Premiere Pro: Import/Export XviD & Frame Size Issues

[Cube11]

Hi there,

I'm a newb when it comes to video editing, so please bare with me (I just started using Premiere Pro 1.5 yesterday). The sole reason I'm using Pro is because I want to create a music video, using scenes from multiple XviD files. I only want to view the final music video on my computer using Windows Media Player, VLC, BSPlayer, etc. I don't want to convert it to DVD or watch it on a conventional TV screen.

Problems I'm having:

1) Importing XviD into Pro is futile! Although it will play in the "Monitor" window, rendering is hopeless - all I get is a black screen with no audio or video. Exporting an XviD to XviD is equally meaningless - no audio, no video in my outputted file! I've read that Pro likes DV files, not XviD, but still... is there a workaround here? (Other than using another program? Although if there is an editing program that works well with XviD files and can perform most of the snazzy video effects that Pro can, please let me know, I would be extremely grateful!)

2) Since Pro won't render any of my XviD files, what I've done is open up the files in VirtualDub. I then save the XviDs as uncompressed AVIs (RGB or something???), and then I import these files into Pro (since Pro will render these). This, however, takes up a ton of hard drive space since each uncompressed AVI is ~1 GB. Anyway, once I finish my compilation, I choose "Export" --> "Movie."

Export Movie Settings:

General
File Type: Microsoft AVI
Video
Compressor: XviD MPEG-4 Codec
Frame Size: 512 h 384 v 4:3
Frame Rate: 25.00 fps
Pixel Aspect Ratio: Square Pixels (1.0)

Note: All of the original XviD files (and by association, untouched uncompressed AVI files) are:
512 x 384 (1.333 : 1) [they are full-screen, not wide-screen or HDTV]
25.000 FPS

The problem is when I try to play my outputted XviD file in Windows Media Player, there is a thick black border around the video. In full-screen mode, the video is "shrunk" in the middle surrounded by a black frame. I've tried changing the "Frame Size" (see above) to countless different ones, yet I can't figure out what the correct frame size should be. Can anyone lend their expertise on the program? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

One more question: I find when exporting to XviD, the quality of the outputted file is very suspect; usually the picture is nice, but at times blocks will appear out of nowhere especially during "transitions" (between scenes) - parts of the picture might get very blocky and colors will bleed all over the place. Should I use a different XviD codec (XviD-1.0.3-20122004 _Final Release)??? Thanks in advance!

[daamon]

Hi Cube11,

You were close to a (probably) successful solution when you:

a) Found out that Premiere only (really) likes working with DV and uncompressed AVI, and;

b) That you use VirtualDub to change your Xvids into something that Premiere likes.

Download and install the Panasonic DV Codec (it's free and good). Do what you did in VirtualDub - but this time choose the Panasonic DV Codec.

Your file sizes will be noticably smaller (about 5 times) and will still work perfectlt OK in Premiere).

As for exporting to Xvid from Premiere - sorry I can't comment as I've never needed to do it. Maybe saving as DV AVI in Premiere and then converting that DV AVI to Xvid using VirtualDub or some other (better? Gordian Knot?) encoder to Xvid?

You may be able to frameserve from Premiere to VirtualDub / other - but I'm not sure. This will take longer, but save disc space.

I hope that helps. Good luck.

[nmcmahon]

Hi, sorry to resurrect this old thread, but it is about exactly the same issue as above.

I have only recently started using Premiere Pro and have gotten used to the basics. I have a video that I needed to edit parts out, such as swearing and other scenes, so it is suitable for a younger audience. The source file was in Xvid, and I had read numerous posts on websites that Premiere doesn't like Xvid, so I used VirtualDub to convert this. I didn't want to convert it to uncompressed AVI as the file was about 45mins long to begin with, and uncompressed seem to turn out around near 50GB!

I used the Microsoft MPEG-4 VKI Codec V1 to compress the source file in VirtualDub using full processing mode. This produced a file only around 1GB in size which would open in Premiere with sound and picture fine. I then went through with the razor tool cutting out parts I didn't want and had the finished product.

The problems comes (as above) when exporting. When exporting to the default settings (Microsoft DV AVI), the outputted file was around 10GB, with a total frame size of around 700x400, but the actual picture was inside the frame at around 200x100, with a large black border around it.

The sound and picture, including edits all came out fine, its just it is too small to watch on any device. Is there a way that I can just get it to export at the same frame size with no border? The filesize shouldn't be too much of a problem as I assume I can convert it back to Xvid after using VirtualDub.

The reply above may work, but this means I have to re-convert my source file using VirtualDub with the Panasonic DV Codec (which I have installed). If I do this, and import this into Premiere, will I lose all of my editing (a good couple of hours work)?

I hope someone can shed light on this.

Many thanks,

Niall

[lordsmurf]

Premiere is professional software. It's not made to work with final-format consumer/hobby video.

Use uncompressed AVI, if you're not importing a HuffYUV capture or DV transfer. Anything else will have quirks, if it works at all.

[nmcmahon]

OK, thanks, so if I convert it to uncompressed AVI then import into Premiere, after editing, the exported versions should be OK?

[edDV]

You can also export from Premiere through a Video for Windows codec. Experiment with this with small clips.

Export as uncompressed avi, and select the desired codec (e.g. divx, xvid) from the list installed on your machine.

[Valleron]

The following WILL work with Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 for Windows (not tested with CS4)

Okay, you got all those Xvid movies and what not, and want to use them in Premiere Pro? Well you can, contrary to the "it won't work because Premiere will not work with compressed media" etc.

Here's what you do:

First off, this is going from a clean'ish XP install. No ffdshow and no codec packs, etc.

Install Xvid codec, found here: http://www.koepi.info/xvid.html Xvid-1.2.1 at time of writing.

With the above alone, you will now be able to import Xvid directly into Premiere Pro CS3, assuming the Xvid has mp3 audio. What if the Xvid has a52(AC3) audio? You'll run into trouble, ala no audio after import. So, what todo?

Install AC3 filter, found here: http://ac3filter.net/projects/ac3filter

Edit: I used the AC3 filter version 1.45b as it was already on my HD but which you can download from here: http://ac3filter.net/releases/ac3filter_1_45b I'll have to assume newer versions will work also.

It was a pain figuring this out, but it sure opens up Premiere Pro to some new possiblities yeagh?

Happy editing all!

Tom

[ajburr]

I've been having a similar problem, with the black border around the video. I'm currently only importing QuickTime videos from a digital camera (not camcorder). If I play the movie in QT it looks fine, but as soon as I import it to Premier, it adds the black border.

If I try to shrink the size of the video when exporting it (such as to eliminate the black), the black border stays the same size and the video shrinks. If I try to increase the size of the video, it stays the same size, but the black border gets bigger.

Any ideas?

[edDV]

Valleron, both Premiere since v5 and Premiere Pro have imported and exported using "Video for Windows" codecs much the same as Virtualdub. The problem reported as you mentioned is lack of AC3 audio import from commercial media. Be aware that xvid import results in a full recode in all cases.

ajburr, what is the resolution of this video and what is your Premiere project format? If the source is 640x480 you need to use a 640x480 project format or convert the source to 720x480 flagged 4:3. If the latter you can correct aspect ratio in clip properties.

[uengin]

To all the people that asked the question about the "black border" around video clips in rendered videos from Premiere Pro:

I dont know if this has been answered yet, but I read like 5-7 posts and this got asked twice and people answering seem to just ignore it. here's the low down:

a) when creating a new project in the you are given a set of options and configurations, in the video options do either of the following:

1) Select the frame size that you will be working in and change the frame size in the project to reflect the frame size you will be working in. === OR ===
2) Tick the box that says "scale clips to project frame size".

b) if you already have a project, you can still click the "scale clips to project frame size" option but then you must delete the imported clips and re-import them for them to be resized to the project frame size.

I hope this helps.

[lauralilly520]

DivX, XviD are heavily-compressed, delivery-only formats, designed for decent quality, small file size, streaming media. For that sole purpose, they do a good job, but they are NOT designed for editing in NLEs including Adobe Premiere Pro.

The best way to let Premiere Pro work with DivX/XviD files is to change these files to Adobe Premiere compatible formats like MPEG-2 previously.

[smrpix]

The best way to let Premiere Pro work with DivX/XviD files is to change these files to Adobe Premiere compatible formats like MPEG-2 previously.

If he hasn't figured this out in the ten years since he asked the question he's never going to.

And welcome to the forums.