Camera Labs

Want a Headache? Read on.

I decided several years ago to build my own Pentium 4 PC to be used for Video Editing. As the video Camera I was using at that time was a Panasonic VSH Tape Analogue system, I decided to use the information given in a Computer Magazine as a basis for the building of a new PC. Since completing this project and over this period of time I have had a lot of interest in converting early Videos to DVD using that set up. This set up included a Matrox capture Card and supplied with it was the first version of Adobe Premiere Pro.
Then a few years later I bought a Sony Handycam HDR-HC1E in order to move into the 'digital age'. I have used this camera on the Pentium system as well, which gave me fairly good results up to SD resolution. Since the advent and increase in the popularity of HDV, I decided that it would be necessary to upgrade my set up, so I decide to build a new PC which would be capable of handling (Capturing, Editing and writing to Blue Ray Disc) High Definition Video. I then sent my equipment requirements off to several different Computer equipment suppliers and in the end selected one that could supply all of the kit, with the exception of the Monitor, which I had already purchased.
I had decided that this PC had to be of a high operating specification so I chose to use the new Intel i7 940 Processer in conjunction with at least 6GB of DDR3 Memory. It also required using a very powerful Video Card. For this I chose the nVidia Quadro CX card with 1.5GB on-board memory. The use of this card was prompted by the knowledge that nVidia had teemed up with Adobe to link their Premiere Pro CS4 software to the acceleration powers of the CX Card and as far as I am aware this is the only card that has this ability.
With all the bits available, I assembled the PC, which I am pleased to say seems to work well in its own right.
It was after this that the Headache really started.
The first decision was the choice of Operating System.
I decided to try both Windows Vista 64bit (the minimum specified OS for using a 64bit OS) and Windows 7 64bit, both trial versions.
In order to get a feel for Adobe Premier CS4, I also loaded up the Trial Version of that.
It was then that I found out that the trial version does not support the use of High Definition Video at all. So that meant that I could not make use of the benefits of my HD camera or of my brand new nVidia CX card. To make matters worse my Camera (which is not that old) was not fully recognised by the Premiere software and gave new preview of either Video or sound in the Capture Window. This compares with Sony Vegas Pro 9 which has a full preview during Capture. Shame on Adobe!
Then I decided (as expressed by one of our old English sayings “in for a penny, in for a pound”) to go ahead with purchase of the full Upgrade from CS3 to CS4.

The new software arrived shortly afterwards and I set a day aside for the installation on my PC.
Before attempting to install the new software, I made sure I followed the normal recommended procedure of un-installing the trial version by using the Windows ‘Add or remove programs’ Control Panel.
Everything appeared to work correctly, until it came to the installation of the new Premiere software, which proceeded to nearly the end of the second disc and then came up with a panel saying that there had been an error and some of the components had not been installed. At this point I did not worry about the situation very much as when I launched PP CS4 it all seemed to perform well. I then went on to install the accelerator Plug-in supplied with the DVD provided by nVidia with the CX card but this was stopped because it required that PP Pro CS4 had to be upgraded from Version 4.0.0 to 4.1.0. It then transpired that I also needed a later version of the Elemental Accelerator for this version of PP Pro 4 which I then downloaded. I managed to install the Accelerator and went on to try PP Pro CS4, but Premier showed no signs of the accelerator being active.
Thinking that this may have been a result of an incomplete installation of Premiere on my Windows Vista OS, I decided to install Windows OS7 on another Hard Drive and try the installation on there. This time the installation went ahead with no pauses. Unfortunately the Accelerator could not be installed with this operating system as I subsequently determined there are no drivers for Windows 7 and the Company have no plans for any either.
My next move was to attempt another clean install on my Vista Hard Drive, using the same procedure as before. Still no success, so I contacted Adobe and after several frantic emails, I managed to get hold of one of their support staff who advised me that I needed to run a special bit of software to completely un-install all of the ancillary ‘bits’ left over by the unsuccessful Windows ‘un-install procedure’. This was partially successful and I managed to install the accelerator
And could then see the added options in the ‘Encoding’ Panel, but then Adobe Media Encoder would not launch because (I think) it was one of the ‘Missing Components’ in the installation.
I tried this ‘clean installation’ using the Adobe ‘Clean up’ application several times without any final success with emails galore to and from Adobe. In the end and in immense frustration, I decide to purchase yet another Hard Drive and start afresh with Windows Vista OS and a clean install of Premier CS4, upgraded and the recommended version of the Elemental Accelerator Plug-in. The ‘coup de gras’ came when I tried this and a message appeared saying that ‘no more installations were allowed using that key’. I now understand from Elemental that there are only 3 attempts allowed for the Registration key that they provide.
Elemental were kind enough to provide me with another key and all seems to be working well I am pleased to report.
I suppose I can ‘count my lucky Stars’ that it only lasted for TWO WEEKS.

End of Headache!

Hi lockhands,

Wow, thanks for sharing and it's good news that the installation finally succeeded. This limit to the reuse of a software key is a pain and one I've also encountered but one I can sympathise with having lost quite a bit of income due to theft of my own software.

But having to run special clean-up software from Adobe to get rid of bits left over from the uninstallation of their trial software is a disgrace. I've written a few installation scripts myself over the years and while I get total control over what goes onto a computer I've been very much in the hands of the third party installation software default behaviour when it comes to uninstalling. But installation software can only do so much if the software that it installed makes subsequent additions to the system. At the end of the day it's Adobe's problem to solve but the moment one ends up having to buy extra hard disks it becomes a serious issue for their customers. Did they offer any recompense for the expense they caused?

Bob.

_________________
OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Hello Bob,

No, but I gave up trying to get a solution using their 'Clean up' option, and I have not told them yet that my only solution was to buy a new HD and do a 'fresh install'.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why they do not include a proper un-installation option with the CS4 package if this is going to be a problem.

Thinking back, it is just as well I did not need to use the Hard Drive with the original installation on it (and possibly numerous other programs) where the only alternative would have been a re-format solution and re-installing all the software. Just thinking about it will bring on the dreaded Headache.
In the end getting a new HD seemed a simpler solution.

Thanks for your interest though.

lockhands.

64 bit OS gives a lot of problems, maybe that's what is happening, i recently upgrade my OS and i have the option for 32 o 64bit and most of my geeks friends recommend me 32bits.

_________________
Panasonic FZ28

Http://www.Symonsay.blogspot.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85023094@N00/

Hay, Symon_Say,

Thanks for suggestion, the CX Card, the accelerator and Premiere Pro CS4 are all designed to get the best results using 64 bit OS and it even does not include XP 64 bit.
So, it has to be either Vista 64 bit (Ugh!), or Windows 7 64 bit which is what I am now using on trail and that now seems to work.

lockhands