No scene recognition when I capture S-VHS video

AAProds wrote on 6/18/2021, 2:17 AM

Is this NORMAL for Magix Movie Edit Pro Premium

Yes it is. The reason MEP can split DV-AVI is because the video has the date-time stamp embedded in it, so when you're "transferring" the data from your DV camera to your PC (via the DV-AVI transfer mode) MEP can see where each split is.

When you're capturing a continuous stream from a capture device being fed VHS video (or a DV camera playing a non-DV tape), there is no time code info so you get one humungous file.

All is not lost though! After the capture is on the timeline, right-click on the video and choose "scene recognition". MEP will then go through the active clip and find the scene changes. I find a setting of 5 (the default), works pretty well. Unfortunately the feature is a bit clumsy because the cutting is "all or one". You can't choose "some" cuts/scene changes. There are a few "foibles" with it, as you're about to find out! 😉

Edit: Thinking more about your particular task (finding/removing ads), this is not going to end well because MEP will find all the cuts in your video, including all the actual scenes of the program, as well as the ads.

If you're looking for ads, it'll be much quicker to just skim through the timeline (zoomed to an appropriate scale) and manually chop the ads. Remember MEP's smart cutting features: cut at the start of the ads with T, then in "Mouse mode for single tracks", position the playmarker at the end of the group of ads and hit z. MEP will do a cut, delete the bit in between ie the ads (IOW "delete to the left") and close up the gap.

I use VideoRedo for doing what you're doing; it's has a mousewheel scroll of the timeline and is therefore much easier to find and cut ads. It also encodes the final MP4 around 3 times faster than MEP (on my slowcoach machine, at least).

AB-Singh wrote on 6/18/2021, 9:25 PM

Thanks for advice AAProds.I tried what you recommended. but did not work. 1st time, I selected 2nd checkbox "cut at all markers" in 3rd Option. Nothing happened. Then I selected "cut at selected markers"... and the program crashed. I tried 3-4 times with 2 different videos captured in .mpg format - same problem. I have sent the Crash log to the support team.

Scenestealer wrote on 6/18/2021, 11:58 PM

@AB-Singh

Hi

I do have the latest full working version of the s/w, which I downloaded 2 days ago.

Have you checked within the program for "Online Updates" because the download version is not always on the latest patch level?

Also - re the crashing we need to see the full specs of your computer and OS to help further with that.

Peter

AAProds wrote on 6/19/2021, 2:42 AM

@AB-Singh @Scenestealer

My MEP did crash whilst mucking around with Scene Recognition but I couldn't replicate it. As Richard said years ago: 'Save Often!". 🙂

Otherwise, my Scene Recog works as advertised, although the sensitivity counter doesn't change number in the box, even though the slider does affect the actual sensitivity. I am able to cut at all markers, or the selected marker.

Are you getting the list of cuts being displayed in section 2 after the analysis?

AB-Singh wrote on 6/22/2021, 6:27 PM

Good news. Finally, Scene Recognition worked. The problem is with the GUI - it is not intuitive for new users. The long button "Start Search" is under Step 1 - Scene change. It should be at the bottom in Step 3 near the OK button. After selecting all options, I was clicking OK at the bottom. Off course... nothing happened. This time, my attention went up on step 1, and I realized my mistake. I recommend MAGIX programmers to make a change in this GUI. Such small changes will reduce frustration of new users and increase the sales.

AAProds wrote on 6/22/2021, 7:19 PM

@AB-Singh Great stuff. As I said, MEP has it's foibles! 😀 BTW, I gave up suggesting things like you point out years ago, as nothing ever changed.

AB-Singh wrote on 6/22/2021, 8:32 PM

That is sad news. MAGIX management should listen to users to improve their products. I have emailed suggestions to the sales girl in Nevada, US. I will ask her how to reach management.

How about sending suggestions to Tech Support? Do they listen?

AAProds wrote on 6/23/2021, 10:41 PM

@AB-Singh I'm not aware of the direct address for "Suggestions", but you could go through the "Support" link at the top of these pages.

When you get to this page:

just type in "suggestion" (not "bug report", although it doesn't matter what you put in) and then click "find a solution "and you'll get to a button at the bottom of the page "Send a support request".

AB-Singh wrote on 6/24/2021, 9:53 PM

Thanks. I will try next time. But I have a better path now. name removed by Moderator, the Support manager has emailed me back. So, I can make suggestions to him.