PRE8 and PE8 loaded and testing

[Clayton]

Well I have the bundle installed on my PC now and so far so good. I had PE5 and PRE3 before. I used PE5 only for the organizer along with bridge. I have and use Photshop CS3 and Priemere CS3. But since I won Steve's book I decided to give it a try as I can't afford to keep up with the pro versions. First I backed up my 12k+ pic and avis in the organizer then opened PRE8 organizer and converted the catalog without a hitch (at least none I can find so far). I have to admit I prefer the lighter look of the older version but I suspect I will get used to it. I am following along in Steves book as I go looking for all the buttons. I have to get used to things being in a different place. One thing I immediately liked different from PE5 is stacking. Before if I had a particular group of photos selected by tag and I wanted to unstack a group, it would revert back to the "all pictures" first before it would unstack. This version allows me to stack and unstack using just my tag selected photos. (maybe later versions already did this). By the way all the tags converted also. Back to PRE8. I used "get media" to select some avis from files and placed them on the time line. Played some in the monitor and no crashes. I haven't captured from 8 yet. This is as far as I have gotten. I will be glad to test on my version to see if I have the same problems as others. Just let me know and I will try to duplicate it. Just remember I am still finding my way thru it having never used PRE. Also I have an XP system as noted below.

[Chuck Engels]

Thanks for the update and review Clayton, please keep us informed as you move forward with V8

[Clayton]

I mistakenly posted in the wrong thread before, but anyway:

1. Has anyone experienced crashes by double clicking on a still in the media bin in order to open it in the clip monitor. These are the only crashes I have had so far.

2. When I play the timeline on full screen the stills are pixelated. Now I have placed the same still in the timeline with 1000 x 750 and at 3872 x 2592 resolution and it looks the same. I have not burnt to a folder and looked at it on tv yet. I also put the same photos on PPro and they are pixelated. Also I missed something as I couldn't figure out how to play the clip in full screen in Pro. These same photos are very sharp in Photoshop. What am I doing wrong?

[JohnnyO]

When I play the timeline on full screen the stills are pixelated. Now I have placed the same still in the timeline with 1000 x 750 and at 3872 x 2592 resolution and it looks the same. I have not burnt to a folder and looked at it on tv yet. I also put the same photos on PPro and they are pixelated. Also I missed something as I couldn't figure out how to play the clip in full screen in Pro. These same photos are very sharp in Photoshop. What am I doing wrong?

Sounds like you need to render the timeline. PRE8 has auto rendering. You can see the progress on the lower bottom right corner I think(can't verify because I do not have PRE8 installed any longer). Once rendered your photos should look fine.

THis should be similar to PRE3. Except in PRE3 you had to manually render the timeline. It does make me wonder if rendering is the solution if you are complaining about this now and you already owned PRE3, and I assume this was not the case there?

Also, do you have scale to frame size un-checked in preferences?

[Clayton]

Sounds like you need to render the timeline. PRE8 has auto rendering. You can see the progress on the lower bottom right corner I think(can't verify because I do not have PRE8 installed any longer). Once rendered your photos should look fine.

THis should be similar to PRE3. Except in PRE3 you had to manually render the timeline. It does make me wonder if rendering is the solution if you are complaining about this now and you already owned PRE3, and I assume this was not the case there?

Also, do you have scale to frame size un-checked in preferences?

1. The timeline had been rendered and it didn't make any difference. But.... once I went ahead and burned to an avi (30 min timeline 8 stills, 5 video clips, with 8 or 9 transistions, a title and a PIP, burned in about 6 minutes) and played back just fine.

2, I owned ver. 3, but never used it as I have had PPro v 1.0, 1.5, and CS3.

3. No I had scale to frame checked as it would not center the stills right otherwise.

[Clayton]

Okay, a couple of new crashes.

1. Got that low on memory message (have 137 gigs on C: and no other apps running). Anyway clicked okay and it crashed. Another time during a auto-save it froze at 50% and had to shut down via task manager.

2. All boxes are checked on the option for auto analyze under preferences in the organizer. It is supposed to automatically analyze any new media I bring into the organizer but it doesn't. I had to right click on a clip in the organizer to get it to run. Anyone checked this out? Would like to know if the auto analyer works automatically for anyone else. Also the clip I had auto analyzed and added to the timeline was a 30 minute clip. I then ran the auto enhance on it and it chopped the clip into about 15 clips. Is this part of the enhancement?

Also still want to know if anyone can induce a crash by double clicking on a photo to open in the clip monitor. This from the project media bin.

[Steve Grisetti]

The Auto Analyzer should be not cutting up your clip. Not unless you've somehow enabled the automatic feature on Smart Trim and are using that also.

[RJ Johnston]

Clayton,

No problem double-clicking on a photo in the Project media bin. It opens right up in the clip monitor.

I'm using Quicktime 7.3.1. I'm also using the trial version.

[Clayton]

The Auto Analyzer should be not cutting up your clip. Not unless you've somehow enabled the automatic feature on Smart Trim and are using that also.

This could be it. This feature is a little confusing to me yet. I am just playing with it, although I thought you had to click on the double siscors to enable smart trim.

Still don't know why it doesn't auto analyze when a clip is brought into the organizer like it says.

[Steve Grisetti]

Still don't know why it doesn't auto analyze when a clip is brought into the organizer like it says.

I'm having trouble figuring out that one myself, Clayton!

[Clayton]

Still don't know why it doesn't auto analyze when a clip is brought into the organizer like it says.

I'm having trouble figuring out that one myself, Clayton!

Steve, does that mean you are having trouble figuring out my problem or are you experincing the same thing?

[Steve Grisetti]

It's the same on my machine. I assumed that leaving the preference on auto would mean that new clips I added to the Organizer would automatically get analyzed.

For some reason, they don't. So I'm not sure what the Auto Analyze is all about!

[Clayton]

I am trying to get the motion tracking tool to work. I am supposed to select a clip, then click on the motion tracking ball. It says a box will appear. This doesn't happen. I can't remember how to insert a screenshot to show what it looks like. There is a option at the top right of the monitor that says "add object". If I cllick this, a 4 handled box appears. It is not a yellow box as stated. I size the box over the object and then click "track object" and it seems to go to work doing this. When I play or move ... or just wait a few minutes the box disappears and I am right back where I started. Has anyone tried the motion tracking?

[Steve Grisetti]

It works great for me, Clayton! One of the best features in version 8, if you ask me.

It sounds like it's working for you too. To a point anyway. After you finish sizing and positioning the box, the program will auto analyze your clip. Then you should have a blue or a yellow box there (the color depends on whether or not you've got it selected).

If you don't, ensure that you're still in Motion Tracking mode. (You'll know because the Motion Tracking option bar will still be above your Monitor.)

If you're not, click the ball icon on the timeline to turn it back on again. The box you drew earlier should appear.

BTW, Clayton. It's always a good idea to start a new topic when you suddenly switch to a new question. That way someone who can help you can more easily find you, since they won't assume you're still discussing something else.

[Clayton]

It sounds like it's working for you too. To a point anyway. After you finish sizing and positioning the box, the program will auto analyze your clip. Then you should have a blue or a yellow box there (the color depends on whether or not you've got it selected).

THe point is that a box never appears when I click on the motion ball

If you don't, ensure that you're still in Motion Tracking mode. (You'll know because the Motion Tracking option bar will still be above your Monitor.)
If you're not, click the ball icon on the timeline to turn it back on again. The box you drew earlier should appear.

I am still in the motion tracking mode as the Motion tracking option bar is above the monitor. But when I click on "add object, a box appears, I can reshape it and click on track object. But the box never becomes any color and it just disappears. Clicking on the motion ball again does not make it reappear.

BTW, Clayton. It's always a good idea to start a new topic when you suddenly switch to a new question. That way someone who can help you can more easily find you, since they won't assume you're still discussing something else.

I thought that when I started this thread I would log experiences and problems as I explored PRE 8, keeping my problems in one place, but if this is not the best way I will start new threads each time.