PE2020 v18 Time is Incorrect

[photobomb1]

I upgraded from version 14 to 18. In the new PE2020 ver18; when I place a video in the timeline; the timing is incorrect. If I view a video in any application, i can pick a scene at a certain time, for example 10:25 and when I open the video in PE14 i can go to 10:25 and I'm exactly at the same frame in the video. However, when I open the video in PE2020 ver18, and go to 10:25, the video is at a different frame, a different point in time. The video starts at 0:0 in the correct spot but slowly the time is shifted off as the video progresses. 

[Peru Bob]

It sounds like your project settings are different in PE2020 and PE14.

What are the project settings for each of the timelines?

[photobomb1]

I compared all the Project Settings and Preferences between PE14 and PE2020 and they are the same. 

[photobomb1]

Actually, issue only occurs in PE2020 on video that was generated using the ffmpeg command below. PE2020 properties indicate this file is variable frame rate but PE14 does not recognize it that way. When re-encoded with handbrake the file works ok in PE2020. 

ffmpeg -f concat -i $videolistfilename -c copy -acodec aac

[Peru Bob]

Variable frame rate can sometimes be wonky for Premiere Elements.

[Bill Sprague]

"ffmpeg -f concat -i $videolistfilename -c copy -acodec aac"

What is the purpose of doing that?

[photobomb1]

I use this FFMPEG command in a script that builds a list of all the MTS files in a directory. This command then joins all the MTS files in that list in to one MP4 file. I've been using this for years to concatenate the output files from my canon camcorder. I've also been using these files for years in various version of Premiere Elements with no issue. The previous versions (<PE14) do not recognize these files as variable frame rate and hence have no issue. PE2020 recognizes them as having variable frame rate and the time is all messed up which makes PE2020 worthless for editing these files.

[Bill Sprague]

"concatenate the output files"

Thanks.  I don't usually shoot long clips.  My Sony and Panasonic cameras came with software to do that but I've not use it for a long time.  I'm sorry the current version doesn't work for you.