[Ivan Myles]

To resolve in Premiere:

– Create a new sequence that matches the clip’s settings.
– Apply warp stabilizer to the clip.
– Insert the new sequence into you main timeline. You should be able to change scale, frame rate, etc of the embedded timeline as though it were the original clip.

If you are only positioning the clip (as opposed to warping), a better option is the motion stabilizer function in After Effects. It lets you control the target point, add/change the target within the clip, and edit the stabilization keyframes. In addition, the sequence does not need to be the same resolution or frame rate as the source footage. The process is as follows:

– Open a new project in After Effects.
– Import the clip and insert it on a new AE sequence.
– Apply the Tracker > Stabilize Motion effect. Modify/edit until you are satisfied with the results.
– Optional: Increase the project bit depth to 16- or 32-bit.
– Import the AE project to Premiere and insert it on your main timeline.

[Ivan Myles]

I recommend getting the mSATA SSD. The other drive will depend on your typical usage. The 512GB SSD offers the best tradeoff between speed and capacity, but as you mentioned it is fairly expensive. Between the 256GB SSD and 750GB HDD:

– If you will use the computer for live video capture, the SSD will support higher frame rates and resolutions. When the SSD gets full you can transfer the files to an external drive (about twenty minutes per 100GB).
– If you travel frequently the 750GB HDD is probably a better choice. Connecting an external drive while on the go is a pain.

A few other things to consider:

– If the mSATA SSD is your primary drive, it does not take much effort to install a secondary drive yourself. SSDs and HDDs are usually less expensive from a retailer than pre-installed.
– If you already have an external DVD/BD drive, or don’t plan to use the internal drive much, consider replacing the optical drive with a hard drive caddy. That way you can have the mSATA SSD, 256GB SSD, and 750GB HDD all in one. A caddy is relatively inexpensive, but the installation process is a bit more involved and might void your warranty.
– Take a look at the systems available through Dell Outlet, and check the @DellOutlet Twitter page for additional discounts.

[Ivan Myles]

A 30-day trial of CS6 can be downloaded for free. I am not sure that it will resolve the issue, though.

The codecs you are using are not editing-friendly. Premiere Pro will usually be OK with compressed footage in a simple sequence. The program bogs down and is prone to crashing when the timeline gets more complex. Transcoding the source footage is your best option.

In the future be sure to save projects using a new revision number at least once a day.

[Ivan Myles]

RAM utilization is determined by the function being performed, the capability of system components, and other factors. You have excess memory available so the bottleneck lies elsewhere.

There are other posts that address this issue. Here are two recent threads:

Adobe not taking advantage of all my RAM
AE / RAM CPU GPU query

[Ivan Myles]

I have experienced similar issues. Most of the time my root cause is related to using compressed files in the timeline; MP3 audio is especially problematic. Also, older versions of Premiere would crash if a 48kHz audio file was imported to a 44.1kHz sequence, and vice versa. This has been resolved in CS6, but I don’t know about CS5.

Given the other things you have tried, the only other options are to look for an auto-saved copy (which may have been overwritten at this point), or a down-rev version (assuming you saved multiple revisions).

[Ivan Myles]

The auto-scale command changes the scaling factor internally but keeps the user-controlled motion setting at 100%. These are two separate inputs that impact the same output. By analogy, audio levels can be set using Volume, Gain, or mixer levels, but changing one parameter does not impact how the other settings are displayed.

If you only want to see the inner portion of the 4k clip, ensure that Scale to Frame Size is disabled as per Tero’s comment.

[Ivan Myles]

Here is a solution in Audition posted by bariplayer on the Adobe Forum website:

…if you select both mono tracks at the same time (ctrl+click) in a multitrack session, you can right click and go down to “bounce to new track >selected clips only” and it’ll create a new stereo track using those two monos.

[Ivan Myles]

I agree with Jeff; you will need to try a few different encoder settings to determine what works with your equipment. What codec did you try? Also, can you check the user manuals or call the manufacturers to get a list of compatible codecs for your TV and DVD player?

That said, MPEG2 or MPEG2-DVD will likely work, and at SD resolution should produce a good quality video under 1GB for 15 minutes. H.264 can produce smaller files, but might not be compatible with your equipment.

[Ivan Myles]

If you are using compressed audio, try swapping out with wav files.

[Ivan Myles]

To expand on Angelo’s linked post, try troubleshooting each component to identify the root cause:

Zoom H4N:
– What are the settings for mic level, frequency/bit-depth, Phantom, Comp/Limit, Level Auto, and MS Matrix?
– Which input lights are on (MIC, 1/2, or all)?
– How does a sample sound if you record to an internal SD card?
– Do the clip meter lights come on during recording?

Cable:
– Assuming you are using a USB cable, have you tried capturing a sample with an analog Line Out cable?

Windows Audio:
– In Windows, open Recording Devices > Properties > Advanced to check the settings: typically 16-bit and 44100Hz or 48000Hz; enable both items under Exclusive Mode.
– Is the Recording Devices > Properties > Levels tab what you used to set volume to 4? If not, what is the setting? Is there also a Microphone Boost setting? For the time being, set the microphone level to around 60-80 and, if applicable, set boost to 0.0 dB.

Audio Card Software:
– Look in Windows Control Panel and the Start folder to see if there is a software application for the computer’s audio card. If so, open it and check the settings.

Audio Capture Software:
– Use a few different types of software to capture audio: Premiere Pro, Windows Sound Recorder, other (QuickTime, Adobe Audition/Soundbooth, etc). Before recording, check settings in the software for frequency, bit depth, volume/gain/trim, etc. Capture a few samples and compare recordings to audio recorded on the Zoom memory card:

1) Zoom internal mic recorded to Zoom SD card
2) Sennheiser mic recorded to Zoom SD card

3) Sennheiser mic, USB cable, Windows Sound Recorder
4) Zoom internal mic, USB cable, Windows Sound Recorder
5) Zoom internal mic, USB cable, Premiere Pro
6) Sennheiser mic, USB cable, Premiere Pro
7) Sennhieser mic, USB cable, Audition/Soundbooth/QuickTime/other
8) Zoom internal mic, USB cable, Audition/Soundbooth/QuickTime/other

If the issue still exists, take a few samples using an analog Line Out cable to see if it makes any difference.