Premiere Elements 2020 fails to sync audio with VFR video

[lpucik]

Adobe says that:

"Premiere Elements 2019 automatically synchronizes the audio with videos that have VFR footage"

(https://helpx.adobe.com/ca/premiere-elements/using/adding-media-premiere-elements.html)

However Premiere Elements 2020 fails to sync audio with vareiable frame rate video.  I just spent over an hour with tech support who confirmed this is the case and instructed me to use free third party software Handbrake to first convert (= resample = degrade) my video to contant frame rate before bringing it into Adobe.

Why does Adobe:

1.  Make film editing software in 2020 that can't handle the ubiqitous VFR video format?

2.  Charge money for software that requires free third party software to work?

3.  Falsely advertise the capabilities of its software?

[Bill Sprague]

This is a forum of (mostly) users.  

1.  My limited test of the current version 2021 suggests that it works.   I need some iPhone footage to double check.

2.  Maybe they charge for software because it is a business?

3.  I'm not sure the 2020 advertising included VFR.   

Correct me if I'm wrong, but iPhones can be set to use "most compatable" video formats.   You don't need third party software.  That said, Handbrake is a favorite among lots of videographers because it is so good at what it does.  The full version is free.  Another example of freeware that is exceptionally good is Audition that is used to solve audio problems.

There are infinite varieties of video recording equipment and computers to process it.  Adobe provides free trials and, if purchased from Adobe, refunds for a few weeks.   They do that so that customers can ensure what they buy really works.

[Steve Grisetti]

Well said, Bill. 

Premiere Elements is a consumer editing app designed to edit AVCHD camcorder, phone and tablet footage. It does edit variable frame rate video from these sources, but it is not  and never claims to be a professional editor. 

On the other hand, it appears the original poster is more interested in venting that finding actual help. Oh well.

[lpucik]

thanks Bill and Steve for responses. 

Adobe's technical support rep directed me to post to this Community Board because he said there was no other way to contact Adobe developers, customer service, or marketing to let them know about this failure of Premiere Elements 2020 to sync audio with VFR video, a failure that contradicts Adobe's currently published information about this product.  I asked for a phone number, I asked for an email address, I asked for a snail mail address.  This is all the Adobe rep would give me and he claimed Adobe monitors this board.

So what is this post? An attmept to communicate with Adobe, a public documentation of software issues, a "vent"?  Sure.  I hope it gets their attention and I hope it will be useful for others researching this entry-level software to be forewarned about variable frame rate video limitations.

Adobe's current buying guide webpage (https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere-elements.html) shows a picture of a smartphone and, as already mentioned, this product's current help page says, "Premiere Elements 2019 automatically synchronizes the audio with videos that have VFR footage."

As an entry-level user of an entry-level product, this still strikes me as misrepresentation of Premiere Elements' VFR capabilities. 

I hope Adobe corrects the situation, ideally by improving the software.  If unable to do that, Adobe should at least remove misleading help documentaiton and clearly identify in both the help and its buying guide that VFR video is not universally supported by their product.

[Steve Grisetti]

And as I said, in my experience, Premiere Elements 2021 works with both variable frame rate and HEVC H.265 video.

But I suppose we could just leave it at that and see if any of Adobe's techs respond.

[Bill Sprague]

"this still strikes me as misrepresentation of Premiere Elements' VFR capabilities. "

I asked a friend with an iPhone 11 to shoot a clip for me.  She says she knows nothing about video but agreed to send me a 30 second clip.  Mediainfo reports, "Frame rate mode: variable".  It worked perfectly in my (current) version of Premiere Elements.