Breakout to mono is grey out

[john l]

I have always routinely put a video on the time line and before I really start to edit to edit it selected breakout to mono from the clips audio menu so I can decide which mic to use easily.

But for 4 hours now I've been tearing my hair out because the breakout to mono link is greyed out and does nothing. I've read it says open in a project window which I have done as far as i know (I can't work out what the difference between a project window or a timeline window is...) still grey out. please help I'm ready to chuck the machine out of the window and I'm sure its something daft and simple I'm doing wrong!

Thanks

John

[R Neil Haugen]

Just spent a bit with this ... totally puzzled myself. The media shows properties of stereo, the sequence is stereo, but bringing up that dialog, it's greyed out for sure.

Huh. Jim_Simon​ ... any clues to this?

Neil

[excited_Genie16B8]

I'm not aware of such a feature.  Where is it?

[R Neil Haugen]

With a clip selected, Clip/Audio Options/Breakout to Mono.

I hadn't noted it before either, but it's there ... but even with stereo media on a stereo sequence, it's greyed out ... puzzling.

Neil

[excited_Genie16B8 · Accepted solution]

This only works on clips in bins, not sequences.

And it's operation is...odd.  Better to go into Modify>Audio Channels...

[john l]

Learnt a hard time-consuming lesson here. You now have to do that BEFORE you create a timeline. On the the old version, it worked another way around....

[Ann Bens]

MIght want to Trash Preferences as I am able to Break out to Mono after it has been dropped in the timeline. (W10).

[stefan_gru]

Maybe it's a Mac thing? I trashed preferences and find that the problem persists. After selecting the clip in the timeline, I find that Clip > Audio Options > Breakout to Mono is grayed out. It's non-gray only if you select the clip in the bin. I tried this in Premiere Pro 12.0, 9.0, and 6.0.

[excited_Genie16B8]

I am able to Break out to Mono after it has been dropped in the timeline. (W10).

Yes, but not when selected from the sequence.  This only works when you select from the bin.  Whether or not the sequence is created or the clip used in a sequence doesn't seem to matter.  It's where you select from that determines whether or not the feature works.

[Ann Bens]

I think he means he can only break out to mono from the bin before making the sequence.

[excited_Genie16B8]

That's not correct either, though.  I had no trouble using the feature on clips already in a sequence, as long as I selected them from the bin.

Like I said, selecting from the bin seems to be the only determining factor here.