3.04 served up on 4/26

[borate]

Improved performance claimed.

[Dougie]

Worked with this for a few hard hours this morning. Now...someone tell me that this is not the fix for the complaints spoken about in 3.02....is it? If it is, very disappointing!! The preview render now seems even slower, backgrounds in composite edits play quite jerky. Dissolve transitions still freeze for a second, and now in the Crop effect, the orange line setting window only shows 1/4 of the image!!

 

I just don't get it. 3.04 is worse then 3.02. What am I missing??

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

Sorry Dougie., I can't entirely agree, although I shall need to test it a lot more with some serious editing. So far I just loaded a load of (mpeg2) clips (about 5 mins worth) and found that they seemed to load much faster into the media list (I do like the thumbnails ) Pulled to the sequence track, I thought the thumbnail generation was still somewhat slow but it was at least possible to preview any selected clip in the RH pane, and play the track even though there were no thumbnails showing. A thing which, in 3.02 stopped proceedings.

 

 

I tried a few splits and added a couple of transitions. I didn't manage to generate the "Building Preview" window even though the green process bar was still going. I also noticed that I could preview a clip that was on the sequence in front of the green bar and THAT clip was thumbnailed before the others. Rendering to the PC was also quicker it seemed to me.

But, as I said, I shall have to edit something larger and more complex to see if is better. At the moment I do think it is.

 

As you say though, the crossfade is still implemented the old way,(Still fames appearing) but Borate and myself have already posted an easy workaround to that using the overlay track.

 

Later....and yes....The "Crop" reference image shows only a quarter of the frame and a quarter of the orange rectangle, but if you "Play" the effect then although there is no image (VP can't display while playing) there is a complete orange square shown. THAT needs putting right!

 

Sent a bug report

 

Nat

[Dougie]

Well, I guess we have a difference of opinion. In this new 3.04 I could rarely do anything without the Building Preview window appearing, followed by the usual slow rendering. Building Preview even appeared randomly after the green render lines were finished!! And while the work arounds you mentioned do indeed work quite well, as I've mentioned before, I'm not interested in paying for software that requires workarounds to function properly. In the Crop effect, mine never shows the complete orange square while playing the effect. So while it's not a major problem, it makes setting the Crop values sort of a guessing game.

 

I mean no offence to anyone here, but for me 3.04 does NOT fix the problems they said they were working on!

 

I normally use Lightworks 11 as my main editor, which is totally free and I've never found any fault with. But because of some included effects, I wanted to switch to Videopad as a primary editor. It might make me seem spoiled here, but I did expect more from this "repair" version 3.04. I think now that I'll go back to Lightworks, and will check in here from time to time. Thanks!

[kerrym]

Just bought this version a couple of days ago and it has been horrible. Constantly crashing, incredibly slow, etc., I loved the earlier versions, but feel I really threw away my money on this piece of junk. Is there anyway to get an earlier version and use my registration code?

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

If you have kept the original vpsetup.exe file from the version you want to go back to and didn't simply run it from a website then if you double clicki this it will reload the previous version (vp2.41) You can, if you wish, delete all the NCH folders you have for your current version first, although I haven't found this necessary. I think it is always a good idea to save the .exe files (say on a USB chip) so you can go back to the earlier version if things don't run correctly.

I quite often change between the versions just to checkout workarounds but at the moment I prefer version 2.41 to edit all the stuff I do.

 

If you HAD the earlier version on your PC,(this might be correct if you didn't) then when you uninstall version 3.02 via the control panel you will get a message window asking if you want to revert to the earlier version with a Y/N choice.

 

Nat

[ConnorBrendish]

Hi,

 

Thanks for telling us about the Crop Effect bug. I've just fixed this and it should be OK in the next release.

 

Video transitions in v3.04 should work the same as they did in v2.41. That is, if the left clip of your transition has its 'out point' set and the right clip has its 'in point' set then the video shouldn't freeze during the transition period. This will depend on what 'in' and 'out' values you choose. If the clips don't have 'in' or 'out' points set and you transition between them then the frames will freeze at the middle of the transition.

 

VideoPad 3.04 introduces multi-threaded video decoders for some video codecs (H264 is one). If you have a multi-core CPU and your videos use one of these codecs then you should see a speed increase.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi NCH

 

"Video transitions in v3.04 should work the same as they did in v2.41. That is, if the left clip of your transition has its 'out point' set and the right clip has its 'in point' set then the video shouldn't freeze during the transition period. This will depend on what 'in' and 'out' values you choose. If the clips don't have 'in' or 'out' points set and you transition between them then the frames will freeze at the middle of the transition."

 

I have posted a "cure" several times regarding this mentioning that instead of using IN/OUT you can simply pull back the ends of your clips to a little more than the depth of the transition bar (equivalent to the in/out settings, but less phaffy to reverse) in which case the transition works fine.

 

Nat

[jonesri]

Hi NCH

 

"Video transitions in v3.04 should work the same as they did in v2.41. That is, if the left clip of your transition has its 'out point' set and the right clip has its 'in point' set then the video shouldn't freeze during the transition period. This will depend on what 'in' and 'out' values you choose. If the clips don't have 'in' or 'out' points set and you transition between them then the frames will freeze at the middle of the transition."

 

I have posted a "cure" several times regarding this mentioning that instead of using IN/OUT you can simply pull back the ends of your clips to a little more than the depth of the transition bar (equivalent to the in/out settings, but less phaffy to reverse) in which case the transition works fine.

 

Nat

 

Sorry Nat,

 

Maybe I'm the only novice video editor on here, but I didn't follow what you were saying at all. Btw, I'm not a novice technically, having been a software developer for more than 30 years. Can't grasp what you are saying "pull back the ends of your clips to a little more than the depth of the transition bar (equivalent to the in/out settings, but less phaffy to reverse)"

 

Regards,

 

RJ

[Dougie]

jonesri, I said basically the same thing in a different post. What we need is a video that shows the process in detail! Cnr-N@H added a video in anoither thread to explane his clip marking method, but the video has no audio, and it moves to fast for me to see what he is doing.

 

"....pull back the ends of your clips to a little more than the depth of the transition bar." Well, I had not tried that approach, so I just did. Put two five second clips on the timeline and butted them together. Then I pulled the tail of the first clip back by one second (just means to click on the tail of the clip and pull it back towards the head-I hope!). Then pulled the head of the second clip by one second. Then I butted them up again and added a 2 second crossfade. The damn freeze frames of course, were still there! So I don't really know what's going on with what they are saying.

 

I've gotten a lot of good advice from these guys, but this one completely stumps me!!

[borate]

jonesri, I said basically the same thing in a different post. What we need is a video that shows the process in detail! Cnr-N@H added a video in anoither thread to explane his clip marking method, but the video has no audio, and it moves to fast for me to see what he is doing. "....pull back the ends of your clips to a little more than the depth of the transition bar." <snip> I've gotten a lot of good advice from these guys, but this one completely stumps me!!

 

The essence is to provide a video pad at the end of the FROM clip and the start of the TO clip to cover the length of the transition.

If a 30fr dissolve, as an example, one full second of "extra" video should be available on both clips.

As the diss begins the TO video ramps up. At the halfway point - 15fr - both clips are the same amplitude. At the 30fr end of the transition, the FROM video ends.

 

Unfortunately, VP does not transition well, even when that method is employed. And no pad may be available for a particular clip.

Some of the dozen or so editors that I have tested also momentarily freeze during transitional video but with VP I have seen jump frames, doubled frames, and changes in earlier transitions when later ones are added.

A rethinkng of the basic design may be warranted...

 

Until that occurs this link discusses alternatives that result in smooth VP transitions.

[Dougie]

Yes, the overlay trick in your link works fine, and I usually use it (the link you provided is mostly me talking with you about it). So why am I argueing about using the basic transitions in the software. when the workaround works fine? I simply don't like the idea of paying for something that doesn't work as offered! Ever since version 3.x this software has gotten worse and worse. Render speed keeps going down (yes, I have a multi core processor, but it's still slower) the transitions problem, and now even the crop no longer works right (yes, I heard it was now fixed). I do use this software, and will continue to use it, but I can't justify actually buying it until it fully works. I'm sure people undersand that.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

Well...That has generated some posts! But that's what the forum is for...

 

OK Dougie and Jonsri and anyone else stumped with my explanation.....! (Borate excepted ) These are the steps (in detail) that I use in version 4.21 instead of the IN/OUT method and should (will!) produce a neat crossfade. It works in both 2.41 and 3.04. (but in 3.0x you add the transition in a slightly different way, apart from that the steps are identical. OK, Its a bit pedantic and I am probably telling auntie how to suck eggs but bear with me....

 

Place a clip on the timeline that has plenty of movement in it. (CLIP 1)

Place a second clip after this, again showing plenty of movement. (CLIP2) The two clips will automatically join up with a blue line between them. The movement is so you can see better what is happening when you review the finished transition.

 

We are going to add a crossfade between them of 4 seconds. (But any duration will work here) So....

 

Click the blue square with the lines across it at the end of CLIP 1 and add a crossfade effect of 4 seconds. This will produce a yellow bar across the join between the two clips with 2 seconds overlapping the end of CLIP 1 and 2 seconds overlapping the start of CLIP 2 (Adding the transition is slightly different in 3.0x but put a 4 second crossfade between the clips)

 

Now...If you play the sequence at this point slowly by dragging the red cursor line over it, you will see at the beginning of the transition a still image from the start of CLIP2 faintly appear. This will appear to fade in as CLIP 1 plays and fades out,

At the half way point (the join), the still image from start of clip 2 will be replaced by a still image of the last frame of CLIP 1 and this will appear to fade out whilst CLIP 2 plays and fades in.

It is these still images from the ends of the two clips that people have complained about.

You are actually playing both clips fully but using stills from each to make the respective fade out and fade in. Total length of the two clips remains the same.

 

 

So, to make the perfect crossfade without conciously using the IN/OUT markers..............

 

Activate CLIP 1 by clicking it.

Drag the red sequence line marker along so it lines up exactly with the start of the yellow transition bar.You are going to use it simply as a reference line.

 

Place the cursor on the blue join line between the clips and it will turn into two vertical lines with small arrows to each side.

Now grab the join line (which is now the end of CLIP 1) and drag it to the left so the cursor icon is just past the red line.(Use the little arrow on the right of cursor icon as your guide. Leave it touching the line.) (This is what I meant by dragging the end of the clip)

 

Activate CLIP 2 by clicking it

Now move the red cursor line to the right so it lines up with the finish of the yellow transition bar.

Grab the join line again (which is now the start of CLIP 2) and drag it to the right so the cursor is just past the red line.(Use the little arrow on the left of cursor icon as your guide as above.) (This is what I meant by dragging the end of the clip)

 

When you play the sequence now, both clips will play during the complete transition and there will be no still images.

 

In effect you are using IN/OUT markers to set the clips, (you will see the IN/OUT markers move as you pull the clips back in the left hand preview window) but by using the red cursor line lined up with the transition bar you are ensuring there is sufficient "cut off" from each clip to play during the transition. If you don't pull back the clips beyond the ends of the yellow bar you will get still images.

 

Obviously if you don't have enough video in each clip to trim off in this way but still need a transition then you will have to put up with still images.

 

Nat.

[Dougie]

Okay, first I put down two clips each about 7 seconds oong, then I added a 4 second crossfade. Then I activated clip 1and dragged the timeline (not mouse) cursor (you called it the red sequence line marker-same thing, right?). to the start of the yellow (mine is definately 0range) transition line. Then things got weird. You said "Place the cursor on the blue join line between the clips and it will turn into two vertical lines with small arrows to each side." I don't see any blue line. The line between my clips is black, and when I put my mouse cursor on it, I get a single black line with arrowheads at each end. But I'll assume that is correct.

 

"Now grab the join line (which is now the end of CLIP 1) and drag it to the left so the cursor icon is just past the red line" Okay, although that has always been the end of clip one. Did that, and as I dragged the end of the clip back to the red line, the transition line went with it. I tried several times to drag the clip end back without the transition line, but no dice. So now I have the transition line at the end of clip one, and a 2 second empty gap before the second clip. Is that correct? I can't get it do anything else at all!

 

"Activate CLIP 2 by clicking it. Now move the red cursor line to the right so it lines up with the finish of the yellow transition bar." It already is, since dragging the end of clip one back took the transition yellow line with it! "Grab the join line again (which is now the start of CLIP 2) and drag it to the right so the cursor is just past the red line" It is NOT the start of clip 2, since the transition line went with the rollback of the end of the first clip, leaving the gap before clip two.. From here on nothing works.

 

The only way to get this method across on the internet is with a slow, detailed video that includes detailed audio matching what is being shown. But thanks for trying!!

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

Ive just done a 4mB swf screen copy of the moves but can't get it to upload to my old Orange webspace. However I'll keep trying

 

Dougie...

 

"Then I activated clip 1and dragged the timeline (not mouse) cursor (you called it the red sequence line marker-same thing, right?). to the start of the yellow (mine is definately 0range) transition line."

 

Yes, The red sequence line marker is the timeline cursor and the transition bar is ........OK..........orange

In my version (VP2.41) the line between the two clips is CYAN. When you place the mouse cursor over this it turns into two narrow vertical lines each with a small central horizontal arrow pointing away from each line.

I haven't got V3 loaded so I am wondering if the cursor type and the line colour here is different......Are you using 2.41 or 3.0x?

 

"Now grab the join line (which is now the end of CLIP 1) and drag it to the left so the cursor icon is just past the red line"

"Okay, although that has always been the end of clip one. Did that, and as I dragged the end of the clip back to the red line, the transition line went with it."

 

The CYAN line will mark the end of CLIP 1 as this is the activated clip. If you had activated CLIP 2, it would have marked the start ofCLIP 2

The orange transition line will move left as you drag the end of CLIP 1 left. In effect the transition is moving back so it always has 2 seconds of working time before the join. (Assuming a 4 seconds crossfade)

 

"So now I have the transition line at the end of clip one, and a 2 second empty gap before the second clip. Is that correct? I can't get it do anything else at all!"

 

With version 2.41 there should NOT BE A GAP.

As CLIP 2 moves to the left CLIP 1 is dragged left and stays in contact. As VP 3.0x will allow one to drag a clip along and leave a gap, I am wondering if you are using this version.

 

I now have a vague feeling that in 3.04 dragging CLIP 2 left to close the gap will also drag the orange bar with it so destroying the transition. (This must be a bug!) If so, i am mistaken in thinking you can use this method in 3.0x....SORRY

From your last paragraph this seems to be what is happening. Can't load BOTH versions at the same time to compare, and currently have a project under way with 2.41.

 

Oh Dear......SORRY sorry sorry sorry ................. Works OK in 2.41 though!

 

 

Nat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In my version

[Dougie]

Yes, I am using 3.02. Hey, no need to be sorry! Apparently it just doesn't work that way in 3.02. Not as big a deal as I might make it sound. The overlay work around works just fine. I'll just have to remember to do it that way when I have a serious effect to do! Maybe the next release will address it.Thanks much for trying to help!!