Pinnacle Studio Plus Rant! Hardware Advice Please...

[MAV13]

Hi all.

I thought you would like to see recent correspondance with Pinnacle Studios' Customer 'Help' department:


[My e-mail to Pinnacle]

Hi. I have been trying to practise editing on the trial version of P Studio Plus 11. I have just bought a new Panasonic HDC-SD9 which is cabable of recording HD (1080p) AVCHD movies. When I try to preview these movies on the 'edit' screen the first 2-3 frames will play then the movie freezes (although you can still hear sound most of the time). The Panasonic Camcorder has 3 1080p settings and if I use a movie recorded at the lowest quality setting I get to see a handful of 'blocky' frames in addition but for the most part the images are frozen. I assume my PC is too slow but I think it is high spec and I believe it meets your minimum spec for operation of this software. Do you have any ideas as to how I should upgrade my system to accomodate these resource-hungry movies? My PC spec is attached. Thanks for your help.


[My attachment]

Running windows XP Professional (all updates inc SP2 etc)
Intel Core 2 Duo 6700 (2.66Ghz)
3.25 Gb RAM
NVidia GeForce 8800 GTS Graphics Card with latest driver and 640mb memory
DirectX 9.0c

PC is streamlined with little excess software and 'defragged' etc.


[Pinnacle Systems Response]

Dear Mr. (MAV13)
We regret to inform you that Trial versions do not have any technical support.

Please check this link for the recommended system requirements:
http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSit...pecifications/

Yours faithfully,
Pinnacle Technical Support


[My Response]

You idiots – you have just lost a potential sale!



Grrr...

I'm sure many of you have had similar discussions with similar 'jobs worths' in the past. My IT dept at work for example require that you send an e-mail to log your problem if your system is down. They refuse to answer the telephone and insist that you send an e-mail. Silly eh?


The original query is bugging me though and I thought I would ask the clever guys on AV Forums if Pinnacle are disinterested. I seem to be stuck with a great camcorder and no way to view or edit the movies.

Can anybody help?

Thanks in advance, MAV13

[senu]

I wasnt aware Pinnacle Studio still do trial downloads
Suffice to say:
I use it on a Similar Spec PC with no such problems
but
the AVCHD clips I have are from Sony and Canon camcorders:
What do you actually play the clips with? Could be a codec problem.
I would not be too hasty to blame Pinnacle . Adobe Premiere Elements 4 cannot even edit any sort of AVCHD..
AVCHD itself is still a bit of a challenge for editing especially as it would seem the codec isn't exactly uniform although that is the intension

My advice would be to Try Sony Vegas MovieStudio Platinum 8 or UleadVS11.5 plus

No company supports trial products ( your understandable sentiments about loss of custom nothwithstanding)

[MAV13]

Senu you are a star!

I researched the codec that the Panasonic uses and found that it is MPEG-4 AVC/H.264. Pinnacle actually have a patch availible on their website for playing these files with PS Plus 11. After downloading the patch I now have flicker-free movies to edit.

Brilliant. Thanks a lot.

Now I take your point about trial software support (and I agree) but why were Pinnacle unable to suggest the very same remedy you did? The whole point of a trial is to see if you want to buy the package and if you can't run the software you have a catch 22 situation.

Note - you seem concerned that I have trial software from Pinnacle. I can assure you it's 'kosher'. The CD ROM came bundled with my Panasonic camcorder. Maybe that raises another question - why does the bundled software lack the codec needed to work with the camcorder it's bundled with?

Thank heaven for common sense on the AVForums!

[Accylad]

Originally Posted by MAV13

Note - you seem concerned that I have trial software from Pinnacle. I can assure you it's 'kosher'. The CD ROM came bundled with my Panasonic camcorder. Maybe that raises another question - why does the bundled software lack the codec needed to work with the camcorder it's bundled with?

I have been trying to get a trial version of this software, without any luck, for the past few days.

Any chance of a loan of your CD ROM?

I would pay your postage costs and return it to you by return of post.

[senu]

Originally Posted by MAV13

Senu you are a star!

I researched the codec that the Panasonic uses and found that it is MPEG-4 AVC/H.264. Pinnacle actually have a patch availible on their website for playing these files with PS Plus 11. After downloading the patch I now have flicker-free movies to edit.

Brilliant. Thanks a lot.

My pleasure

The whole point of a trial is to see if you want to buy the package and if you can't run the software you have a catch 22 situation.

Once again I agree. Pinnacle support can suck ( for want of a better word) .Lately Studio has been OK but it makes sense not to put your customers off; Sadly some support staff do not connect their continued employment with overall company sales.. Sad but true.
I think there is a huge disconnect between the Support and marketing departments; They don't have lunch in the same canteen

Note - you seem concerned that I have trial software from Pinnacle. I can assure you it's 'kosher'.

I wasnt concerned, only curious. They did used to have trials for download until AVID bought Pinnacle, Now that Avid seems to have "released" them back to the wild , They have not reverted to Pre Avid practices

The CD ROM came bundled with my Panasonic camcorder. Maybe that raises another question - why does the bundled software lack the codec needed to work with the camcorder it's bundled with?

Somebody is being very tardy.. or wanting thier P45 or both .. As mistakes go it is....
Perhaps a little note to mention the update patch in the box was proposed ( and forgotten.. (Im being charitable here)

All AVCHD camcorders use the H.264, AVC Mpeg4 specification it does seem though that while the framework is uniform, the specific implementation is not

[Thneed]

Interesting stuff.

Just to clarify:
Are we now saying that Studio Plus 11 DOES work with AVCHD files filmed with the Panasonic SD9? (once you have added the patch).

I ask because in another thread us SD9 owners were trying to find software that would work. It seemed that certain software (including Studio Plus) would work with footage shot with the SD5 but not the SD9 for some reason!!

We were trying to find something that worked.

Maybe you have now

If this is true could you let me know what you can do with the software. Can you edit in more detail that HDwriter that comes with the camera?

Thanks.

[s3marc]

Perhaps its time to load up Studio and give it a go - just need to find that CD (think it was a 15 day trial) ...... still waiting for Sony Vegas 8 to release a patch to read the SD9 files.

Currently doing my 'editing' (for want of a better word) using Nero Vision.

[Thneed]

I think you are right s3marc, though i'm sure my PC isn't anywhere near the spec needed

Probably have to stick to down converting my footage and working in standard def. Not a big problem since I have no Blueray burner or player yet.