Confusing display when clips entered on VideoPad Timeline

ScootNOzarks

Been using VideoPad with good results for almost a year. But yesterday it kept "stuttering" -- repeating 3-4 words of audio as video played normally, then (not every time) once audio stabilized the video froze for several seconds. During one such episode, I hit Save then tried to X out of the program but it was frozen. After couple more X-out fails, it did close but I got a pop-up saying it had crashed. Loaded and ran recommended fix, but still happens. Experimented with short "edit" and Exported it. Playback is normal.

I was online with Support long time yesterday, uininstalled the program; cleaned computer, including recommended Registry cleansing; then re-installed. But still get same "right angle" split of the screen image. Impossible to tell where to do edits.

Anyone else ever have this problem? Any suggestions on fixing it?

borate

Install the current 64-bit 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.

Confirm that the PC video driver and Direct-X are up to date... https://www.nch.com.au/kb/10265.html

If this 'right-angle' split image shows up again, please take a screen grab and post a link to it here. Upload the file/s to a free server, such as Google Drive or MS OneDrive, get a shared (public) link, copy the link and paste it here or to me in a Private Message via the mail envelope in the top-right corner of this forum. If using Google Drive, if necessary change "restricted" to "anyone with link can view."

When reloading a project allow it to cache fully. The green line above most thumbnails should be complete.

Under the preview window the blue line may eventually change color in some cases.

For lengthy/complex projects this can take quite a while. Once cached, preview should be smooth.

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.

ScootNOzarks

Thanks for your time and input and, I hope, patience. I've done enough audio/video editing software packages last several years to be capable of learning how. So forgive me if I ask asininely simple things, like this: I got to that MS support article on Direct-X (since apparently none on this computer). What am I looking for?

Meanwhile, I've again uninstalled VPad, downloaded the FIX software they sent yesterday, turned off all other apps, and taken plenty of time for cache to fully load. But as soon as I opened new files to it, the shaded left and bottom borders showed on the 4 clips I'd put in, and one of them showed in the central view with noticeable beginning of the spread. I've changed NOTHING about how I proceed with each project, so can't believe I've inadvertently tampered with a setting to cause this.

I've put an Exported video -- which came out "normal" -- and a folder of screen shots together and put on Google Drive. Should I post their links here, or is there a way to get them only to you (would it make any difference)?

Breaking now, for supper and (as if!) sanity. So, no need be in a hurry. Since I know this will sorely try your patience, I'll try to use some of my own.😏

borate

What 'fix' software - the version linked above?

Here's the scoop on Direct-X for Windows PCs.

It's not clear what you mean by "the spread." If the project, when fully loaded to the timeline, looked strange, let's check it out.

Someone will come up with a fix. The process is easy, quick and best shared here, but 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.

ScootNOzarks

Sunday I downloaded what was sent as a fix for recent bug(s). Now no longer find original setup file but here's what came: Type - Application Product Version - 10.26 Original File Name - VideoPad.exe

DirectX is Version 12.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JodfVdqbwqqEhKr4rYPLSb0YjdUHDA8T?usp=sharing

"The spread" = How it starts with small section near bottom left, then goes right along horizontal axis with apparent "mirror image" of that visual toward the top. In the folder best example VPad Segraves #2 placed on sequence.

borate

If it's been less than six-months since purchase, then 10.26 should register automatically. After that period, there is an upgrade fee. Registered versions do not expire. Your installer is likely in this path on the PC: "C:\Program Files (x86)\NCH Software\VideoPad" or similar, without the X86. If not, look here.

The content you supplied displayed thumbnails, with their varied aspect ratios, normally here in version 10.26 (64-bit)...

What are your PC's specs: CPU/GPU/RAM/free space on C:\?

With the final, completed project on the timeline, please upload as instructed above.

ScootNOzarks

CPU E2180@2.0GHz RAM 3.0 GPI Intel G33/G31 WDDM 1.0 97.1GB free on drive

Purchased around 6 months ago. Would they not notify me if I owe, either before sending fix file or at time they send? Either way, what I have is the latest thing, based on my issues and with them having knowledge of what I use.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QfQ65CE6XvDIKtDNutCdwjMrHC4YwsG2/view?usp=sharing

Up since 5:30am, not used to staying at it this late, going to bed now. Again, thanks for all your help. I'll be up early again in the morning; leave word anything I'm still not providing.

borate

NCH doesn't notify when the purchase grace period is up. But you owe them nothing if the version you got was within the six-month period.

This version should come up as licensed.

Newer releases can be test driven, to see if there are new features. But there's never a mandate to update. If your version is dong the job, stick with it until something compellng prompts a change, and 'the latest' has had a chance to prove itself.

Your latest link is a VPJ control file that loads the project just as the earlier link did. The result was the same; looks fine, just as shown in the image above. If you have a more complete project to share, just follow the above instructions to upload the BACK-UP FOLDER, not simply the VPJ file.

Video editing is resource intensive and your PC is not a strong contender. At least 8GB RAM and an I5-class CPU are recommended. That said, small projects like yours work well for many users who run similar systems.

[deleted]

"...But yesterday it kept "stuttering" -- repeating 3-4 words of audio as video played normally, then (not every time) once audio stabilized the video froze for several seconds. ...."

A possible explanation for the stuttering, jumping back of the sound with a periodical stop in the preview is sometimes seen when one attempts to play the timeline before the sound files have been properly retrieved from the cache. VP has not actually cut up any of the clips that are being used (it's a non destructive process) and during the reconstitution of the project on the timeline is, (presumably) reading the clips in the cache and taking out the relevant sections from the vpj info file. If at the same time the program is being asked to play sections of sound are played and then repeated as the whole clip in the cache is read again to find the next edit point. I may be wrong but that's my take on it. If you wait until it is fully reconstituted before attempting to preview it may not happen.

Nat

ScootNOzarks

Nationalsolo, thanks for your tips. I thought I'd been allowing plenty of time for cache etc to fully load but patience has never been a primary go-to app. Is there any way to check whether it's completed? Seem to recall my defunct Serif MovieMaker 6 would have a pop-up warning it wasn't ready for what I'd attempted.

Borate, HALLE-bleepin'-LUJAH!!! Using your older file to reinstall I am pleasantly returned to apparently full functionality. Did one brief, all new files project to completion; then re-opened the project that first encountered these issues, relieved to see it is also back to normal.

I've prepared (I believe) a FULL "folder" and got it to upload. But after doing the today success version, I realized that the previously failing projects now come up only with correct views. Not sure if you want to give any more time to this project but I'd be willing to go back to the Sunday-sent "bugs fix" installation that seemed to cause that "spread" showing, so you could see if perhaps I had inadvertently flipped a wrong button -- or even, find what caused it if I'm not the problem. Let me know.

Either way, thanks again for all your help. Sorry I've been so slow. Not sure if "God bless" is appropriate so will default to Yanks' idea of what you say there: "G'day, mate!"

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-2EWI2K8-h2H7vCz51efu4nIArAEWaia?usp=sharing

borate

Checked out your latest - using the 10.32 beta VP release - and it looked just fine. Glad it worked out.

It is conceivable that there's a conflict between your PC's specs and the most recent VP architecture, which relies on the faster graphics processor for many en/decoding tasks. The older version 10.18 predates that change.

Realistically, it's impossible to beta test against every video card or user configuration, but when issues are spotted they are pursued.

This thread will be brought to the attention of the developers.

ScootNOzarks

Thanks again for helping me through this. My offer stands: let me know if you or the developers would like for me to reinstall the "fix" version to see if it still shows that strange visual display, now that I've learned how to send the whole folder.

borate

What version # was the 'bad' release?

It might prove useful to reinstall it and then take a snap of what the timeline displays.

Post a link to that here and we'll send it on.

Test this newly released beta if you have the time, to see if the issue is still evident.

ScootNOzarks

File version 0.0.0.0 Product version 10.26

Here's link for new Folder of what the set-up file was for the "fix" version:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13EDbYrUsfyt8SPN8vB9aESzCSqOXzA0G?usp=sharing

It had the crazy "spread" look on the editing screen but Exported version played looking normal.

Will work with the new beta later and let you know the results.

Thanks one more 'gain.

borate

Same good result, in preview, on the timeline and export, using 10.26 (32-bit).

If it looks bad on the timeline/preview there, snap a pic and link it here. The project itself seems fine.

ScootNOzarks

Screen grab of distorted timeine thumbs

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Tt1tPwYsNA1Vw1hiquldhCp-gT8_m-zS?usp=sharing

BTW, unless I loaded the Sunday one (pretty sure DID NOT) this was with Beta. Will work on it more later, uninstall and be ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN this was Beta; let you know, probably tomorrow.

Curious -- has anyone else had an issue like this?

borate

Can recall only a single recent post on timeline corruption, which may be the same issue as yours. Being investigated.

Betas frequently change, even when listed as the same version #. Download from here to check out the latest.

ScootNOzarks

Will do that in next little while.

BTW, please let Nationalsolo know: With the one you sent earlier today, which worked with excellent results and no inputting difficulties, I did still have some of those "stutters," even after allowing extra time to be sure cache had filled. But I can live with that, once we get past the weird timeline screen visuals. Thanks.

borate

Be budgeting for a more robust video editing PC.🤑

ScootNOzarks

Ooooh, just had supper but that gets my mouth watering!

Looking at details on both the Beta links you'd sent, it seemed there might be some difference so I tested BOTH again. Same as before with the wacky timeline visuals. Have now defaulted back to first one you sent, and again it's working just like I'm used to.

Perhaps I have taken enough of your time; know I'd rather be spending mine getting something done. Anyway, thanks again for all of it.