Vegas 11 Users: Guinea Pig Volunteers?

johnmeyer wrote on 1/30/2012, 12:56 PM

[edit]Many thanks to all who volunteered. I think I have the "database" needed to confirm that the problem definitely extends to Vegas 11. No need for any more people to crash Vegas in the name of science ...[/end edit]

I have a 120 MB AVCHD file that, when I put it on the timeline in Vegas 8.0c, plays just fine. However, when I put the same file on a fresh, new project in Vegas 10.0e, it immediately crashes Vegas.

I have submitted a bug report to Sony, but they haven't been responding very well to bug reports, and since I don't own and can not install Vegas 11 (because the trial expired), I cannot test to see if this will also crash Vegas 11.

So, if anyone who owns Vegas 11 32-bit is interested in being a guinea pig, you can download the file here:

Sony CX700V AVCHD Clip

All you have to do to help is to download the file, open Vegas 11, match the project properties to this file, and then drop the file onto the timeline. In Vegas 10.0e 32-bit, under Windows XP Pro 32-bit, Vegas crashes as soon as the file is dropped on the timeline. Other files from the same project load and play just fine.

You may have to actually press play to get the problem to happen.

I'm hoping that it will cause a problem in Vegas 11 because perhaps this file can be used to figure out some underlying problem that may be contributing to instability.

Also, any of you who have Vegas Pro 10 might also be able to help by confirming that it does indeed crash your Vegas as well.

I haven't tried this with Vegas 10.0e 64-bit under Windows 7; I've only tried it on Vegas 10.0e 32-bit running under Windows XP Pro 32-bit SP3.

Vegas 8.0c has not problems whatsoever with this file: it plays it at full frame rate, and does not crash.

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Comments

Former user wrote on 2/1/2012, 12:37 AM

JohnMeyer...I think part of the problem is the filename. ;-)

But seriously...crashed my system (which I just had verified by a shop as uber-stable...(had a bad motherboard before - madness)).

Anyway, it crahses in 64-bit versions of 11 (build 521) and 10e. Ironically, when the crash window came up, I filled it in. When I submitted the crash report a window saying the problem had been solved and to download the latest version (which is 10e). (see: irony)

PeterDuke wrote on 2/1/2012, 12:40 AM

You probably didn't want to know, but it does NOT crash CyberLink PowerDirector 9

amendegw wrote on 2/1/2012, 5:31 AM

Here's another thought. My new Panasonic AC130 came with a corrupted file repair utility. I ran this file thru that utility and it it didn't fix the Vegas crash.

However, maybe the Sony camera came with a similar utility, specific to Sony created video - and possibly this might help.

...Jerry

PS: This is the first time since I can remember that I even breaking the seal on the CD that came with a camcorder purchase.

PeterDuke wrote on 2/1/2012, 7:08 AM

With me, the clip is OK in Vegus 8 and 9 but crashes 10 and 11.

It is OK if trimmed in VideoReDo if the start is set to 0 sec, 0 frames and the end is set to 7 sec 10 frames or less, but crashes if the end is set to 7 sec 11 frames or more. So there seems something funny in the video at that point. The display looks OK, but of sourse I didn't study every pixel, and it is probably not an image issue anyway.

PeterDuke wrote on 2/1/2012, 7:20 AM

I passed the clip through Smart Cutter and the output now does not crash Vegas 11. I am really surprised that Smart Cutter with its Mickey Mouse interface should beat VideoRedo.

johnmeyer wrote on 2/1/2012, 11:11 AM

When I submitted the crash report a window saying the problem had been solved and to download the latest version (which is 10e). (see: irony)Yes, I get this all the time. To show how my relationship with Vegas has evolved, this kept making me angry every time it came up because it seemed to be a symbol of uncaring and incompetence.

Now, however, I just shake my head, with a wry smile on my face, and move on to something else.

I've found both interesting and useful all of these attempts to fix the anomaly that causes Vegas, but not other programs, to crash. I've never used Smart Cutter, but maybe it's time I downloaded it and tried to use it. I thought I had used it briefly two weeks ago when I was auditioning all these AVCHD cutters, but I don't think I ever actually installed it. I think I was put off by what you accurately describe as its "Mickey Mouse" interface.

PeterDuke wrote on 2/1/2012, 4:16 PM

I said that Vegas 9 didn't crash when I loaded the clip to the timeline, but it did when I tried to render it. "the cause of the error could not be determined"

The error message from VideoReDo was pretty meaningless to me but it said in part "packet data buffer is full. Mux rate may be too low". I wonder whether the clip has an extra long GOP in it.

PeterDuke wrote on 2/1/2012, 4:21 PM

Smart Cutter was first out the door with a product to smart cut H.264 so they may be the most developed. The funny interface may just be a reflection of it being written by video coding gurus rather than human factor experts or marketing types.

johnmeyer wrote on 2/1/2012, 7:31 PM

I passed the clip through Smart Cutter and the output now does not crash Vegas 11.I downloaded and once again tried out Smart Cutter. The "Fix Video File" did not seem to fix anything. However, I read your post carefully, and decided to simply "Record List!" for the entire file. Sure enough, the result did not crash Vegas 10.0e. There was a watermark at the beginning and the end (because I was using the trial). However, I'm assuming that the video in between the watermarks was smart rendered.

I have been having a wonderful time dealing with the VideoRedo tech support on a few issues their product has dealing with the Sony CX700V 60p 1920x1080 files, so I'm planning for the time being to stick with this product. It is so amazingly refreshing to deal with a company (I'm sure they are a rather small outfit) that is eager to listen to and deal with customers rather than taking the increasingly common attitude that "it would be a great business if it wasn't for the darn customers!"

I think the reason I didn't give Smart Cutter more attention a few weeks ago when I tried out about half a dozen AVCHD smart rendering solutions is that so many people here have had great things to say about VideoRedo. However, if anyone reads this and is looking for AVCHD smart rendering/cutting solutions, I would recommend that they look at both products. VideoRedo is 2x the price, but it does a lot more. On the other hand, at the moment it appears that Smart Cutter [b]may[b] have a slight edge in producing AVCHD files that have fewer issues. I emphasize "may" because my testing sample consisted of just one type of AVCHD file, and only a dozen or so samples, so my results are not particularly representative.