addressed Degraded performance, slow caching

[Frustrated99999]

Hi all, as you can likely tell by my user name and the title, I'm using VideoPad 7.3 and it's destroying my sanity.  I bought it a few months ago so I could do better editing than what was possible with another program, but without spending my life savings for a more expensive program.  At first, it all worked great!  I could edit an hour long video with multiple clips, text overlays and extra effects in only a few hours!  Lately though, it's all gone completely downhill.  Even doing a simpler level of editing, if I have to change one line of text within an hour long video, VideoPad restarts the preview processing for not just the one clip the text was over, but it has to re-process the entire hour long video preview!  I'm having to wait about half an hour at a time just to edit a line of text, and it's taking me at least a full day to make only a simple video!  And even after re-processing, the preview video still plays at about 2 frames per second at best.  I can't even move the position bar without it having to re-process something.  My CPU usage shoots up to the 80% to 100% range most of the time that it does this.

I've been reading through different settings from other users, trying all different things that worked for some to help with the problem.  I tried changing the preview window (although settings on that are extremely limited in 7.3).  Nothing's working though.  I even tried re-installing it.  As for my PC, I have a Core i7-6700, 8GB DDR4 RAM, a couple 240GB SSDs, a GTX 980 and the latest version of Windows 10 Home, so by all rights, it should be able to blow through a project like this like it was nothing (and it used to do just that!).

Is there any fix for this?  The videos I make are simple, but many of them are also time-sensitive, so I really need things to work.
And since I've only owned this program for maybe a year now at the most, I'm kind of hesitant to pay full price for a new version or an alternative program...

Any help would be highly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Nationalsolo]

Hi

It's an old version but if it worked OK when you installed it, it ought to work OK now. I would first clear the cache files out using Options/Disk and then see how it performs. If you never done this before it may be huge. Has there been any changes to your PC e.g. new background tasks running...malware etc? Have you changed the type of videoclips you are using e.g. are they now 4K etc.?

Nat

[borate]

Program operation should not deteriorate, and your PC is capable.  But time may have passed more quickly than you realize.  7.3 was released in February of 2019.  Since then significant improvements have been made in file handling.  The current 64-bit version is especially capable for lengthy, complex projects.

Follow Nat's suggestions.  If lag continues, click the link here and test the latest.  Retain your old installer and registration.  Backward capability is usually good, but not perfect.  Some effects may have to be rebuilt.  And, unless upgraded, the unlicensed release has limitations.  https://www.nch.com.au/upgrade/

In any case, 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.  From the HOME tab, that choice is available by clicking the chevron to the right of the Save Project button on the toolbar.

[Frustrated99999]

Thanks for the replies!  I do clear the cache files out now and then, so that part should be fine at least.  I do process a 4K video now and then, and that's always been slow to work from the beginning, but the problem lately has been with 1080p videos.  I've managed to keep my PC clean from malware and such, so that should all be fine.  I'll try running some cleaners though, and I'll try the suggestion of saving projects as separate files instead of over-writing.

The only change recently has been that I plugged in a USB 3.1 drive (in a 3.0 port - should still be fast) to handle the cache and take the load off my SSDs.  I was already starting to have some slowdown issues before plugging it in, so I was hoping it would help, but it didn't seem to make much difference (aside from the SSD not getting full, so that's a plus at least!).  I can try unplugging it and moving the cache back to an SSD, but shouldn't it work just as well to use a high speed USB drive for the cache?

I've always had to wait for the clips to process when I first load them or make edits to them, so that was always fine.  The problem now is that editing one clip causes it to redo the processing for every clip in the video, where before I'm pretty sure it would only re-process the edited clip to move things along faster.

Thinking back, the problems first started showing up when I got the pop-up to upgrade to the newest program version a few months back (maybe it was a coincidence?).  The pop-up didn't indicate that it was a paid upgrade, so when I clicked to install it, it went through all that and over-wrote the old version.  Then when I started it up and it prompted for payment, I uninstalled it and switched back to the old one with a fresh install.  If the new version is a lot better for processing long videos as you said, I may give it another try and see how it does.  Looks like they have an upgrade discount down to $24.99 now (it was going to be the full $60 when I was originally prompted), so it might be worth it to save myself some headaches.

[borate]

As each project is controlled by its own VPJ file, which tells it where to find source files and handle transitions, effects, etc. it's wise to Save AS routinely. When editing is complete, do a final Save.  In starting a new project, open VP and clear the cache before importing files.  Always allow loading to cache fully (completed green lines above the video clips).  After that's done there should be no lag.  You might also consider this when working with large UHD files and lengthy projects.

Another thing to check is that the video driver and Direct-X are current.  https://www.nch.com.au/kb/10265.html

Assuming that the USB is plugged into a 3.1 port, you state that USB caching is comparable to the SSD, so that doesn't appear to be a factor.

Test the new 64-bit (free) version linked above.  If feasible, let's see your project. The process is easy, quick and can be done privately.  Just follow these steps...

•     Back up --- 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.
•     Upload ---  Use a free server - Google Drive, MS OneDrive, etc.* - to upload the saved, numbered FOLDER.    Do NOT upload the individual VPJ or export file. 
•     Get link --- Get a public link.  If using Google Drive click GET SHAREABLE LINK. If necessary change "restricted" to "anyone with the link can view" 
•     Share ---     Click COPY LINK | DONE.  Paste that link here, or click the folder at the top-right of this forum to message it privately to me.  It 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.

[Frustrated99999]

Sorry for taking so long to update!  I tried the new version, checked the video drivers and other settings, but didn't really see an improvement.

My video workload has scaled back though, so getting things done fast isn't urgent like it was a month ago.  I've gone ahead and reverted to 7.39 since that's what my license covers, so for the time being, I think I can deal with the slowness.  The only thing I haven't tried at this point is re-installing Windows 10.

So it may not be the miracle outcome I was hoping for, but on the plus side, it's still a whole lot better than Movie Maker and gives me all the effects capabilities that I need as well as occasional 4K processing!

Thanks for the help!

[borate]

Share a 4K project that has given you grief.   Someone will check it out.  The process is easy, quick and can be done privately.  Just follow these steps...

        Back up --- 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.
        Upload ---  Use a free server - Google Drive, MS OneDrive, etc.* - to upload the saved, numbered FOLDER.    Do NOT upload the individual VPJ or export file. 
        Get link --- Get a public link.  If using Google Drive click GET SHAREABLE LINK. If necessary change "restricted" to "anyone with the link can view" 
        Share ---     Click COPY LINK | DONE.  Paste that link here, or click the folder at the top-right of this forum to message it privately to me.  It 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.

[Frustrated99999]

The backup failed half way through, but I at least have the video file and vpj file.  Will that work?

[borate]

Have never known a Menu | FILE | Back up project files to a folder to fail.  Under OPTIONS | Disk tab, Clear Unused Cache Files and try it again please.

In lieu of that, of all source files and the VPJ are in the same folder, zip that folder and upload it.

[Frustrated99999]

Little update here, the most recent video I made was editing down a single 90 minute video clip to just over 20 minutes.  The video is 1080p, 60FPS.  I decided to let it pre-process for probably 4 or 5 hours total, and after it got through that, the editing actually went very smoothly and the final processing only took around 90 minutes (about 4 seconds processing per second of video - not bad for a 6th gen i7).  So it looks like I just haven't been giving things enough time to pre-process (thought I was, but I guess not), and then when I was cutting clips that hadn't been fully processed, it was having to redo a lot of it and that put a lot of strain on the system.

So now that I know all that, I think I'm good to go with using the software as it is.  Just have to be more patient!

[borate]

Good to hear.  Keep in mind...

Clear the cache before starting a new project.

Allow the new material to fully load and cache (completed green lines above all video clips and, under preview, the line changes color).  Once done, reloading will be quick, if no other project has been loaded since.

Don't load clips that won't be used in the project.

Consider using Proxies.

Speed improvements are under constant development, so use the latest 64-bit 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.

[Isildor121]

This software is an abomination. It's God awful. An utter waste of time. Literally bleeding hours away.  If you want to be productive, look elsewhere. It's riddled with caching bugs.  It loses its place and can't relate to where the cursor is on a particular clip for simple tasks like audio fades.  Mostly it's diabolically slow. Never used to be this bad either but first chance I'm getting I'm switching. J ust tried the latest version as well following my support query and I gotta say, I don't appreciate the pop us trying to push other media editors at me. 

[c_major]

@Isildor121

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with VideoPad and thanks for trying out the latest version.

If you could tell us the particular issues we will look into them.