optimizing for ulead video studio 8

tikki · #1 (**permalink**) 11-21-2004, 01:31 PM

hi everybody.
i just recently set up the following system:
AMD Athlon 64 3000+
512 MB DDR 400 of memory
128 MB Redfox Radeon 9200SE
80 GB of 7200 rpm HDD 133
20 GB of 7200 rpm HDD 100
sony pc108 handycam
windows xp pro sp2

i am currently using ulead video studio 8 and i am getting performance that's below what i expected (i think its quite slow). could u guys please give me some tips on how i can optimize my system? i just want the program to run smoother....
thnx.

Marc Peters · #2 (**permalink**) 11-21-2004, 01:37 PM

That should fly. When you say "slow", what are the specifics... explain the symptoms in as much detail as possible.

tikki · #3 (**permalink**) 11-21-2004, 02:33 PM

well, the video clip thumbnails on the timeline don't really appear quick. quite often, i hear cracks and clicks when i playback and there's audio clip on the time line. playback on the preview window is not really that consistent. i see some dropped frames. i already tried lowering hardware acceleration for video and audio, but i think it didnt change a thing (i dont know if i am correct, video acceleration should be at "full"?)..i'am thinking, could it be my RAM or video card? or maybe i would need to do some tweaking on windows xp?
by the way, i placed the software on the slower hard drive and my project files on the faster drive. or should it be the other way around?........
thnx.

purejammy · #4 (**permalink**) 11-22-2004, 06:04 PM

You should place your temporary files on the hard drive that does not contain your operating system. To do this in Video Studio follow the following steps.

1. From the File menu select Preferences

2. In the General tab, change the working folder to a folder on your non-OS disk.

3. Click the Preview Tab

4. Uncheck Option 1, then check Option 2 and locate a folder on your non-OS hard drive

5. Click the OK button.

6. Enjoy

Also double check that Both your hard drives are defragmented. Try this out and let me know if it resolves the problem.

Good luck

tikki · #5 (**permalink**) 11-23-2004, 06:17 AM

thanks for the tips.
in that case i'll transfer all my working files to my non-operating system disk. i think it will be kind of messy

i already have plenty of captured avi files in my boot drive which i currently use in some projects. i think i'll be doing plenty of relinking right? and the file names of the captured video files can be very confusing..

tikki · #6 (**permalink**) 11-23-2004, 11:04 AM

purejammy, help again..

i did what you told me above. the symptoms, however, were still there. is there anything else i can do?

purejammy · #7 (**permalink**) 11-23-2004, 07:08 PM

There are others on the forum who are much better qualified to advise on XP performance settings than I am, and perhaps one of those kind souls will be good enough to pick up on this aspect.

I have noticed myself that Video Studio 8 is far more resource hungry than its previous incarnations, although that has never affected the overall quality of capturing and exporting, even on my meagre specification of a PC.

It would be worth checking again that both drives are thoroughly defragged. Also check that the files you captured did not frop frames before this defrag (check by playing them in Windows media player, if it plays ok then there are no dropped frames). Otherwise there probably are dropped frames and you will have to recapture that footage.

Hope that helps a little and I also hope someone will pick up on the optimum settings for Video Editing on an XP installation.

Marc Peters · #8 (**permalink**) 11-23-2004, 07:14 PM

How is the RAM configured? Two strips of 256? I'll assume that if it's a new mobo, it has dual channel memory? Have you installed the RAM in the correct channels as per the manual/are both strips securely in place?

tikki · #9 (**permalink**) 11-27-2004, 06:19 AM

I am using one single-sided 512 mb ram. i checked on the mobo manual and i think its fine that way. i recently looked at my case again, and i think the problem is just with the audio. i am using an on-board sound controller, Realtek AC97...when i preview (especially the longer projects), i would usually initially hear cracks in the sound (like its missing some beats)..what do you guys think about this?

purejammy · #10 (**permalink**) 11-27-2004, 11:33 AM

I'd check to see if I could get and updated driver for the cound card.

Also worth double checking that you are at the current relase of directX audio drivers (version 9 I think)