PE 7 - Mod files from JVC camera importing with errors.

[_Stuart_Fern_]

Hi everyone,
I was having enormous difficulties with Premiere Elements 4 so I bought version 7 as it listed mod files as a supported type. Well at least PE 7 is actually seeing the mod files and easily importing them. Unfortunately each file ends up with its own unique error - mostly green pixels showing up in the image randomly or even faces or images from other files suddenly appearing in the middle of a different file.
My project will only go for about 35 mins but it is being created from 3.5 hours of footage. Is anyone else having these sort of issues? Is it just to do with the dreaded mod file, or have other people experienced it in other situations?
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers,
Stuart

[Robert J. Johnston]

The .mod files that people have sent to me with problems all play back without distortion if I change the file extension from .mod to .avi. Actually, I just tack on .avi after .mod.

I believe that doing this circumvents the indexing phase of MPEG-2 files that Premiere Elements does, which is known to cause distortions in .mod files, however, I have not seen green pixels showing up or other clips appearing where they shouldn't. That sounds more like a memory issue.

[_Stuart_Fern_]

Maybe it is a memory issue. Maybe the last 6 weeks of trying to sort out this silly looking problem could all just be faulty memory. Man, that would be frustrating. I'll run some test, thanks.

[_Kami-Kaze_]

yes stuart this looks more like a memory issue to me. I had some problebs with Mod which went away when I started editing the footages in the corrrect proeject presets (Flash Hard disc based)> Mod.

[_Fosteronomo_]

I think PE 7 is having trouble handling .MOD files properly. I have a JVC Everio GZ-MG555 and am seeing the same problems as Stuart when importing .MOD files into PE7.

First off, PE7 does not correctly identify clips recorded at 16:9. I have to "Interpret" the footage or else it's smushed down to 4:3.

Second, most clips show some artifacting in at least one spot, sometimes two. It lasts for 12-15 frames each time. These glitches show up in the produced movie, too.

Screenshot: http://screencast.com/t/RWOBhLjt50
Frame-by-frame: http://screencast.com/t/8Q1rAlMlg

I'm pretty sure it's not a memory issue, and Robert Johnston's workaround doesn't work for me. When I change the extension to .avi the timeline becomes unresponsive (instead of 2 seconds to build the thumbnails it takes 2-5 minutes) and playback in the PE preview window is extremely choppy. When I capture the video from the camera as DV-AVI instead of importing an .MOD the problem goes away...but this is unacceptable because it reintroduces all the hassles of a MiniDV camera.

I should also note that the artifacting is not present in the original .MOD files when played back within WMP.

I had high hopes that PE7 would work well with the accursed .MOD files. But it looks like I'll keep searching for an editor that supports the format...unless anyone else has a suggestion?

[_Kami-Kaze_]

Have you Used a NTSC widescreen Flash based project preset?

[_Stuart_Fern_]

Fosteronomo that is it exactly. I have been fiddling with my memory sticks and it doesn't appear to be a memory issue. And I agree with everything you said.

I really love Premiere Elements but unfortunately this is the camera I have at home and the one I use at work. I'm stuck with mod files.

I also tried Power director 7 which works perfectly but doesn't have as many options and only has 2 audio tracks (that is a killer for me, many of my projects use around 10 audio tracks).

I'll try the NTSC widescreen preset, in fact I'll try anything. My project is now 3 weeks late and I'm still fiddling.

[Robert J. Johnston]

Comparing Premiere Elements 2.0 to Premiere Elements 7.0 in regards to MOD files, something has gone wrong in the editing workspace in 7.0.

Even after doing a workaround of renaming ImporterFastMPEG.prm to ImporterFastMPEG.prm.tt and deleting all the index files that are created when you add MOD files for the first time to Premiere Elements, there are considerable artifacts when playing unrendered previews. Although, if you render a preview they are gone.

However the artifacts are not the same as the distortions I was talking about earlier. The distortions are big blocks of video that shift out of place. Those distortions are gone when you rename .mod to .avi, or if you do the workaround of renaming that ImporterFastMPEG.prm and deleting the index files. But neither of those two tricks get rid of the artifacts during playback of unrendered previews.

When you rename .mod to .avi, Premiere Elements uses the Directshow merit system to pick the mpeg and ac3 codecs. For example, if you have FFDShow installed with MPEG2 enabled, Premiere Elements will use that to decode the video. If you don't have a separate ac3 codec installed on your system, then you won't have any audio when you import the file into Premiere Elements. You could enable AC3 in FFDShow Audio and Premiere Elements will use that.

Still, even with a 70 minute video clip on the timeline, I don't seen any errant green pixels. And all I have is a Pentium 4, 3GHz, 1 GB RAM with 96MB shared RAM for video.

By the way, are we all talking about standard definition or high definition MOD files? I'm only talking about standard definition.

[_Fosteronomo_]

This JVC model produces standard def files.

I'm using the NTSC HDD/Flash 16:9 project setting.

The artifacting that I see in the preview window also shows up in the produced file.

I don't have any freeware codec packs installed (I've been warned off them by devs at my company who work in this space)...so that may explain why the avi extension workaround doesn't work for me.

Perhaps I should enter a support ticket. I'm brand new to Adobe PE and am just doing the free trial right now, so I'm not inclined to wait around for a dot-one release. I already waited around for v7. Will probably just try some alternatives that are reported to support .MOD files better.

[Steve Grisetti]

Those Everio files are notoriously problematic, Foster. But you may have better luck working with them in Sony's Vegas editor.

[_DunaKevin_]

Hello Sirs:

I have an Everio GZ-MG465 and of course, problems with .MOD files she produces.

The bundled software (I forgot the name) are simply simple.

Yes, I went:

- Premiere Pro: can't read .MOD. I tried some tricks I found googling but unstable, crashable and still not reading .MOD. It's a pitty.

- Premiere Elements 7: yes! it seemed to read .MOD. Wait...those green squared frames...damn, it renders the green artifacts to final vids too!!

I opened a case to Adobe. The MOD vids are ok, not artifacts at all, PE7 put them there in two different machines and operating systems. It's a faulty MPEG2 decoding.

"Adobe response:
Tuesday, 30 December 2008 14:44:59 o'clock GMT
Hello,

Thank you for contacting Adobe Web Support for assistance with Adobe
Premiere Elements 7.0.

I understand you are experiencing problems with files imported into
Premiere Elements.

We are unable to provide technical support for trial products. We do,
however, have an online knowledgebase that is helpful for finding
solutions for unsupported products. The URL listed below will take you
to our knowledgebase:

http://www.adobe.com/es/support/

We also have User-to-User forums available where you can enter your
problem or concerns and see if other Adobe users can offer advice. The
URL listed below will take you to our User-to-User forums.

http://www.adobe.com/es/support/forums/

Customer ID number: 172381748

For more information on Adobe products or services please visit us at:
http://www.adobe.com/es/support or contact Adobe at +34 91-453-4392.

Best Regards,

Gregory H.
Adobe Web Support"

Great response, isn't it?

Sony Vegas doesn't read native .MOD from JVC. I tried last version, http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/moviestudiopp

Corel Videostudio PRO X2 does. No artifacts, no problems, I don't like it-poor interface- but I will use it.
http://www.corel.com/servlet/Satellite/us/en/Product/1175714228541#versionTabview=tab0&tabview=tab0

I will try Pinnacle Studio Plus 12 too
http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/sp/Products/Consumer+Products/Home+Video/Studio+Family/Studio+Plus.htm

Sorry Adobe, you lose a customer. Now I'm more convinced your products are too complicated, resource-demanding and unstable. Well, now I know you didn't care about who are trying your products.

I have no relation to Corel, Sony, Adobe or Pinnacle, only want to edit my videos from my JCV.

Greetings.

[_Stuart_Fern_]

Well I had Adobe Premiere Elements 4 and it worked great with my old video camera because it was from DV tapes. I loved working with Elements 4, so I blindly bought Elements 7 because it stated that it worked with mod files. No trial, just wanting to get it all working again. So I am a paying customer and I am going to open a petition with Adobe. I have tried all sorts of work arounds and none of them are acceptable as I just want to place my raw file into a timeline and start working. Most of the efforts I have made create more errors than I started with.

I'll let you all know how I go.

Stuart

[_DunaKevin_]

Ok Stuart, best luck.

I tried Pinnacle Studio 12 Ultimate.

Just drag and drop .MOD files from camera to the timeline and everything works fine. No artifacts, quick vids managing and stability.

Better production quality than Corel Videostudio PRO X2, I will keep Pinnacle running until Adobe find a solution...

Regards.

[_Craig_Munson_]

I am having the same problems with the "green artifacting" as described above. Using the Everio GZ-MG230. Fortunately, renaming the .mod extension to .avi worked for me. Not sure why I have the proper codec installed, but it's working. The software supplied with my camera, CyberLink Power Producer works as well...just very few features.

I'd like to hope Adobe will fix this problem, seeing as I already spent the money on the software.

-Craig

[Steve Grisetti]

Even better if Canon would make the Everio produce AVI files, since it seems to uniquely have this problem.

[_Gary_R__Lambert_]

I was having the same JVC Everio/Elements 7 problem. I tried renaming the .mod extensions to .mpg and .avi, but still had the green artifacts. After an hour on the phone with Ronald, a VERY helpful Adobe Service Tech, I seem to have a solution that is working on my 5 edit stations here in my AV Lab.

Go to the Adobe Elements 7 folder in your "Program Files" folder and open the "Plug Ins" and "en_US" folders. Find a file called ImporterFastMPEG.prm and remove it. I moved it to the desktop until I test the software totally and make sure this doesn't cause other problems. If you are a brave, go ahead and delete it.

This is working for me, and avoids all that renaming - reprocessing the .mod files. So far, so good!

Good luck...and thank you Ronald!!!

[Video_CJC]

I use to use Adobe Premeir Pro w/my JVC camera.  It took me a long time to figure out the ".MOD" problem.  When I finally figured that out and burned a DVD, another problem was discovered.  When ever the camera would pan in the scene the picture would get very jiddery.  I found out that using video from a HD instead of Mini DV tape you had to change how the fields would be set up.  I guess with HD video you must use "Upperfields First".

My question is about the same issue.  I found out about deleteing ImporterFastMPEG.prm file from PE7 and imported some video files.  That part worked great, but when I burned it to DVD and played it, I was back to what looked like the "Upperfields First" problem I was having in Premeir Pro.  I looked around in the settings and "Upperfields" is selected but it plays like "Lowerfields First" is what it did.  The reason I switched to PE7 was the fact that it could handle ".MOD" files and was a little simpler than Premeir Pro.  I dont have tons of time to learn Pro right now.  Thanks ahead of time if any one can shed some light on this.

[Guest]

By deleting or renaming ImporterFastMPEG.prm you can eliminate Media Pending error message issues but it can impact audio sync. Anyway, if you are capturing standard upper field first material you should use the project preset: "Hard Disk, Flash Memory Camcorders"... this will automatically set the field order for the project to upper field first. Likewise with the high definition presets, it will set upper field first for all the high definition project presets.

[Video_CJC]

I did check and I am using the DH camcorder setting w/Upperfield first

but during play back from a DVD it looks all jiddery when the camera

is panned. It looks just like the problem I had using Pro, when the

Lowerfields first are selected. What is the difference between

capturing video on mini DV or an HD? Why do you use Lowerfields w/

mini DV and Upperfields w/HD? Thanks so much

Sent from my iPod

[Guest]

Can you give some more detail about your camcorder, make and model number?

Each video frame is made up of two sets of fields each field captured consectutively and interlaced, so each field captured at different times. Which field is displayed first determine if the video is upper or lower field first. By convention DV-AVI is lower field first and HDV MPEG2 is upper field first. Also, most standard definition flash memory, hard drive or DVD camcorders are upper field first. As PE7 has a DV-AVI work flow it expects lower field first video... if you use upper field first you must either use reverse field dominance or the appropriate project preset. The reason i ask your camcorder model number is to confirm that it is infact upper field first.

[Video_CJC]

Thank you so much for getting back w/me so soon. The camera is a JVC

GZ-MG555u. It has a 30G hard drive and 3CCD sensors.

Sent from my iPod

[Guest]

Thanks for clarifying the model number, so yes, it is standard definition, .mod file format. So when you start a project you should select the "Hard Disk, Flash Memory Camcorders" project preset from the project preset list this will ensure that the field order is set correctly for your upper field first video. You should not need to adjust field order in the project timeline. A DVD exported from the project should be fine.

You say you see video judder during panning? Is this when viewed on you TV or when viewed on a monitor?

[Video_CJC]

On the computer, it's perfect. On DVD on my TV is when I see it. If

the camera is still and not panning in the scene then the video is

fine. It's like the picture can't update fast enough during a pan vs a

still shot. This DVD was set up to burn upperfields first.

Sent from my iPod

[Guest]

Can you confirm you used the "Hard Disk, Flash Memory Camcorders" project preset. You need to maintain the correct field order through out the entire editing workflow, from importing, to editing, to burning. If you start with upper field first you need to strat with the correct project preset or correct the field order in the timeline as yoru first step. Other thing, how long is your DVD?

[Video_CJC]

The test video is only 6 scenes long and about 5min in time. I'm at

work now. I'll try another test and go through all the things you told

me and get back to you. Again thank you for all your time and advice!!!

Sent from my iPod