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Premiere Elements 8 Initial Impressions

Forum|Forum|16 years ago
September 24, 2009
13 replies
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Premiere Elements 8 First Look: Part 1.

Photoshop Elements 8 and Premiere Elements 8 are now installed on my Windows XP SP3 with about available 1 GB RAM and 70 GB free hard drive space and the virtual memory controlled by the operating system…not great for a heavy duty project, but adequate to overview the programs.

1. Download & Installation. Both programs took about 3 ½ hours to download, using high speed DSL. Premiere Elements 8 downloaded and installed without problems. Installation went much quicker. But, Photoshop Elements 8 download did present challenges, first, it kept downloading Premiere Elements 8 instead of Photoshop Elements 8. Finally in the early hours of the morning, the download from the Adobe site was named Photoshop Elements 8. Great, except, once downloaded it would not launch. The launcher did not know what to do with the .7z file. Download and use of WinZip took care of that. My default browser Mozilla Firefox was worthless for the download of either Photoshop Elements 8 or Premiere Elements 8, but no problems with my Internet Explorer 6. I had this same problem with the Photoshop Elements 7/Premiere Elements 7 downloads last year.

2. Premiere Elements 8

a. Organizer. I would take exception to Steve Grisetti’s picture of the Organizer in “What’s new in Premiere Elements 8?”, but maybe I was overly optimistic by “The most visible change to version 8 is that the Organizer is no longer a sub-program of Premiere Elements and Photoshop Elements. It now lives as its own, separate, pretty much independent program – behaving more than ever like its professional big brother, Adobe Bridge.” He went on to say “In version 8, both programs have equal access to a single, full-featured Organizer.”

Here is my dilemma for some who want a separate video and photo catalog. If you had Photoshop Elements 7/Premiere Elements 7, you could create additional catalogs in Photoshop Elements 7. Premiere Elements 7 could use one of these catalogs, but could not create new catalogs. So then, you could have a photo catalog displaying in the Photoshop Elements 7 Organizer and a video catalog displaying when you opened Premiere Elements 7. You cannot do that anymore, and File Menu/Catalog is gone in Premiere Elements 8. You still cannot create catalogs in Premiere Elements 8, so, if you just have Premiere Elements 8, you have ONE catalog. If you have Photoshop Elements 8 and Premiere Elements 8, you can create additional catalogs in Photoshop Elements 8 that can be used in Premiere Elements 8, but these programs will display the same ONE catalog.

b. Project Presets. The “New Preset” button is gone. The categories of the presets for NTSC and PAL remain the same: AVCHD, DV, “Hard Disk, Flash Memory Camcorder”, HDV. However, two choices have been added to the “Hard Disk, Flash Memory Camcorder” categories. Now we have HD 1080i30, HD 1080i30 (60i), Standard, and Widescreen. Here I have a problem reconciling the names and the descriptions. It was my understanding, in Premiere Elements 7 for standard and widescreen in this category, this preset category reverses the Fields: from Upper Field First to Lower Field First in Premiere Elements edits. So, now with these new choices described as follows:

HD 1080i30: 1920 x 1080i; pixel aspect ratio = square pixels (1.0); camcorders like JVC GZ-HD7; 16:9 interlaced HD video at 29:97 frames per second.

HD 1080i30 (60i): HD video from 1440 x 1080i camcorders; 16:9 interlaced HD video at 29:97 frames per second HDV 1080i Anamorphic.

When thinking HD 1080i30 preset….the JVC camcorder captures to a progressive sensor, assumed at 30 frames per second, and can record to it’s built in hard drive as 1920 x 1080i with 30 frames per second each frame with 2 fields. So, what prevents us from calling this preset HD 1080i30 (30p) Square Pixel?

When thinking HD 1080i30 (60i))…the camcorder involved captures to an interlaced sensor at 60 fields per second, and can record to it media as 1440 x 1080 with 30 frames per second, using a HD Anamorphic. So, what prevents us from calling this preset HD 1080i30 (60i) Anamorphic?

When I start comparing preset choices, the only reason for using these “Hard Disk, Flash Memory Camcorder” new choices appears to be, like for standard and widescreen, to have the Fields reversed. Do you agree? Any comments on the nomenclature for these new preset choices?

3. Adobe Folder, folders and files

If you go to the default location of the Adobe Folder (My Documents\Premiere Elements\8.0), there are some differences there:

For Premiere Elements 7 and earlier versions there were:

Adobe Premiere Elements Previews Folder

Encoded Files Folder

Media Cache Folder that piled up with conformed audio files (.cfa and .pek)

Project Prel file

Styles Folder

And sometimes 2 .log files

Now in Premiere Elements 8, the Media Cache Folder is gone and we have the arrangement:

Adobe Premiere Elements Previews Folder

CA Object Track Results

Encoded Files

Layouts

Styles Folder

(You no longer see the endless conforming of DVD Menus (not even used) at the beginning of the project. But, I am still trying to figure out what they did with the conformed audio files (.cfa and .pek). More on that next time, along with Premiere Elements 8 Exports as well as Photoshop Elements 8/Premiere Elements 8 intergration.

ATR

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A_T__RomanoAuthor

Inspiring

Premiere Elements 8 First Look: Part 1 Add ON

for "Adobe Folder, folders and files" section.....

I finally found the Media Cache Folder (.cfa and .pek) in Premiere Elements 8, which appears to have been removed from the Premiere Elements 7 Adobe Folder location in My Documents and tucked away and out of sight in Premiere Elements 8.....

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Adobe\Common\Media Cache.

Brace yourself for the large number of conformed audio files that you will find piled up there!!

Also in that general area are the video counterparts, with the .mcdb file extensions.

ATR

the_wine_snob

Inspiring

ATR,

This sounds a bit like what PrPro CS4 does. It can be a real problem with a smallish C:\ and several larger Projects on the computer at the same time.

Is there any way to relocate in Preferences>Scratch Disks?

Just curious,

Hunt

A_T__RomanoAuthor

Inspiring

Hunt,

In Premiere Elements 8, you can redirect many of those folders that appear in the Adobe Folder (My Documents/Default) to an external hard drive

See Premiere Elements 8, Edit Menu/Preferences/Scratch Disks

For

Captured Video

Captured Audio

Video Previews

Audio Previews

Media Cache

Disc Encoding

You can browse, for example, to an external hard drive location and direct these categories there, so that you end up with previews and media cache etc. there. The project .prel and the associated .log files will go to wherever you designate in the opening Premiere Elements 8 dialog. It is those CA Object Track Results Folder that I need to get a handle on (work in progress). That is another site for file pile up.

I decided to see what Adobe has put on its web site Support/Knowledgebase for Adobe Premiere Elements 8. This is what I have found so far:

Adobe TechNote for Premiere Elements 8

Troubleshoot system errors and freezes when you burn DVDs or Blu-Ray discs (Adobe Premiere Elements 8)

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/515/cpsid_51553.html

Troubleshoot damaged projects (Adobe Premiere Elements 8)

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/515/cpsid_51552.html

Troubleshoot system errors or freezes in Premiere Elements 8 (Windows)

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/514/cpsid_51427.html

The Message “A Reduced set of Content Instant Movie Themes, Titles and menu Templates, etc) has been installed” is displayed in Adobe Premiere Elements 8 on Windows

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/508/cpsid_50878.html

Adobe Premiere Elements 8 Help PDF

http://help.adobe.com/en_US/PremiereElements/8.0/Win/Using/WS09e4b3c48f3a79fc19b622510385d4355c-7ff9.html

Everytime I head to take an in depth look at exports, I get detoured. The new locations for applying scene markers and using audio tools just caught my attention as well as this "background rendering". I need to focus.

ATR

A_T__RomanoAuthor

Inspiring

Premiere Elements 8 First Look: Part 2.

Miscellaneous

1. Track Arrangement. (For Standard 3 track setup)

For those wishing for the good old days of Premiere Elements 2 where the line up, top to bottom, was:

Video Track 3

Video Track 2

Video Track 1

Audio Track 1

Audio Track 2

Audio Track 3

(No Narration Track or Soundtrack)

The Premiere Elements 8 arrangement is the same as for Premiere Elements 7:

Video Track 3

Audio Track 3

Video Track 2

Audio Track 2

Video Track 1

Audio Track 1

Narration Track

Soundtrack

2. 5.1 Channel Sound vs Stereo (2 Channel)

In Premiere Elements 7, if you had AVCHD or MPEG2 with 5.1 channel sound, your video could go to Video Track 4/Audio Track 4 with a tiny “5.1” to the left of the audio track. That situation generated a lot of Sceneline users complaints in this regard. In the case of AVCHD with 5.1 channel, using the correct project preset could correct the situation. In the case of MPEG2 with 5.1 channel, you worked in the Timeline with your video and audio on those upper tracks. Now, right or wrong project preset (new project dialog), you can drag video with 5.1 channel sound to any track on the Timeline. However, the program continues to support the export of Dolby Digital Stereo (2 channel sound), not 5.1 channel sound.

3. Opening Premiere Elements 8 Scary Moment

The opening sequences goes:

Welcome Screen (one of the friendliest Welcome Screen that I have come across)

New Project

Then a Window opens with a menu bar across its top and everything else in the Window gray. I expected the gray in the Window to be replaced with options/graphics. No way.

So, next you click on File Menu to reveal the drop down with:

New

Open Project

Open Recent Project

4. Project Media Tab

As has been reported by Steve Grisetti, you need to click on Organizer to see the Project Media Tab, instead of Edit Mode as in Premiere Elements 7. Somehow the designers managed to leave access to the Properties Palette (via Timeline icon or Window Menu/Properties) the same as for Premiere Elements 7.

5. Cutting Tools.

The Split Clip (Scissor looking icon) to bottom right of Monitor is still in the same place. And, you still have access to the hidden Razor Tool by hitting c on the computer main keyboard to turn your mouse cursor into a razor (and hitting v to get yourself back to the safety of the Timeline Selection Tool) Trimming clips in the Preview Window with In and Out points and generating subclips remain the same as in Premiere Elements 7.

6. Pop Ups Dragging Media to Timeline.

In Premiere Elements 7, there was only one of this kind, namely the Videomerge one. Now there are two, the Videomerge one and one called Smart Fix that asks “Fix quality in Clips” Yes or No. Both of these pop ups has a check off for “Do not show again.” I am not yet sure if it keeps that promise.

Photoshop Elements 8/Premiere Elements 8 Integration with regard to Slideshows

1. In Photoshop Elements 8, under the Create options, you will see included:

a. Slideshow

That essentially stays the same as for Photoshop Elements 7, except that the Output option (non .wmv) is now called “Edit with Premiere Elements” instead of “Send to Premiere Elements”. This option results in the availability of the Premiere Elements 8 command “Break Apart Adobe Photoshop Elements Slideshow”.

b. DVD with Menu

This is an often misunderstood option which is the same as in Photoshop Elements 7. It accepts only videos as well as already created slideshows in the form of .wmv (Save As A File, Movie (.wmv) or slideshow project (slideshow saved to Organizer without Output; typically named with .psess file extension).

c. Instant Movie

This is a new option, and it had be wondering for the longest time. My interpretation of this is that the Instant Movie button is merely a launcher to Premiere Elements 8 where you select from the Premiere Elements 8 Organizer Media there (which is same as in Photoshop Elements 8) and then click on the Premiere Elements 8 Instant Movie feature to initiate the actual process. As best I can tell at this point, it looks like it is intended for the person who is working in the Photoshop Elements 8 Organizer and suddenly decides wouldn’t it be a good idea to create an Instant Movie in Premiere Elements 8.

Those exports choices looks like the next place to look into deeper.

ATR

Anonymous

Thank you for taking the time to publish your thoughts on the new software. Its much appreciated.

the_wine_snob

Inspiring

ATR,

Thank you for Part I. I cannot wait for the remaining observations. Please keep up the great work and reporting.

Hunt

Steve Grisetti

Legend

Lots of great details, Tony. But have you got an overall impression? Do you like the new suite or not? Is it worth the upgrade cost?

A_T__RomanoAuthor

Inspiring

To answer your last question before I go on to Part 2....

As I go through the different aspects of the program that you are seeing described by me, I am formulating my "final answer" as they say on that TV program.

But, no matter what I decide on whether or not I "need" the program and/or consider it a worthwhile advance, I will no double purchase Photoshop Elements 8/Premiere Elements 8 so that I can help troubleshoot problems for those who feel that they personally need/must have the new versions.

So far, I have not found too many things that I cannot do in prior versions. But, this is just the beginning.

On to Part 2 of my progress in decision making.

ATR

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