Help! Still Getting the Red Frames

[George Tyndall]

I wish to create a 50-minute Blu-ray DVD from a number of 4- to 5-minute slide shows that I created with PSE/PRE7. To that end, I've exported each of the short music videos as HD MPEG2 1440x1080i. They play perfectly in Windows Media Viewer.

Problem is, when I import them into a new project with the goal of creating the 50-minute project, I see red frames on the Timeline. This occurs no matter which method I use to create the shorter HD MPEG2s, including:

1) Exporting the movie with the File>Export>Movie command.
2) Exporting them using Share>MPEG>HD MPEG2 1440x1080i after changing the default setting VBR 1 Pass to CBR 25Mbps and running them through VideoRedo before importing them (Paul LS's suggestion, thanks Paul)
3) Exporting them using Share>MPEG>HD MPEG2 1440x1080i after changing the default setting VBR 1 Pass to VBR 2 Pass (Bob's suggestion, thanks also Bob).
4) In addition to 3, increasing the Quality from 4 to 5 (maximum)
5) Finally, I downloaded Vegas Architect Pro 5 in an effort to try RJ Johnston's suggestion (thanks, RJ) of burning the HD MPEG2 files to Blu-ray DVD with a program that will "smart render" the file, in other words, not involve compression, however, I could not proceed as I am unfamiliar with this program and the program does not offer "Show Me How" tutorials like some of the other Vegas programs.

So far, the only method I've found that will allow me to produce a flawless Blu-ray DVD with PRE7 is to burn the disc directly from the PRE7 Timeline, which is not a problem for the shorter movies. But, given that each of those shorter movies took 3-4 hours to create, the idea of redoing each of them, one after another, on a new 50-minute Timeline is most unappealing.

Alternatives please!

[Paul LS]

Sounds like VideoRedo did not cure your red frame problem... this is the only thing that works for me. I dont believe it is a function of the encoding VBR/CBR/one pass or two pass, it generally occurs after editing and I believe is to do with the GOP structure of the frames being corrupted. VideoRedo will fix any GOP issues and should resolve the issue.

[George Tyndall]

...it generally occurs after editing ....

Paul, the HD MPEG2s that I create after I finish editing in PRE7 play perfectly in Windows Media Viewer, which suggests that the problem is occurring not after I finish editing but rather within PRE7 AFTER I import those HD MPEG2 files onto the PRE7 50-minute project Timeline. Do you agree?

...and I believe is to do with the GOP structure of the frames being corrupted. VideoRedo will fix any GOP issues and should resolve the issue.

Are you suggesting that I use VideoRedo in a different manner from what you advised me before, which did not work? If so, please tell me how.

Thank you!

[Paul LS]

Yes it is strange George. I see the issue sometimes when I import HDV clips into PE7, sometimes they occur during the editing process. If I export the clips the red frames are exported as well. What I do to resolve the issue is to run the clips through VideoRedo, after using VideoRedo the red frames are removed. I then import the clips into Corel DVD Moviefactory 6 for burning (I dont use PE7 for burning).

Pity you cant upload a clip that is giving the problem... could take a look at it and see if the same thing happened to me.

Regarding Vegas... it does use smart rendering, but as you say it is not a very intuitive program. I found Premiere Elements easy to pick up but had to struggle with Vegas.

[RJ Johnston]

I got red frames at the beginning of one of my test exports. But when I added the clip to Vegas Movie Studio Platinum, the red frames weren't there. Then I restarted PRE7 and started a new project and added the exported clip that had red frames before. Now there were no red frames. I opened the other PRE7 project were I had seen the red frames the first time, but now the red frames were gone there as well.

So I'm thinking that the red frames aren't actually in the clip, but are caused by some bug in the decoder that PRE7 uses.

Another problem is that my original AVCHD clip had 765 frames, but after exporting to hi-def MPEG-2, there were 777 frames. The source and destination FPS was 29.97. So what's that about. But I digress. Back to the red frame problem.

[George Tyndall]

Yes it is strange George. I see the issue sometimes when I import HDV clips into PE7, sometimes they occur during the editing process. If I export the clips the red frames are exported as well. What I do to resolve the issue is to run the clips through VideoRedo, after using VideoRedo the red frames are removed. I then import the clips into Corel DVD Moviefactory 6 for burning (I dont use PE7 for burning).

Pity you cant upload a clip that is giving the problem... could take a look at it and see if the same thing happened to me.

Paul, the red clips are NOT in the original HV30 clips and they also are NOT in the outputted HD MPEG2--they only appear when I import the latter onto a new PRE7 Timeline for the purpose of assembling a longer movie. Does Corel DVD Moviefactory 6 burn Blu-ray, and is it more intuitive to use? Is there a Demo version for download?

Regarding Vegas... it does use smart rendering, but as you say it is not a very intuitive program. I found Premiere Elements easy to pick up but had to struggle with Vegas.

Ditto that--AND although one can download the program by itself for trial, one must purchase Vegas Pro 8 ($600 less 35%) to own it.

[Paul LS]

So are they there when you burn a Blu-ray disc? If not and they only appear in the timelien as Robert says there should not be an issue.

Yes Corel DVD Movifactory burns Blu-ray discs and it is very intuitive... plus there is a trial that you can download.

[George Tyndall]

So I'm thinking that the red frames aren't actually in the clip, but are caused by some bug in the decoder that PRE7 uses.

Yes, RJ, it seems obvious that the red frames are being added to the HD MPEG2 movies by PRE 7--if it were otherwise, they would not play back perfectly in Windows Media Viewer.

Do you know an alternative Blu-ray DVD burning software that is more intuitive than Vegas Pro 5 and that is available as a demo?*

____
*Encore is NOT available as a demo.

[Bill Hunt]

This is all very curious. There is an issue with "red frames" in P-Pro CS3 and also CS4. There, the red frames are actually an indicator that to keep the Audio synced with the Video, a frame (red in this case) was added to the Captured footage, IIRC. There are many threads on the Adobe PP fora concerning these, however I do not think that any would apply to this situation. Still, one never knows. I also believe that there are several articles in the Premiere-wikia regarding red frames, as well, though specifically for later releases of P-Pro.

I'll follow along, and see what sorts out - good luck!

Hunt

[George Tyndall]

So are they there when you burn a Blu-ray disc? If not and they only appear in the timelien as Robert says there should not be an issue.

Yes Corel DVD Movifactory burns Blu-ray discs and it is very intuitive... plus there is a trial that you can download.

Paul, it never occurred to me to try to burn a Blu-ray disc even when the red frames are on the Timeline. I'll try that tonight. If they do not show up on a BD-RE rewritable disc, should I assume they also will not show up on a BD-R?

[Paul LS]

Yes, if it burns to a BD-RE rewritable disc OK then it should also not show up on a BD-R.