As noted in the first message in this thread, I'm seeing single frame flashbacks when editing and/or transcoding AVCHD video in Pinnacle 11.1.  My version of Pinnacle is up to date with the latest patches.  The problem occurs even if I don't edit the the file.  All I need to do is transcode any file from my Sony SR11 and I get them.

Is anyone else seeing this problem?  Is this a known bug?

System Specs:  Pinnacle 11.1.2, Vista32 w/SP1, 4gig RAM, Intel dual core E8400, nVidia 9600GT, Sony SR11. 

... nvidia 9600GT ...

nothing to do with your query, but are you getting 'stuttering' playback in the preview window with hi-def material?

No, playback in the preview window is working fine but I'm bringing a lot of CPU to the party.  When playing AVCHD in the preview window my CPU is around 70%.  As others here have mentioned it's best to have a quad core cpu if you're dealing with AVCHD.  My E8400 gets the job done but it won't be long before I upgrade to a quad core 9450.

shameless bump ...

 

A response from an actual pinnacle support person would be appropriate here.  Is that asking too much?

Pinnacle staff do not have to visit the forum. They are kind of enough to do so relaively often. If you have a specific issue, you may wish to call tech support.

I answered your question in the other thread (I see them too, but motly just before transitions)...

Yes, I saw your response in the other thread but unfortunately the question is far from being answered.  You simply confirmed that you're having the problem I have.  I suppose the next step is to call pinnacle support.

I have the same problem. Sometimes it does not happen. Sometimes a few flickers. Sometimes throughout the video. On my last two movies, the first one flickered approximately every 10 seconds for the whole movie. The second, same movie and settings, played fine for the first 1/2 of video then flickered every 10 seconds the second half.

This really sucks since all Im doing is import / export with no editing, menus or transitions.

Unfortunately, I have found the same problems with the rushes from my Sony SR11 (in general from clips longer than 2 minuts)

Hereafter is my report (in french) to Pinnacle :

http://forums.pinnaclesys.com/forums/thread/202565.aspx

I am expecting a speedy resolution of this problem by Pinnacle., if not, it stays impossible to achieve my videograms in process.

Regards. 

 

  

 

I have posted this issue several times on this forum. i too am using a Sony SR11. The preview is fine, however the rendered image, either on disc on the PC has this issue.

steveazee:

I've had the same problem...

 

I've been using the Sony HDR-SR1 to video AVDHD files. Until recently, I was using Studio 11 to edit, and the output was fine. I just upgraded to Studio 12 and the very first video I edited and output has this problem. Of course, now I wonder if all my previous Studio edits also have errant file drops in them as well.

 

To recap:

 

I edit AVCHD files... simple transitions, total output length of maybe 5 to 10 minutes.

Playing the video back during edit doesn't show any problems.

I output the video to an AVCHD file (using burn-to-disk but just capture the output file).

The output video file has this problem:

- About five minutes in, there's a frame in the stream that is a copy of a frame from earlier in the video. Just a single frame. From earlier in the video. Nothing I did to cause it, and nothing I can think to do to avoid it, since the video during edit (and in the source) doesn't have this problem.

 

I tried doing this a couple of times and it is repeatable. I did similar edits to the same source files using Studio 11 and there were no problems.

 

I'm cautiously optimistic that all the videos I created in Studio 11 are OK (two year's worth). While this issue is awaiting resolution, I'm only using Studio 11.  I sent an email to Support, and it's been a week of dancing with them and they STILL haven't understood or achnowledged what the problem is, never mind what a possible solution would be or when that might be fixed.

 

I assume I'm not the only one frustrated by Support.

 

I'm thinking that once there's a reasonably competitive field of editing products for the AVCHD format, Pinnacle will be losing lots of customers due to the list of outstanding bugs and the ineffectual support process.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Hello Steveazee,

When you have installed Studio 12, after Studio 11, have you done also a migration from XP to Vista ?

If I ask this question, it's because I had the same problem by using Studio 11 with Vista.

Rgds. Mike from Montpellier France (camcorder: new Sony SR11).

 

to Steveazee,

Unfortunately, I have no idea to solve this problem.

I was only surprised because from a Sony SR11, I have the same problem by using Studio 11 or Studio 12 (it's not the same for you).

Today, have you tried making the same reencoding with Studio 11, to test If you have the same problem than the one found with Studio 12.

I hope a quick resolution from Pinnacle support !!!!! I am very angry about them too.

I remind you, I have only this problem with long clips (more than 2 mn). If my clips are short (less than 2 mn) NO problem !

(clip  = start/stop sequence on camcorder)

 

 

 

In addition to single frame flashbacks, do any AVCHD users of Studio 12 notice that the AVCHD-DVD output files show jerky action, pans, or "Ken Burns" zooms of stills?  What I see is dreadful.  I cannot even bear to watch the output long enough to see whether there are also flashbacks, and seldom shoot a clip that exceeds 1 minute.  But do others manage to avoid the flashbacks (or the jerkiness I see) by exporting to HDV-MPEG?  I do not recall quite the jerkiness with Studio 11, but uninstalled it, so now I cannot do rigorous output comparisons of recent 1440x1080i material.

steveazee:

I'm now seriously looking at that product from Nevada as a solution to my editing problems

Good luck at those gaming tables.  But just note that it does not smart-render AVCHD either and some people say (check out the AVS forum) that it burns Blu-Rays that some machines cannot play, unless they have Sony's particular AVC firmware.  The only products that seem to smart render without quality loss are (hold back any laughter) the simple software that comes bundled with the videocams.  A product named after a Roman pyromaniac also smart renders, but exports in a proprietary AVC format that plays back only on its own player or other soft players with a particular codec.

Hello,

Just some words to announce some good news !!!!!!!! 

A new version of Studio 12 is released and have to be diffused next week !!

This new version should be correcting our problem of flashing.

Info from a moderator of the french Pinnacle forum.

Regards. 

 

I also opened a bug report on this and finally got it escalated to Engineering.  They were able to reproduce it and I've received word that a fix will be included in the next release.

Anyone willing to furnish expert opinion (or a wild guess) about whether the patch that fixes the "single frame flashbacks" might include a codec with better overall AVCHD performance, possibly reducing the recoding loss and choppiness that at least some folks observe? 

Anyone willing to furnish expert opinion (or a wild guess)

My wild guess is no, but we'll see!

markk655:

Anyone willing to furnish expert opinion (or a wild guess)

My wild guess is no, but we'll see!

It will be more fun for Mark if he doesn't have to play this game all alone.

My wild guess is "two patches from now".  We are anticipating one in the next few weeks, so my guess is for the one after that.

Hmm... technically that puts me on Mark's team, since we both said "No" to the next patch.  We need someone to vote "Yes" for this next patch.

The winners get to boast, brag, gloat, and them celebrate with a donut or a beer.  It's a cheap contest, so you have to buy your own prize.