fade out to black only

Using the 'fade to black transition VideoStudio does not expect there to be another video clip following - fade to black does not affect the following clip at all - how can it ? fade to black is essentially a crossfade from your clip to an inbuilt black clip - if you really want a black space then put a black block into the timeline between videos and crossfade into and out of it.

[jklein]

Thank you Brian, that clears it up. Based on your post, I take it there is no fade-out/fade-in like I am looking for available in VS6, correct?

[Ken Berry]

No. You need to do it the way Brian described. To make that easier, you can find colour mattes, including black, under the icon to the right of the preview screen that looks a bit like a flower. And you can adjust the mattes to any length/duration you want.

And as a footnote it's VS X6 (i.e. 16) not VS6 which came out before I even started video editing more than 10 years ago with VS7...

[jklein]

Thanks for the info Ken, and for letting me know about the version number and history. I remember a long time ago I had a trial to both Ulead VS and Pinnacle Studio ( I think back in the late '90's), and I decided to go with Studio. I still remember Studio was buggier software and VS more stable and quality oriented, but for some reason I went with Studio. Now Studio is dead, so funny how I have come back to VS.

[canuck]

Thanks for the info Ken, and for letting me know about the version number and history. I remember a long time ago I had a trial to both Ulead VS and Pinnacle Studio ( I think back in the late '90's), and I decided to go with Studio. I still remember Studio was buggier software and VS more stable and quality oriented, but for some reason I went with Studio. Now Studio is dead, so funny how I have come back to VS.

Pinnacle Studio is not dead - version 17 is available. Corel acquired Pinnacle as well as Roxio a while ago.

[jklein]

Yes Canuck, I know Studio 17 is available, but it is nothing like Studio v15 and earlier. I have used Pinnacle Studio since version 1, up through version 15. I watch the Pinnacle forums, and have read about the totally different look and feel Studio 16/17 vs v15 and earlier. Either way, I have to learn a new editor, so I thought I would give VSX6 a try.