Nationalsolo

Hi Done a test with this.... Shot 2 minute sequence of strict 1 second metronome taps. The camera set to produce an MPEG4 H.264 ;1920 x 1080 30fps clip. This was transfered to the PC and it opened and played perfectly with both Windows Media Player and VLC. The clip was then added into Videopad and dropped onto the sequence line. Both the Clip and the sequence line played perfectly. With no edits or cuts, the sequence line was exported to the PC as a Custom .avi 1920 x 1080 You-Tube 1080p clip at 30 fps. The encoder was H264 (Native) Mp3 44100Hz 128 kbps Stereo. The resulting video did NOT play correctly with VLC. It displayed a badly pixelated image and a markedly out of synch sound that got progressively worse as the clip was played.. The same clip also opened in Windows Media Player. The image this time was clear but lagged at least 1/2 to 1 second behind the sound near the start with the synch getting progressively worse until at the end of the 2 minute clip it was about 20 seconds out. The sound was progressively out of synch with irfanview in a similar way WMP. The output format was not playable with Quick Time. I also loaded the exported avi back into VideoPad .where it played perfectly. I then converted the MPEG4 raw clip to an MPEG2 clip of the same resolution. This played perfectly in all the mentioned video players including when dropped into Videopad. The clip was again exported with the same settings as before. It played OK with VLC but again lagged with WMP and Irfanview player but not to such a degree as before. It played perfectly with VideoPad. I suspect that the resolution (1920 x 1080) is the cause of the lag coupled with the processing speed of the PC. NCH might want to comment on these findings. I would suggest that the problem could be reduced by converting clips to mpg2 and possibly shooting at a slightly lower resolution or outputting at a lower resolution e.g. 1280 x 720. Having had this problem in the past and a (now) slower PC I generally shoot at the lower resolution 1280 x 720 (MPEG4 output) and then convert to MPEG2. I have no synch problems, the MPEG2 seems clearer and brighter and the result looks quite OK. Nat

Hi Not a silly question. The on-line pdf file (at least the one I can find) is relevant to version 2.xx... http://pbdmultimedia...opad_manual.pdf However there should be a version that came with the software. (Latest is 4.1) Have you clicked on the question mark at the top right of the toolbar. or pressed F1? This takes you to: http://help.nchsoftw.../win/index.html There is a small "next" link at the bottom of each screen as well as active links for each subject. There are also some basic tutorials here: http://www.nchsoftwa...d/tutorial.html But if you have any problems when using the software, why not post the details and questions here? Someone will reply. Nat

Hi c-major Well I never! Got my head around this now. It's probably best just to say you can select multiple clips one at a time by pressing Ctrl and left clicking each clip followed by a right click to get the Grouping option up. Using shift only selects the last two clips each time and there is no grouping option. Having realised this I just discovered you can continue to add further video or sound clips to a group i.e. You can group a video and sound clip with the Ctrl right click option (once you get the hang of the order etc.as discussed) and then later during editing select other clips (audio or video), even if they are on different tracks and group them with the first ones so you can move them all as one without losing synch and that is useful! (Initially I thought there might be a problem with selective ungrouping as clicking on a grouped clip selects all the group and Ctrl right click would only ungroup the lot! but you have included the Remove clip from group option.....which was originally inactive. Wish I had known this before.. I have just completed a short fireworks display video where every audio track apart from cut-aways etc., had to be shifted back 1.3 seconds to synch the explosions with the visuals. I had to keep locking the tracks that had been synched and edit other clips on a separate one. As an enhancement to this very useful feature, would it be useful or possible to show grouped clips in a different colour (say reddish) to distinguish them from selected clips which come up blue? One other point is that having clicked the ungrouping option nothing changes on the timeline...all the grouped clips remain blue as if to suggest they are still linked. Shouldn't they all return to normal when the option is clicked? You have to click an empty space on the timeline to clear the selection colour. Nat

Hi borate . Yes, you're right both Shift and Ctrl do work.. However... You have to select with a right click on the second clip not select both clips first and then try a right click...like c-major suggests..that menu does not seem to bring up the option every time. In fact if you play about a bit I think you will find the option doesn't always appear. The thing is...if you have adjusted the position of, say, the audio clip it remains selected (blue) and if you then press Shift and select the video clip, it, too will select. (both will be blue). If you do this with a right click the option appears but if you have selected the video clip with a left click (so both clips are blue) and then a further right click as c-major suggests, (using shift) it brings up a menu without the options....It's a bit confusing. Anyway, the main thing is if you click in the correct order the option does work. Nat

Hi c-major That's the answer....so now I know! The menu option to group clips only appears if you use Ctrl and not Shift. Pressing shift does suggest that you have "grabbed" both clips as their colour changes but, of course there is no Group Clips option.........so why do both clips turn blue when Shift is used?..................and Thanks. Nat

Hi Audio and video can only be unlinked and relinked when from the same clip but not unlinked, repositioned and relinked in the new position. Neither can you link unattached audio and video tracks, however..... Once you have finalised the position of your video track and separate audio track for a section of the timeline, you can prevent them being moved by clicking the padlock button for the tracks concerned. This is the end button of the row of 4 just beneath the word "Storyboard" at the left hand end of each track. This will essentially immobilise the tracks, so clicking the button for an audio track and a separate video track will link them together whilst still enabling you edit any unfixed tracks. The problem with this approach is that you can't now move them. Unfortunately as far as I know you can't link two independant tracks and drag them about. As an alternative, you could work with short lengths of timeline, set the audio against the visuals and save each as a sequence. This will produce new linked clips (sequences) which can then be used to recreate the timeline. Unfortunately a bug in the program (v4.08) does not replace the audio track on the timeline when the sequence (any sequence) is reused although it will play when previewing. This bug has been reported to NCH Nat

Hi In Clip preview mode (obtained by clicking the clip on the media list)......do you get the Green Down Arrow button (Place clip on sequence)? Note that if you select the clip from the timeline and view in Clip Preview mode, it does not show this button. Have you tried editing the clip directly from the timeline as outlined above,,,this should work without needing the IN/OUT markers which is where you seem to have your problem? "If I drag it to the Video timeline, there are only the last two seconds." If you have applied the IN/OUT markers to your clip in Clip Preview, then even if you don't use/see the Green Down Arrow, you can still drag and drop the clip from the media list window onto the timeline and the selected section should be the bit added. Is it always the last two seconds or is it the bit from your OUT marker to the end of the clip that you see added? "Obviously don't place the OUT marker before the IN point..." This mistake can't be made in 4.08 Nat

Hi Version 4.08 There are several ways to edit a video clip. The simplest method, once you have added the clip to the media list is to drag and drop it onto Video track 1 of the timeline, (or click it in the media list window and add it to the timeline with the menu options) On the time line you can either play it to the point where you want to clip it, or drag the red cursor line to this point or click the position on the blue bar beneath the time indicators Once you have the red line positioned, simply split the clip using the button on the left beneath the preview window that looks like two batteries side by side. Now move to the end of the section you want to remove and repeat the procedure. In effect you have split the clip at the IN and OUT points. Now right click the central portion to select it and choose Delete from the menu to remove it. This leaves a gap so right click the gap end select Close Gap in Track to pull the edited clip together. You can also edit the clip before adding it to the timeline or even when you have added it to the timeline. Left click the clip in the media list window and it will appear in the preview screen. (Clip Preview) Under this is a green bar with red and blue IN/OUT markers which look like brackets. Drag the red (IN) marker to your first edit point. Alternatively you can play the clip and stop when the cursor line reaches this point and then click the IN point button (with the red bracket) under the window. For the OUT point you can drag the blue marker to the end of the edit (or play the clip further and click the OUT point button (with the blue bracket). This will isolate a section of the clip as shown by the now shorter green bar. To place the selected portion of your clip onto the timeline click the button under the preview pane with the green down arrow and film icon on it. This places your selection on the timeline and changes the preview to show the Sequence preview. (If you already have clips on the timeline you will get a prompt asking where you want the selection to be placed.) To make further edits from the same clip you must reselect it from the media list and reset the IN/OUT points (which you will note have remained in their previous positions making it simple to repeat a sequence.) Obviously don't place the OUT point before the IN point...:-) Nat

Hi Videopad is not actually rotating your images. If you have taken either images or video with the camera in portrait orientation then VP will display them in the normal way ... as though the camera was horizontal...it doesn't know. Consequently they will appear rotated...(as your camera was rotated). Display programs won't know either that photos were taken with the camera on its side and so will also display in landscape orientation as when viewed with Windows explorer, However, you can rotate them to the correct orientation with the Windows viewer by clicking the right/left rotation arrows which appear at the bottom of the display window next to the delete red cross. Note these do not appear if you are in slideshow mode. Clicking the respective arrow will rotate the displayed image to the selected orientation...portrait in this case. Note that adding the portrait orientated images to VP will now show the correct orientation of the image but fitted into the height of the video frame. As the aspect ration is not 16:9 it will leave areas to each side that will appear as black bars in the finished video. If you don't want these to appear you will have to zoom the image forcing the 16:9 AR and consequently losing some of the areas at the top or bottom of the image. If you have filmed in portrait orientation then you should rotate the imported clip 180 deg within VP and then think about zooming to remove the side bars. Nat

Hi Reversing a bit if a clip. Put the clip in question onto the time line. Play the clip or drag the red cursor line to the start of the section you want to reverse. Click the split button which is on the right under the preview pane...Looks like a couple of batteries side by side. This will split the clip into two at the red cursor position. Now move the cursor along to the end of your selected section you want to reverse. Repeat the split procedure. You will now have three clips, the central one being the bit you want to reverse. Right click the central clip and select "Copy" from the menu Move the red cursor line to the end of the centre clip. (You can use the II< button under the preview pane which moves the cursor the to start and end oc each clip) Right clik the centre clip again and select "Paste (Insert) This inserts another centre clip at the cursor line. Now right click the clip you want to reverse and select "Reverse Clip" from the menu. NOte that the sound track will also reverse. Sound effect... Put the sound effect onto Audio track 2 and drag it to the position where you want it to play. Whilst on audio track 2 it will mix with the main audio.. If you want to totally mute Audio track 1 where your effect is you will need to separate it out by splitting. Select audio track 2 and use II< or >II to set the cursor to the start of the sound effect. These buttons are under the preview screen and jumps the cursor line to the start/end of each clip. Split Audio track 1 Move the cursor in a similar way to the end of the sound effect and split Audio track 1 again. Right click audio track 1 above your sound effect so it is selected and then delete it. The sound effect will play in the gap you have created. If you don't want to delete the main audio track and retain some control over its volume.... Do the cuts above but don't delete anything. Select (left click) Audio track 1 above the sound effect so it highlights blue, and then preview it by clicking the "Clip Preview" tab above the preview window.. You will now see the main track sound in the preview window with the cut out portion highlighted and a blue line through the centre. If you click this line a small blue square will appear. Repeat this in different places so you have 4 blue squares. You can now drag the first square to the left end of the blue line. Keep it at the original height. The second square to the bottom below the first. The third to the right end at the bottom and the fourth above it at at the original height. The blue line, represents the volume and you will now have the effect of the volume dropping at the start of you sound effect and returning to normal at the end of your sound effect. Using this method you can set the main track sound to any convenient volume whilst the sound effect on audio track 2 plays. Nat

Hi V. 4.05 ..... This must be a bug unless we are doing it wrong.. The applied effect data screen (e.g. SCALE) does seem to get associated with each of the selected clips which may be correct, (press the FX on each clip to see) but there are no values at this point. Entering SCALE values into clip 1 does not transfer the values to the other selected clips as one might expect. Nat

Hi You can use a lot of video tracks and audio tracks when editing with VP, but it's best to keep it simple if you are new to the software. There is a limited space to see them all and associated audio tracks can quickly get spread out. With most simple editing you probably won't need more than 3 or 4 tracks. Nat

Hi Applying auto levels tries to give your clip optimum brightness and contrast. If the image is a little dark it will brighten it up and do the same if it is too bright, thus evening out differences in exposure between clips. Weaker colours in an slightly overexposed clip may also appear better. It doesn't work miracles however...if you apply auto levls effect to a clip with a fade or one that is very dark it will attempt to make these areas too bright with the result that the image will become very noisy and blotchy. Nat

Hi NCH Currently users can link clips or images together and select a single transition that will be used between them...e.g. Cross fade. In effect making a slideshow in almost a single step. It would be even better if a further option could be developed and incorporated where, instead of using just the one transition chosen by the user, he could choose to have VP randomly pick the transitions from the ones available in the library, thus producing a more varied effect in one step. Nat

Hi If it a matter of colours/contrast and brightness then I think the best way to match the clips is to preview them side by side.It's difficult if you are guessing by eye. (but see alternative method at bottom) If we want to match Clip 1 with Clip 2, place Clip 1 on Video Track 1 and Clip 2 on Video Track 2 (the overlay track) but move it so it is above Clip1. Put the red cursor in the centre of the two clips. Note that Clip 2 the one you are matching to will cover up Clip1 at this point. Now select Clip 2 and click the effects button (marked FX) Click "Add effect" and select the Crop effect. Change the x1% to 50% and then click "Apply." On returning the the main screen you should now see both clips 1/2 and 1/2. side by side Select FX for Clip 1 and choose the color effects. Depending on what the difference is you should now be able to match the colours; contrast etc. of Clip 1 so it matches with Clip 2. Being side by side comparing the two clips is far easier. Obviously, if you need to match Clip 2 to Clip 1, then that's the one to go on the main video track. Once you have matched Clip 1 as close as you can get to Clip2 , just set the Clip 2 crop x1% value back to 100, "Apply" and pull the clip back onto the main track. An alternative (which won't always work, particularly if the clips are very dark) is to select the "Auto Levels" effect. And apply to all the clips concerned. Nat

Hi Just tried it again.... VP Professional v.4.08 Add File Drag and Drop from media list onto Videotrack 1 Left click the "Export video" tab.. (Third tab from left with icon of film + diskette) Export Video window opens with "Select Export type" Three options shown with icons....File...Disk...Upload The File option is outlined on the window opening. None of these options do anything when selected. They just turn into an up-button when hovered over then depress and outline when clicked on. Usual menus don't appear. Nat

Hi NCH If you are on the Home page of VP and try to export using the "Export Video" tab, you are presented with a choice screen (Video Export screen .... File; Disk; Upload) Unfortunately none of these choices seem to be working. Exporting can however, be done with the two alternative Toolbar Export choices, but there does seem to be a bug here. A further bug is present in connection with sequence generation. Clicking the + following the Sequence 1 x correctly clears the video and sound tracks and saves the timeline clips as a single clip in the sequence media list bin. Reloading this sequence back to the now empty timeline does not load the associated sound track back with it although this does play when the sequence is previewed. Also..Why, when sequence 1 has been generated, does the presumably new empty Sequence 2 show a Sequence 1 thumbnail? That's bit confusing. Previously the thumbnail for the sequence to follow has been a clapperboard icon and used to indicate an empty file until you generate Sequence 2 when it reappears as an empty sequence 3...?? In fact why does it need to appear at all? It would seem more logical to show just the sequences you have created.... Nat

Hi Simplest way is to save your project for a start. (Don't clear the cache otherwise reloading it will take longer.) Now isolate the section that you want to test by splltting it off and deleting the unwanted portions and export this. Reload your project and repeat with another section that you want to test, and export that....& etc. You could then test each exported file. Alternatively and probably easier...you could save your complete timeline as a sequence (which clears the tracks,) and then, from the sequence media list selecft the sequence and use the IN/OUT markers in the preview screen to isolate the required sections and then add to the timeline with the green down arrow each time. Now export that timeline for testing. ( Note: You have to reclick the media list each time to re-preview the sequence and renew the green arrow) As you have saved the complete project as a vpj file you can load it all back if you are satisfied with the exported sections. Nat

Hi If you have just a silent video clip on track 1 and a separate sound clip on the soundtrack 1, the sequence will play normally but the sound will not be heard if you are adding an effect to the video clip and monitoring the clip in the effects window as you have found. This is a nuisance. Even transferring what you have as a sequence (which clears both tracks) and then reloading it does not help as the separate sound track does not load back. Again, I think this is a fault. One obvious way to link the tracks is to export your sequence and then reload it when the sound will then be attached. However.. What you need to do is add a short normal video clip (with sound) to the the sequence line immediately after the silent video clip. Now when you open the effects window for the silent video clip, the accompanying separate sound track will play. A bit odd perhaps but it does work. Nat

Hi Another point is click outside the box to update the thumbnail in the media list as well as the thumbnail on the sequence line if you have added it there. IMHO It is also best to always update the text by clicking the media list thumbnail, if you try updating using the sequence list thumbnail,in clip preview, the media list thumbnail may not update with the changes. as shown above. Nat

Hi Stabilizing the zoomed clip may help, but if you look closely at the frames one after the other in the original zoomed clip, you may see that the image moves unequally. A spot just entering the edge of the frame will move towards the centre in different steps , occasionally up and then occasionally to the right...not in a direct diagonal line as one might expect. It might be due to the way VP calculates the next frame size and places it as central as possible. (assuming the zoom is out from the exact centre.) It seemes more obvious with the first few frames which appear to move up, across and down a larger amount...?due to the lower number of original pixels in the frame?? Nat

Hi Played with VLC this setup did judder. Similar behaviour when played within VP. I used 4:3 to set the initial CU frame and then dragged the box out to full frame for the last image in the zoom. Having said that, the same avi clip played quite OK with Irfanview, and Windows Media Player so I think it may be the way you are viewing your clip. Nat

HI Videopad is a very comprehensive editing package with alternative ways of doing things that take a little time to learn. If you are new to the software it is probably best to consider that you are dealing with actual film rather than digital media. If your clip is 29 minutes in length and you have added it to VP it will be shown in the media list window. You can edit it here if you wish as if you select it, it will appear in the Clip preview pane. which has IN/OUT markers associated with it that allows you to select a section to incorporate in your video sequence. However it is more intuative (when you are starting out) to grab your 29 min clip in the media list window then drag and drop it onto Video Track 1.where it now becomes a timeline sequence and will remain 29 mins in length.(There is the menu option to add it to the sequence line as well) You can now treat it like a piece of film. Drag the red cursor line to the place where you want to cut it and press the Split button which is under the preview pane This splits the sequence at that point into two clips, either of which you can select and delete. You can also move the cursor to a second point and repeat the procedure. You can again select any one of the sections or new clips you create in this way and remove(delete) them. The gap created will close automatically. (You may have to select the gap and close it from the menu in v4.00 - I forget) . i.e. it is just as if you are editing with film and is very intuative. Nothing is lost in actual fact as you can simply add the clip again from the media list or lengthen any of your edited sections already onj the sequence line by dragging out the cut ends to restore deleted bits. What may be happening with your clip is...that if you select any clip it will preview in the Clip Preview window which has, as mentioned above, IN/OUT markers associated with it. By placing these markers at certain points you can also edit a clip and have it automatically placed on the sequence line. The markers however may remain in their old positions and consequently VP will edit the next clip selected at these positions again if you don't reset them. This method of editing a clip can be faster that cutting the sequence line like film but takes a little time to get used to. If you are new to VP try what I suggest, treat it like a piece of film and see how you get on. Nat

Hi You don't make is clear whether you are referring to the length (duration) of video 1 compared to the length (duration) of video 2 or if your question refers to the size/format of the two videos. I suspect it is the latter. Normally if both clips have the same aspect ratio, the overlay clip will completely cover the main track clip. If the aspect ratio is 16:9 (1920 x 1080 or 1280 x 720 or similar) the clip concerned will completely fill the frame. If it is of smaller aspect ratio like, 4:3 then the clip will appear narrower. If this is the overlay clip it won't cover the main track clip at each side. So...Preview you main clip... .If it fills the frame then it is 16:9. If it is narrower, it will show a chequered area to each side. Preview your overlay clip. If it fills the frame then it is 16:9. If it is narrower it will show a chequered area to each side. From what you say you have it suggests your overlay clip is the narrower. Note that the chequered areas (if present) will also be evident on the media list thumbnails. and There are two ways of dealing with this ...... You could use the SCALE effect to stretch the horizontal value so the overlay clip fits the screen. Unfortunately this will distort the clip but depending on the contents this might be acceptable. The second way is to use the ZOOM effect, clicking the Force aspect ratio to 16:9 button. The yellow markers can then be adjusted to include the required part of the image. Inevitably you will be cropping some off. Once applied the overlay clip will then fill the frame and completely cover the main track clip If, on the other hand your query refers to the duration of the two clips. you could simply split the longest clip to make them both the same length or the drag the ends back to acheive the same effect.. If the shortest clip has already been previously shortened you can simply drag the ends out again to restore the length back to normal. Nat

Hi Sam "For now you can convert GIF to PNG by using Windows Paint (included in Windows" Thanks Sam. The problem I have with this is that the resulting png is not transparent. I have a nice .gif title created with my graphics package (that has a huge selection of attractive fonts etc.but can't output png images). The attractive .gif is sitting on my desktop with a nice clear background and I have converted it to a png with paint as you suggest. Unfortunately this, when loaded to VP it has an opaque white background. I don't use Paint much so perhaps I missed something. I'll have another go..... No... apparently no transparent settings for png... Later... The NCH program Pixillion did the conversion easily!! So I can still make complicated images/texts with my program...produce a transparent .gif and then convert it to a transparent .png. Nat