In Premiere Elements versions earlier than 11, the user had to get started by trying to match the project preset in the New Project Dialog with the properties of his/her source media so that the program was directed to set up the appropriate Monitor template (space) for editing purposes. This setting also gave direction to disc menu availability as well as subtle project settings. If one did nothing but OK the New Project Dialog as is, the project preset would default to NTSC or PAL DV Standard.
Premiere Elements 11 opens with no signs of the New Project Dialog and now assumes the default of NTSC AVCHD Full HD1080i30 or PAL AVCHD Full 1080i25 not NTSC or PAL Standard. These new defaults will be replaced by the program if it determines that another project preset is the "right" match between the project preset and the properties of the first video clip dragged from Project Assets to the Timeline (Expert view). According to Adobe, the choice is made based on clip dimensions, frames per second, PAR (pixel aspect ratio), and field order.
ISSUE
The "expected" project preset was not always being set in this automatic process by the program, so various cases were looked at to try to figure out why and what to do about the matter.
Windows 7 or 8 64 bit, NTSC Project
Case 1
Import: 1280 x 720 pixels, 29.97 frames per second, PAR = 1.0, progressive
(the wildlife.wmv sample file from Windows 7)
Automatically Selected Project Preset: NTSC AVCHD Full HD1080i30
1920 x 1080, 29.97 frames per second, PAR = 1.0, upper field first, interlaced
Program's default setting, unexpected
Case 2
Import: 1280 x 720 pixels, 24 frames per second, PAR = 1.0, progressive
(one of the H.264.mov files from iPod Touch 4th Generation)
Automatically Selected Project Preset: NTSC DSLR/720p/DSLR 720p24
1280 x 720, 24 frames per second, PAR = 1.0, progressive
Expected setting
Case 3
Import: 640 x 480 pixels, 29.97 frames per second, PAR = 1.0, progressive
(one of the MPEG4.avi files from Casio camera)
Automatically Selected Project Preset: NTSC/AVCHD Full HD1080i30
1920 x 1080, 29.97 frames per second, PAR = 1.0, upper field first, interlaced
Program's default setting, not sure what to expect
Case 4
Import: 720 x 480 pixels, 29.97 frames per second, PAR = 0.9091, lower field first, interlaced
(NTSC DV AVI standard export from a Premiere Elements 11 project)
Automatically Selected Project Preset: NTSC DV Standard
720 x 480, 29.97 frames per second, PAR = 0.9091, lower field first, interlaced
Expected setting
Case 5
Import: Slideshow from Elements Organizer 11 Slideshow Editor/Output Option = Edit with Premiere Elements Editor, with that Output Option triggering automatic opening of Premiere Elements 11 displaying its Project Assets Palette containing a file which represents the slideshow in a video .psess format as well as a folder containing the assets that went into the slideshow. In addition, the slideshow as a video is found already placed on the Timeline Expert view.
(Slideshow used photos with pixel dimensions of 3264 x 2448, 1920 x 1080, 1280 x 720, 1000 x 750, 854 x 480, or 720 x 480. Slideshow Preferences used "Crop to Fit Slide" to avoid black borders in the Elements Organizer 11 Slideshow Editor Filmstrip slides. This Crop option is mentioned for black border detail and did not factor into the project preset selected automatically by Premiere Elements 11.)
Automatically Selected Project Preset: NTSC/AVCHD Full HD1080i30
1920 x 1080, 29.97 frames per second, PAR = 1.0, upper field first, interlaced
Program's default setting, not sure what to expect
Case 5a
Import: .Wmv Slideshow from Elements Organizer 11 Slideshow Editor/Output Option = Save As File/Save as Movie (.wmv) sized for DVD-NTSC (720 x 480) or "Browse for more"/Widescreen High Definition.prx which has the sizing for 1280 x 720 at 30 frames per second.
(In Window 7 or 8 64 bit, the "Browse for more" path to the additional .wmv profiles (.prx) is:
Local Disk C\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Elements 11 Organizer\Assets\locale\en_US\tv_profiles.
See Figure 1 for some tv_profiles Folder details.
The .wmv video file generated was saved to the Elements Organizer 11 as well as to computer hard drive. The import of the .wmv was looked at by two different routes.
Figure 1. Elements Organizer 11wmv profile files (.prx)
(As for Cases 1, 2, 3, and 4...in Premiere Elements 11 Expert view workspace, Add Media was used to import the .wmv file into Project Assets, followed by dragging the .wmv file from Project Assets to the Timeline. Also tried was right clicking the .wmv file saved to Elements Organizer 11, selecting Edit with Premiere Elements Editor which triggered the automatic opening of Premiere Elements 11 and its Project Assets Palette containing the .wmv video which was found already placed on the Timeline Expert view.)
Automatically Selected Project Preset in all instances for Case 5 and 5a: NTSC/AVCHD Full HD1080i30
1920 x 1080, 29.97 frames per second, PAR = 1.0, upper field first, interlaced
Program's Default setting, not sure what to expect
SOLUTION
Case 1 would suggest that the automatic feature may be taking into account video format as well as the other criteria cited in the reference. And, it would appear that, if the automatic feature has a problem finding a match according to its programming, it defaults to the program's default of NTSC/AVCHD HD1080i30 or PAL/AVCHD HD1080i25. Suggested solution is to set the project preset in the New Project Dialog manually if in doubt before any media is added to the project.
In Case 5 and 5a where the Elements Organizer 11 command of "Edit with Premiere Elements Editor" was used, the answer appears to be to set manually the Premiere Elements 11 project preset in the New Project Dialog, leave Premiere Elements 11 opened, and then execute the "Edit with Premiere Elements" command in the Elements Organizer 11.
HOW TO
Manual Project Preset Setting
1. Open program to Premiere Elements 11 Expert view workspace and go to File Menu/New/Project.
2. In the New Project Dialog that opens, select the project preset that best matches the properties of your source media. And, make sure that there is a check mark next to "Force selected Project setting on this project". Click OK to exit the New Project Dialog.
3. Then import your project's media using:
(a) If the Elements Organizer 11 "Edit with Premiere Elements Editor" command is involved...with Premiere Elements 11 opened with its manually set project preset in the New Project Dialog, execute the "Edit with Premiere Elements Editor" command in the Elements Organizer 11.
(b) If a file saved to computer hard drive is involved, then use Add Media/Files and Folders. From Project Assets, drag the file to the Timeline (Expert view).
4. Verify project settings via Edit Menu/Project Settings.
