Premiere Elements 15 - Preview not playing

[Luc1le]

Hello,

I've just started using Premiere Elements 15 and when I put videos and pictures on my timeline, the preview isn't playing. I'm trying to click play but nothing is happening. I'm on Windows 10, could it be a compatibility problem?

Thanks,

Lucile

[Peru Bob]

Please use the free MediaInfo and post a screenshot the properties of your media in tree view:

  MediaInfo

[Luc1le]

Hi Bob,

I've actually tried it with different things, pictures as well as several videos and the result is the same.

Lucile

[Steve Grisetti]

Which processor do you have with how much RAM?

What happens if you use only one video clip on the timeline and there is no other media in your project?

When you add this video clip to your timeline do you see a yellow orange "render" line above the clip? A render line indicates that the project settings are not matched to your video specs and this can cause inefficient performance.

[Luc1le]

Hi Steve,

My processor is AMD A9-9430 RADEON R5 and I have 8Go of RAM. The same happens if there's only one video on my timeline. I can indeed see an orange line about the things I add, but I've also tried rendering the video (then the line turned green) and the same was still happening.

Thanks,

Lucile

[Steve Grisetti]

Your processor is at the lower end of system requirements for editing HD video with Premiere Elements. As you can see from the chart, it rates a 2,500. In my books I recommend at least at 6,500-10,000 rating.

PassMark CPU Benchmarks - Low Mid Range CPUs

So a lot depends on the nature of your video. I'm not sure why the program isn't matching its project settings to your video specs, but doing so may give you the little extra oomph you'll need to do some minimal editing.

Open a sample of your video in the free download MediaInfo. In MediaInfo, set View to Text and then copy the report and paste it tot his forum.

[Luc1le]

Here it is: (I do have the same problem with adding a couple of pictures to the timeline without any video though)

General

Complete name                            : C:\Users\lucil\Desktop\30th VIDEOS\Colin Currie.MOV

Format                                   : MPEG-4

Format profile                           : QuickTime

Codec ID                                 : qt   0000.00 (qt  )

File size                                : 5.62 MiB

Duration                                 : 55 s 357 ms

Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable

Overall bit rate                         : 852 kb/s

Encoded date                             : UTC 2019-02-19 10:07:58

Tagged date                              : UTC 2019-02-19 10:08:03

Writing library                          : Apple QuickTime

com.apple.quicktime.location.ISO6709     : +51.4517-000.0081+029.335/

com.apple.quicktime.make                 : Apple

com.apple.quicktime.model                : iPhone 8

com.apple.quicktime.software             : 12.1.2

com.apple.quicktime.creationdate         : 2019-02-19T10:06:36+0000

Video

ID                                       : 2

Format                                   : AVC

Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec

Format profile                           : Baseline@L3

Format settings                          : 1 Ref Frames

Format settings, CABAC                   : No

Format settings, RefFrames               : 1 frame

Format settings, GOP                     : M=1, N=15

Codec ID                                 : avc1

Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding

Duration                                 : 55 s 357 ms

Bit rate                                 : 722 kb/s

Width                                    : 568 pixels

Height                                   : 320 pixels

Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9

Rotation                                 : 180°

Frame rate mode                          : Variable

Frame rate                               : 29.970 (29970/1000) FPS

Minimum frame rate                       : 28.571 FPS

Maximum frame rate                       : 30.000 FPS

Color space                              : YUV

Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0

Bit depth                                : 8 bits

Scan type                                : Progressive

Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.133

Stream size                              : 4.77 MiB (85%)

Title                                    : Core Media Video

Encoded date                             : UTC 2019-02-19 10:07:58

Tagged date                              : UTC 2019-02-19 10:08:03

Color range                              : Limited

Color primaries                          : BT.709

Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709

Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709

Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Audio

ID                                       : 1

Format                                   : AAC LC

Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity

Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2

Duration                                 : 55 s 357 ms

Source duration                          : 55 s 426 ms

Bit rate mode                            : Variable

Bit rate                                 : 101 kb/s

Channel(s)                               : 1 channel

Channel layout                           : C

Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz

Frame rate                               : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)

Compression mode                         : Lossy

Stream size                              : 681 KiB (12%)

Source stream size                       : 682 KiB (12%)

Title                                    : Core Media Audio

Encoded date                             : UTC 2019-02-19 10:07:58

Tagged date                              : UTC 2019-02-19 10:08:03

Other #1

Type                                     : meta

Duration                                 : 55 s 357 ms

Bit rate mode                            : VBR

Other #2

Type                                     : meta

Duration                                 : 55 s 357 ms

[Bill Sprague]

Your video is shot on your phone in a "Variable Frame Rate".  Premiere Elements has not included the capability to edit variable frame rate video until the current version 2019.

The solution is to either upgrade to the new version or convert the clips to a fixed frame rate using the free program Handbrake.

[Steve Grisetti]

Your video appears to be from an iPhone and uses a variable frame rate. Premiere Elements 2019 supports variable frame rate video. Version 15 does not.

The video is also a non-standard resolution 560x320 that Premiere Elements does not support. This is why you're seeing poor performance from the program.

As an experiment, try converting your MOV into a standard 855x480 MP4 with 30 fps constant frame rate using the free download Handbrake and see is this MP4 performs better in your Premiere Elements project. (You also should NOT  see a yellow orange render line above the clip when you add it to your timeline.)

You'll find instructions for using Handbrake in my free tutorial.

Fixing video with Handbrake - YouTube

[Luc1le]

Sure, I'll try that. I actually don't want to edit that video, I just used it as a test as what I'm actually trying to do is use images to create a video. I've tried dropping a few images one after the other and that's when I noticed the preview wasn't working and tried adding video.

Sorry this is confusing!

[Bill Sprague]

Can you start from scratch?

On the opening screen for a new project, pick a setting that will match the viewing screen of the final video slide show and check the box to Force The Selected Project Settings.

Now try to use Add Media for one of your still image files.  With a strong enough computer, most any image file will work.   On weaker computers, you may have to "resize" the image and/or convert to a JPEG that matches the project settings.

What are the project settings you are picking?  What is the image file type, size and source that you are using?

Parenthetically, there is one setting in the Audio Hardware Preferences that has occasionally caused trouble and it might be relevant.  Check to see if the Default Input is "None".  What seems to happen is that the computer will get busy trying to process audio that is not existent or doesn't match causing the computer to crawl.  

[Luc1le]

So.. it looks like it's working now. I just plugged in some speakers as someone suggested it online, I've no idea if that's what's done it but the preview is playing now!

Thanks everyone for looking into it!

[Bill Sprague]

Good news that you got it working.  The iPhone video, if working, will probably have the sound track out of sync with the video track because of the "variable frame rate".   It won't matter for "slideshows", but you may still need to run the iPhone video through Handbrake to make it "fixed frame rate".

Bill

[Luc1le]

That makes sense, thanks!

Lucile