Mp4 playback and timeline issues

Francesca-White wrote on 7/7/2023, 7:46 AM

Hi all, I have been having issues with playback and editing on standard mp4 files - I can edit them in the free ClipChamp software on my laptop but not my expensive Movie Studio which just updated to the 2023 Platinum version (as I figured it might be to do with that - needing an upgrade & the functionality being reduced). But I'm still having the issue. It won't show the videos nor can you hear any sound, and on the timeline it just shows a bright white box. I do use the Filmic Pro app on a Samsung S23 to create the files, but I can view them and there are no problems on my laptop outside of Movie Studio. Obviously this in turn means I cannot edit my video files. Please do advise. I have attached a screengrab of the reoccurring issue. Any help hugely appreciated.

Best wishes, Francesca

Comments

Former user wrote on 7/7/2023, 8:26 AM

@Francesca-White Hi, I have an S23 Ultra, I'll have a look at that app if I can, ..but "standard mp4 files" don't really exist, MP4 is a container, it's like a folder on your PC, it contains lots of information that create your video & that information can vary. so -

There's an App called MediaInfo, download it, it's free & a fast download with no added adverts or any of that rubbish. https://mediaarea.net/en/MediaInfo

After downloading, right click on the media file in your Windows folder, open MediaInfo, choose Text from the options at the top, Copy & paste the information in a new comment on here 👍

Like this

Also can you click your icon at the top of this page - My Profile & fill in your Signature with the full name of your CPU, GPU & amount of RAM, also inc the Windows & Magix version, this will then show at the bottom of your comments,

Former user wrote on 7/7/2023, 8:42 AM

@Francesca-White I had a look at that app don't think I'm going install it esp if it's asking for payment. but here's the info on it for anyone else who might be interested. Not a good rating on it,

Francesca-White wrote on 7/7/2023, 8:44 AM

Okay, thank you very much for your guidance so far. I've done as described and here is the file info:

General
Complete name                            : C:\Users\1\Documents\Test\VID_20230707_113538.mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID                                 : mp42 (isom/mp42)
File size                                : 304 MiB
Duration                                 : 27 s 67 ms
Overall bit rate                         : 94.1 Mb/s
Frame rate                               : 30.000 FPS
Encoded date                             : 2023-07-07 10:36:05 UTC
Tagged date                              : 2023-07-07 10:36:05 UTC
com.android.version                      : 13

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L6
Format settings                          : CABAC / 1 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP                     : M=1, N=60
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 27 s 67 ms
Bit rate                                 : 93.8 Mb/s
Width                                    : 3 840 pixels
Height                                   : 2 160 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Rotation                                 : 90°
Frame rate mode                          : Variable
Frame rate                               : 30.000 FPS
Minimum frame rate                       : 23.083 FPS
Maximum frame rate                       : 42.837 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.377
Stream size                              : 303 MiB (100%)
Title                                    : VideoHandle
Language                                 : English
Encoded date                             : 2023-07-07 10:36:05 UTC
Tagged date                              : 2023-07-07 10:36:05 UTC
Color range                              : Limited
colour_range_Original                    : Full
Color primaries                          : BT.709
colour_primaries_Original                : BT.601 PAL
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
transfer_characteristics_Original        : BT.601
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709
matrix_coefficients_Original             : BT.470 System B/G
Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 27 s 53 ms
Source duration                          : 27 s 42 ms
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 256 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 845 KiB (0%)
Source stream size                       : 845 KiB (0%)
Title                                    : SoundHandle
Language                                 : English
Encoded date                             : 2023-07-07 10:36:05 UTC
Tagged date                              : 2023-07-07 10:36:05 UTC
mdhd_Duration                            : 27053

 

 

 

Former user wrote on 7/7/2023, 9:50 AM


Frame rate mode                          : Variable
Frame rate                               : 30.000 FPS
Minimum frame rate                       : 23.083 FPS
Maximum frame rate                       : 42.837 FPS


Color range                              : Limited
colour_range_Original                    : Full
Color primaries                          : BT.709
colour_primaries_Original                : BT.601 PAL
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
transfer_characteristics_Original        : BT.601
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709
matrix_coefficients_Original             : BT.470 System B/G

@Francesca-White Hi, that looks just like any of my phone vids, it's variable frame rate but all my phone vids are, that shouldn't stop it completely unable to load like your having. the only bit I'm unsure of is the color info at the bottom, my vids have these lines at the bottom, all 709, I don't know if that could be a problem.

Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.709
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709

You didn't inc your computer specs, you can find these if you click on the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen - Taskmanager - Performance tab,, open the window so it shows the full list on the left & click on the CPU at the top, like this

You can click Y on the Movie Studio screen, this will bring up settings, change these settings to CPU, this will stop Movie Studio using your Graphics card & try your video again, ?

Also check your graphics card driver is up to date.

& if you want you could share that file & we can try it for you.?

Open Google, top right is a little square of 9 dots - Open Google Drive 

Drag that video on & let it upload,

When it's loaded right click on it - Share,

A window will open, choose 'Anyone with the link' - Copy link. 

At the top of a new comment is a chain button, paste the link in there to share that video in a comment..

johnebaker wrote on 7/7/2023, 11:00 AM

@Francesca-White, @Former user

Hi

My Samsung mobile creates the same format video as the S23 ie they are Variable Framerate (VFR) and the same colour profile information ie:

Color primaries                          : BT.709
colour_primaries_Original                : BT.601
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
transfer_characteristics_Original        : BT.601
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709
matrix_coefficients_Original             : BT.601

The colour profile information does not cause any issue with Movie Studio 2023.

The VFR however can cause issues:

  1. Depending on the level of variation of the framerate, playback can have issues particularly with audio sync, ie greater than ± 5 fps of the target framerate eg 30 fps the higher the deviation the worse the audio sync is.
     
  2. Editing of VFR video is not always successful leading to 'jumps' and very short 'freezes', again how much depends on the variation range of the framerate.

If the editing problems are as I described, try converting the mobile videos to Constant Frame Rate using Handbrake or Avidemux before importing into MMS 2023, ensure you do not overwrite the original video files.

If the editing problem is not as described then what are the issues with editing you are having?

HTH

John EB
Forum Moderator

VPX 16, Movie Studio 2025, and earlier versions 2015 and 2016, Music Maker Premium 2024.

PC - running Windows 11 23H2 Professional on Intel i7-8700K 3.2 GHz, 16GB RAM, RTX 2060 6GB 192-bit GDDR6, 1 x 1Tb Sabrent NVME SSD (OS and programs), 2 x 4TB (Data) internal HDD + 1TB internal SSD (Work disc), + 6 ext backup HDDs.

Laptop - Lenovo Legion 5i Phantom - running Windows 11 23H2 on Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4-SDRAM, 512GB SSD, 43.9 cm screen Full HD 1920 x 1080, Intel UHD 630 iGPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6)

Sony FDR-AX53e Video camera, DJI Osmo Action 3 and Sony HDR-AS30V Sports cams.

browj2 wrote on 7/7/2023, 11:15 AM

@Francesca-White

Hi,

Further to what @johnebaker indicated, you can try going to the Program Settings (Y), Device options tab, and play with the dropdowns under Hardware Acceleration. Try CPU for all 3 for a start.

What are your other options under a dropdown?

For significant Variable Frame Rate recordings like yours, I don't even try using them, I just run them through Handbrake to get Constant Frame Rate files with slightly different names that I put in separate folders.

Playback programs can almost always play back these files, but they don't have to use them for editing, whereas video editing programs have to use them.

John CB

John C.B.

VideoPro X(16); Movie Studio 2024 Platinum; MM2025 Premium Edition; Samplitude Pro X8 Suite; see About me for more.

Desktop System - Windows 10 Pro 22H2; MB ROG STRIX B560-A Gaming WiFi; Graphics Card Zotac Gaming NVIDIA GeForce RTX-3060, PS; Power supply EVGA 750W; Intel Core i7-10700K @ 3.80GHz (UHD Graphics 630); RAM 32 GB; OS on Kingston SSD 1TB; secondary WD 2TB; others 1.5TB, 3TB, 500GB, 4TB, 5TB, 6TB, 8TB; three monitors - HP 25" main, LG 4K 27" second, HP 27" third; Casio WK-225 piano keyboard; M-Audio M-Track USB mixer.

Notebook - Microsoft Surface Pro 4, i5-6300U, 8 GB RAM, 256 SSD, W10 Pro 20H2.

YouTube Channel: @JCBrownVideos

Former user wrote on 7/7/2023, 11:48 AM

@johnebaker @browj2 Agreed Variable can be problematic but even before i got this PC, (my old one i7 7700 GTX1660 card) I've never seen a file not show at all because of variable frame rate, in fact as I've mentioned before after 20yrs of using phone footage I'm only just in the last couple of yrs starting to convert to ProRes for better performance in Vegas.

I mentioned changing the settings to CPU, need to know the PC specs would help.

& converting might resolve the problem but it doesn't answer why there's a problem, it's just skirting the issue that's why i didn't mention it, I see that as a lazy solution.