Movie Edit Pro 2014 hangs (freezes) while editing

tunzzz wrote on 3/17/2014, 10:37 AM

I have been fighting an issue (or several) since buying the MEP 2014 Plus program a few months ago. A long time user of MEP for about a decade, I moved from MEP16 (which ran great), to 2014 since I now use AVCHD MTS. I have begun using the proxy file feature as it has fixed my issues with my 7 year old HP Media Center PC (8 Gig RAM, but a limited small integrated graphics).

From a hardware approach I have done the following: I purchased a new, full matching set of RAM chips, with the highest rated speed for my machine and the overall performance of my PC improved, but the probrlem continued. After purchasing a new power supply and PCIe graphics card with 2Gig on board, though some improvement in video performance, I still ran into the same issues, so I returned the card and power supply.

I noticed the program locked up more frequently when using the space bar start/stop function. I set the program to stay in the last position following play and that seemed to lessen the freeze ups. But, I still have them. Also not freezes are related to start/stop ie when using the audio mixer or master panel or sometimes just when going to save a file.

Here is my latest approach: On my current project, I have many tracks (up to 20 mixed audio, video, but have muted almost all while working on only a few. Can I assume muting will removed them from RAM usage?. I am starting to suspect memory issues. However, when running performance monitor, I was only at 70% when the freeze up occurs. I have taken the audio, mixed it down to one track and am trying to see how well performance goes from there (muting all other tracks). Thinking that perhaps it's an audio issue, I have played an awful lot with the buffers, with no change in my problem. Soon I might elimiate the audio altogether to see if the program holds up editng video only.

No other issues happen with any other programs and this machine has been highly reliable. I even wiped my disk clean of Windows 7 and did a fresh install (though I did not run MEP stand alone before installing other programs ir Microsoft office, shame on me). The issue is not consistent enough to pin point so I am trying everything ie disconnecting all USB devices, etc. It is a slow tedious process, but I am hoping I can find some help here to expedite as I love the program and workflow, but the lock ups are killing me.

Some other things I have tried or am looking at: I have also gone through the program reset process and the deletion of the videodeluxe files, all of which seem to at first work, with a longer time before next freeze up, but the freeze happens before the session is over. I have two internal HDs, keeping the project files on D: (which improves performance overall, but still freezes). I have the latest patches/updates for the program as well. I turned off Aero to stop additional graphics load. I use the MEPs Compatibility Mode (Video for Windows) which is the most stable. Any other setting causes all sorts of issues. HP left me (and others) in the lerch with only the current BIOS that came witht he system (no upgrades).

Some additional info on my system and the error when it hangs.

Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.130828-1532)

System Manufacturer: HP-Pavilion
       System Model: GN551AA-ABA m8200n
               BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6000+ (2 CPUs), ~3.0GHz

Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 8062MB RAM
          Page File: 2216MB used, 13906MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
   User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
    DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
     DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 64bit Unicode

Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE nForce 430

Manufacturer: NVIDIA

          Chip type: GeForce 6150SE nForce 430
           DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
         Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_03D0&SUBSYS_2A61103C&REV_A2
     Display Memory: 2152 MB
   Dedicated Memory: 120 MB
      Shared Memory: 2031 MB
       Current Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (60Hz)
       Monitor Name: LG L226WTQ(Analog)
      Monitor Model: L226WTQ
         Monitor Id: GSM564D

Error: The program Videodeluxe.exe version 13.0.3.14 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed.

Comments

terrypin wrote on 3/18/2014, 4:44 AM

On my current project, I have many tracks (up to 20 mixed audio, video, but have muted almost all while working on only a few. Can I assume muting will removed them from RAM usage?.

Logically I wouldn't have thought so and a few observations of Mem Usage in Task Manager seem to confirm it. If anything I found a small increase when all 9 of the active tracks in my 3 minute project were muted, over 3 tests.

I use the MEPs Compatibility Mode (Video for Windows) which is the most stable.

I know it's a side issue but is that a consensus view? I use Standard mode.

--------------------

I too get more freezes of an erratic and unpredictable nature in MEP 2014 than I recall in previous versions.

Presumably you frequently use Edit > Empty undo and cache memory to minimise RAM usage?

Sometimes I get incorrect behaviour (of various sorts), not a crash, but experience has taught me to save, close, and re-open at once, otherwise a crash will often follow shortly afterwards.

--------------------

Quad Core Q9450 2.66 GHz, 4 GB DDR2 667 MHz, 512 MB nVIDIA GeoForce 8800GT
Graphics, running under XP (32 bit)

--------------------

Edit: About an hour after posting the above I had a very unusual 'crash'. The actual cause was inexplicable as usual, although this time MEP 2014 simply closed rather than froze, which is rare. But there was a truly odd aspect which I don't recall occurring any time before. It offered the familiar 'restore project' option, which I accepted as I always do, but it restored the project as it was 4 days ago, under the name at that time!

As luck would have it I hadn't saved manually during about 5 minutes of intensive activity, and my most recent auto backup is several minutes before that. Annoying!

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK

tunzzz wrote on 3/20/2014, 2:21 PM

Terry:

Appreciate your answer. I was hoping you would be the one to look at this as I see you have a lot of expereince over the years helping others.

As has been the case in my few postings over the years, after months of troubleshooting, when I finally break down to post my question on the site, I found my answer shortly afterward.

The issue turned out to be related to my 8 tracks of WAV files. As soon as I mixed them down to one track (an MP3), my problems went away. Not a big issue for me (original music video I am doing) as I am using Cubase to do formal audio mix. I just wanted the original tracks available in MEP as I mixed the video, to identify audio/video editing points before I moved over to Cubase. I even tried doing plain audio editing unmuting only audio in MEP. Even with the video muted, the program locked up. Not so in the reverse (audio muted, all video unmuted). If not a memory/buffer issue, then possibly an audio compatibilty driver issue (though my audio programs all work fine). I would try converting all my WAV files to MP3s to see if that would work, but that would only extend my project time (which I can not afford) and suck up hard drvie space.

I also did not know of the Edit > Empty undo and cache memory to minimise RAM usage. Thanks for pointing me there.

I have not had the normal 'crash' since the problem started ie system just froze. I have also not experienced the program close issue you had or having to use such an old backup (yes, very annoying). I did use a most recent backup after a freeze corrupted my file, but that backup ended up being only a few minutes old. Any idea when the BAK MV file gets created (related to autosave?). I used to know, but can't seem to find a staight answer in MEP help files

I did have one crash since "fixing" the freeze issue. However the program did as designed and was able to recover from the point of the crash.

Paul, Philadelphia, PA USA

terrypin wrote on 3/20/2014, 5:21 PM

Hi Paul,

Pleased to hear you sorted the main issue and thanks for the feedback.

The Auto-save interval is set here:

As I expect you know, after a crash, MEP usually manages to save another backup which you can then elect to restore on restarting MEP. I think that bizarre case I mentioned was because somehow it restored that backup from an earlier crash.

--
Terry, East Grinstead, UK