Split-screen options

[Peter Mount]

I have videopad version 7.5.  How can I put four videos on the same screen arranged 2x2?
I've tried the "split" effect but whilst that gives me the desired layout it's only a quarter of each image.  How to get 4 full images together please?
There's advice on the net but it's for older versions and the instructions refer to things that don't seem to be on 7.5.
Many thanks,
Peter.

[borate]

In recent versions, note the options in the split-screen box...        

Consider installing the latest release.

For licensed users upgrades are free for up to six months from purchase date.  After that, VP will continue to fully function but a fee will be required in order to register the newest.  Retain your old install file and registration info.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi Peter

The latest version of VP behaves like this...... (But see below the ######## line.......YOUR VERSION DOESN'T.)

• Place the videos above one another, each on a higher track.
• 
• Click the FX for each track in turn and add a Split Screen effect using a 2 x 2 layout.
• Assign each track to a particular corner of the 2 x 2 matrix, setting the Resizing Mode (See Borate's post above) for each clip to Fit to Region. Note that with a 2 x 2 layout each box retains the 16:9 AR.
• If your clips are all 16:9 AR then the images will completely fill the boxes they are assigned to as in the image below.
• 
• If they are not 16:9 then vary the other options ..Scale, Vertical and Horizontal bias to adjust each image as required, Monitor the result of each change in the Sequence Preview window.

##################################################################################

HOWEVER...... You are using VP 7.5 and the Split screen options are not quite the same in this older version. The clips are NOT scaled to fit the Split Screen Boxes  automatically as with the latest version and if you use Scale to reduce them in size the split screen box is filled with the WHOLE SCREEN IMAGE  and not the Scaled image. That is why you only see a 1/4 of the clip. ...  So don't use Split Screen and proceed as follows... (with 4 clips it's fairly easy.)

• As before place the clips one above the other on higher tracks
• For each clip Click the FX and add a Scale  effect
• Set the Horizontal and Vertical  ratios to 0.5 This will reduce the clip to 1/4 size retaining the 16:9 AR
• Add a Position effect and move the clip   to its respective corner. You can monitor the result if you switch to dual preview displays in Option/Display and refer to the Sequence Preview window........
• 
• Repeat the same procedure for the other clips, using the  Position effect to place them accurately in their chosen corners
• . The final result should now look like the image above the line of ######.

There may be a way around having to do this with VP 7.5 but it's long time since I used it. I will have to check but the above will work.  The latest version is much improved in this area. For example, the layout previously used is retained for the next chosen clip ..it doesn't revert back to Horizontal 2.  Scaling is automatic, whilst positioning is included in the Split screen options. Layout has also been increased to a 5 x 5 matrix.

Give it a try and see. (Retain you old exe file for 7.5 and registration code so you can return to 7.5 later)

Nat

 

[Peter Mount]

Dear Borate and Nationalsolo,
Thanks for the advice above.  I'll give it a go with the proposed 7.5 solution.
Trying to update to the latest will cost another £40 - I paid that last November to get 7.5.
It's an expensive process running this software.  There's no mention in the list of upgrades of this function of screen splitting becoming available since then - mostly they seeem to be maintenance upgrades.  At £80 a year, if this is a continued requirement, I wonder if I should go to another software.  Shame though as I've got used to VP.
Is this really the approach of NCH? Is this software where the end user is footing the bill for its development?  I'm a tad jaded...
Peter

[borate]

In some respects NCH is more beneficent than other NLE providers who offer only yearly upgrades - at a price.  Videopad updates are free for six-months.

Plus, the unlicensed versions can be test driven indefinitely, though some features are limited.

Just now tested the 'free' v8.45.  The newer split-screen behavior was available, though it might not be later.  If Mp4 export is unavailable, AVI usually succeeds.