VideoPad 3.10 released

[ConnorBrendish]

Hi,

 

VideoPad v3.10 for the Windows platform has been released.

 

A small list of what's new:

• Improved the Effects Dialog:
  
  • Added a toolbar to the top of the window for quick access to some commands.
    
  • Can now rearrange effects (move them up or down) in the effect chain.
    

  [*]Added more effects:

  • Mirror; mirror a clip down the center either vertically or horizontally.
    
  • Position; move the clip on the X and Y axes.
    
  • Rotate; rotate the clip about the X, Y and X axes. You can achieve a "flip" effect by rotating 180 degrees about the X or Y axes.
    
  • Scale; scale a clip in the X and Y dimensions independently of each other.
    
  • Tint; apply a colour tint to a clip.
    

  [*]Added "slide" transition with non-linear motion curves. Check it out.

  [*]Added quick-access toolbar to the main window for easy access to some commonly-used functions.

  [*]Added option to either crop or letterbox on export. You can now easily export to 4:3 and other aspect ratios. See the "Export" tab in the Options Dialog.

  [*]Added sequence snapshot dimensions dialog. Now, when taking a snapshot of a sequence you'll be prompted for the width and height at which you'd like to take the snapshot.

  [*]It's now easier to change the text content of an existing text clip. Clicking in the text box after selecting a text clip should enlarge the text box.

  [*]Changed sequence timeline editing behaviour to "ripple". It should now behave more intuitively. Hold the ALT key to make it behave like previous versions. See the help documentation for more info.

As always, you can download VideoPad from here: http://www.nchsoftware.com/videopad/index.html

 

If you find any problems let us know!

[borate]

VideoPad v3.10 for the Windows platform has been released.

 

Slo-mo video is improved. But perhaps not ready for prime time

When the middle of three video clips is slowed, slowed video from that clip is appended to the end of the original material on the timeline. My test was at 50% speed. The excess can be excised.

 

Thanks Connor. Now if only you could convince marketing that it would be in their best interest, during install, to cease adding context and start menu items for products that the user hasn't installed.

And to always prompt for consent before installing an NCH module that they may not want.

 

IMO, users should be given a UI choice to remove shell integration and an option to list start menu items - especially those for programs that are other than the one being installed.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

I am begining to come around to this version .

 

I shall have to try something a bit larger than just a couple of clips.

 

Nat

[ad101867]

Thanks for the info, guys. Two questions about this version:

1. Can I open projects created in version 2.41?
    
   
2. What's the rendering like? Any noticeable glitches? With 2.41 the render looks excellent if you pause it and just look at a given frame. But in motion it tends to have little "jumps" every couple seconds, as if it's skipping a couple frames.
   

Thanks a bunch,

Andy

[Nationalsolo]

Hi Andy

 

Starting with a completely empty cache, version 3.10 loaded a test project (.vpj) file created with version 2.41.

This project consisted of a single 20 second mpeg4 clip. On my PC this took about 1 minute to completely load. i.e to load the clip and create all the thumbnails for the sequence line and the preview screen.

 

So, in short, the answer to your question is yes. (Although it may take quite a while for a big project)

This single clip created 9 files. (and sometimes 10 for some reason). Note that None of these were named...just numbered....e.g. 1368-1108.cache etc.

 

Note that a project created with version 3.10 will NOT open in version 2.41.

 

Nat

[ad101867]

Thanks, Nat. . . . Now 2 more questions, if you don't mind.

1. I can't seem to find a trial version of 3.10; only 3.0. Where can I download 3.10?
   
2. I've recently discovered that renders in 3.0 are much better than 2.41, even though 2.41 is better for the editing process itself. Anyway, today I tried opening a 2.41 project in 3.0, but 3.0 kept crashing after a few minutes of "generating thumbnails." The program would just close all on its own. What causes that, and is the same thing going to occur with 3.10?
   

Thanks again,

Andy

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

Go to the link given by Connor.....

 

http://www.nchsoftwa...opad/index.html

 

The trial version is lower down the page.

 

http://www.nchsoftwa...pad/vpsetup.exe

 

 

I just tested a single small 2.41 project with 3.1 which did load so don't know why yours crashes.

I'll try a much bigger one once I have reloaded and relocated the files for it, and then see what happens.

 

Nat

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

(Later)

 

Further to the above posting which was a test with a single clip project...I have just tried to load another more complex 2.41 project into VP 3.1

It's a short film of 11 mins 20 seconds duration.

 

OK.....it loaded (APPARENTLY) and so far has not crashed.......BUT.... I say "So far" as it is STILL generating things after 40 mins!!!

 

The project consisted of 57 short video clips, 2 or 3 being stabilized avi clips. They were all 1280 x 720 MPG4. clips The project included 4 snapshot images and three audio files and the editing included numerous audio clips for narration and crossfade transitions between a proportion of clips.

 

Starting with a completely empty cache file, the project loaded the clips to the media list in 2 mins and then took 2 mins 30 to generate the thumbnails for them in the list.

 

However it proved impossible to preview the film (and do further editing) as the green bar was so slow to move along the sequence and all that came up was the "Building Preview" screen. (I think this has been made to regularly invert)

 

Even when the red cursor line was moved to a "green barred" section it refused to preview.

 

 

AFTER 30 MINS THE GREEN BAR WAS STILL MOVING ALONG THE SEQUENCE LINE GENERATING THE THUMBNAILS THERE, BUT HAD ONLY REACHED THE 6 MIN MARK. TRANSITIONS WERE STILL ALSO BLANK.

 

IT TOOK 45 MINS TO COMPLETELY LOAD ( APPARENTLY), WITH SEQUENCE LINE THUMBNAILS ETC.

 

THIS WOULD NOT PREVIEW AT ALL BUT PLAYED THE SOUND TRACKS ALL OUT OF SEQUENCE.

 

ALL TOGETHER THIS WAS A TOTAL FAILURE!

 

 

Following this test my advice is NOT to load any 2.41 projects into VP 3.10.

 

 

I have not created any large projects with 3.1 (or 3.0x) versions as I still mostly prefer 2.41 so I don't know how a big project would load from scratch.

 

 

NOTE:

As a comparison... The same project used above loaded into V2.41 from an empty cache and was ready to edit in 2 mins 25.

 

When loaded with the cache present it took 15 seconds!

 

Nat

[ad101867]

Thanks for this very informative response, Nat. I'm gonna download the 3.10 trial version and try loading a 2.41 project. It would be too bad if that didn't work, cuz then I'd have to either settle for the inferior 2.41 render, or re-do the whole project in 3.10 if I want the better render. Hmm . . . . Still considering buying the home version of Sony Movie Studio (about $50), but am already familiar with VP, enjoy their editing process, and the 3-series has excellent rendering. The quality of the render is now the key thing I look for in an editing program. I don't need lots of bells and whistles; mainly want cuts, fades, and a great render.

 

Cheers,

Andy

[ad101867]

Just had this exchange with Online Help:

 

 

[ME] Hi. I would like to try the trial version of 3.10, but when I try to install it, it tells me that I've already used up the trial version and must now purchase. I have never had 3.10 installed on my machine before! After all, it's a new version, so how could I already have tried it??? Please tell me how I can try 3.10.

 

 

 

NCH Technical Support:

 

Many of our products have a free trial for testing purposes and/or non-commercial use. If you want to continue to use the free trial without expiration, go to Start--> Control Panel > Add / Remove software and start the removal process of your software. For many products, you will see an option there to downgrade to the free version.

 

 

 

[ME] Okay, I can do that. However, what about current VideoPad projects I have in the works? Will I still be able to open them after uninstalling the existing software and installing the new trial version?

 

 

 

NCH Technical Support:

 

If you made a backup of the projects, then yes. otherwise these will be lost, as this is a trial version for testing purposes

 

 

[ME] how and where can i make backups?

 

Did the guy mean that if I open old projects in the trial software, and then resave them as projects of the new software--they'll be unopenable after the trial period ends? I mean, if I were to use the trial version for a couple weeks--and then revert to 2.41, my old projects should still be openable in 2.41, right? They won't just "disappear," right?

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

The second link I posted above will (should) allow you to download VP version 3.10 .non commercial free version.

SAVE this to file your PC. Don't use the "Run" option. It is called vpsetup.exe which doesn't tell you which version it is so rename it something like VP3-1.exe

 

If you are currently using version 2.41 then you should have the vpsetup.exe file for that version somewhere (provided you originally took the Save option when you downloaded it). It will probably be in the NCH folder or the Appdat folder. If you have it then rename it VP2-41.exe

You now have an .exe file for both versions.

You can flip between versions by double clicking the respective setup file.

 

I think what NCH means is that any projects created with 3.1 will not open once the trial period has expired as the version no longer works, but I am pretty certain they will open OK in the non.commercial free trial version if you download it.

 

Version 3.1 projects will NOT open however in 2.41.

 

Version 2.41 projects are supposed to open in 3.1 but I find (see my post above) that although they convert and seem to load for simple things, a more complex project does not load correctly at all.

 

BTW. I find 2.41 renders OK.

 

Nat

[ad101867]

Ah yes, downloading from that second link of yours does give me the non-commercial version of 3.1, so thanks! Unfortunately it seems incapable of loading 2.41 projects for me. My projects are movie-length because I'm into fan-editing commercial films, so they're all about 2 hrs. long.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

 

I think that they would take forever to load in version 3.xx and I think that even if created in 3.xx editing would be a slow job.

 

Nat

[DGP23]

I updated yesterday and kind of wish I hadnt, I tried to open a quite complex project, all it did was load all the files into the media list but none of the actual project went into the timeline. Ive just got a great opportunity to show the film this weekend and really need to make some changes so if anyone has any advice please let me know, thanks

there is a new bit called sequences, would this be my film, I couldnt drag it into the timeline?