Editing w/large (4 GB) 60fps mp4 files from camera

[PastorSteve]

We've been using VideoPad for several months to create our on-line church services. About 6 weeks ago we purchased a new camera that records in 1080p MP4 at 60 fps. The largest piece of the service is the sermon, which is typically one 4GB file plus another 1-2GB file. I edit that, export it as 1080p MP4 at 30 fps, then pass it on to our final editor to include in the larger piece. We recently decided to try a second camera (the old one) for closeups, shooting MP4 at 30 fps. I edit using two video tracks and make the top one transparent at points to let the other track appear. I also add various images at points. The problem is that processing the large files when loading them into VideoPad maxes out the processor (Ryzen 7 3700x) on my machine, and editing becomes almost impossible (sluggish sometimes, but mostly totally unresponsive). Reducing video file size by lower level conversion, keeping 1080p at 30 fps but at much lower bitrate before loading into VideoPad lets me get the job done. But the additional steps are frustrating and the end product seems a bit fuzzier than when using the original camera files.

Would a faster processor (like a Ryzen 9) make a difference and make things fast enough to use the original files? Would it speed up rendering even when I use the smaller, converted files? Performance meter shows that the VideoPad hit is mostly on the processor. The GPU (Geoforce GTX 1660) is not doing much of the work at all. I have 32 GB of fast RAM.

Thanks for any advice you may have for me.

[borate]

Utilization of GPU is being improved.  It's wise to run the latest version.  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.

Some basics:  Load only the files that will be used in the project.  Allow the timeline to fully cache (green line above the thumbnails) prior to editing.  Under OPTIONS | DISK tab, Clear Unused Cache Files, to eliminate possible corruption.  Do that before beginning a new project.

Under OPTIONS | EDITING, toggle Use Hardware Acceleration to see if that makes a difference.

Verify that your video driver and Direct-X are current.  https://www.nch.com.au/kb/10265.html

Look into proxy editing, where small-resolution files are edited, then the originals substituted for export.

Breaking a project into more manageable segments, exporting each, then merging them for the final export may help.

If export isn't accurate, use the MPEG4 compressor in lieu of H264.  Or export at lower-res.

Of course. Save Project File AS routinely, giving it a unique # or name, so as not to overwrite prior saves.  Using Save Project Files (no AS) will overwrite.  Then you can restore a project to the state it was in when saved.  Just double-click the VPJ file (which isn't playable).

If you like, someone will analyse your project.  Uploading and sharing is not difficult, takes little time and can be private.  Just follow these steps...

1.  With your project on the timeline, click on MENU at the top-left.  Click FILE|BACK UP PROJECT FILES TO FOLDER.  Choose a folder and SELECT FOLDER.
2.  Locate the saved, numbered folder and upload it to a free server - Google Drive, MS OneDrive, etc.*  (Don't upload the export file or only the VPJ.)
3.  Get a shared, public link. If using Google Drive click GET SHAREABLE LINK. Click the blue "Change to anyone with the link..."  Then click COPY LINK | DONE.
4.  Paste that link here, or click the folder, above top-right in this forum, and message it to me.  This is private and won't be shared.
*    Before uploading, right-click the folder, click PROPERTIES.  Look at the File Size to confirm that it's not too big for the free space on the server.

[PastorSteve]

Thanks for the suggestions. It's a brand new system (less than a week), but it looks like there is a GPU driver update which I will try. DirectX is latest (12).

I know about caching and the green line. Note that a long time to cache is really THE issue and most intense processor usage if I try to load the big files into VideoPad. I do clear the cache before starting. But caching two or more big files takes so long that it is really unmanageable. I can wait several minutes (or longer) for caching to happen, then try to edit. But then changes like adding an auto level effect to the video tracks sets off another cache which I have to wait out once again. And each bit of editing just seems to make the re-caching happen slower and slower until it more or less just stops responding and caching never finishes.

I explored proxy editing, but wouldn't there still be a long wait and possible no-response on caching when the big files are swapped back in?

The long cache time using the big files is also why it is practically impossible to generate and back up to folder the project I want to create. I can do such a back up with a second-best project created with converted, smaller video files, if that would help make things clear.

Again, the problem is caching time for 2 large 4GB files plus two 2GB files at 60fps and a high bitrate as well. Caching just takes forever. And once a number of edits (splits for transparent bits, overlaid images on another track, etc.) are in place it seems like caching slows even further to an impossible crawl while driving the processor at 100%.

P.S., I'm running the latest version of VideoPad, just downloaded Friday.

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

Big files and formats do slow things down and it's the way things are going nowadays This may not be what you want as I am sure you know already...

If you are in the process of working on a big project and are returning to an editing session at a later time, don't empty the cache before continuing or before you knock off. The cache contains all the files that you are currently using (and probably files from other projects as well.) Deleting them and then re-opening the vpj file  means that VP has to locate the clips listed in the vpj file; reload them to the cache and sort out the editing and effects before you can start. This takes a considerable time.

If the cache is left untouched, the project will reload much faster.

Check this end of this thread.....

https://nch.invisionzone.com/topic/32837-re-caching/

Nat

[borate]

Proxy editing, using low-res files in place of the originals, will make caching and rendering go much more smoothly than with the large original files.

However, there could be program memory issues upon export.  Someone here will suggest the best way to proceed if you take the time to upload and share the project, as outlined above.  Breaking the project into shorter segments, exporting each and later merging those for final export is worth a try.

In the end it may turn out that your experiment with reducing video file size by lower level conversion, keeping 1080p at 30 fps but at much lower bitrate before loading into VideoPad is the most practical approach - at the expense of some quality.

In the future (no timeline) a 64-bit version of VP should considerably improve working with very large files/resolutions.

[PastorSteve]

Thanks for the suggestions, but I may be switching to Premiere despite the much higher cost. I downloaded it and played with it for a couple hours this evening. It seems to handle the big files without a hiccup, no caching time. And there's an automated multi-camera sequence function that will automatically sync two or more clips according to the audio track waveforms. Then one can just play the sequence and press control 1, 2, 3, etc. to switch between the video tracks wherever one wants. No splitting, transparency effect, deleting bits of the tracks, or any of that. If I can climb the learning curve it will be worth it to me. I learned some of the ropes on VideoPad, but it may be time to move on.