problem with premiere elements 4

[COCOA]

I have put some old betamax tapes on to DVD using a Sony HX870 DVD recorder. I put the DVD in to the computer. This gave me a video TS folder with 5 files VTS 01.VOB. 4 with 99 GB 1 with 45.5 GB i used down load media and have 5 files in the organizer. I put the first 2 files on to the time line. If i click on any of the other files i get program not responding. I tried opening a new project but still the same thing happens. can any one help.

[ATR]

When you are referring to your file sizes, do you really mean to say MB (megabytes), not GB (gigabytes)? Regarding the "4 files", is each 99 GB or are the 4 combined = 99 GB? How long (minutes) is each VOB? Does this route work for smaller projects than what you have described? In that regard, have you tried using fewer VOBs at one time by unchecking several in the Media Downloader dialog before moving forward from there? Does your system work for basics, namely taking Sample Files (.avi) from the Program Files, followed by burning them to DVD-VIDEO?

What is your operating system? Is it optimized (defragmented, etc)?
How much RAM is installed? How much available RAM do you have?
How much free hard drive space do you have?
Have you checked to make sure that your system meets System Requirements for Premiere Elements?

Often users will experience problems (quality and otherwise) with the Media Downloader and VOBs from the VIDEO_TS folder. One of the effective remedies is to convert the VOBs to DV AVI with a free program called MPEG Streamclip and then bring the DV AVI into Premiere Elements.

However, what you presented so far lacks details and on the surface presents itself as a resource problem. So, let us explore that angle first and go from there.

ATR

[COCOA]

Thanks for your reply.Sorry for wrong info file size should read 0.99GB total of DVD 4.04GB. I tried converting to DV AVI with the program you recommended but it overloaded the memory. I tried to play the result on meada player and got error not enough memory.This is a new computer with nothing on it. The only thing i loaded is PE4. computer is a Packard Bell duel intel(R)pentinam(R) D cpu 2.66ghz 2.66ghz 200GB of ram. Windows XP media center version 2002 service pack 3 total memory 2095596KB avalable memory 1432936KB D dive internal HD 150GB 49% free 128 GB J drive external HD 250 GB 47% free 110 GB. Both are set up as NTFS. I am doing a defrag now.The files show that file type is mpeg when i hold the currser over them but show as vts o_1_vob in the organizer show detail. I hope this will make things clearer. I am new at all this so appreciate your patience and help thank you very much. I have spent many hours trying every thing.

[ATR]

The first thing that you need to do is confirm that your Premiere Elements 4 works for the very basic of operations. So, take some of those Sample Files (.avi) and burn them to DVD-VIDEO. If that works, we can build on that. I have Windows XP Professional (Desktop) and Windows XP Home Edition (Laptop), but have never worked with Windows Media Center Edition. In the Premiere Elements 4 System Requirements, one of the options is the Windows Media Center Edition with SP2, but it is usually followed by "2005", not "2002" version. So, it would be good to start with a firm baseline knowing that your operating system is not working against us.

If you successfully burn these Sample Files (.avi) to DVD-VIDEO, then I would like you to rip them (VOBs) from the DVD disc with the Premiere Elements 4 Media Downloader and let me know if that works and the details of the file sizes/times etc.

In addition, I would like you to take your DVD-VIDEO and convert VOBs to DV AVI with MPEG Mainstream clip. Next make sure they play on the computer and let me know the details of file size, etc.

I am still going with the notion that we are dealing with a resource problem. I think that we are not yet together on your system. You say that you have 200 GB RAM. Could it be 2.0 GB RAM? Further, you say that you have 2095596 KB total RAM and 1432936 KB available RAM. That translates into about 2.0 GB total RAM and 1.4 GB available RAM. Something is using up the RAM on your internal hard drive, presumed your large video files? Is that the case? If so, you may want to go into action utilizing the external hard drive for video storages and Premiere Elements 4 scratch files. How are your drives set up? You mention a D drive and an external hard drive. Do you also have a C: local drive or is that what you are calling the D drive? For your more ambitious projects, we should up the available RAM, but do not do that until we see where the "basic" run takes us.

We can go into more details on all that later, for now I would suggest stepping back to confirm the basic operation of Premiere Elements 4 in your computer environment.

I am looking forward to helping you resolve this issue. If I do not communicate an idea clearly, please let me know, and I will rephrase it.

ATR

[COCOA]

Hi ATR. Thanks again for your help. I have done a small project from my camara and burnt it to dvd with realitively no problems all thought it did cash a couple of times. After editing it was about 20 mins on DVD.
Next i tried to rip vob files from DVD to PE4. Started a new project i noticed i had it set to save in J dive (external 250GB hard drive.) I changed this to D:\....\user\my documents\my video2007.01 01. Using media downloader the copying took 5 mins it then went to add media and stopped responding in task manager. I left it for 13 mins and it started to respond and i got 5 files in the organizer but showing as offline. Task manager saying not responding. Left it for 20 mins and got vob 1 & vob 2 on line ie pictures in the thumb nail and started indexing vob 3 then stoped responding again I waited and waited but nothig happed so closed it after 35 mins. during this time i checked the task manager performance. Readings were CPU 16% to 30% up and down. PF usage 952 Handles15996 threads 651 processes 57. physical memory total 2095596 available 1265920 system cache 1385112 commit charge (k) total 971280 limit 4033040 peak 985380 kernel memory (k) total 75500 paged 61632 notepad
13868. Processes. readings were cpu 6% to 15% premiere elements mem usage 257436 this number was going up. Ram is as you say 2.0GB ram. My computer shows HDD (C 29.9GB 14.5 GB free hiden files. Data (Dused 36.5GB free 100GB. Extenal (J used 131GB free 100GB. Files on J drive are adobe PE auto save 177MB. All edited media 52.0 KB. Encoded files 74.9MB. Media cache 21.7 GB. Settings 6.4 KB. PE preview files 84.8 GB. Music 22.3 MB. PE projects 4.04 MB-5.55 MB-4.26 MB-6.79 MB-4.06 MB-20.2 MB-156 KB. Kids video folder 16.4 GB. 7 text docs total 15KB. d drive has just the stuff that came with the computer. I tried to convet vobs with main stream clip but keep geting can not convert error. I put DVD in open main stream clip open file click vob 5 open 1 file only. click file export avi. AVI div exporter comes up at the top it has compression drop down box with apple photo JPEG i change this to apple dv pal click make avi then save it comes up error cant create avi file. Am i doing some thing wrong?. I hope this info gives you a clearer picture. I think every thing is now accurate. I very much look forward to seeeing what you make of it all. After thought. All the suff in the kids video file are the bits that make up the projects i thought by spitting it up it might work better in smaller projects. many thank COCOA.

[ATR]

Since MPEG Streamclip is really a remarkable tool for converting VOBs to DV AVI, I want to try to iron out the wrinkles in that for you. So to recap:

1. Download MPEG Streamclip 1.1 for Windows.
http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-win.html
2. To get this to work, you are going to need "MPEG-2 Playback Component". There are two possible ways to get that:
a. If you already have latest version of Quicktime, then you need to buy the MPEG-2 Playback Component from Apple
OR
b. Completely uninstall Quicktime and install Quicktime Alternative 1.81 (that comes with the MPEG-2 Playback Component, free). That free download of Quicktime Alternative 1.81 is also found at the "MPEG Streamclip 1.1 for Windows" web page.

3. MPEG Streamclip settings should be as recommended in the following link:
http://www.adobeforums.com/webx/.3bc4800e
Where did you get the settings that you came up with?

So give this all another look at and let me know if the procedure is now working to completion. I actually have MPEG Streamclip 1.1 and Quicktime 1.81 installed (laptop, Window XP Home Edition) and find it very effective for this conversion.

To be continued....

ATR

[COCOA]

I have found away to convert file now. it will not work from the DVD but if i copy to hard drive and then convert this works. when i copy i get a VTS_01_1 mpeg file 586,272KB with a power DVD logo this a medea player that comes with Packard Bell package. When converted i get a video clip file 1,570,560KB with a windows medea player logo I have done a new project test but still the same problem any thing i do in elemnts i get program not responding. If i leave it long enough it come back but if i do any thing i get the same program not responding.I have been here from 530am this morning and im still where i started. It is now 315pm. hope you can help

[ATR]

You should be able to convert the VOBs files direct from the DVD with MPEG Streamclip as well as copying the VOBs from the DVD disc to the hard drive and then converting them to DV AVI with MPEG Streamclip. If you try to go from DVD disc to MPEG Streamclip direct, in File/Open are you navigating to My Computer, the drive, explore, and then selecting the VIDEO_TS folder?

In the way that you said works for you, is there a .VOB after your VTS_01_1?

I have read your computer details and need to digest them further, but my current take on the situation is that you do not have enough resources to get your project done. (You say that the Adobe Sample files seem to be working for the task that you described.)

1. You are using the Drive with the most free hard drive space. You say that your have 2 GB installed RAM, probably not all available. You could try increasing the installed RAM by 1 GB to give you 3 GB total to see if that gets you any further.

2. You are directing the following scratch files to the external hard drive formatted NTFS:
Adobe Preview Files
Encoded Files
Media Cache Files
Are you saving the project files (.prel) to the D drive?

3. Take a look at the following Adobe troubleshooting TechNote for Premiere Elements 4 and see if there is another approach that we have not yet explored.

Let me know the outcome.

ATR