Is anyone happy with CS4?

[Brian Brown]

Originally Posted by David Moody

With Premiere CS4, for me it seems like there are more issues with longer projects 2 hours+ with multiple color corrections.

If others are finding it rock solid with long complicated high def projects, then hopefully I can solve the current issues. Uninstalling and reinstalling did solve some of them.

I've done a 90 minute project in PPro, but it was very long instructional stuff... not many clips at all, and it worked fine. But I think Premiere is sensitive to the number of assets in any given project file, so longer projects with lots of clips (and effects, in your case) should probably be moved out into a number of project files. Discrete "scenes" of 4-5 minutes per *.pproj file could then be built in a speedy(er) environment and assembled later in Encore (even without rendering, in CS4).

Asset management becomes less of a chore, as well, with smaller-runtime projects. You could even work with a master *.pproj file and import built sequences into that, if you desire. Leveraging Dynamic Link and nested sequences seems to be the key to workflow success with the Adobe Suite.

Just a thought,
Brian Brown

[Jiri Fiala]

Yeah, or you can just switch to whatever else editing app. They have problems as well, but can at least handle what is paramount for editing - working with material.

[Brett Griffin]

I have been using Premiere since Ver 6 and CS products since launch. I must be one of those lucky ones that have never had a major problem with installation or usage.

I currently have CS4 and apart from using a extra ram for AME and Dynamic Link from Premiere to Encore, still no issue.

I am editing on a Q6700 with 3gb ram (Vista Ultimate 32) but shortly moving to a Core I7 with Vista Ultmiate 64 and 12gb ram.

[Jeff Anselmo]

Hi Brett,

Would be curious to find out how your upgrade to an i7 system goes, along with Vista 64bit, and CS4. No Cineform?

Best,

[Battle Vaughan]

Brian, interesting point on breaking long projects up into multiple projects. Question: does making nested sequences in a single project accomplish this, or is it better to make multiple projects altogether? / Battle Vaughan/miamiherald.com video team

[Brian Brown]

Battle (cool name, BTW):

To directly answer your question, you'll have to gauge your own projects to determine whether a project is bogging down with too many assets to merit breaking it into separate projects. I've found that PPro loading times are the main things affected by LOTS of assets, esp. with HDV projects that always have a series of conforms and index files to sync.

Nesting sequences is a great way to accomplish all sorts of things from the PPro timeline. It's an easy way to add video effects, audio effects (compression and limiting, esp. for broadcast), and multi-layer transitions to an entire sequence.

It's also an efficient way to manage media within a single project. I usually work a "scene" into a "comp" sequence with all the individual cuts. Then, I nest "comp" sequences into a "render" sequence to add the underscore music and effects. An overlay from an After Effects Dynamic Link comp almost invariably comes on top of that to handle vignette masks, titles, and lower-thirds.

Here's a work-in-progress example (and a screenshot below) for this rendered sequence:
YWCA Co-Parenting Videos

In this project, there are four nested sequences, an effects track (a Dynamic Link from AE) and the music. You can also see my bins and organizational structure of a project in the screenshot. I typically use the AE term of "precomp" instead of "nested sequence", but it's the same idea. Keep in mind, assuming one has the Suite, one can easily bring in After Effects comps as Dynamic Link sequences to render in PPro... I regularly do this with keyed footage with the Keylight filter in AE.

HTH,
Brian Brown
BrownCow Video

[Brett Griffin]

Double post

[Brett Griffin]

Jeff,

I can't wait to get my hands on my new system. Should have it up and running within a month. As for Cineform, I have used it with CS3 and found it excellent to use, however I, like may others are waiting for the release of CS4 compatible Cineform. Then, when I have new system and if Vista 64 + Core I7 + Cineform (trial copy to test) all play nice and get along with each other, then I will go that route.

Brett

[Jeff Anselmo]

Hi Brett,

That's exactly what I'm waiting for also. But I did upgrade to an i7 system recently, but kept working with CS2 (as we hadn't really worked with HDV much), and with XP Pro. (But we've shot a friend's wedding recently using an HV30, and an XL2, and would like very much to edit it efficiently)

Can't wait for the Cineform update, as I've recently upgraded to Prospect HD. (And I own a copy of Vista 64bit ready to install when everyone is updated :)

Best,

[Jay Bloomfield]

Originally Posted by Brett Griffin

... As for Cineform, I have used it with CS3 and found it excellent to use, however I, like may others are waiting for the release of CS4 compatible Cineform.

I have been holding off on the upgrade to CS4 for that reason. I probably would have upgraded, had either Premiere CS4 or AE CS4 been 64 bit. But, I'm glad I waited, since there is a lot of negativity about CS4 online, justified or not.

It would be nice if someone could post their experiences with CS4 & Version 4 of Cineform when it comes out.

[Marcelo Lima]

I am happy mostly because of AVCHD native support. With Premiere CS4, i can import and edit my avchd footages without any re-encode and with very acceptable performance of my CORE 2 QUAD Q6600. Also, i installed on my MBP 2.4 and the performance is slower, but ok (with avchd)... I got some erros, but, nothing is perfect...

by the way... I have on my desktop PC, ATI X1600XT 256 RAM. If i replace the video card to geforce 8800GT or 9800 GT/GTX, with 512 Mb of RAM or more, and CUDA feature i will have more performance of premiere cs4??? I know with QUADRO CX's cyda i can have a lot of bennefits, but and what about gamers card like these?? THANKS.