Magix MEP 2015 Plus takes over both of my dual monitors

captmcnet wrote on 4/15/2015, 8:05 AM

I am new to MEP. Back in '09 - '12 I utilized Magix Audio Cleaning Lab a lot , and loved it. But, I am new to video editing.

I have successfully captured old family VHS videos onto my HDD as mp4 files using an AverMedia PCIe card.

MEP 2015 Plus has me very frustrated.

When I run MEP 2015 PLus, it opens full screen in my primary monitor as expected (Dual monitors, two 23 inch IPS screens fed from the two DVI out ports of my graphics card) . AND, it also takes over my secondary monitor; this action was unexpected.

When I run a video file in MEP, and getting that accomplised took a lot of gress work , the video displayes in both the small area within MEP on the primary monitor AND full screen on the secondary monitor.

This 'taking over' of both monitors renders my secondary monitor useless to me. It is impossible for me to use my secondary monitor for any other purpose; such as running a tutorial.

My immediate next priority will be to remove (cut ?) bad frames from a video. I found the 'Remove Start' and 'Remove End' (please forgive me if I misname something, I am going from memory because I cannot both use this forum and run MEP simultaneously) listed under the (razor blade ?) cut icon. However, I I am doing something wrong because the 'cut' frames at both beginning and ending seem to be persistant.

First, someone please help me free up my secondary monitor !

Tks

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 4/15/2015, 12:13 PM

Try pressing the Windows key and P key together - this should pop up a menu giving you the options on how your desktop is displayed - set it to Extend

Tocut off the ends of video and delete the bit you do not want use - position the timeline cursor at the required point and use the Z an U keys - quicker than the mouse - for begiining and end respectively.

HTH

John EB

captmcnet wrote on 4/15/2015, 1:42 PM

Thank you johnebaker.

The menu provided by the Windows & P keys sequence , although seemingly focused on loaptop computers and somewhat limited , has allowed me to regain partial control of the displays on my dual monitors.

I am not satisfied , one of my monitors has less than half of its screen area illuminated; the mouse cursor is normal accross the full screen area. However, when I drag the video file name to to place it on the first Timeline, the second monitor illuminates full screen. It is this kind of mysterious crap which drives me dagnab crazy !

I am however greatly relieved that I now have the taskbar visable again at the bottom of the monitor where the MEP is running; which means I am able to open and view windows and tabs in the normal fashion on that one monitor.

..........................................................

I know how to position the cursor at the beginning and end points of the group of video frames I wish to delete, and I did click on the 'razor blade' icon to initiate each 'cut'; but I am doing something wrong because after I chose delete, when I clck on the (VCR style) control icons which return you to the beginning or take you to the end of the video; the frames which I thought had been removed, are still there. Thanks also for the Z and U key suggestion.

All help appreciated.

browj2 wrote on 4/15/2015, 2:01 PM

Hi,

For the windows problem, click on Window in the top menu of MEP, select default.

In MEP, there are 3 windows and you can see this under the Window selection; Program monitor, Media Pool and Project (this is the Arranger). All 3 windows can be moved and resized. There is a little button at the upper right of each window to change the mode from normal to full-size and back to normal. When in full size, Esc also takes it back to normal.

For your other problem, you have to click on the object that you want to delete first. If you do Ctrl+Del, the object will be deleted and any objects to the right will be moved to the left to fill in the gap.

This is very basic. I suggest that you read the first part of the manual and especially the Quick Start chapter to understand how the program works. This will save you a lot of headache and time.

There is also context help on each tool.

captmcnet wrote on 4/15/2015, 3:21 PM

Hi,

For the windows problem, click on Window in the top menu of MEP, select default.

In MEP, there are 3 windows and you can see this under the Window selection; Program monitor, Media Pool and Project (this is the Arranger). All 3 windows can be moved and resized. There is a little button at the upper right of each window to change the mode from normal to full-size and back to normal. When in full size, Esc also takes it back to normal.

For your other problem, you have to click on the object that you want to delete first. If you do Ctrl+Del, the object will be deleted and any objects to the right will be moved to the left to fill in the gap.

This is very basic. I suggest that you read the first part of the manual and especially the Quick Start chapter to understand how the program works. This will save you a lot of headache and time.

There is also context help on each tool.

Thank you browj2,

I had found the 'Window' menu item and it includes a Multi Monitor selection which I am now playing with.

Thank you for your explanation of the three parts (wsindows) of the MEP.

I had tried the User Guide Manual and found it cryptic, but I will try again.

I agree that what I am looking for is some very basic instruction. My Google search for tutorials did not find any which were basic enough.

browj2 wrote on 4/15/2015, 11:07 PM

Hi,

Since you are new to MEP, did you download and install all of the Free Addons that you will find under Help in the menu at the top of the screen in MEP? If not, then do so.

Also, make sure that you update to the latest patch - also under Help, Online Update.

I forgot to mention, F9 will do a reset of the MEP settings including the windows.

Like you, I started with ACL. I was using a different video editor and decided to give MEP a try. I still have the other one but MEP has a better interface in my opinion, and it has all of the other programs like ACL (I use AML2014 Premium - don't get ACL 2014), Music Studio, Music Maker and Xara (excellent for creating graphics and masks and bringing them right into MEP, amongst many other uses).

for beginners. I haven't watched it.

There are many other tutorials for MEP on YouTube and many in this forum here. Click on the Tutorials tab and take a look.

captmcnet wrote on 4/17/2015, 8:49 AM

Hi,

Since you are new to MEP, did you download and install all of the Free Addons that you will find under Help in the menu at the top of the screen in MEP? If not, then do so.

Also, make sure that you update to the latest patch - also under Help, Online Update.

I forgot to mention, F9 will do a reset of the MEP settings including the windows.

Like you, I started with ACL. I was using a different video editor and decided to give MEP a try. I still have the other one but MEP has a better interface in my opinion, and it has all of the other programs like ACL (I use AML2014 Premium - don't get ACL 2014), Music Studio, Music Maker and Xara (excellent for creating graphics and masks and bringing them right into MEP, amongst many other uses).

for beginners. I haven't watched it.

There are many other tutorials for MEP on YouTube and many in this forum here. Click on the Tutorials tab and take a look.

Thank you browj2,

Per your recommendation, I downloaded and installed the (Help menu) Free Download items (boy did that take a while and I have a fairly fast system), plus the mp2 and mp4 codecs,

Also, per your recommandation, I downloaded and installed a significant (at least to me) update. This surprised me because I had purchased the product only a few weeks ago. It would be nice if Magix issued an alert when an update is available.

I have been experimenting with the 'Window' menu Multi Monitor and Default settings. I now feel that I am in control (so far) and I cannot thank you enough for helping me get to this point.

I have gone through the Magix web site 'MEP 2015 Plus' Tutorials (most of which will be for future reference as I grow in experience). I have had time to watch aprox one third of the Beginners video clip that you included.

I must congradulate the person who put togeather that Beginners video clip. He made use of small things which are of great benefit to actual beginners; such as placing a grey translucent circle aroung his cursor arrow, thus making it somewhnat easier to locate and follow the cursor around the screen during his presentation.

I will lnvestigate AML2014 Premium , and acknowledge your admonition "...don't get ACL 2014".

I am keeping the MEP user guide manual pdf open for reverence in a third monitor.

FWIW, in the MEP manual on pg 18 there is a parenthetical helpful hint (tip) statement (phrase?) which is "(view page 197)". Beginners (at least myself) find this kind of hint mechanism very helpful, and it is the absence of any such help that underscores my earlier use of the term 'Cryptic'. For example, when one reads page 197 there is the statement "You can set the quality of the proxy files in the dialog .... " with zero help on where said 'dialog' may be found!

I am very appreciative of the assistance you have given me.

browj2 wrote on 4/17/2015, 1:37 PM

Hi,

Glad to see that you're moving ahead.

Like almost every program on the market, the downloaded or sold program is the first version and you if you buy several months later, there will likely be a patch available. I think that there was an automatic update notice with some of the Magix programs but there were some problems and annoyances, and Magix may have removed this from the most recent programs, or it is turned off by default. There is a Hide news option under Program Settings (Y), under the System tab. If it is off, try turning it on.

The screen capture program for the tutorial has a feature to highlight the mouse. Most of these programs do. The one that I use in my tutorials is not as obvious as the one used in the linked tutorial, so I often add a big arrow or a circle draw effect to go along with the cursor when where the location of the cursor is important or not too obvious.

I often keep the on-line help (F1) open and use it to quickly look up words or terms. Thus searching for Proxy quickly comes up with definitions and uses. You may also want to do a search in this Forum for Proxy and frametable (also in F1) to see comments from the power users here.

Looking up Proxy in F1 would have led you quickly to this (only availlable in Plus/Premium versions):

"You can activate the "Create proxy files automatically" function directly in the start dialog or at a later time in "File" > "Settings" > "Movie..." > "General movie settings". By default this option is not selected. "

Actually under "Movie settings" and not General....., minor error in the text.

Under Y, Folder tab, you can try changing the Audio Editor to your ACL. It may work, meaning after mixing down your sound, Edit in external editor may open ACL where you can edit your sound file, then return it to MEP directly. AML is problematic and doesn't return the file but older versions of ACL might work. There is a work around for AML. But, I think that you are far from trying this. Just thought that I'd mention it for future use.

Have fun.