IAC DISCUSSION FORUMS

Here's a techy problem maybe someone can help me with. I recently upgraded from Premiere Elements 2 to version 4. Today I've been tearing my hair out trying to copy a 23 minute project to tape. It starts to record to mini DV and then freezes for no obvious reason before completing the recording and never at the same point in the project. The funny thing is that about a month ago I got it to copy ok. All I've changed in the project since then is to correct a spelling error, add a new caption and trim an edit. Has anyone else had experience of this and found the solution? I've spent the last hour trying to trawl through the Adobe web-site without success.

I use Premiere Pro but have sometimes noticed a similar problem. Usually I use the menu option to export the film to another place on the hard drive. This makes sure it is all rendered etc.

Then I load the exported version into a new project, set the camera to record and play the new project so that it records to tape.

The other frequent cause of such issues is a fragmented file. It is always worth defragmenting your drive before each new project. That makes it easier for the computer to find whatever part of the file the software is calling for next. Don't forget to defrag all your hard drives because the software may be placing temporary work files on another drive.

Dave (this is how you suck eggs grandad) W

Just to emphasise what Dave has said... export the film to another location on the hard drive and also backup to tape ! DAMHIK ....defragment before the start of a new project...

the best setup I have 'sorted' is to use a small (30Gb) c: or primary drive with the OS and programs and save all data to a slave humongous drive....

the freezing of programs is a difficult one to pin down.. but a clean installation usually sorts it out....... if that does not work the hardware should be examined....
(but that's another story!!!)

a couple of tricks I've discovered - although they're in Premiere, not elements but might work?....

Sometimes, it can be a corrupt video file. Just to rule out the bleedin' obvious, Have a quick scan of your video source folder, in explorer with details on, and look at the file sizes. there may be one that says it's 0 bytes. That's your problem. I can't count the number of times I've worked on something for 2 months without a problem, and then on the last day it manifests itself.
And I only remember the 0 byte trick after 4 hours of troubleshooting!

Another one is if the project file is corrupt. copy and paste the entire timeline (Ctrl-A to select all) to a fresh new project. that can fix weird problems too. (or maybe just import that project into a new one)

Not wishing to disagree with the others here, but unless you're still running with windows 95, I haven't experienced any issues with fragmentation in about 6 years. Modern Disk drives are just so fast that even with fragmentation, they're still more than fast enough to hurry along a measly 4MB a second

It may be that you have a pretty ancient machine, and fair enough, defragmenting may be the trick that works though, so never rule out the obvious!

oh yes, one more idea - try exporting the whole film to your HDD. If it also fails in around the same place then you've probably got a problem with your timeline, rather than with your hardware or premiere installation.

Programmes can be a little dodge sometimes. I can replicate a fault I have everytime.........

If I start to capture something from my camera to my computer. If the Audio bit changes from say 16bit to 12bit then the computer will restart! Happens everytime! You see I cannot get into my recording menu on my camera and it`s stuck on Audio 12bit! So if I happen to use a tape that I recorded on before the end then I have to remember.

Be good all.....

Stingman

Thanks everyone, the defragging seems to have done the trick and I've now successfully recorded the programme to Mini DV. The disc (130gb) was pretty full and badly needed defragging (something I should have thought of) so hopefully all will now be well. Isn't it great to know that whatever the problem we can help each other out like this.

Brian Saberton wrote: Isn't it great to know that whatever the problem we can help each other out like this.

THATS what it`s all about. We don`t know each other but we WILL go out of the way to help each other.

It is GREAT.............

Be good.........

Stingman