Problem made in this 8.63 version

[Russ Croucher]

I'm having trouble with the latest version of VideoPad 8.63.  I last tested the beta and the release version of 8.55 and when I export a file it always defaulted to the project name.  All my scripts have been written around this procedure.  Now I'm finding the latest version of 8.63 it comes up with default filename of "sequence 1".  Is there any way to change this in the settings to go back the way it was with the file name?  Maybe in the settings?  I don't know how I would change all my scripts to handle the difference and what does the sequence mean?

I also noticed in the latest version 8.63 that still does not read the mini DV AVI file at 720x4 80 (reads it as 640x480).  I have one version which is 7.51 which works good that will read the correct file size and write it as MP4 which I can then use to image stabilize and write out with the latest version.  Any help there?  I have submitted a bug report several months ago about this issue.

The reason I use version 7.51 to read the mini DV is because I cannot get the FireWire to work with VideoPad.  It works great with Pinnacle 23 however, it writes an AVI file that seems to produce 640x480 on all versions except 7.51 of VideoPad which will return 720x480.  I do not like this procedure because it takes almost an hour for VideoPad 7.51 to read the file in as AVI and write it out as an MP4 only to be read in by a newer version to be image stabilized.  Plus this ties up one of my workstations for an hour.  However, during this hour I'm also importing FireWire of the next file in Pinnacle.  Help?  Thoughts?

[borate]

The old export default was "untitled" - no matter what the sequence name was. An annoyance that required renaming the export.

Now that name will be the same as the Sequence tab name, which can be changed via a right-click.  Exports that duplicate the sequence name will have an incremented # after the name.

Please upload a mini-DV file that imports at 640x480 on all but version 7.51.  LInk it here or in private.

[Russ Croucher]

Thanks for your help.  I noticed a sequence though when I have already have named a project name "ABC.vpj".  I know about the untitled when I don't have a name for project.  I will create you a small mini DV file that will make it easier to upload.

[Russ Croucher]

Okay I verified that v8.63 loads the word "sequence 1" even when I have a project name.  I only noticed the name "untitled" if I had no project name.  My scripts need the export name to match the project name.  None of my scripts can use a mouse they all must be keyboard driven.  If I had a key sequence that would get me to the sequence tab and I could change the name I would be happy as a clam.

On a separate note here is my personal cloud space of a miniDV file uploaded with pinnacle 23.  With v7.51 it loads that file as 720x480.  I verified that this file loads the exact same file with v8.55 at 640x480.  This is about a 2 GB AVI file.
https://mega.nz/file/jHhgHKgK#Tw_NFH1ZLuvYWOhTAS5oS8xSGOyxeS_oQnwpyTyX8DY

On another note maybe you can give me some comments where I can get some key inputs instead of using the mouse.  I need to load a file that slows the timeline down to 85% which I can do with the mouse easily and load a filter that is not your built-in filter.  I load it with the master cut version.  If I can do these with key sequences I would be happy as a clam.  I believe I can do it by using a constant input file (I.AVI).  However, I don't know how to exit VideoPad without it saying you would await for the export to be complete.  When you say you want to wait for the export to be it just stops the exit.  Is there a keystroke to say exit VideoPad when everything is done?  I want to automate as much as I can my procedure.  As we know humans make mistakes but computers do not.

[borate]

In recent versions, "untitled" is no longer evident.  The export title will mirror the SEQUENCE title, as shown on the tab.  Rename it there and the export name will follow.

As for stabilization problems, try setting the Source Pixel Aspect to Standard NTSC if that's not already specified.

Your 720x480 does indeed load as 640x480 unless first converted to WMV by another app.

The only shortcut keys in VP trigger effects, AFAIK, so cannot provide info on your last query.

[Russ Croucher]

I follow that logic I just don't know how to make my project name get to the export name.  In the old days "ABC.vpj" was the export file name.  Now it is "sequence 1".  So how can I get the sequence number to be ABC without a mouse?

So on my 720 x 480 problem I'm stuck with version 7.51 it looks like. Which I can do it just puts me in an hour behind on that workstation. Is there any way to get to the sequence tab with out using a mouse? Or my stuck on version 8.55 forever?

[borate]

The project name will be whatever it was saved as.  The sequence name will be whatever name was given to the sequence tab (or sequence clip in the Bin) when the project was constructed.  The export name will mirror the sequence tab name. 

In the export window the TAB key will take you to the Export File Name field, where a new title can be entered.  Can't think of a way to rename the Sequence tab without a mouse.

Though VP late versions load the 720 AVI as 640 it can be custom exported at 720.

[Russ Croucher]

Yes I have imported later versions of VideoPad at 640x480 and exported in the custom 720x480 but it puts black bars on the edge of the 720 and I lose information which is truly unacceptable.  I found I must imported at 720x480 in order to do the image stabilization at 720x480.  Done that months ago when 8.03 came out.  That's why I use version 7.51 because it will let me truly import and write out an MP4 as 720x480 with no bars.

I just tried version 8.63 with a new file and created a new project thinking that maybe this sequence thing was a grandfathering problem.  Which is not.  When I create the project save it out given the name and load the project and try to exported file it always uses whatever name I put in the sequence entry and I cannot change the entry with the keyboard.

So I am screwed until an option is created or I must go to another piece of software.  I do not want to change software because I love VideoPad.  But I must use what is capable without a mouse.  I currently have 4 license versions and I must start looking elsewhere if this problem cannot be resolved.

[borate]

The sole way to change the title via keyboard is to tab to it (11 presses) in the export window and type the new entry, AFAIK.

[Russ Croucher]

I will play with that since I used to write Windows software many years ago. Now do you know how to have VideoPad exit and wait for an export?

[borate]

Suggest 'auto exit' - an enhancement that might appear in the options menu.   https://www.nch.com.au/suggestions/index.html?software=VideoPad

In exporting to 720x480     will result in a full-screen image at slight sacrifice of vertical content.

[Russ Croucher]

You bring up some good points that I think I should consider.  If I do the 11 tabs I would be able to use your version but it will make me more dependent on your current version.  However, I'm already tied to your version.  I guess in the older versions of VideoPad would produce black bars to make aspect ratio correct.  Now you just cropped a little better which does look better.  However, I do have a procedure that works is just takes an hour for it to convert the AVI to MP4 version 7.51.  I will make the suggestion of the auto exit like you suggest I think that would be a great idea.  Once I got that idea than my script should work great.

[borate]

TAB tabbing should be the same in any version.  Standard Windows behavior.

Keep in mind that your AVI file, when converted to WMV, loaded at 720x480 in the latest VP versions.

[Russ Croucher]

In reviewing version 8.63 more in detail I discovered that the sequence number will be stored in the project file.  So if I use a consistent sequence name like "output" it will be used for the export.  Then in my script file I can immediately rename it to what I wanted to be.  That way I can still continue to use VideoPad that I love.

Actually I like to use VideoPad when I am converting these files from AVI because lots of times I have to add 2 or 3 pieces together to get one final digital output.  I actually have better luck with older analog tapes than the mini DV digital and the digital 8.  When using the digital ones sometimes they have dropped tape sequences after 10 years.  I guess I could use something like handbrake convert each piece to WNV and then use the latest version of VideoPad.  I will try that.

[Russ Croucher]

Okay I have determined that there is a discrepancy with the AVI files in the mini DV with VideoPad.  Here is the raw file I received from Pinnacle 23 importing FireWire to AVI file.

https://mega.nz/file/2PIGiYCB#-MWCb2dwphDEyNUkZ5OJG8JtKyI9ClZG_UakZtG7Pus

Both Windows 7 and Windows 10 report the properties as 720x480 video clip.  However, every version except version 7.51 imports this file as 640x480.  So I took the liberty to use handbrake to convert this AVI file to MP4.  It also reports that this AVI file is 720x480.  Here is that MP4 file from handbrake.  Which every version of VideoPad imports this file as 640x480 not 720x480 including version 7.51.

https://mega.nz/file/uLIQWKzL#uOLLEJi003JGJeTBy7nrp87DdRr7tr8W7wt2C5Z2GAk

Taking the original AVI file above here is the MP4 file that is imported from version 7.51 as 720 x 480.

https://mega.nz/file/7PZkzAYT#kcy0-dDfeA2FFllA2smz8AOycTy8ukvNQGs2l2RLs40

Now tell me if I should submit this as a bug report to VideoPad or not since I already have posted something several months ago and nothing was done.

[c_major]

Hi Russ,

Regarding the DV issue. The video is with non-square pixels (Pixel Aspect Ratio is not 1:1). The video's display aspect ratio is 4:3 (720x480 is not 4:3). If you play the video using a video player for example VLC, you'll see it's a 4:3 video.

VideoPad can only output square pixels (PAR = 1:1) therefore it converts the image to 4:3 with square pixels.

To avoid lost pixels, you can export the video as 720x540. It will keep the horizontal resolution and scale up the vertical resolution.

Hope that make sense.

[Russ Croucher]

That makes a lot of sense but I'm still not sure what to do about the mini DV since it truly is recorded at 720 x 480 with a non-square pixels.  So what happened to the case when I read the AVI file in with version 7.51 and write it out as 720 x 480?  Does that mean that the last file has square pixels and it truly is not 720 x 480?

I'm still trying to figure out what to do in the fact that version 7.51 themes imported differently than all the other versions.

[c_major]

There was a bug in 7.51 and previous versions which assuming all input video are in square pixels. If the output is in 720x480 (with square pixels), the picture will look distorted.

You can compare the result from 7.51 to the original video when play in a video player.

 

 

[Russ Croucher]

And how does VideoPad import Mini DV at 720 x 480 when they're not square pixels to mark what happens?  I don't see any distortion in comparing the pinnacle 23 2 year VideoPad 7.51.  I do know if I use any other version it only brings it at 640x480.  Is there any way with VideoPad to force the file to bring in and say at 720 x 540?

[c_major]

Hi Russ,

Is the resolution you've seen are reported from the Properties dialog? Those number are not affecting the export result.

You just need to set export resolution to equal or higher than 720 x 540, VideoPad will try to use the maximum resolution available from the original video when export.