Audio / Video Sync Issue

[marjcr]

I have a brand new computer running Windows Vista, 6gb RAM, an i7 processor and 512mb video RAM. Everything seems to be working quite well and fast. I am a very experienced video user and have been doing my own video projects for over 10 years, including at various times using Ulead, Pinnacle, Avid Liquid, Adobe Premier... I've been through them all.

 

I normally supplement my more advanced video work with simple automatic tools like Roxio's to do easy, quick, slide shows with photos only. But when I got my new computer I purchased a copy of Creator 2009 and I found more evidence of how these things all seem to be coming together (i.e. so-called "advanced" tools like Avid Liquid, which has been discontinued, are now not much more powerful than inexpensive all-in-one type tools).

 

Sorry for the background but as a first time poster I thought it might be important to establish I've got a fast machine and lots of experience...

 

So here is my problem. I wanted to try out the Creator 2009 "advanced video editing" capability. I imported about 70 pictures plus a song for background which is on the music track. I put the pictures in the timeline with automatic 5 seconds per picture and no transitions nor pan/zoom on any photos. I then selectively added only 3 transitions at appropriate points and pan/zoom selectively on about 10 pictures near the beginning and 10 pictures at the end of the project. I METICULOUSLY edited the lengths of the pictures to match the beat of the music and words of the song. In my timeline in Creator doing playback it is close to PERFECT now.

 

Then I output the video and I wanted to try a few of the options. The first one I output to HDV 1080p, second to DV 720x480 and last one to a small .wmv "best" file.

 

All the files output with no errors and all are importable directly into my Avid Liquid installation. All run fine in Windows Media Player. EXCEPT FOR ONE VERY IMPORTANT FACT TO ME....

 

The audio and video does not remain in sync as I meticulously edited! And it's not just a lag either. I put the video into an Avid Liquid timeline, turned off the music track from it and replaced it with the same song imported directly to Liquid. I can move the song independent of the video output from Creator '09 and I still can't get it in sync. It seems that what is happenining is the photos are randomly coming out sometimes longer and sometimes shorter than what is in my timeline. Seems very, very odd to me. It's not TERRIBLE but it sure makes all that hard work feel wasted, plus I'm a perfectionist and want the output to look as perfect as it does inthe timeline so it is bugging me.

 

Sorry for the long post. Any thoughts??

[Jim_Hardin]

I don't see why it should be beyond the scope of C2009. All that marjcr is doing is adjusting the duration of the photos that are on the timeline. We do that all the time. Are you reading something into his post that I am missing, Jim?

Yes, you try timing your photos to the beat of the music with VW and keep it intact.

 

Music (beat) is based on TIME but when converted to video, TIME must also fit the parameter of FRAMES PER SECOND.

 

Since NTSC is 29.97 frames/sec it doesn’t quite make it without changing the speed of the Audio (beat) so all is in sync.

 

The eye can be tricked but not the ear.

 

I know other software is designed to work in this type of situation but Roxio is not.

 

 

Thanks myguggi. Yes, seems like it should be a trivial matter but I am sorry if I didn't explain it well. Jim, I meant absolutely no ill intent nor was I trying to start a debate. Just making an observation, as were you. As I said, I will try your suggestion and I do appreciate the thoughts. I am going to try this tonight and I'll make a posting letting you know what happens.

Keep us informed - I would like to know!!!

[marjcr]

What you said makes sense. Never happened in any of the other programs I use but I can see where Creator might not be compensating properly for the difference. Last night I deleted the song from the timeline, output video only, brought that into Avid Liquid and put the song on the Liquid timeline. Worked like a charm. Output from there and it worked. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

It's funny how all these video programs have different strengths and weaknesses and none seem to have "everything". I've been using Liquid for about 4 years and works great, except that it does not have the ability to do pan and zoom automatically and apply to all the clips. I can add an effect but I'd have to add it to each clip and customize it (which VW also allows me to do). That, plus a few other things, is what attracted me to Creator and now to the VW portion. Previously with the old Sonic and Roxio stuff I only used it when I wanted a quick slideshow to music.

 

Well, live and learn. Someday maybe one company will corner the market on everything "just right". Thanks again.

[Jim_Hardin]

I am surprised that anything I say ever makes sense…

 

But once the Export As is done, pictures no longer exist! It is now a video file and you could add the music without a picture timing being changed to pad a frame format. Yes it is an extra step, but I don’t think the software is up to the challenge.

 

The other software you are using are dedicated Editors that cost as much or more than Roxio which is a full Suite of 35 programs!

 

A parallel would be MyDVD and DVDit.

 

DVDit makes fabulous menus leaving MyDVD in the dust. Yet your $500 bought you a product that can’t even edit a single frame of video.

 

It does one thing, makes Menus, and one thing only.

 

So if you are spending about $100 on a single program, expect a little more from it.

 

As I recall Sonic does offer an editor that is around $30,000… Wonder how it would handle a slideshow

 

[Jim_Hardin]

Never done it!

 

Thoughts – you bet!

 

First it is way beyond the intended scope of the software!

 

Put your slides together as you want them to appear – do all your video portion then delete the Audio and Export As a video file.

 

Now bring that video file back into VideoWave and add the Audio.

 

[marjcr]

Not sure why it would be beyond the intended scope of the software just to edit it when they called it "Advanced Video Editing". All I am doing is putting in pictures on the timeline and making them stay in the timeline shorter or longer to fit the music. If it doesn't work in Creator '09 then I may as well just continue to use Avid Liquid if I'm really concerned about making sure my edits get output properly.

 

Nonetheless, I appreciate and will try your suggestion. I am already, of course, using Export As to a video file but if somehow having a music track on the timeline is causing issues with the purity of my video edits then I will delete the music after I've edited, output the video without sound and then see if when I put the track back down it is properly in sync with my edits. Thanks for the thoughts.

[Jim_Hardin]

OK you want debate...

 

Best of luck.

[bimicher]

Never done it!

 

Thoughts – you bet!

 

First it is way beyond the intended scope of the software!

 

Put your slides together as you want them to appear – do all your video portion then delete the Audio and Export As a video file.

 

Now bring that video file back into VideoWave and add the Audio.

 

I don't see why it should be beyond the scope of C2009. All that marjcr is doing is adjusting the duration of the photos that are on the timeline. We do that all the time. Are you reading something into his post that I am missing, Jim?

[marjcr]

Thanks myguggi. Yes, seems like it should be a trivial matter but I am sorry if I didn't explain it well. Jim, I meant absolutely no ill intent nor was I trying to start a debate. Just making an observation, as were you. As I said, I will try your suggestion and I do appreciate the thoughts. I am going to try this tonight and I'll make a posting letting you know what happens.