Videostudio X9 -"Failed on reading Video"

[Philm5d]

My first very short (5 minute) movie attempt fails to render to mpeg-4 giving error message "Failed on reading Video" after 2%. Another attempt to make an avi file gave the same error but DID convert clip 1 only to the destination folder. I haven't attempted writing to a disc yet.
This is the first time I have used Ultimate X9 (after using 7 quite happily). I purchased to 9 utilise 4K .mov files from my JVC GY-HM170 camcorder so naturally I am more than disappointed. In addition, despite smart proxy being enabled, playback in the program is VERY broken and out of sync. Playback via the program is showing something like every tenth frame and the playback point indicator skips and judders across - transitions are impossible to view. Computer is windows 7 home premium 64 bit with core i7 processor and 16 Gb RAM. Subsequently I installed servicepacks 1 and 2, unfortunately in the wrong order as the update in the program gave no indications and I found them online in the wrong order!
Further update I went back to the project and deleted clip 2 just to see if there was some corruption at that point however it made no difference, the same error "Failed on reading Video" after 2%. Any help appreciated. Update: Recording in HD rather than UHD (4K) seems to be handled OK, is it somehow the file size of 4K that is messing things up?
Update 2- The humble windows media player plays 4k clips smoothly and without problems.

[Philm5d]

Anyone? I've posted a support request ticket but haven't had a response to that either so far. At the moment I have an excellent camera with no way to edit 4k footage which is what I purchase it for. Here's the properties from just one of the clips if it helps.

[Ken Berry]

Can we assume you have the latest Quicktime .mov codec installed?

[Philm5d]

Hi Ken, thanks for coming back. I'm afraid I'm not very computer savvy (being of a certain age), please could you elaborate on what that is and how I get it? Is it installed in the Corel program or in the computer? Does the fact that 4K clips play OK in Windows Media Player mean I have the necessary code installed? Many thanks, Phil

[Ken Berry]

If you have Quicktime installed it will appear in Windows Control Panel > Programs and Features. That should also tell you the version installed. I don't think the fact that WMP can play your .mov files necessarily indicates that you have QT installed. WMP and other media players like the excellent freeware VLC player can play .mov files anyway.

Quicktime is owned by Apple and .mov is the Quicktime format. Mind you, it is only a 'wrapper' format. Quite a few very different video types can be wrapped in a .mov layer and call themselves .mov.

There is currently a significant debate occurring in the video editing world since Apple recently announced it was dropping Quicktime from its range because of some unspecified vulnerabilities. The debate is currently focusing on whether those problems relate only to the QT web browser plug-in, or QT as a whole...

[lata]

Hi

In addition although you say you have enabled Smart proxy, your image indicates that no proxy files have been created, right click your clips and choose create proxy.
Files do take a while to create, a small icon will show on your clips.

Smart Proxy will not affect the crashes you are experiencing but should improve project playback.

Settings- Project Properties, make sure your project properties are set to represent your video files properties, normally this would be done automatically, however I do not thing X9 can set your audio as BigEndian so would have to be done manually. Frame size and Frame rate should be the same as video.

[Philm5d]

Thanks Ken and Trevor, all I can say is that QuickTime 7 is now installed but has made no difference. Re- Proxies - All the boxes are ticked in the performance tab of preferences.
Project properties is new to me. It was set to "DVD". I can't see any setting under any of the formats that would match 4K file size and frame rate ie 3840x2160 at 30P. Thanks, Phil PS Still waiting to hear from Corel Support.

[Ken Berry]

Check in Preferences > General to make sure the box beside "Show message when inserting first video clip" is ticked. In X9 it is ticked by default but if somehow this has been unticked, you should make sure it is ticked. Then start a new project and insert one of your 4K clips. Do you get a message asking if you want the Project Properties to match those of the clip? If so, say OK.

[Philm5d]

Hi Ken, the box is checked and no message shown on inserting clip. Re. Project preferences, how should they be set to maintain 4k resolution all the way through to burning a blu ray disc?

Just as an aside, does the program allow combining of differing clip properties within a single project such as different frame rates/resolution etc? ... perhaps even from different camcorders?

[Philm5d]

If there's anyone still interested, here's a short vid to illustrate the problems I am having, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZVDSnb ... e=youtu.be

[lata]

Hi

Yes we are still interested but I have been on holiday and have limited access to the forum.

First I do not think the Show Messages will work for your video as we cannot set Mov as project properties neither can we set the Big Endian audio option.

Your YT video does prove a little interesting in that the program is using Pal 25fps as you live in the UK, your video however is using 29.97 fps being NTSC not Pal.

Smart Proxy is enabled but proxy files have not been created, please right click the train clip and choose Create Proxy Files.
Now view Settings Smart Proxy Queue Manager and then File Manager to review the progress.
A double icon will show on the clip when proxy files have been created, this should improve the Project playback, but Clip playback may be the same?

OK manually change your project properties.

If you go to Settings - Project Properties (Alt+Enter) – Project Format Mobile or Online

First select MPEG-4 AVC (1920 x 1080, 25p, 5Mbps)
Then choose New to set these properties:-

MPEG-4 Files
24 bits, 3840 x 2160, 29.97 fps
Frame-based
H.264 High Profile Video: 18000 Kbps, 16:9
48000 Hz, 16 Bit, Stereo
MPEG AAC Audio: 256 Kbps

Set the profile name to MPEG-4 AVC (3840 x 2160, 29.97p, 18Mbps) or some meaningful name, “My 4K template” would do?

I have to admit as to guessing the data rate of 18000Kbps (18Mb)

Lets see if setting these properties improves things.

Oh when you Share choose Same as Project Properties or create a new Mpeg4 template using above settings--hit the + symbol

What are you intending to make with your project, burn a disc I guess not, so video for computer playback?

[Philm5d]

Hi Trev, hope you had a good holiday. If it’s holiday rather than vacation I reckon you are on my side of the pond. Perhaps firstly I should explain that I’m a professional STILLS photog who’s always had an interest in the moving image since I owned a cine camera and made films as a schoolboy and tried to join the BBC. Things seemed much simpler then with 16/18 or 24 frames per second. So I’m very much feeling my way with this new fangled video thing.
I shot the movie in 4k at 30P. Do I gather it should have been 25P for PAL? The camcorder instructions are hellishly complicated at least for me and I can’t actually find any references to PAL or NTSC settings as such. I chose 30P as my previous camcorder a Panasonic AG hmc 41 had difficulty with pans when set to 25P (no 30P option) and so I used to use 50i with that cam.
With this cam the 4K options are 30/25/24P. If I’m right in my assumptions I should set this to 25P only?
By the way HD settings allow 60P, 60i,50P,50i, 30P,25P and 24P. The book does not tell me if these are PAL or NTSC dependent.
It’s been a trying day today so I’ll experiment with your suggestions in the days to come.
My ultimate goal is to burn to blu ray disc keeping the 4K resolution all the way through although I can’t find a definitive answer regarding true 4K blu ray players (rather than upscalers) that can play true 4K into a 4K TV.
My head’s starting to ache so I’ll leave it there adding just my thanks to yourself and the others who are helping me with this. By the way if anyone knows a really good book or books that explain some of the above for the pro or semi pro videographer I’d be pleased to know the title! Thanks, Phil.

[Ken Berry]

HD settings allow 60P, 60i,50P,50i, 30P,25P and 24P. The book does not tell me if these are PAL or NTSC dependent.

For any video format, 30 (exact multiples e.g. 60) whether P or I, are always indicative of NTSC. (The be accurate, it should be 29.97/59.94 but these days it is mostly rounded up to 30/60.) Equally, 25 and multiples is indicative of PAL. The 24P is what is known as cinema format which movie studios use(d) to make their big productions.

To a certain extent, high definition video has lessened the importance of the distinction between NTSC and PAL. However, there is one important factor which needs to be borne in mind, and that concerns mixing PAL and NTSC footage in one project. When you have finished editing such a project, you have to decide whether you will render it into a new video with either NTSC or PAL properties. Normally, you would probably choose the format with the most clips included in the project. The problem with this, though, is that if you choose for example NTSC at 30 or 60 fps, then the PAL clips will also have to be 'augmented' from 25/50 to 30/60. And to do this, Video Studio will have to 'invent' 5 or 10 new frames for those clips by repeating existing ones. Depending on what is in those clips e.g. fast action pans, those clips are likely to appear a bit jerky in the final video. The same can be said for NTSC clips included in a PAL project being rendered to PAL: 5 or 10 clips of each NTSC clip will literally be thrown away, and again jerkiness could result in those parts of the rendered video.