4k problem in trial version

[dazzray]

Hi, new user here. Just installed the trial version of VS X8, and am trying to learn how to use it. The first problem I've encountered relates to 4k (.MP4) video.

I imported some HD-1080 (.MOV) and some MP4 4k video clips into the editor to start learning the product.

1: The 4k clip thumbnails just appear as solid green (ie, I don't see the video contents of the clips in the thumbnails).

2: If I double-click on a 4k thumbnail in the library area, a Single Clip Trim window opens, and the clip plays ok there.

3: On the timeline, I have 2 clips: an HD-1080 clip followed by a 4k clip; I start playback (of the project) at the beginning, and the HD clip plays ok. But when it gets to the 4k clip, I just see solid green, not the clip contents. But if I single-click on the 4k clip in the timeline to select it, and start playback of the clip, I do see the contents in the preview.


HD-1080 .MOV clips appear to work ok so far.

Any suggestions?

[canuck]

The trial version is basically useless since Corel has removed many features (because of licensing costs). Propably many of the HD related features are missing.

[dazzray]

I submitted this to Corel tech support. I received a response asking for a screen shot of the error message I was receiving. There is no error message, it just isn't working correctly. If the support person had read my issue, that would have been clear to them. Is this the kind of support person I can expect from Corel? If so, I'm glad I didn't pay for the product.

[lata]

Hi

If you are able to upload your video to a sharing site, maybe Google Drive, Microsoft One Drive, DropBox etc.
Then we can download and try on the full version. Yes I realise that the files may be large, if you can upload I will download.

As canuck says the trial version is cut down with many features removed.

In the meantime go to Preferences F6 and set Show Messages when inserting First Clip
Start a new project and add one of your files.
You should get a message asking to match the properties, if that works for the trial version

Oh where did you get the 4K video from? Maybe a camera or converted using other software????

[dazzray]

Thank you for your help.

I uploaded two clips to Dropbox:

An HD-1080 clip is at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i5t99b2ejdeea ... 6.MTS?dl=0

A 4k clip is at
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jv3kjomgaw9iy ... 8.MP4?dl=0

I set the "Show msg" option as you suggested, started a new project, added the HD clip to the timeline, then added the 4k clip to the timeline. At that point I did get the msg asking if I wanted to change the project setings to match the video. Not being familiar with the product yet, I'm not sure exactly what this refers to, but I answered "yes" (so it can use Smart Render, whatever that will do). I then tried the playback of the project... same results, the HD clip played, but the 4k clip was just a green screen. If I click on the 4k clip and do playback of the clip (not project), it plays properly.

I also tried it with just the 4k clip on the timeline by itself; if I playback the clip, it works, but if I playback project, it shows just green screen. So, it seems there's an issue handling 4k clips in the "project" playback mode.

The 4k footage comes from a Panasonic HC-X1000 video cam.

[lata]

Hi

Thanks for the samples….

I am not having any problems with the MTS file, that seems to play ok, although I have not tried editing, but it does look like bog standard HD, similar to my Panasonic camera.
You have recorded using 59.94 fps, if you are intending burning Bluray disc then 29.97fps will have to be used.
MPEG Transport-Stream Files

24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 59.94 fps
Frame-based
(HDMV-NTSC), 16:9
H.264 Video
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 26491 kbps)
Audio data rate: 192 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

The 4K, properties below, whats worrying is the large Data Rate of 158399Kbps, checked with MediaInfo and it does seem to be correct,
Has this file been re-coded from the original?

The video looks ok on my screen but when played is a little jerky and seems to overrun.
That is the curser reaches the end yet the video appears to play on for a few seconds, I am sure that’s not right. Although it could be my PC?
When I use the overlay track it seems to play ok stopping at the end. But certainly getting mixed results when playing this file.

MPEG-4 Files
24 bits, 3840 x 2160, 59.94 fps
Frame-based
H.264 High Profile Video: 158399 Kbps
48000 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
LPCM Audio: 768 Kbps

[dazzray]

Hi,

Yes, that data rate should be correct... the HC-X1000 can record 4k at 200Mbps, 150Mbps, and others too (all to SD cards!). My computer doesn't play it properly either, until it's been rendered to HD 1080. (Windows 8.1, 4-core I5 3.1ghz cpu, 7200 rpm HDD).

Did the 4k clip play correctly when you played back the project (as opposed to the clip) ?


I just recently got this camera, and am still learning it. I started recording at 200Mbps, for best quality I could get, but the files are huge, and the computer isn't up to the job, so reduced to 150Mbps, and that's better, but still doesn't play well (same stuttering playback you're getting, etc). I may go back to 1080/60p for the time being. But many are saying that 4k recordings rendered to 1080 are still better than original 1080 HD, so that's why I've been trying that. I've been using another editor, and am not happy with its slow performance, which is why I decided to give VS a try. But at this point, I can't say I'm thrilled with the trial version. Its chopped down content may make it very difficult to decide whether I want to purchase it or not. Not knowing what's been left out of the software leaves one wondering if the product is usable or not. Why don't these software vendors either explicitly state up front what won't work, or give us the complete package in a trial version? How can we properly judge them? If I saw that the product will do what I want, I'd be more than happy to buy it-- that's why I'm trying it out in the first place!

Oh well, I won't rant anymore

Thanks for taking the time to test this for me, I do appreciate it!

-Ray

[daviator]

Is this the kind of support person I can expect from Corel? If so, I'm glad I didn't pay for the product.

Yes, I ran into the same problems with Corel Draw. They would answer tickets as if they didn't read a thing, and sometimes they'd do it again even after I pointed out their oversight. Then they were closing my tickets and saying the software problem was "as designed" or "user error" when I had in fact found numerous bugs. It got so bad that a manager from Corel corporate finally called me and reopened all of my tickets once he realized that I was correct on all accounts.

Corel used to be great but now they just just penny pinching themselves out of business.

[Ken Berry]

Its chopped down content may make it very difficult to decide whether I want to purchase it or not. Not knowing what's been left out of the software leaves one wondering if the product is usable or not. Why don't these software vendors either explicitly state up front what won't work, or give us the complete package in a trial version? How can we properly judge them? If I saw that the product will do what I want, I'd be more than happy to buy it-- that's why I'm trying it out in the first place!

With previous versions the trial version was in fact the full version, just time limited to 30 days, after which it was no longer accessible. This time, with X8, Corel took the silly decision to severely limit what was available in the trial version. Since they have to pay licensing fees to third companies for the plug-ins they include, even with trial versions which are free, they decided to be penny-pinching this time round and cut out anything involving licence fees. We have told them repeatedly this is just shooting themselves in the foot since potential users like you will not be able to test things which are pretty common these days, but also in these circumstances turning people off the product altogether.

That being said, you also mentioned Corel support in an earlier post. In fact I have to say I am surprised you got any response at all from them since the usual company policy is not to offer any tech support at all for trial versions.

I have now downloaded and played around with your 4K clip. Like Trevor, in Project mode it plays back erratically/jerkily -- but I attribute that to the computer I used which is not really up to the job of dealing with video of this type. I rendered to a new video with identical properties and got the same result -- smooth playback in Clip mode, and jerky in Project mode.

However, I then rendered it to 1080P mode (1920 x 1080, 59.94 fps and a bitrate randomly selected of 23 Mbps). The resulting clip still seemed to be very high quality and played smoothly in both Clip and Project modes. As for the apparent quality on screen, just bear in mind that my monitor is a 24 inch full HD one, but not anywhere near 4K. But I would normally be very happy with this level of quality from my own video...

[lata]

Hi,
Did the 4k clip play correctly when you played back the project (as opposed to the clip) ?
-Ray

In clip mode the video is jerky, it also overruns continuing to play at the end???
In project mode with smart proxy applied the playback seems ok.

[Ken Berry]

I haven't bothered with SmartProxy. But on my Core i3 which I am currently using, the clip plays smoothly in Clip mode (apart from the inherent 'bounciness' of the plant which I assume was caused by wind). In Project mode it is definitely jerky starting off smoothly for a second or two, then seeming to stop altogether, with a final jerk just before the end.

[dazzray]

Do you have a recommendation for hardware requirements to handle 4K editing (Windows based system)? I currently have a Dell Inspiron I5 3.10 Ghz with Intel Graphics 4600 display adapter, 7200-rpm HDD. It's less than 2 years old, but apparently doesn't have the horsepower to play 4K smoothly. What, at a minimum, would be adequate?