Why is VideoPad 3 SOOOOOO SLOOOOOOWWWWW

[gibson23]

I like the changes to the new version, but what is the deal with it always having to "build preview." I know others have mentioned having this same problem and have seen it posted in this forum. Have they fixed the bug yet? This is one that I'm sure affects everyone.

 

It's not my computer, I know that. And I've used VideoPad for years, so I know the program. The older versions never did this.

 

Also, now it takes about 10 minutes to save a 10mb Video, whereas before it would only take about a minute.

 

And (until they fix this bug) - is there anyway to go back and download the older versions so at least I can do some basic editing?

 

Thanks.

[Henshin_Ikeda]

I've tried downloading the old version, and instead I bought the full version and got screwed over since nothing changed

 

The old version was nicer since the convert rate was faster...and now I spend roughly 1 hour and 45 minutes to convert a 15 minute clip I made

(convert to wmv)

[gibson23]

Absolutely agree. I want to buy the new version, but not a chance if they are not going to fix what seems to be a fairly common problem many people are having. I've gone back to 2.12 which is the only moderately usable version. But if they could fix that bug in the new version, it would be oustanding and I would buy it.

 

But it seems they dont know what it is, and therefore it doesnt seem to be getting fixed.

 

Frustrating.!!!!

[jabba52]

This isn't a bug. It's clearly a decision they've made. I'm not sure what the reason is. It might be because they have to purchase a license for some codecs in order to play them back real time maybe? And so now everything has to render in their own proprietary codec. If this is the case, then you'll definitely never see the real-time experience of the older versions again. I'm actively looking for another editing software, so if anyone knows of one I guess you could even put it on this forum? hehe

[andrewandrew]

Ok, I just saw this posting,

I thought it was me, but clearly not from thiese posts and other that I have now seem.

The building Preview that kicks in constantly and takes up to 2 hours to render makes editing IMPOSSIBLE...This has really made the Video Pad software next to useless, the features and fuynctionality is awesome, but this speed has made a day of editig the most frustrang experience I have had in many years, WHat Jabba said about the codecs makes sense, but then why does the paid version also suffer in the same way..

This is confusing and I think I very reluctantly will have to dump Video pad as the very latest version from yesterday has exactly the same issue

WOW this is a sad day

[Nationalsolo]

Hi Andrewandrew

 

Just tried to reply to your other post but must have clashed as I couldn't upload.

My comment is that using the earlier version (2.41) I have never experienced your 1-2 hour "Building Preview" problem and my hardware is similar to your own. When simply splitting or adding/inserting clips there should be virtually no delay.

 

For example, I have just completed a 30 min DVD of around 150 short clips cut and adjusted to fit a musical soundtrack and with numerous transitions. Apart from when adjusting the title overlay (when "Building Preview" appeared for 10 seconds or so,) I experienced no delays at all. In fact in many ways I prefer V2.41 to version 3.01/2 which, to be fair, I have only tested with short (3-5 min) trial videos to see how the various functions differed.

 

If there is this delay just for a simple insert or split or transition and things remain unusable until VP has created your alteration then something is definitely wrong.

However, if are you refering to 1-2 hours to render your finished movie, then it may well take 2 hours or more for a 45min film to be converted to a completed avi.

 

I suggest you try the earlier version to see if the problem persists, then at least you will know if it is the program version or your hardware.

 

Nat

[andrewandrew]

There is an alternate easy fix here.

 

I had a 45 minute video and it was taking up to 2 hours to preview my cut/paste edits I was dying at the computer with the building preview screen, I optimised my computer and it made no difference. So I got out my visual code inspector from C++ builder and I found out some more about the program.....

 

This is the solution, and it works, I tried it on 2 other projects and I had some collegues test it out on some big videos and it works, it definitely solves the lengthy Building Preview issue when that is the problem.

 

Simply cut the video up into small manageable sequences and place the sequences you are happy with into the sequence tabs. This prevents Video Pad from going and recompiling these each time you make a change. You are basically forcing video pad to wwwork on small section of the video and not the whole video. On my 45 minute video where I was dying waiting 2 hours for teh cut/paste edit operation each time with teh "building Peview message" that is now down to 40 seconds, I have stormed through the project really easy.

 

The Sequences I am using are no longer than 5 minutes, the shorter teh sequence teh faster the video pad will operate

 

Hope this helps you

 

Helen

[Bluewkd72]

Guys I need help please. After videopad kept crashing last night I installed the update as prompted but I'm now getting the issue you all mention (an hour to load project and my clips have changed - i.e text out of sync and audio changed and it is so slow it is unworkable). This was a practically converted project that I have been working on for days so just want to go back to my previous version. Can someone advise how I do this please? Also concerned that now I have saved the project file in this new version will it still be ok when I go back to the previous version? I've spent so many hours working on this I just want to get it completed....THANK YOU SO MUCH IN ADVANCE for any advice :-)

[Bluewkd72]

Also forgot to mention that when it opened the files and processed it took about 7gb of my hard drive - is this normal? is it related to cache and how to I remove it? thanks

[gibson23]

Have you guys worked out the bug with the ENDLESSLY SLOW preview building. In the oler versions (2.12 is the version I prefer) this was (and is) never a problem. If you import a 1Gig file it takes about 30 seconds to import. If you make a cut, there is no BUILDING PREVIEW to wait for.

 

Seems all the new version are having the same problem with the slowness. Does this new 3.02 version correct that? I just downloaded the trial version, and it does not seem to. Do you have to pay for it to get it to work properly?

 

Just wondering.

 

Thanks, Gibson23

[gibson23]

And AndrewAndrew - while that may help, it is not the proper way to make it work. For some reason, the versions after 2.12 all have the same Building Preview Problem, or they take a much longer time than normal to import a clip (about 1gig). You shouldnt have to "pre edit" the clips and drag them into the timeline - it's not right. It is a bug that REALLY needs to get fixed as there are obviously MANY people having this problem.

 

VideoPad Guys - NCH Guys - PLEASE get this fixed. I am really trying my best to buy this product, but it is really hard when I know it isnt working properly. All the previous "suggestions" or "workarounds" are not the right way to go about it. It didnt use to do this in the older versions. You cant say that it is normal, because I edit on Final Cut, Edius and Adobe and it doesnt do it there either. The reason I like VideoPad is for my personal home, simple use with my kids and their videos - it's easier for them to use. But you have GOT to fix this problem. WAYYYYY to many people are having the same problem.

[andrewandrew]

I received a reply from NCH tech support regarding the SLOW issues, bascially re-stating that their software engineers are working on the problem and they will make a new release of Video Pad when complete. So check every week for a new release, if you are automatically following this forum on the issue, I will post in here when the new release is available.

[Dougie]

Well now, that's interesting!! Did they mention how close they are to a fix? Should be a very appreciated fix to the program! Andrew,

 

I was trying to 'see' how you did your fix from your post (#7) above. You said "....and place the sequences you are happy with into the sequence tabs." I think I understand this, but could you elaborate a little? And what comes after that? Thanks!

[andrewandrew]

Hi, I got the feeling that they have been inundated with requests to fix this issue, I had asked them for a time frame but they would not elaborate on that.

 

Regarding my earlier post, that was in haste, it works, but not all the time, the only sure way to get this working is to save, exit, and reload teh project. This is an INSANE proceedure, I did it for a day as I had to complete a project, that is 37 times (edit - save - exit - reload) I almost needed medication at the end of that process...got the job done though.

[longjohnsilver]

Hi, I bought and installed VideoPad Editor Professional V3.01 today as an alternative for Windows MovieMaker which crashes all the time. It took an hour just to build the preview for 10 short movies (1-3 minutes), before I could edit them. After every cut the same annoying procedure again. Unfortunately I can't go back to Version 2.4... which is recommended to avoid this bug, because I've already installed Windows 8 on my pc. Does anyone know what to do?

[andrewandrew]

Hi,

NCH is currently working ion a fix to the problem, so that will be the next release.

There are some work arounds but you will hit the issues again and again. It is a software bug. It really sucks, but we are all in the same boat waiting for a fix, As a software developer myself in the graphics field, this type of issue should not take too long to correct. as it looks like a coding mistake as opposed to a design error.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

Just been playing with V3.02. As far as I can see, the .vpj file contains all the data required to reconstruct the project, as this occurs even if the cache file is emptied before the project is loaded. This process however can be very slow. The presence of the cache files speeds up the loading process considerably. However, files can exist in the cache from previous projects or to deleted files/clips from the current project. Hence the cache can get quite big unless the maxium size is set under Options. By clicking the "Dele unused files" in the Options menu you may decrease the time taken to load a project. (In V2.41 this option would delete ALL the files in the cache)

 

The development of the cache file can easily be followed if it is first emptied and a clip is loaded to VP and then dragged to the sequence. Of the 12 files initially created Nos 3 and 4 (with video clips) are the largest and continue to build up as the green bar develops.This at least initially, prevents editing on the sequence until it finishes. It can take some time which is where the nmain delay is. I suspect these two files are connected with the generation of the thumbnails as there is prompt during this period and their final size is proportional to the clip length. If the test is done with an image and the duration of this varied for each test....5...10...20 seconds etc., the thumbnails can be counted and seem to be about 1 TN per second in each clip when zoomed in and the sequence scanned. (Although this may not be valid with video clips). This means a lot of TNs in a large project. Splitting a clip produces more files in the cache, each of which seem to have to be rebuilt again individually.

 

As WMM loads even long clips quite fast and these have only one thumbnail at the start of each clip, the rest being an emty sequence "box", perhaps less TNs would make loading in VP faster? V4.21 is faster but I haven't looked at the TN count in this version.(yet)

 

Nat

[jonesri]

Well, however long it takes them to fix it, the damage to their credibility is already done. NCH will definitely take a major hit in their wallets over this one. To put out a version that is clearly inferior to previous versions, and blatantly refuse to roll back to a working version, is beyond comprehension. Would anyone take a chance on any of their other products? Had a need for a tool which Prism was a candidate... I passed without a second thought...

 

RJ

[andrewandrew]

I totally agree with you

It is completly un-usable unless it is a 2 minute vide oclip you are working on. This is a PR disaster, and they are still allowing people to buy this product, I wonder how far up the ladder the "knowledge" of the software bug goes, I reckon that it does not go that far up the ladder, No CEO in they rigth mind would keep shitty updates like this onsale, I bet a team of software coders are trying to keep their jobs by keeping a lid on this. We need to find a way to get this mesage to the CEO and the board members, I actually like NCH but this is a F..king disaster, It cost me a huge amount of time moving to another video editor, it is not as good, but it gets the job done and iwth Corel Video editor 6 coming out last week, there is a lot of competition now in this field

[jabba52]

Hehe, started downloading Corel Video editor 6 and it said 1.3 GB. No thanks.

[massageguy]

I agree, abyssmal slowness..... maybe Homeland Insecurity is responsible......

[andrewandrew]

Yeah it is huge, lots of cool features though. Check out VSDC free video editor, I recommedn that it does a good job, I have no issues recommedning that in here as NCH have refused to stop selling a FAULTY PRODUCT, in fact worse than that they want you to buy the faulty Video Pad product so you can get support. This is INSANE!!!!. This policy SUCKS, I have to say I am really PI$$ED off by their attitude. VideoPad Version 3.02 needs a HUGE WARNING SAYING VIDEO PAD 3.02 is a ALPHA RELEASE ONLY DOWNLOAD AT YOUR OWN RISK. I lost weeks of time and a lot of work and I have had to re-do all of the work now in a new video editor.

[andrewandrew]

And there is no bulletins or news on what they are doing to correct the issues, the last email I got from them was RECOMMEDNING VideoPad 3.02 as an amazing Video editor. Makes my blood boil. I suggest everyone contact the business office of NCH software and VENT to them. They have so many products that I think they have lost touch.

[seashell]

This is my second day using VideoPad ver. 3.02 and I'm beginning to notice the issues mentioned above. I'm fairly new to video editing but have crawled thru and learned just about all the options in VP. Very interesting indeed but noticed that when I opened my projects this morning most of my text (in the scrolling text clip) are missing!

 

Also, I'm not sure if others are experiencing this but most all clips in my project play jerky or jagged. Especially the pans, transitions, scrolling text and even the movie file I loaded into the project. No-matter how slow I make the text scroll it is still jerky and jagged. Thus the scroll feature is really unusable unless I am doing something wrong but I just can't seem to figure it out.

 

Great program if they can fix some issues.

[andrewandrew]

Hi Seashell

Yeah this version 3.02 is pretty much an early Alpha release. it is next to useless, it really is

They have not withdrawn the software and several of my friends purchased it and found the same problems. It is a mess and should be withdrawn

It is very unfair for NCH to continue to sell this. I highly encourage you to find an alternative I moved over and started using the free VSDC to edit my video from videosoftdev.com And that was after waiting several weeks for NCH to give me an answer to when the fix was coming, it is sad, I really liked what they have assembled, but it was untested and they have not withdrawn it, instead they are promoting it.

 

Good luck in your project