Easy Newbie Question

[Steve Greig]

Hi all, just installed my X8 Ultimate today and trying the basics. All went well to create my first video with title, transitions, music etc, except it was horribly choppy like the frame rate was wrong. Until my video camera arrives I'm just using previous GoPro footage to get me started. The GoPro MP4 clip is 1280x960 @ 59fps. On the X8 work screen when I go to Settings>Project Properties>Edit and choose 59 (or 60) fps to match the project to the clip (do you need to even do that?) it just says: "This video codec is unable to compress the video with the specified combination of frame rate and size".
So my question is, how do I fix this to make the X8 video run smooth like the original does??
Thanks!

[lata]

Hi Steve

And welcome to the forums

First go to Settings – Preferences – tick Show Messages when inserting first video…….

Start a new project, add one of your video files, hopefully you will get a message to match the properties,
Choose Details to view the right panel for your video files properties, if you wish copy and paste those to your post.
Choose yes/ok and your project properties will change.

If your project playback is a little slow/ jerky then go to Settings Smart Proxy Manager- enable smart proxy—add your video file to the timeline and proxy files will be created, otherwise right click the clip and Create Smart Proxy Files

Does that improve things?

[Steve Greig]

Thanks Trevor, will try that and let you know...
Is it too late once a project is done? Or must it be done straight after importing a video file, before any editing?

[BrianCee]

Yes it is to late once a project is already started - as Trevor said - - "start a new project" - do not even just delete what you have and then try it - it must be in a brand new project.

[Steve Greig]

I've also seen that under Project Properties > Edit Profile > General Tab, you can select fps and frame type (what should you select: frame based or lower field first?).
Then under the AVI Tab, you can select Compression, where there is actually a GoPro Cine Form codec option.
Is it necessary to usually do all this, or with Smart Proxy selected, will the software automatically choose the best option to suit any incoming video file from any camera?
Thanks

[lata]

Hi

You can set the project properties manually from Settings - Project Properties, I think the Mobile or On-Line option’s should allow for MP4
Hopefully you should be able to match the video properties.

For future work they will / should change automatically.

[Steve Greig]

Okay, thanks Brian. That explains a lot - like why I've been unable to correct the finished video jerkiness. No worries though, it's just a test one, and I'll know for next time

[lata]

Hi Steve
Start a new project, add one of your video files, hopefully you will get a message to match the properties,
Choose Details to view the right panel for your video files properties, if you wish copy and paste those to your post.
Choose yes/ok and your project properties will change.

That will give us your video properties, I think frame Based but should be same as original.

[lata]

Hi Steve

A bit of confusion two things going on here...........

Show Messages should be ticked, that automatically matches the project properties to your video files properties, works for most but not all formats when adding the first clip, hence starting a new project.

Smart Proxy is a separate issue, this creates proxy files of HD type video above a certain frame size.
Proxy files are created for all clips added to the project, any time.
You can also right click your clip and choose Create Proxy files.
A small icon will show on the thumbnail when these have been created.
That should improve timeline playback.

[Steve Greig]

Just one more question guys, on a different issue sorry, then I'm done... Sometimes during editing (especially after timeline edits and then going to Preview) the software freezes for a minute or so (i.e. no key or icon works). Is this a case of needing a faster processor, or something else more simple I should check out first? Or maybe a re-install? Thanks
PS: I've really enjoyed my first day with VS-X8... I'm a wedding 'photo'grapher, but this is amazing, a whole new creative world opened up!

[lata]

Hi Steve

Unfortunately there has always been some delay after hitting the play button but only a few seconds, a minute or so would be quite long.
Adding filters and masks to your project may increase the delay as though the program is scanning before playing???

For X8 Corel did advise us that they had reduced the reaction times and the play delay was much improved.

I guess we have simply got used to any delay, at the moment only a second or two?

You could check the selections for hardware acceleration via Preferences (F6) – Performance tab to see if that improves things, I have all selected but not really noticed any difference? Don’t really understand what they do anyway?

Thought.....If your system is creating those Smart Proxy files then editing may be a little slow?

[Steve Greig]

Thanks Trevor, yes it's not that bad. So all good

[Steve Greig]

One more question please along similar lines: Why does my finished video, using the advice above, look great on Preview screen, but saves to desktop as a jittery pixelated-looking video. The Preview properties show MPEG4, 60fps, 24bit, 1920x1080, 16:9 etc., but the Share option for MPEG4 only has 25p available. So frame rate is not matched. Is the trick to use the "Custom" save option, which then saves the video to desktop at full resolution and correct frame rate? Do y'all do that for best quality? Thanks

........... Think I just answered my own question there...... I just tried doing the "Custom" save, and the video saved at proper frame rate and quality for desktop viewing, so beautiful! The "MPEG" save option seems to be geared for online sharing, which must have to be at 25p.

[RobertOZ]

Try using AVC/H264, this will give you the option of 60p or 60i

[Steve Greig]

What's the difference?