[Todd Terry]

Hi again Vince….

>>So, if you right click on the timeline image and choose Speed/Duration, can you then change the length?

Sadly, no… I CANNOT change the length of ANY bitmaps or targa files, no matter what I try. Trying to change the Speed/Duration does nothing. Trying to stretch them with the handles does nothing.

Changing the “Still Image Preferences” does not help.

Apparently they ARE being seen as footage, not as stills, but I can’t for the life of me figure out how to change that. My senior editor is a PP whiz (although he still works on Pro1 on his machine) can’t figure out what my problems are either.

Yeah, there are ways around it (batching files in Photoshop, etc.), but I just hate to jump through hoops to get something workable when it is supposed to work right the first time. Its frustrating to have to tell clients “I’m doing it this way because the machine won’t work right.”

Grrrrrr yet again again,
Todd

[Todd Terry]

Hi Vince…

That’s a good thought, I had the same idea early on. I thought Premiere was seeing the targas as a sequence.

BUT….

I wasn’t instructing it to import the files as a sequence, and even if I wanted to they are not sequential numbered files. They are not somefile22.tga, or such, but simply somefile.tga or somefile.bmp.

I tried your suggestion of just dragging an individual bitmap or targa file into the project window from an outside window (rather than importing the usual way), but I still get a file with the unchangeable default of 1 frame.

Grrrrrrrr again,

Todd

[Todd Terry]

Hi Aanarav….

That was a good question, one I had not thought of since we had ONLY been doing Aja projects (and that is likely to continue in the future), so I gave it a try…

Same results. Still can’t adjust the lengths. GRRRRRRRR.

Todd

[Todd Terry]

OOOps… I meant Troy, not Tony. Brain fart, sorry.

Todd

[Todd Terry]

Thanks Tony….

I suspected I might not be able to do it in PP2, but just wanted to make sure that I hadn’t missed something.

We’ll do it in AE, no sweat.

Thanks much, appreciate the insight.

Todd

[Todd Terry]

Just discovered that ProCoder 2.0 from Canopus will definitely work and solve this problem. Unfortuantely, it is somewhat pricey software, but it works well.

Thanks for advice,
Todd

[Todd Terry]

Good suggestions, but unfortuantely does not solve the problem.

The Canopus AVIs do import into Premiere on the Aja machine, but come in as audio only. Over on the Canopus forum someone else is having the same problem trying to get Canopus AVIs into Final Cut. Someone there recommended a Canopus file converter that SHOULD work, but the converter doesn’t recognize my Canopus files (says “unsupported file type,” or some such like that).

The second suggestion of exporting from one of my Canopus suites as a DV AVI file does work, of course… but that’s not a perfect solution because it ties up two suites, AND we hope to be moving to a time when we have NO Canopus suites, only Aja… I’d hate to have to keep an aging Canopus system around (and up and running) JUST to convert files.

If I could find conversion software that actually WORKS that would be a good solution, but havn’t found it yet.

Any more suggestions mucho appreciated!

Todd

[Todd Terry]

I tried the converter found here…

https://www.dvideohome.com/canopus_dv.htm

…based on a recommendation on the Canopus forum. However, it doesn’t work. It’s SUPPOSED to, but doesn’t accept any of our Canopus AVI files as source files for conversion. It will acceopt other types of AVI files, just not the Canopus.

Any help still appreciated,

Todd

[Todd Terry]

Yep… I’m not sure what Canopus was thinking was there. It’s certainly not uncommon for companies like that to have their own (usually wimpy) cutting software, but in the past they never forced you to use it and nothing else. I hate it since we are LONG time (and happy) Canopus users. I’d love to keep Canopus, but definitely won’t give up Premiere to do so.

I’ve never personally used Matrox systems myself, but I have two people on my staff who have and they both really dislike their systems (for whatever personal reasons), including my senior cutter who would probably literally quit if I gave him a Matrox box. I’m not sure what their problems with Matrox are, but they are definitely very deep-rooted (and my guys are very experienced editors who have worked on all kinds of systems).

I’m hoping there is something else great out there… but just haven’t found it yet.

Todd

[Todd Terry]

Thanks Aanarav…

I gave them a quick look, first thing I saw were Matrox systems (if I even mention the word Matrox my senior editor will go screaming from the building)… but I will call them and see what all they have to offer.

Yes, we are in the southeastern US.

Still happy to take any other suggestions from anyone….

Thanks,
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.