Timelapse Production.

[stagdriver]

Hi, i have been using the videostudio x7 trial version very successfully for a few weeks on an Xp system with only 3Gb ram and although very slow it worked quite well to produce an HD video from photos (time lapse captures taken at 1 second intervals from a DSLR). It seemed to be limited to dragging about 2000 images at a time onto the timeline, the photo duration was set to the minimum value and it was then rendered to 1080p quite happily and produced a nice smooth video, so i was sold on it.

However, i have now invested in an 8 core processor, 64 bit windows 7 professional and 32Gb ram and brought the latest X7 Ultimate retail and installed as 64bit.

Now the problem is this, i cannot drag more than about 20 images onto the timeline. Any more than about 20 and the timer goes through the motion but nothing appears on the timeline, the cursor goes grey at the last moment. If i select say only 5 images then the timer goes through the motion and the images appear on the timeline quite normally. Is this possibly a bug with the 64 bit system, as the pictures i am trying to import are the actual same ones used for testing on my old pc with the X7 trial and i was able to drag about 2000 at a time.

Do i need to adjust settings, or is there a better method to produce the video from still shots???? Can't understand why the trial version worked but the genuine version does not.

Please someone, Help! i have wasted about 48 hours so far and i'm thinking of reverting to Photoshop.

[canuck]

Are you using the Timelapse option to bring the photos to the timeline? I just did a quick test using 1000 images and had no problem adding the pictures I do not drag the images to the timeline but use the "Open" option). I am using the X7 Ultimate 32bit version on a Vista 64 bit machine.

edited to show that I used the 32bit instead of 64bit version.. Will try with 64bit after installing it

[stagdriver]

I usually drag the images but have tried using the open option with the same results. if i open say 500 images it apparently loads then only 1 or 2 images actually load . Totally baffled right now.

[canuck]

Could you please explain exactly step-by-step how you are adding the photos to your timeline?

What format are your photos, raw or jpg?

I just realized that I was using the 32bit version. I will install the 64bit version and try again.


Works just as well with the 64 bit version
I am running a Vista machine

[lata]

Hi canuck / stagdriver

I am using 64 bit X7 and not having any problems in inserting images (jpeg) to the timeline using both these methods

1 / Right click timeline --Insert Photo, then manually set image duration
2 / Right click timeline –Insert photo for Timelapse -- set to 1 frame.

The program was a little slow to read the files but at 2.4 Gb and 2466 images I guess you would expect that.

[stagdriver]

Thanks for the responses and sorry for delay in responding, i have been on the night shift.

Now i have taken my time to double check my actions so i be sure of what i'm saying.

My usual lazy method is to load files into library, then drag onto the timeline, right click, set frame rate to 1 frame and share. Works every time on the XP machine running 32 bit.
If i do this on the Ultimate version on win7 prof running 64bit, the blue bar graph appears and moves across quite normally but at 100% the cursor goes grey and nothing happens.

Admittedly, my pictures are large at 16Mp in 16:9 format and about 1.6Mbytes each, which could be processed down to near 2.1Mp for 1080HD, but i did not need to do this on the XP machine with the trial version so i just continue to be lazy and accept the longer processing time.

If i use the alternative method:-
File,insert media file to timeline, insert photo for time-lapse/strobe. I get the dialogue box where i select Keep=1, Drop+0, Duration= 1 frame, ok
The files load onto the timeline, but appears to only load 5 to 10 images. I have to move the time line cursor back and forth before they all appear and i can then go ahead and share quite successfully. On the xp machine they all appear on the timeline immediately without any manipulation of the cursor.
This caught me out yesterday as i thought the files were not loading onto the timeline.

to summarize then, Both methods work on XP 32bit but only 1 method works for me on win7 64bit. And i think the graphics is causing the problem with the second method on the 64bit machine as i have an extremely powerful graphics powering an old HP monitor at 1024x768 whilt testing in the workshop. I expect this problem to clear when connected to the proper high res screen. (will see if there are driver updates).

Since others can use both methods, it looks like it may be a hardware issue for me which is disappointing as i built this machine to this spec pretty much for videostudio.

Thanks for your comments guys, they reassured me to persevere.

[lata]

Hi

Not sure about the comment regarding “The files load onto the timeline, but appears to only load 5 to 10 images”

Are you viewing in Timeline View – a continuous stream: or in Storyboard – individual thumbnails, these do take a while to load and you may have to scroll the panel to allow the program to populate all clips.

Graphics Card Drivers,

Well I know that they can affect the use of Jpeg images, but would think it would be all or nothing, I doubt if the wrong driver would load a few and not all?

[stagdriver]

Hi Trevor thanks for the response. I was in timeline view.

I took time out to remove the hdd from this new hardware and put in a new one and install as 32 bit.
I can say that the methods described previously all work for me with no messing about.
If i refit the 64 bit system i get the quirks. Looks like has got issues dependent upon your hardware.
Incidentally i conducted a quick test ti import 1999 images and render to 1080 on both and the 32 bit system was noticeably quicker which was a real disappointment as the 32bit system only uses 4 out of my 32gb memory whereas the 64 bit system makes use of it all (theoretically).

I may just try installing videostudio in 32bit mode on the 64 bit platform and see how it goes (any issues with installing 32 and 64 bit on the same 64 bit platform known by anyone ???, would appreciate the tip before i try it.

[lata]

Hi

You cannot install both 64 bit and 32 bit, you have to install one or the other.
When you try to install 32 bit it will prompt you to uninstall X7 first

I have installed both versions several times, uninstalling X7 first.
I also thought the 32 bit was faster rendering but have to say my pc is not the quickest and may not benefit that much using 64 bit, maybe if I update my pc I will see the 64 bit improvements. At the moment I am running 64 bit and as I said dint have a problem in inserting multiple images. When I reverted to 64 bit the program seemed a little quicker in navigating and editing, times to load clips etc seemed faster.
Difficult to compare when you have to uninstall / reinstall.

[canuck]

Hi stagdriver,

I have created a 1200 photos time lapse project and ran it under 32 and 64 bit.

There was no problem loading under either version, I did not notice much difference in rendering time. The resulting file sizes are almost identical.

[stagdriver]

Thanks for the advice,
i can run perfectly on my hardware when installed as 32bit, No strangely hidden items on the timeline, able to insert picture files both methods previously described.
Problems still persist in 64bit.
So as others have no problems on either 32 or 64 bit, it appears to be hardware specific with 64bit with my spec . Real disappointing as my hardware was specifically tailored for 64bit. (albeit on a budget, hence the AMD).
I will stick with the 32 bit installation for now as i could not really see any performance benefit with the 64bit variant and timelapse production involving 2000 large pictures. (maybe a few seconds quicker on something that still takes 7 to 10 minutes to process).. Perhaps things may be better once (or if) a service pack / patch is made available for X7.

Incidentally, with my new hardware set-up (8core, 32gig etc,),i'm not seeing more than a minute or two improvement over my existing CS6 processing time.

Best regards All

[stagdriver]

I am persevering with 64bit on win 7 ultimate x64. As its definitely a bit faster on timelapse production with 1000's of images. (But only when run without something else having not released the system resources first). read on for explanation.

I would like to share my findings with everyone as it may just help one or two others, or get those who understand things a little better than me thinking about performance enhancements.

I find, that if i have used Photoshop CS6 for some power hungry editing, it tends to use around 26 of my max 32GB Ram and about, 25% of the processor power( 8 core 3.2 Ghz Amd) If watching with task manager / performance. Now when the processing has finished in Photoshop, the processor idles back to about 1% but memory remains at 26GB usage. Shutting down photoshop does not release the memory. Only restarting the PC.

This has a 'Massive' effect on Videostudio Performance and a typical edit may take Ten to fifteen Minutes from loading pictures to completing the export to MPEG. Task Manager / performance reports 26gb Ram used and 75% processor.

Repeating exactly the same edit on the same PC without having run Photoshop CS6 first, the same is achieved in less than four Minutes. (task manager / performance reports 89% processor and up to a max of 4.1gb ram)

Beware Photoshop users.

Was quite surprised that Videostudio uses so little of my 32Gb Ram, looks like 8gb would be plenty of Ram and 32Gb is a waste of money if not needing it for other hungry apps.
Unless there is a way of telling Videostudio to use more of this Ram.

[aljimenez]

....[snip]...
This has a 'Massive' effect on Videostudio Performance and a typical edit may take Ten to fifteen Minutes from loading pictures to completing the export to MPEG. Task Manager / performance reports 26gb Ram used and 75% processor.

Repeating exactly the same edit on the same PC without having run Photoshop CS6 first, the same is achieved in less than four Minutes. (task manager / performance reports 89% processor and up to a max of 4.1gb ram)
....[snip]...

Thanks for sharing your results. I find it incredibly puzzling, however. I don't understand how the same action in VS uses 26gb in one scenario and 4.1gb in the other scenario. Something does not seem right; perhaps task manager associates the unreleased memory with VS? This sure looks like a bug somewhere in Photoshop that leaves some dll running holding on to all that memory... Al

[canuck]

I

I find, that if i have used Photoshop CS6 for some power hungry editing, it tends to use around 26 of my max 32GB Ram and about, 25% of the processor power( 8 core 3.2 Ghz Amd) If watching with task manager / performance. Now when the processing has finished in Photoshop, the processor idles back to about 1% but memory remains at 26GB usage. Shutting down photoshop does not release the memory. Only restarting the PC.

This has a 'Massive' effect on Videostudio Performance and a typical edit may take Ten to fifteen Minutes from loading pictures to completing the export to MPEG. Task Manager / performance reports 26gb Ram used and 75% processor.

So what process uses the 26GB of memory after you shut down PhotoShop?