What's the diff, Biff?

tbrucebowers wrote on 12/8/2003, 12:04 AM

OK, I'll try again. I'm having trouble with my prerenders. I contacted Sony, and got the boilerplate response (rebuild your entire hardware and software config, and call us in the morning) So, I'll keep it as simple as possible.

What's the difference between a prerendered .avi file and a rendered avi. I think none. So why do all of my normal avi segments playback fine, and the prendered segments are jerky. Both are avi files and both are on the same drive.

Inquiring minds want to know. I must be doing some real dumb, it didn't used to do this, so help me out here, what could it be.

Comments

tbrucebowers wrote on 12/8/2003, 12:14 AM

Well I just ran a little test so I'll reply to myself, and see if it rings any bells for anyone else.

I just did a couple "render to new tracks" in the cross dissolves. Play that back and it's fine. So what is going on.

If I render little chunks in the dissolves as "prerenders" they don't play back right.

If I render little chunks as "render to new tracK" they playback fine.

Hmmmm,

Liam_Vegas wrote on 12/8/2003, 12:32 AM

Where have you got your pre-renders going? Could they be going to a different drive that your actual "real" renders (or "render to new track") are ending up? If that is the case... then maybe something is up with the drive your pre-renders are going to?

[edit.... I just re-read your original post where you did say that your redners and pre-renders are going to the same drive.... so I guess that makes my response above rather pointless... I'll leave it there anyway... if nothing else to remind me to read the posts more carefully]

farss wrote on 12/8/2003, 4:11 AM

Well the prerenders are render at monitor quality whereas full renders are one at project settings whic hcan be overriden in the render settings i think is your answer.

Also are you playing these files back how?

Spot|DSE wrote on 12/8/2003, 7:03 AM

Several things could be up.
1. Are you pre-rendering to the same settings as the project? ie; NTSCDV project, NTSC prerenders?
2. Is it your boot drive you are rendering both to?
3. DMA enabled?
4. Small files will be more likely fragmented than large files. Defragged the drive recently?
BTW, Prerenders are buffered just like any other media, any chance you have crappy RAM? Pre-renders are also rendered out at the same size as anything else on the system, unless you are selecting something unique in the prerender settings. This is why print to tape uses prerenders, and nothing further needs rendering once it's been entirely prerendered. There is no quality diff between a prerender and actual media. Unless you are using a weird codec, or some other non-standard setting.

tbrucebowers wrote on 12/8/2003, 9:47 AM

Thanks everyone for taking a whack at this. It's something really weird and there has to be an explaination. There has to be something out of whack here. It's even weirder than I thouht. Here's my latest test:

1) Set up a template called "NTSC DVno audio".
2) Set up a a folder called "Prerender test" on my main video drive
3) Prerender using that template to the "Prerender test" folder. Flakey playback
4) Render to a new track using that template and to that same folder. Playback OK
5) And now for the really weird part. Import the prerender file back to the project. Playback OK !@#$%

Either I'm going crazy or Vegas is, thanks again for your atention and suggestions

Spot|DSE wrote on 12/8/2003, 10:35 AM

That's odd, indeed. Defrag or other things interfering would be my next guess.
Vegas could be the culprit, but I doubt it as this seems to be unique to you.