Videostudio Ultimate x9 crashes

[pvreditor]

Thanks, Trevor... it's interesting that you are having issues, although it does not sound like the same issues I'm having. Still, it leaves open the possibility that there is something odd about Panasonic's 4K 100Mbps encoding. I did a quick edit, stringing the same files together, and VS X9 worked perfectly so far, although I had to quit for a shopping jaunt. Now that I'm back, I will continue a bit to see if I get a crash.

Bob

[pvreditor]

Okay, I strung some of the backyard bird clips together using VS X9 and was surprised that there were no crashes during editing. However, when I rendered, VS X9 crashed during the first render at 86 percent complete. The second try at rendering, it crashed at 62 percent complete. I did not try a third time. You can download my X9 VSP file here -- this uses the bird video clips that I shared earlier: https://we.tl/4QOaXEeJCi

If anyone tries this, please share your results.

Bob

[pvreditor]

Just to put both links in one easy-to-use location, here is the link to download five 4K video files shot using my Panasonic ZS100 camera: https://we.tl/wDV2iakmg4

And here is the VideoStudio X9 project file I created to edit those files: https://we.tl/4QOaXEeJCi

Note that I was successful at completing the edit -- no crashes! However, VideoStudio crashed twice when I attempted to render.

Bob

[Ken Berry]

I've only just now had the chance to download your files and play around with them -- though have not yet downloaded your project file. I have done my playing around so far on two computers, using both X10 and X9. One computer (a Core i3) is the one listed under my avatar. The other is an older Core i3 with an older NVidia GeForce GT330 GPU and only 4 GB of RAM. Both computers run Win 10.

I did only minimal editing, rearranging the order of the clips when I placed them in the timeline, changing transitions and the time for the transitions. And in one case I added a rendered version of the project to the original four clips and rendered again. Since I had on both computers matched Project Properties to the clips' properties, I went to Share > Same As Project Settings. The first computer using X10 rendered quite quickly and the new video played back smoothly. The second computer using X9 not surprisingly took more time, but again the resulting video played back smoothly.

And no crashes at all on either computer!

I might add that despite both being only Core i3, I had no trouble getting the clips into both versions of VS. The main computer, moreover, played them in both Clip and Project mode with no trouble at all. The older computer in Project mode played them erratically and the audio was a bit spotty, but I put this down to the age of the computer. Nevertheless I didn't bother using SmartProxy on that computer and certainly didn't have to on the main computer. The resulting video from the second computer played perfectly smoothly with sound intact when I transferred it back to the main computer.

EDIT: I downloaded the project file and relinked with the original 4 clips. I note there was apparently a separate sparrow clip which I did not have, so I simply deleted that black clip in the project file, and its attendant title, and proceeded to render. Again no problems at all, and a nice smooth resulting clip. And still no sign of a crash with anything I have done with those files on either computer!

[pvreditor]

Thanks, Ken. There should have been five clips on WeTransfer -- the e-mail I was sent confirms five files. But no matter, though... there is something in my eight-month-old HP computer and the way that it runs VideoStudio that doesn't like Panasonic 100Mbps 4K files. FWIW, I did not check the "Match Project Properties" box and attempted to render as 40Mbps 4K files. But again, most times I can't even get to the point of rendering, as the software usually crashes when I playback the project on the timeline.

Bob

[Ken Berry]

Not sure how I missed the sparrow clip, but as you said "no matter" -- at the time I thought the rearrangement of the vsp file was a useful further bit of editing! FWIW my main computer is also a HP -- an all-in-one desktop and I have to say I have been quite pleased with it, and do just about all my editing on it these days despite it being only a Core i3.

Maybe I'll give that idea of 40 Mbps a go to see what happens, but it will have to be tomorrow...

[MrJohnny]

Bob

Downloaded your bird clips (good shots) and your VSP.
Using X9 Ult, the project plays fine in project mode, all the way through.
But, trying to render to MPEG-4 AVC (1920x1080 25p, 15 Mbps) it crashed at 37 %.
The second attempt to render to the same output file completed successfully!

Replacing the fifth transition with the Flying Fold Transition locks my system up, X9 does not respond and has to be shut down using Task Manager. Nothing to do with your clips, all to do with my setup. Thought I would try anyway, no surprise, got the response expected - a lock up.

John

[lata]

Hi Bob

The sample project (Backyard Birds - test edit VS X9) is using HD properties not 4K.

MPEG-4 Files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 29.918 fps
Frame-based
H.264 High Profile Video: 17072 Kbps
48000 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
MPEG AAC Audio: 96 Kbps

I would have thought your project properties will be same as video file

MPEG-4 Files
24 bits, 3840 x 2160, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
H.264 High Profile Video: 105600 Kbps
48000 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
MPEG AAC Audio: 128 Kbps

I have not tried rendering as yet, my earlier tests were ok with those samples, only when I made a longer sample nearly 8 minutes did I have problems.

But you are best in setting the PP to same as Video

In Preferences F6 do you have Show Messages …………………… ticked?

Converting to other formats could cause problems, I assume you wish to retain the 4K quality?
What are you intending to make as your final output file?

[pvreditor]

Trevor, as I mentioned to Ken (above), I did not check the "Match Project Properties" box and attempted to render as 40Mbps 4K files. That's when I got two crashes and stopped attempting to render. I do get a box popping up asking if I want to match project properties, but declined since I was going to render at 40Mbps/4K. But again, most of the time, I can't even get to the point of rendering, as the program almost always crashes while editing.

Bob

[lata]

Hi Bob

Just noticed that your project properties are using 24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 29.918 fps
Not 29.97fps as standard
Is there a reason for that?

You now indicate you are downsizing by rendering to 40Mb, sorry I missed that in your reply to Ken.
So what is your final output video properties gonna use?

We have 3 properties to consider, the video our project properties and our share settings
and I seems to me that we are all using different ones which is not good for comparing results.

I have now rendered your project to 40 Mbps, Same as Project and Same as Clip. All rendered without problems?

[pvreditor]

Trevor, I had no idea about the 29.918 fps but do know that 29.97 fps is standard in the US. I simply did not check the "Match Project Properties" box and used the default settings. Perhaps the crashes I'm getting are the fault of the default? I will look into that.

Bob

[MrJohnny]

Something is wrong with the frame rates reported:

1 The original bird clip frame rates are 29.97fps - from MediaInfo

2 The output file generated by VSX9 using "same as project settings" is 29.940fps with the original frame rate quoted as 29.918fps. - from MediaInfo

The VSX9 Share tab shows:
NTSC non-drop frame (30 fps)
MPEG-4 Files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 29.918 fps
Frame-based
H.264 High Profile Video: 17072 Kbps
48000 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
MPEG AAC Audio: 96 Kbps
when "same as project settings" selected.

Seems that either VSX9 is picking up incorrect frame rate information or MediaInfo is.

John

[pvreditor]

I created a new project setting profile that has the following information:

MPEG-4 Files
24 bits, 3840 x 2160, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
H.264 High Profile Video: 40000 Kbps, 16:9
48000 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
MPEG AAC Audio: 256 Kbps

I tried rendering once more and got the same program crash at 62 percent. Let's see if I can post a photo of the error message:

I went back to an earlier edit of different material that was crashing after each new file. I fixed the project setting profile to the same as shown above and attempted to continue editing. No go... the very next file I dragged to the timeline crashed VideoStudio. Subsequent attempts got the same results. Unfortunately, those files are too big to share. (These are the exact same files that edited perfectly using PowerDirector 15.) So I have frequent crashes on editing. If I can get through the edit to the render stage, I have frequent crashes on rendering.

Bob

[Ken Berry]

FWIW my original project(s) using the 4 clips I had downloaded had the correct 4K/59.94 fps Project Properties, and this was also reflected in the new clip derived using Same As Project Settings. Using Bob's project file, the resulting clip was, as others have already found, HD and with the anomalous 29.918... I confess I did not check those properties when I first rendered.

Anyway, I have just reopened Bob's project and this time set the Project Properties to what he was trying to get: 4K mp4 at 40 Mbps. This rendered pretty quickly too using Same As Project Settngs, and I ended up with a new video at 3840 x 2160, 29.97 fps. While the bitrate was not quite 40 mbps it was very close at 39.061 mbps... And again not a hint of a crash, and the new clip plays beautifully and smoothly.

[MrJohnny]

Hi Bob

I rebuilt your project from scratch using your original clips trimmed to the exact lengths in your original VSP and used the exact lengths of Crossfade Transitions each time as they differed from each other.
I made sure that I accepted the invitation to set the Project properties to match the First Clip Properties. Details below:

MPEG-4 Files
24 bits, 3840 x 2160, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
H.264 High Profile Video: 105600 Kbps
48000 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
MPEG AAC Audio: 128 Kbps

I then added the Black intro Clip 3 seconds long, and added the Crossfade Transition 12 frames duration at the beginning.

Have no idea how you got the frame rate of 29.918fps in your project. Now, at last, I Shared>"same as project">using the properties quoted above, the results were three consecutive render failures at 26%, 75%, and 25%.

In other words the VSX9 Ult crashes when using your 4K clips with correct frame rates/consistent frame rates throughout, at least on my system. It does not appear to be connected to the CPU because Ken has no problem.

John