Skip to main content
J
Jeff930
Inspiring
July 3, 2018
Answered

Available number of tracks in Premiere Elements 2018

  • July 3, 2018
  • 4 replies
  • 2733 views

I am strongly considering purchasing Premiere Elements 2018.  I have some questions for which I cannot find answers to in the web site or users manual.

1.  How many available video/audio tracks are there?

2.  I believe I saw something about keying.  Is this "green screen"?  This is an available option?

3.  I have an older camcorder that records on DV tape, the small cassettes.  Will Premiere Elements 2018 import video from this?

4.  Regarding inserting transitions, is it necessary to put handles on clips before inserting a transition?  Or does Premiere Elements do this automatically?  I had video editing software that required putting handles on clips first.  The drove me crazy.

Thanks.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Steve Grisetti

    1. In Expert View, you can have up to 99 video and 99 audio tracks.

    2. The PC version of Premiere Elements can do green screen and chroma key effects, while both the Mac and the PC version can use a tool called Videomerge, which does keying effects virtually automatically.

    3. While Premiere Elements no longer includes tools for capturing tape-based video, video captured from a miniDV over a FireWire connection using a free program like WinDV is very much editable in Premiere Elements.

    4. You do need to manually trim back your clips to allow for head and tail footage during transitions.

    Before you buy, I'd very much recommend that you download the free trial of the program and give it a good test drive. Make sure that it works with your system and matches your workflow.

    You may also benefit from watching my free 8 part Basic Training tutorials. This is for the last version of the program but the principles and the interface are virtually the same as for version 2019.

    *** Basic Training for Premiere Elements 15 ***

    4 replies

    S
    Steve Grisetti
    Legend
    July 8, 2018

    You should not see a noticeable difference in capture from the USB device and FireWire DV capture. They'll both give you standard definition digitized video.

      J
      Jeff930Author
      Inspiring
      July 8, 2018

      Thanks, Steve.

      S
      Steve Grisetti
      Legend
      July 7, 2018

      The reason I suggested the USB device was because you said your computer didn't have a FireWire port. MiniDV is only captured transferred as is from camcorder to computer over a FireWire connection.

      I'm not sure how your connection of FireWire-via-Thunderbolt is affecting the process. I've never done that nor have I ever exported from iMovie to create video to use in a Premiere Elements project. So it's hard to say where things are going south -- but I'd venture to guess that it's in the FireWire-Thunderbolt adaptor. Curse you MacIntosh for once again eliminating technology that worked fine and replacing it with advanced technology that won't interface with our old devices!

      So the device I recommended will eliminate that issue. You won't get true DV as is from your miniDV, as you would over a FireWire connection. But it will allow you to capture the video as if it were high-quality analog -- and you'll at least be able to edit it in both iMovie and Premiere Elements.

      Sorry about LifeFlix costing $50. It really did cost a lot less when I used it a couple of years ago!

        J
        Jeff930Author
        Inspiring
        July 7, 2018

        Steve, once again, I am indebted to you for taking the time and effort to reply.  From everything I've read, there "shouldn't" be issues using the adapters/converters I'm trying, especially in the final adapter just before going into the computer: the Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter.  Apple makes the one I have.  I am waiting for delivery on a cable that has a connector on one end that plugs into the camera, and FireWire 800 on the other end.  This will eliminate the 400 to 800 adapter.  But I saw a YouTube video where the guy did a hookup exactly like mine.  Yeah, I agree with your comment about Apple taking things away.  I believe they're the ones that developed FireWire, then the faster Thunderbolt.  So I guess it was a no-brainer for them to do away with FireWire.  That's why they sell the Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter.

        At any rate, I'm so disappointed that Premiere Elements has no way of importing from tape media.  But technology, like time, marches on, and tape is growing mold.  I would love to buy a new camcorder, but alas, I'm married, so...  (You know the expression "It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission"?  In my case, I'm dead meat either way!)

        But I haven't given up.

        B
        Community Expert
        Bill SpragueCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        July 7, 2018

        Jeff,

        I'm married too!  In only a couple years, there has been a progression to very good video digital recorders that can be really cheap.  You may not need a new camcorder.  In fact, your phone might be enough.

        For example, I was traveling in a caravan of RVers down the Pacific coast.  One woman set the goal of recording, editing and posting a YouTube using nothing but her phone.  It worked brilliantly. 

        Bill

          S
          Steve Grisetti
          Legend
          July 4, 2018

          Video captured by iMovie is also editable in Premiere Elements. However, getting to it is kind of tricky. iMovie sort of "hides" its captured video. But I've used it to capture miniDV in the past and, once I found the video, it worked just fine in Premiere Elements.

          I'm not sure about using a FireWire/Thunderbolt adaptor. That may or may not work. Capture from tape-based video has really been kind of thrown to the curb, as far as PC and Mac manufacturers go.

          It might be worth buying a cheap USB-connected digitizer. It's not as elegant as DV capture (for instance, you have to manually play your video and then turn on the software to capture to capture it rather than using the software to communicate directly with the camcorder). But iMovie should be able to capture of this device. And if not there's a program called LifeFlix available for $10 from the App Store that will.

          Here's a digitizer that should work fine.

          https://www.amazon.com/Capture-Easy-Link-Grabber-Digitizer-Converter/dp/B01MTJUV0A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530709941&sr=8-1&keywords=mac+video+digitizer

            J
            Jeff930Author
            Inspiring
            July 5, 2018

            Thanks again, Steve. I just ordered that device from Amazon. One way or another, I’m going to make this work, and you’ve helped quite a bit. Thank you.

              S
              Steve GrisettiCorrect answer
              Legend
              July 3, 2018

              1. In Expert View, you can have up to 99 video and 99 audio tracks.

              2. The PC version of Premiere Elements can do green screen and chroma key effects, while both the Mac and the PC version can use a tool called Videomerge, which does keying effects virtually automatically.

              3. While Premiere Elements no longer includes tools for capturing tape-based video, video captured from a miniDV over a FireWire connection using a free program like WinDV is very much editable in Premiere Elements.

              4. You do need to manually trim back your clips to allow for head and tail footage during transitions.

              Before you buy, I'd very much recommend that you download the free trial of the program and give it a good test drive. Make sure that it works with your system and matches your workflow.

              You may also benefit from watching my free 8 part Basic Training tutorials. This is for the last version of the program but the principles and the interface are virtually the same as for version 2019.

              *** Basic Training for Premiere Elements 15 ***

                J
                Jeff930Author
                Inspiring
                July 4, 2018

                Steve,

                Thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to answer so thoroughly.  (Only 99 video and audio tracks?  Oh well.  I guess I can't use it, then.  Lol.)  By the way, I'm using an iMac, which means WinDV is out.  I think I can capture using either QuickTime or iMovie.  My camera has a FireWire 400 connection, but my iMac does not.  It has Thunderbolt ports.  I already have an adapter to convert FireWire 800 to Thunderbolt, so now I need an adapter to convert FireWire 400 to FireWire 800.

                Rest assured I will check out your tutorials!

                Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
                Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices