I started a new movie project and performed a Quick Import of avi files into the project bin. The files are home videos I imported into my PC.

When I play the file in Studio, the video isn't displayed but the audio plays as it should. A yellow lock is displayed in the Source and Timeline view rather than the video.

In the library, the avi files have a small lock icon on them (I attached a screenshot).

I have been using Pinnacle Studio 24 ultimate for about a month and haven't experience this problem previously. Files that I capture in mp4 or mpg format work as expected. 

Hovering over the lock icon displays this message: Click to unlock this content. Clicking the lock doesn't appear to have any effect. Double clicking the lock opens a Source Corrections edit window. 

The files play as expected in Windows Media Player and VLC.

Any ideas how to correct this problem?

AVI files can have almost any type of codec in them - AVI just stands for Audio Video Interleave.

You need to find out what's inside the AVI container before you can proceed - PS will work with some AVI files, but not all. It may need something unlocked, but uses it's own set of codecs - adding them to your PC doesn't normally make any difference

So with a programe such as MediaInfo, examine the files and copy a screenshot here. If this is inclusive, can you give a fuller description of how the files were captured?

The practical solution may be to convert the files using a program such as Handbrake, but it may be easier than that.

Thank you for your reply.

I have attached a MediaInfo screenshot of a file that is having the issue.

The video source was a Panasonic PV-966H VCR. It was captured with an AVerMedia CE310B capture card on the composite A/V inputs.

 Please let me know if there is any other info I can provide.

I don't think you will ever get that file to work in PS - a YUV2 Codec with a non-standard component order. Studio can normally play uncompressed AVI files, but this one is some sort of variant. The Classic version of Studio might play it, but I doubt it.

The file is 10Gb for 9 minutes, which is huge by modern standards for SD. Good quality capture before decent compression was possible by everyday computers althought you wold need a fast hard disc). I'm assuming it can't be recaptured using a more up to date codec as the hardware is old too.

I suggest you convert the file to something more up to date - the reduced files size will make editing it far easier and I doubt if you will degrade it if you use a decent bitrate for the conversion - it is SD, so an mp4 file (using h.264/AVC compression) at anything over 6Mbs should preserve the quality. Handbrake is the best choice, but it that doesn't work, try  MediaCoder. Take care if the video is interlaced -  you might need to experiment with the choices to avaoid wavy lines on movement.

 

I downloaded Handbrake and did a conversion of a 5 minute test video. Conversion was successful.

I am working on transferring home video on VHS tape to DVD and I would like to convert the video only one time. Is there a format I could convert the video to that would work with PS that wouldn't have to be converted again to be burned to DVD?

Yes, plenty. What formats do you have a choice of? I assumed that the you used the only format possible.

Mpeg-2 is suitable. That's the format it's going to end up on DVD, but it's going to be re-coded anyway. Another format that will work is DV-AVI

As I said before, I very much doubt if you will see the difference caused by the addtional transcoding unless you get the interlacing mixed up or use too low a bitrate.

jjn:

Yes, plenty. What formats do you have a choice of? I assumed that the you used the only format possible.

Mpeg-2 is suitable. That's the format it's going to end up on DVD, but it's going to be re-coded anyway. Another format that will work is DV-AVI

As I said before, I very much doubt if you will see the difference caused by the addtional transcoding unless you get the interlacing mixed up or use too low a bitrate.

 I am using a capture utility that came with my capture card. It has default AVI, MP4, MPG, and TS profiles. I'll try the MPG at 10 Mbs and see how that works.

 Thank you for your assistance with this.

MP4 should work as well, but it depends on the type of codec used if it a a better or worse choice than mpeg-2. TS won't be recognised by Studio although it might if renamed to *.M2TS

Resolution is really low on TS so I am not planning to use it.

Would capturing to MP4 be expected to produce better video quality than capturing to MPG if the plan is to produce a DVD? 

It depends on the codec and bitrates the capture device produce, The Mpeg-2 bitrate is above that which a DVD can handle. If I were in your position I'd just use Mpeg-2, I can't see how MP4 would improve the situation, but as in all these cases, the best thing to do is run a test if you are worried.

One thing to bear in mind when testing is to make sure Studio Preview is set to Best Quality. Unless your have an underpowered PC, I'd also suggest turning off Playback Optimisation as you should get smooth playback of SD without it, and it will just introduce a potential further re-encoding stage.

You do have to remember how awful VHS actually is when you compare it to modern video - the cameras and the recording system. Don't expect miracles :-)

jjn:

You do have to remember how awful VHS actually is when you compare it to modern video - the cameras and the recording system. Don't expect miracles :-)

 So True. Thank you for responding to my questions. You have been most helpful.