Help; my copy of MEP 17+ is STILL not working!!!!! Problems include with Program Monitor (both small & full screen)

B--magix wrote on 3/27/2011, 7:13 AM

Hi,

I first posted a question on 18th March about the new (upgrade) copy of MEP 17+ that I'd just purchased from Amazon (I previously used MEP 14, which wasn't perfect but mostly worked quite well). I received the software as a CD in a box with a book - all very impressive and nice looking...... pity it didn't actually all work properly and has been such a disappointment & wasted so much of my time ever since :(

I reported there were several problems mainly with "Program Monitor" not running. Someone called "Abba_MAGIX_Support_FR" was kind enough to answer and suggested that I should run an "online update" (from the drop down option in the help menu), followed by a full defaults reset (via [file][settings][reset program settings to default...]) . This took a surprisingly long time to download and install but after the rest it did seem to make a significant difference.....

Now instead of the Program Monitor completely freezing it does actually run HOWEVER it jumps and misses some frames and most of the fades and transitions either don't work or jump and are erratic rather than smooth. This makes it virtually unusable and absolutely horrible to work with (by the way I only ever use the "Timeline" view).

When I maximise Program Monitor (to full screen) it still has all the same problems as above, however it is also not possible to drag the position marker through the movie/video - so you cannot navigate and sample or easily review or repeat. All you can do is click the play button or twiddle the wheel thing for minute movements when the video has been paused or stopped.

Horrible :(

Any further suggestions or shall I just return this to Amazon and arrange a refund?

By the way, amongst many further questions I have (always assuming we can solve the more fundamental problem set out above); is there any way to change the default "photo length" from 7 seconds? I've never found out how or where to do this! I find it annoying when dragging a range of frames for an animation sequence I'm working on then have to select and change all (typically to 0.02 seconds), and then find one or two from the set don't change with the others so have to do those separately.... its all so messy and time-consuming it takes the joy out of it :(

And if you set up a group of frames can you give them all the same transition or fades (overlaps) or do you have to do each laboriously and manually?

And after all of that can you make a group into a single movie sequence (so you can use global fades etc) or do you need to "export" (e.g. as MP4) the re-import as the object/movie element?

But please, please, help me fix/solve the various Program Monitor problems so I can actually use software before looking in more detail at some of these other things.

Thanks.

[PS. I have Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit version), my processor is an Intel Core 2 - 6400 @ 2.13GHz, I have RAM: 4.00GB (3.00 GB usable), there are two physical hard drives with operating system and software installed on c: that is 146GB with 87GB free and all data files and work on the D: drive that is 1.81TB with currently 1.57TB free].

Comments

maxcon62 wrote on 3/27/2011, 8:51 AM

1) monitor problem

try to select "no cache" in the program option (type Y)

 

 

2) set picture time

select the first object...click on right key...select on drop down option in  the menu "picture time"... set the duration...and click on "applies to all".

 

 

 

Bye

Max

B--magix wrote on 3/27/2011, 2:57 PM

Hi Max

(1) thank you so much for telling me about the "no cache" option - there's so much in this software I wasn't aware that option was even there, but I tried your suggestion and it seems to have really helped! The monitor is running much better right away, so thanks for that (I'll now give it a thorough test).

(2) Your suggestion for the picture length was nearly but not quite what I wanted..... I already knew you could change a group after dragging and dropping to the timeline (although I've noticed that many time when you select "all2 to change the photo length of a group that it quite often does not change one, for example in the middle or at one of the ends - I don't know why). What I was hoping to find out was; is there a way to change the default from 7 seconds to whatever you're working with (for example if I am making an animation it's a pain to have to keep changing everything a few at a time)?

Thanks again.

B :)
 


 

1) monitor problem

try to select "no cache" in the program option (type Y)

 

 

2) set picture time

select the first object...click on right key...select on drop down option in  the menu "picture time"... set the duration...and click on "applies to all".

 

 

 

Bye

Max

B--magix wrote on 3/27/2011, 2:58 PM


PS...... very impressed with your screen shots, captures and editing! Thanks for taking so much trouble for me, you're very kind!

 

:)
 

1) monitor problem

try to select "no cache" in the program option (type Y)

 

 

2) set picture time

select the first object...click on right key...select on drop down option in  the menu "picture time"... set the duration...and click on "applies to all".

 

 

 

Bye

Max

maxcon62 wrote on 3/27/2011, 3:35 PM

Hi B-magix,

you can change the default pictures lenght in "set program" (type Y), in the box Video/Audio

Sorry for my English

 

 

Bye

Max

maxcon62 wrote on 3/27/2011, 4:45 PM

If you want to burn your project on dvd with MEP, remember to select again the option "cache reproduction and file", otherwise the preview of dvd menu will not work .

Bye

Max

cpc000cpc wrote on 3/27/2011, 5:58 PM

B--magix,

 

What is the format of your source video? Even with the suggestion by maxcon62 for cache settings, I don't think you can expect silk smooth previews with your machine, especially if you are using high definition material which is highly compressed. The Magix MEP17 site states that the minimum for AVCHD video is 2.83 GHz Core 2 quad processor, preferably an i7, and a beefy video card as well. There are however some 'tricks' that will make editing smoother:

 

On the same window with cache and picture length are settings for 'Movie display'. These are for the preview only and don't affect your exports. For HD material on a 1920x1080 monitor I regularly use Quarter resolution' and pick 'HDV2 quarter' for the preview window size (right click in the preview window and pick 'Resolution presets'). Or use half size matched with half resolution. To check for final quality you can easily switch to full screen & full resolution but playback won't be smooth. For this I find holding the right cursor key down gives a better impression of the final result even though it's slo-mo and silent. Another good idea is to mark and export a small range of say a transition (maybe only a few seconds) for critical assessment.

 

There is a whole other approach possible -- one automatically available in some other high end editors -- 'proxy editing'. You make lower resolution copies of your material, edit using them, and when ready for final export make the switch back to the high definition originals. The rendering times are always going to be long but many users just plan to leave MEP running over night! There is another Magix user forum where this was discussed at length:

 

Regards,

Carl

B--magix wrote on 3/27/2011, 6:04 PM


Hi Carl - thanks a lot for your detailed and informative expertise! It's getting quite late now so I'm leaving this project for today but I'll most definitely re-read and fully investigate all that you've said.

Thanks again & all the best,

B

 

B--magix,

 

What is the format of your source video? Even with the suggestion by maxcon62 for cache settings, I don't think you can expect silk smooth previews with your machine, especially if you are using high definition material which is highly compressed. The Magix MEP17 site states that the minimum for AVCHD video is 2.83 GHz Core 2 quad processor, preferably an i7, and a beefy video card as well. There are however some 'tricks' that will make editing smoother:

 

On the same window with cache and picture length are settings for 'Movie display'. These are for the preview only and don't affect your exports. For HD material on a 1920x1080 monitor I regularly use Quarter resolution' and pick 'HDV2 quarter' for the preview window size (right click in the preview window and pick 'Resolution presets'). Or use half size matched with half resolution. To check for final quality you can easily switch to full screen & full resolution but playback won't be smooth. For this I find holding the right cursor key down gives a better impression of the final result even though it's slo-mo and silent. Another good idea is to mark and export a small range of say a transition (maybe only a few seconds) for critical assessment.

 

There is a whole other approach possible -- one automatically available in some other high end editors -- 'proxy editing'. You make lower resolution copies of your material, edit using them, and when ready for final export make the switch back to the high definition originals. The rendering times are always going to be long but many users just plan to leave MEP running over night! There is another Magix user forum where this has been discussed at length:

http://support2.magix.net/boards/magix/index.php?showtopic=39370&hl=%20proxy%20%20install&st=0 

 

Regards,

Carl

 

 

B--magix wrote on 3/27/2011, 6:05 PM


Thanks for your ongoing advice, Max - I'll be sure to follow your suggestions.

 

B
 

If you want to burn your project on dvd with MEP, remember to select again the option "cache reproduction and file", otherwise the preview of dvd menu will not work .

Bye

Max