PE 2018 trial and mov files problem

[Al White]

I have PE 13 and using mov files (prores) and the track matte key work as they should but I'm having problems with the trial of PE 2018 as it doesn't seem to like the same mov files and track matte key doesn't work as it should either.

If I add a mov file over one of my tracks it just shows transparent straight away without the usual black and white animation it contains.

Not sure if the compatibility has gone worse or it's something else. I keep testing the same mov files in PE 13 and all is well.

Any ideas?

Cheers

[Al White]

Actually I just tried a few mov files on a track on their own and they just don't show/display properly. Yet 13 does this just fine. I guess the track matte key isn't the issue here.

[Bill Sprague]

I don't have 2018 yet and I don't use mov files.   Adobe has said they are moving away for the need for Quicktime.  However, mov is an Apple format.  Depending on the source of your mov files, you may need to install Quicktime to get the support files for mov files. 

[Al White]

I have quicktime installed and PS 13 is perfectly fine with them also. Even the specs for PE 2018 show it supports mov files, I just wonder if there's a bug someplace.

While it's an Apple format there are plenty of third party designers that use these mov files to provide effects such as light leaks and transitions so I can't see Adobe dropping support anytime soon, that wouldn't make sense professionally.

I hope this is just an issue that has to be fixed.

Thanks for replying.

[Al White · Accepted solution]

Further investigation points to the prores not being supported or not working as it once did. I converted my mov files from prores to a standard (whatever that is) mov file and that worked, so mov files are supported but not all variants.
There goes high quality mov files.

Don't know why that is but it makes converting hundreds of mov files pointless if it means a loss of quality so I'll have to stick with PE 13 for the time being.

[Bill Sprague]

Al,

Would you help me understand prores.  Wikepedia says, "ProRes is a line of intermediate codecs, which means they are intended for use during video editing, and not for practical end-user viewing."  It adds that it was developed by Apple for use with final cut pro. 

How does it fit into Premiere Elements that is targeted to consumers using consumer video cameras to make home movies?  Wouldn't Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro CC be more appropriate for editing prores files?

[Al White]

It simply allows high quality 2k-4k and up mov files and most vendors use this for their transitions/effects in their products. It doesn't mean because I use PE products that I can't enjoy high quality effects.  I, and others no doubt, just don't want to rent their high end product to do the same thing. Having a consumer video camera doesn't mean I have to make my videos no less exciting, I make a lot of projections for stage productions with it. You don't need P Pro for this kind of work.
As PE did support prores I'm a bit confused as to why it's no longer working but it won't make me pay a subscription to be able to use it in their other offering.

That's all I can offer on that matter. Perhaps it's still a case of there being a fault or something. I'm hoping someone with the fully registered program can try it and confirm it doesn't work for them as well.

Regards

[Bill Sprague]

Thanks for the reply Al. 

I am not trying to promote Premiere Pro.  Really!  I also fully agree that consumer video cameras can record wonderful high quality.  Over the past two years, I've full converted to 4K. 

Where do you get a prores file?  None of my cameras will shoot it.  And, as far as I know, I don't have and software that will output a prores file.  In other words, I don't understand a thing about prores.

I don't (yet) have 2018.  If I had a prores file, I would try it on PrE 15 that I've had for a year.

Bill

[Al White]

Hi Bill

Prores files are available at places like Rampant designs etc and P Pro has inbuilt support for it as they know it's a favoured hires format. If you go there you can download some free samples to try. They are great products and I've purchased a few myself and used them with great affect for the stage.

You don't need to shoot in it or even output it, it's just that it allows you to use hi quality mov transitions, light leaks, burns, etc in your productions, then you can scale up or down with no loss of quality.

If I knew PE 15 still works with them then I might upgrade to that instead. Might have to grab that demo and give it a try unless you beat me to it!

Cheers

[Bill Sprague]

Thanks Al.  I'm on a long RV road trip with lousy internet connections.  I will give this a try in a couple weeks.

Bill

[Al White]

Using a trial of PRE 15 and it works fine with that one. Adobe say they aren't seeing this issue in-house but are looking into it. I have reinstalled it and tried numerous times to no avail, with the earlier elements the files work perfectly from the first try.
I'm at a loss to see that it's something on my end if the others work ok, hopefully some of the tech guys will find a problem their end.