Nationalsolo

Hi BobbyA Do as both Dougie and myself have suggested. With 2.41 its actually easier. Put you 800 x 600 video on the sequence line and select the crop effect. Click the 16:9 aspect ratio button and then drag the red rectangle that appears in the Crop preview pane and place it where your image/video has the most important detail. Repeat for all your clips. Preview your video to check it is OK. There will be NO black bars. Save your video using one of the 16:9 settings e.g HD720 or HD1080 or widescreen. (AR = 1:1.777) There will be no black bars on the result which will play 16:9 If you are using version 3.041 open the CROP effect by either by clicking the yellow star on the clip in question and then clicking the little down arrow by the box top left of the "Video effects" window Now select Crop from the list and click the grey bar.labelled Crop. You will now be able to click the 16:9 "Force aspect ratio" option which will be present. DON'T click the Effects down arrow tab on the toolbar and select "Crop" from the list as you won't get any size options. (Which I think is a bug) Click 16:9 and size the rectangle with the orange squares on the rectagle. The AR remains 16:9 and you can position the rectangle where you want. Save as above. Nat

Hi VP will play your raw movie at around 30fps.even though you recorded it at 10 fps. It will therefore play back about 3x too fast. To correct this....... Load your camera output to VP. Right click the video track and select to "Change the clip speed". Adjust the playback speed to 30%. It should then run at about the correct rate and can be saved as such. Note that any sound associated with your clip (which will probably not be the case in this instance,) will also be slowed down, (although if the original soundtrack also played too fast then it should now be OK.) Nat

Hi It seems from what you describe there is a problem with the version of VP you are using. The snapshot should be identical to the frame shown at the cursor position. I don't think your camera output is at fault if the image shown in the preview panel of the video looks OK. Normally if an image is loaded that is not the same aspect ratio as the VP frame (16:9), then it is enlarged or reduced to fit the frame top to bottom or side to side without any distortion. (Its not stretched in any direction ) The areas of the VP frame that are not then covered are shown in the left preview panel and in the sequence line thumbnails as chequered. In the right hand pane though, these areas are shown black and are seen as such when the movie is played. Snapshots made of these none 16:9 stills are still identical to those on the sequence. Like jskolda I can't reproduce the effect you are describing and I have tried various video formats and image shapes both with version 2.41 and 3.04 and 3.041 and they all snapshot as expected. I would suggest you try to contact NCH to see if they have any ideas or wait until one of them replies here..(faint hope ). In the meantime... As a possible test...create (or crop) a still image to an aspect aspect ratio 1:1.777 (i.e. 16:9) e.g 1280 x 720 pixels or a multiple of. Load this to the media list of VP and drop it onto the sequence line. It should fill the frame completely in both preview panels and have about 5 seconds duration when played (the default). Place the red line cursor in the centre of the sequence and click the snapshot button. (In 3.04 you will need to open the short menu under the right hand preview panel. In version 3.041 there is a camera button under this pane. The snapshot should appear in the media list. It should be identical to the one you placed on the sequence line. In fact you should be able to drop it onto the sequence before or after the one already there and see no difference when one plays onto the next. Is this the case...or is the snapshot still cropped? If it is then I think you have a problem with your version of VP and I don't know what the answer is. It might also be of interest to check the image copy you get on the desktop (or wherever your snapshots are saved to.."Options/Media files" just to see if it's the way VP is reproducing its snapshot in the program. Nat

Hi OK.....bummer.....Do you have any image editing software you can use?. If so, right click the snapshot thumbnail in the media list and select "Edit outside of Videopad" You can set up the program which you CAN use for this under Options/Other. then resave as a JPG. Takes a few seconds. With VP 3.04x that's about all you can do. Nat

Hi When you have clicked the Camera icon button (re-inserted in 3.041) does the THUMBNAIL in the images media list show a checkered border on the bit that is missing or is it showing the full frame? I can't get anything myself (like jskjolda) but a normal full frame snapshot as expected. 20% missing on two sides must be a fault. However...What format (frame size) video are you using and is the snapshot the same size (despite the missing bits)? Nat

Hi If you intend to use VP for creating a DVD with both episodes, bearing in mind you can't create menus, then simply put a bookmark between them. Just click the top of the cursor line and "Set bookmark" (2.41) For example, If you have two videos, put them both on the sequence line then separate each with a blank frame of a few seconds duration. That is to say have an ending for the first video and a opening for the second video with a length of blank frame between them. Put the book mark at the start of the blank frame, but no other bookmarks.(You could put one at the start if you wish but it's not strictly necessary). Although you won't have any menus on the DVD created via VP, and in effect you will have one long video on the disc, you can step from one film to the other using the sequence (chapter) controls on the DVD player, as the bookmarks act as chapters and are recognised by the skip function of the player. This is the best you can have using VP. (provided you can get both on the disc.) Nat

Hi Yes,, ..Sorry...I forgot to mention the file size... Using an mpeg2 video in 1280 x 720 format... If you use VP 2.41 an extracted snapshot is a jpg occupying 424 Kilobytes With VP version 3.04, a snapshot in png format from the same video frame occupies 1.21 Megabytes so there is a considerable difference. So why not use VP version 2.41 to extract your snapshots? BTW Irfanview is a great piece of freeware and you could, if required, batch convert your snapshots. Nat

HI Just noticed that although you can reverse the film for the overlay OK, (and the above method works correctly....if you then trim the overlay for any reason..say it is longer than your video, the reverse effect is lost... and (so far) I don't seem to be able to re-do it on the trimmed video. This must be a bug . Perhaps NCH could comment...... I haven't tried it yet but perhaps you can use the in/out markers and THEN reverse it. However, the best recourse would be to reverse the full timer video separately, save it as an avi and then use this avi as the overlay in the above method (which WILL work).. Nat

Hi Interesting ......... Obviously you could use numerous overlay number texts every second but it would be rather time consuming to say the least and is probably the only way using VP per se. However, here's a possibility you could try...... Go into U Tube and download one of the many timer videos. (Using YTD Downloader....or similar free program) e.g. This is the full size image/video but you can reduce it in size and volume using various programs e,g, Irfanview. The address for this example is... *** *** This is a 20 minute digital countdown vido, but there are many others. These count down but that's not a problem as you can reverse the video so it counts up using VP. Once you have the video downloaded from UTube, add it to the overlay track, reverse it using the speed option and then using the scale option and position settings, position it in the required corner of the screen. For the clock in this example you could use... X% = -40 Y% = -35 Scale = 0.2 This will put the timer in the top left hand corner. Building the preview may take a little time if your video is lengthy. The clock should now play against your main track video. You can easily adjust the start position by dragging the overlay left or right and If the accuracy is not exact enough you can play about with the speed option but in version 3.04 the preview generation can be slow............. Nat

Hi In version 2.41 the output image from the snapshot function is a jpeg. In version 3.04 it is a png I don't think there is an option change this. Is it a problem? Being a compressed format, JPG loses some quality depending on the degree of compression whilst PNG (Portable Network Graphic) uses a different algorith for compression that doesn't lose data consequently the image quality may be better when re-incorporated into the video. It can also store areas that are transparent in a similar way to GIF files. The PNG format is probably to be preferred in the context of VP. Nat

Hi If you have added the snapshot to videotrack 1 of sequence line, it should be identical to the remainder of the sequence. If it has been added to the overlay track, then there a possibility that the position (Motion) settings are not correct. So if this is the case, click the yellow star at the left hand end of the snapshot box on the overlay track and check that the values shown are: Position x(%) = 0 Position y(%) = 0 Rotation = 0 Scale = 1 This should ensure that the snapshot is central and full size. If you are using version 2.41 and have added the snapshot to the overlay track then you should remember that the default position for the overlay is bottom centre of the screen. (Even if the overlay image is now made full size it will not be central.) If this is the case then select (click) the overlay box and then click the central square of the arrow matrix under the left hand preview pane. Drag the Size slider to give full size and adjust the opacity to 100%.. The snapshot will (should) then totally cover the main sequence video and be central. Nat

Hi What is the type of 3D...I mean, how are the L/R images displayed? Are they interleaved images or L/R shutter type images (frames)? My experience has only been mostly with anaglyphs and L/R polarised slides and although I can easily produce slideshows of pre-made Red/Cyan anaglyph images, I can't see how VP is used in respect of its 3D settings. There is no info apparently available and a previous query drew no response. Nat

HI You can also try DVDStyler which is free and allows you full rein to create your DVD. You can use your own images, music etc Backgrounds etc. Just drag and drop your videos into the program and the rest is up to you. THis is a french site but you can choose your language during setup. http://www.dvdstyler.org/fr/ Nat

Hi To INSERT images Place your main video on video track 1. Move the red cursor line to where you want the first image to appear. Click the scissor icon under the right hand preview pane, (split the track). Drag and drop your first image onto the main video track where the split is. Your image will INSERT into the main video. Repeat for the remaining images. Note that with this method, your video will play completely but with gaps in both sound and visuals where you have inserted your images. (i.e. The overall duration will be increased by the duration you have set for the images.) If you want the images to OVERLAY the main track then follow Borate's outline or simply add them to video track 2(drag and drop is easiest) and then move them along to the place you want them to appear. This way they will play as CUTAWAYS and not inserts. i.e your video will stay the same length. As images are not usually associated with any sound, there will be no gaps in the soundtrack. Nat

Hi The forum seems to be essentially an English language forum. While it seems there are no restrictions on the language used, you may not get much response from a post written in German. I do not think there is a German version of the forum, or an alternative language version of the VideoPad program. I suppose it is always possible to use the Google Translator to create an English version of a query (although this may not be gramatically accurate,) and then translate any English response back into German. Nat hallo Das Forum scheint im Wesentlichen ein englischsprachiges Forum sein. Während es scheint, gibt es keine Einschränkungen hinsichtlich der verwendeten Sprache, können Sie nicht viel Antwort von einem Beitrag in deutscher Sprache verfasst. Ich glaube nicht, dass es eine deutsche Version des Forums, oder eine alternative Version der VideoPad Programm. Ich vermute, es ist immer möglich, den Google Translator verwenden, um eine englische Version von einer Abfrage zu erstellen (auch wenn dies möglicherweise nicht grammatikalisch korrekt,) und dann übersetzen jede englische Antwort zurück ins Deutsche. Nat

Hi You can convert multiple video files (or a single file) between formats with "AnyVideo Converter" http://www.any-video-converter.com/products/for_video_free/ It's free and easy to use. Just drag and drop the videos to convert into the left hand pane and set up the type of file you want to convert them to from the list on the right. There are multiple defaults available but you can choose the output type/frame rate/size/and codec etc if you click the specific box listed on the right and then the down arrow to select your option. Files are converted one after the other with a visible progress bar for each and the output is placed in a program created folder on the desktop. The original files are not altered. Hope this helps Nat

Hi Dougie You can try here if you haven't already. Quite a few filters are listed under "sharpen" (apparently) but some are "Unsharpen" as well http://www.infogniti...tualDubFilters/ Nat

Hi Just been given a wmv file to review from a USB key. This only played the sound, both in WMP, VLC and VP. In VP there was just the soundtrack and a blank black screen. So I decided to convert it to an MPEG2 using "Any video converter" This revealed it to be a WVP2 800 x 600 1000fps video. The converter easily produced an MPEG2 800 x 600 25 fps conversion which played in all three programs with no problem. So possibly worth trying... http://www.any-video-converter.com/products/for_video_free/ Nat

Hi You could also load the K-lite codec pack if you haven't already done so.. http://codecguide.com/ Nat

Hi As Borate suggests, put your two clips onto the sequence line..one on track 1 and the other (your cutaways) on track 2. Track 2 is an overlay track and will cover up track 1. So at the point where you want to cut away to track 2 split track 2. Now either remove (delete) the section to the left of the split, or reduce its opacity to 0%. This will now reveal track 1. If you play your sequence now you will see track 1 then at the split point, track 2. Now, where you want to come back to track 1, split track 2 again. Where you want your cutaway to come in again, split track 2 once more and delete (or reduce the opacity of ) the section to the left of this split........and so on to the end of your film. In brief, you are making gaps in track 2 which will reveal your main film from time to time.....a bit like this..... ____ _______ _____ ___ ___ ___ Track 2 (cutaways) ____________________________________________________ Track 1 (Main track) Before starting adjust the two tracks so the soundtracks of each are in synch, then mute the one you consider to be the worst. Nat

Hi Dougie Just shot 34 MPEG4 clips this afternoon for a "Day Out in.." project and saw your post. So I have just loaded them into VP (Last version 3.04x.....with the big bright blue knob on the red line)) and dropped them all onto the sequence line to see what happens. Total time 11 mins 2 secs. So far they have played (in preview) from end to end OK. without any auto repeats. So it seems to run OK here. I'll do some editing etc. and come back if it behaves oddly. Are you playing it with the preview button? Nat

Hi If you find your current version too slow (Version 3.04 is still a Beta I believw) then simply re-install version 2.41. I presume you saved the original vpsetup.exe file for this version? If you did then all you need to do is double click this and it will replace version 3.04 The same thing applies in reverse. Nat

Hi Cnr OK. Thanks. That does work like you suggest, but it's a long way from being smooth. The edges judder a lot as the image zooms Just saved the test I did. THAT seemed better when run. I now presume the juddering is linked to the fact it was being watched in the preview window..... Borate..Thanks. Didn't think of clicking OFF the sequence line! I got into the habit of selecting and deselecting files a bit differently Nat

Hi Still hasn't got the easy zoom/crop that 2.41 had. I've just spent 15 mins getting a sort of zoom that took just seconds in the previous version, (and it still wasn't ideal!) Can't that effect just be retained, (or the coding just popped back in as simply another effect?) It's used such a lot in slide shows. (Burns effect.) You shouldn't have to phaff around with crop+scale%. What is demonstrated on the instruction video for this effect is NOT a Zoom! Selecting multiple clips seems to show clips selecting (going blue) and unselecting going light blue) eg. Left click Clip 1 with shift down,(blue) then click the others (typical Windows multiselect action ) but clicking the next clip unselects clip 1 (goes light blue) but selects clip 2.(goes blue) Clicking clip 3 (shift still down) deselects clip 2 (goes pale blue and selects clip 3 (goes blue)...... Clicking clip1 followed by clip3 (shift down) just leaves clip 3 selected........This gives the impression you have ended up with still only one clip selected. In fact if you then clip the Transition tab and select the transition you are told you have multiselected. That's a bit confusing. It works normally in the media list to put multiple clips on the sequence line. And how do you remove the multiselection? Clicking a single entry on the media list deselects the others but on the sequence line clicking a single clip afterwards still leaves the others (apparently) selected even when only one is blue. This is potentially disasterous as although you may think there is now only a single clip selected,(as only one is blue,) choosing to delete this deletes all the others as well!! Selecting the Crop "effect via the Effects tab gives choice Forcing aspect ratio of "NONE" whereas selecting it and adding it from the "Video Effects." window gives choices of None...4:3 and 16:9 Occasionally these AR choices sometimes gets jumbled up with 4:3 option being printed out of place. Nat

Hi In version 2.41 you can easily pan and zoom on still images within your film. (and video clips) Simply switch into timeline mode, put your still image on the sequence line, and then select it. Click the Effects button and select ZOOM (......You use this effect to PAN as well!) On the left you will now see two images of your clip. The top image is the start frame and the bottom image is the end frame of the clip or image selected. For a still image they will be identical. Depending on how you want the frame to appear (aspect ratio etc) click the related button below the lower of the two images. Remember that you will be panning into a part of your image that will not be appearing for a start. So... In the top image reduce the size of the orange rectangle by by grabbing and moving one of the corner tabs. The size you choose will depend on how much of a pan you want. Now move the rectangle to the position where you want the pan to start from. In the lower image for a normal pan,adjust the orange rectangle so it is as close as possible in size to rectangle you selected for the top image. If you make this smaller you will get a zoom in with the pan and if you make it larger you will get a zoom out with the pan. (You can use image details as refrence points) Now move rectangle to the position where you want the pan/zoom to finish. Preview the clip. You can adjust the position and size of the two rectangles to achieve a pan or zoom in any direction but the rectangles will need to be smaller than the total image obviously. To alter the speed of the effect simply adjust the duration of the clip. Longer duration = a slower pan. You can PAN and ZOOM at the same time as mentioned by making the rectangles different sizes. In version 3.04 the method is similar but you have to use as single image and the crop effect setting up the movement of the rectangle with the motion and position settings....It's not as intuative IMHO and you will have to experiment a bit. Nat