Russ Croucher

I'm having a problem on one of my fast computers with the image stabilization process of VideoPad crashing after about 4 video files for my business (Central Virginia Video.com). I have determined that is the number of processes that the computer uses for image stabilization. I have 2 computers exactly the same except hyperthreading was turned on on one of them and not the other. It has a 6 core XEON where one computer said 6 processes and the other one said 12. So on the 2nd computer the image stabilization would crash after about 4 files. So I'm trying to determine the total number of processes allowed before the stabilization crashes. I thought it was a dual processor situation since I have one computer with 2 CPUs totaling 16 processors. I know to keep away from the image stabilization but that computer. So apparently it does not have anything to do with dual CPUs but with number of processes. What is the number?

Actually, what is important is that VideoPad actually read the file in at 720 x480 so it can be stabilized without any losing any information. The Moscow State University that created the image stabilization wants to use all the information even though the aspect ratio is not correct. Then after the stabilization is complete it can be stored as 640x480 so that the aspect ratio will be correct even in the digital mode. There is no intention to go back to analog. It all has to do with the make sure the image stabilization does not lose the 80 bits of information that are located between 640 and 720. I think once we know that information will not be lost were good to go.

You guys have posted one of the best images of the aspect ratio problem. Computers use square pixels and TVs use rectangular pixels. I don't know if the engineers thought of this when they figured out that they could increase the horizontal 720/640 or not. But we do know that computers cannot represent 720x480 accurately. So yes we have to live with our square pixels on our computers. However, VideoPad has an incredible product that does image stabilization and it must be stabilized at 720x480 even though the aspect ratio is not correct. VideoPad is just one of my steps in my process. Ideally, the final product should be image stabilized and then output at 640x480 keep the aspect ratio correct. I appreciate you guys taking the time to explain this for all the readers not just myself this aspect ratio has gone round and round with computers/TVs for years from all of us engineers that use TV products (rectangular pixels) and the computer products (square pixels) together. Showing the actual circle around the wheels definitely brought out that the computers do not see the videos the same as we see videos with TVs.

Okay I put my pictures on my clouds site here is the 640 analog version. https://mega.nz/file/GKohXKRI#vbX5i2O7eErSiy61g9Z62vIbp-FuUxiuzDbCRz9weQE Here is the 720x480 FireWire. Notice the front and back porch visible on the analog Hi8. https://mega.nz/file/2Kg3UIRS#tF5nUJpcGkTuq3A2xildWvA6T6DTKacwqmE6Zi22VM0 Where I noticed the difference is in the 720 version you can see a little bit more of the windshield wiper on the car on the right side. So it would be lost information if it was uploaded in 640x480. By the way this was all done with the latest 8.77 version living with the unfortunate sequence number.

Okay am I finally going to put this 720x480/640x480 to bed. I'm going to prove that 720 is losing information if you try to upload it as 640x480. The engineers when they defined the mini DV standard figured out a way to cut down the front porch and back porch of the analog signal a little bit to get a true 720 bits of information. I have 68 hours of Hi8 video in 640x480 mode of uploaded with an incredibly powerful medical imaging card Matrox card from Germany. I have a video8/Hi8/digital 8 camcorder that will upload everything as a true 720x480 FireWire. However, I had to make a decision, do I get those extra few bits of information with the analog front and back porch there and live with the poorer signal-to-noise ratio than what the Matrox card would give me. I chose not to. But I was able to get frames pictures one with the true 640x480 analog and the other exact frame of loaded with 720x480. You can actually see the front and back porch of the analog video but there are a few bits of information that are uploaded. Which shows that there are is a true 720 pixels that are being converted. So any stretching that would occur would be done after the fact office 640 and you would be losing information. I seem to be having problems trying to figure out how to upload these 2 pictures so you can view them yourself. I could put all my cloud space and give you a link. Maybe you guys have some suggestions.

I don't think you understand my problem this sequence number is embedded in the project so if I change the project file name still uses the old sequence name that I renamed it. Whereas when I had it set up as a project file name when I renamed the file name the export name would change. So I am locked in the version 8.55 until this is changed or fixed. Or I abandon VideoPad. As far as the pixel size and FireWire my question is why does Windows say it's 720x480 but VideoPad says that 640x480. I don't care about pixel size I only care about the end result. All other products will read it in a 720x480 why does not VideoPad? Sony Vegas, Pinnacle, I have them all. I prefer VideoPad. Help me out. I don't know how to do a PM. I know you don't like posts here unless they are resolved but I have a real world problem that means $$$ to me and I need a fix.

I am having real trouble reading FireWire miniDV with VideoPad. I am constantly working with workarounds to solve this problem but it's getting very difficult. I have 4 legal versions of VideoPad for my business (CentralVirginiaVideo.com) and running into a problem with miniDVs with FireWire. I would prefer to import these miniDVs with VideoPad but I get an error saying the FireWire is in use when it is not. So as a workaround I use Pinnacle version 23 to import the file in FireWire which works great and then exports it as MPEG-2 (.MPG). Windows says this is a 720x480 file standard for miniDV. However, VideoPad imports this file as 640x480 which is unacceptable since you lose information. So I have again found another workaround which works. I export the pinnacle version 23 miniDV as AVI which is 13 GB. I then use only version 7.51 of VideoPad which will import the file as 720x480. All other versions except 7.51 imported as 640x480. I then export that file as MP4 and any version newer of VideoPad will read that in as 720x480. This is important because I must image stabilize that file at 720x480 and not 640x480. I have mentioned this problem before and I don't know if any solution has been resolved. I prefer to use VideoPad but it may turn out to be that I need to convert to some other software because the newer versions of VideoPad does not export the file name of the project it uses a sequence number. So I am currently locked into version 8.55 which was the last version that exported the file name as the project name. However, under this special situation I would probably be willing to use the sequence number since I write lots of scripts over top of VideoPad. However, my scripts are all locked into the file name of the project as the exporting name of the video file. If I cannot get a resolution to this problem I will have to move on to another piece of software and abandon VideoPad:(. I have submitted this is a bug report I'm hoping it will get resolved.

Okay I have a good solution that works for now. I use Pinnacle 23 to read the FireWire in as MPEG-2 MPG file. Then I convert that file with handbrake to MP4. Then I can use the latest and greatest version of VideoPad to read that in as 720x480. Then it can be image stabilized at full resolution. Here is a 30 second clip of the MPG file that Windows 7 and Windows 10 says it's 720x480 https://mega.nz/file/Ha4iFS5D#8ltNiUHLMqYOmIX776NHmkvCUFVlYMKTVPd3Vny2N2I Here is handbrake's MP4 output of the MPG file https://mega.nz/file/rD5kSQia#XRpbonTe12d-QG0h2o4l1cdB8--5rZry6Pbfa23XQQY So now I'm a happy camper I do not have to keep 2 versions of VideoPad laying around. Thanks guys for all your help

In doing some analysis of the files above the first 2 files appear to be displayed with the Windows media player as as 640x480 size. I have a 640x480 video and it takes the exact same size as the Windows media player. The last file version 7.51 truly does take up 720x480 in the window. I use Windows media player because it creates a window just exactly the size as the viewing. I took that previous 640x480 file video and stretched it to 720x480 with VideoPad and does exactly take 720x480 with the latest version. Is there any way to read an AVI file that says it's a 720x480 into VideoPad? Is there a setting somewhere? I don't see anywhere where I can switch pinnacle to use the WMV files. It only given the choice of DV which produces AVI or MPEG-2. I will kinda poke around and see if the settings have anything.

I'm having a very big problem with 720x480 FireWire. I have been told that there was a bug in the aspect ratio before version 7.51 of VideoPad. So I have specifically stayed away from any versions of VideoPad to determine the problems. I seem to be having trouble using VideoPad to import FireWire (gives me an error saying the port is in use) so I have chosen another route to use Pinnacle 23 to import FireWire. It imports the file as AVI and looking at the aspect ratio is perfectly correct at 720x480. Okay 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 under Windows 7. However, Windows 10 will allow me to use up to VideoPad 8.35 I don't know why. For some reason all versions between 7.51 and 8.35 will return 720x480 on Windows 10. When I output the video of 720x480 the aspect ratio is correct. The aspect ratio is also correct on all the other version but is only import that at 640x480 cutting off the edges. 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. I also changed handbrake output to .M4V which also produces 640x480 importing into VideoPad with all versions. 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 720x480. https://mega.nz/file/7PZkzAYT#kcy0-dDfeA2FFllA2smz8AOycTy8ukvNQGs2l2RLs40 Again I have verified that the aspect ratio is correct even with the output of this with VideoPad. What am I doing wrong? At this point I must keep 2 versions on every computer that does FireWire. I must keep a version of 7.51 and what other later version I want to use. Luckily my license does not care which version I load but I must switch each time and I must rewrite all FireWire files with the 7.51. Please help me out?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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.

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?

I would be glad to help. I have at least 3 legal versions. Just tell me what you want to do. It seems that pinnacle it ignores the error and if that's possible maybe that would work. I'm just tired of reading the file in in writing it out just so I can use the image stabilization. And so far only been able to get to work on version 7.51 reliably at 720x480.

I was hoping to get some response back from you guys but so far I've received nothing is there any way VideoPad can ignore the error like apparently pinnacle is doing. Any ideas?

I have a business of transferring videos to digital using several different methods. Several years ago when I started the business VideoPad did not have the best way to transfer FireWire. So I used a version of Pinnacle. That procedure has stuck for several years and I decided that it's time I try VideoPad again. Pinnacle was requiring me to retrieve the data in its AVI format and because of a bug in VideoPad I had to use a particular version (v7.51) to receive the AVI in 720x480 mode instead of 640x480. I submitted 2 different bug reports and so far they have fixed one of them. Under some weird conditions possibly with errors on the tape it would default to 640x480. So now I have taken my HP 620 workstation with 16 cores running Windows 7 to read the FireWire with VideoPad v8 18. I have tried 8.35 but backed off to the version I know works for other things. Once I know they fixed my other bug I've submitted I will update to the latest version. When I use pinnacle on a different computer than the one I've done the testing (I have collection computers and processing computers), it seems to work fine except I have to load in that old version of VideoPad 7.51 to convert the file to MP4 once so to work with image stabilization. When I use VideoPad 8.18 read the FireWire I get the following error after 10 seconds. If I stop the play button and hit the play again before the 10 seconds it will start playing again. "Device error, it may be used by another application" If within that 10 seconds start the play button I will not get the error until after I stop the display after 10 seconds. I have actually started a recording process it would record the entire FireWire video and then produce the error afterwords. At first I thought this was a pinnacle error but now I have realized it is associated with the FireWire driver from Microsoft I think. That's why I specifically took the computer that has never seen Pinnacle and automatically when I plugged in the FireWire the for the first time Windows7 automatically install drivers before it would work with VideoPad. Then once the drivers have been installed VideoPad sees the unit has a Microsoft DV device. I'm submitting request from you guys and see if you have any help for me. I was a software engineer for 30 years before I started this business. It is nice to be on the other side of bugs. I have tried this error in all versions of VideoPad from 7.51 all the way up to 8.35. Russ

I went to report this bug using version the 8.16 and they informed me that there is a beta version 8.18 they would like me to use so I decided to use this new version and try it with the image stabilization and yes it did fix part of the problem where it would read in the file at 720X480 now. However, they still have a problem with the image stabilization that it still only interprets that file as 640x480 where the 640 is a narrow version of 720. So I took the file loaded it with VideoPad and before I image stabilize it I wrote it back out without any changes then use that file as the input to the image stabilization process. That worked fine. So now solution for me until they fix the problem is to use the latest version 8.18, load the file with FireWire, load the output of that with VideoPad and write it out as a file that VideoPad seems to understand and then use that file as input to VideoPad to image stabilize it. That will work until they fix the problem.