Question came up as to how video recorded as 480 x 480 @ 30 progressive frames per second could be imported, edited and exported in Premiere Elements 12/12.1 without black borders.
ISSUE
All the project presets in Premiere Elements are either 4:3 or 16:9. Could a user custom project preset be created for this situation, and what export opportunities exist for a 480 x 480 30p video if a user custom project preset could be created for the video's import into Premiere Elements 12/12.1?
SOLUTION
A project preset for 480 x 480 30p was obtained by editing the Notepad document of the Premiere Elements 12/12.1 "Flip Mino and Ultra 30p.sqpreset" file.
An AVCHD.mp4 480 x 480 30p file was created from the edited Timeline 480 x 480 30p content after customizing the advanced export settings for Publish+Share/Computer/AVCHD with Presets = MP4 H.264 1920 x 1080p30.
HOW TO
Creation of User Custom Project Preset 480 x 480 @ 30 progressive Frames Per Second)
1. Locate and copy to the computer desktop the Flip Mino and Ultra 30p.sqpreset file found in the Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 64 bit path
Local Disk C
Program Files
Adobe Premiere Elements 12
Settings
SequencePresets
NTSC
FLIP
and in the FLIP Folder is the Flip Mino and Ultra 30p.sqpreset file.
Rename the Flip Mino and Ultra 30p.sqpreset copy so that the file name is now
480 480 Flip Mino and Ultra 30p.sqpreset
2. At the computer desktop level, right click the .sqpreset file pasted and renamed there, select Open With, and then select Notepad.
3. In the Notepad document there are only two places that need to be changed. All the changes involve 640 x 480 to 480 x 480.....
PLACE ONE
FROM
<Descriptions Version="1">
<DescriptionItem Version="1" Index="0">
<Second>For editing Flip Mino and Flip Ultra 640 x 480 camcorder videos. 48kHz audio.</Second>
<First>en_US</First>
TO
<Descriptions Version="1">
<DescriptionItem Version="1" Index="0">
<Second>For editing Flip Mino and Flip Ultra 480 x 480 camcorder videos. 48kHz audio.</Second>
<First>en_US</First>
PLACE TWO
FROM
/<VideoFrameSize>0,0,640,480</VideoFrameSize>
TO
/<VideoFrameSize>0,0,480,480</VideoFrameSize>
Then save the edited Notepad document, using specifically File Menu/Save.
4. Go to
Local Disk C
Program Files
Adobe Premiere Elements 12
Settings
SequencePresets
NTSC
FLIP
and, in the FLIP Folder, place the file that you created and named 480 480 Flip Mino and Ultra 30p.sqpreset
5. Set the Premiere Elements 12/12.1 project preset, by either
a. letting the project set it automatically based on its analysis of the properties of the 480 x 480 30p as the first file dragged to its Timeline
or
b. if problems (which there should not be), then set the project preset manually according to the following scheme
- Open the project to the Expert workspace, and go to File Menu/New Project and Change Settings.
- In Change Settings, set the project preset to the new project preset under NTSC/FLIP. OK out of there.
- In the New Project dialog that opens, rename the project and make sure to have a check mark next to "Force Selected Project Setting on This Project". OK out of there.
- Then import your 480 x 480 30p source video into Premiere Elements 12/12.1 with Premiere Elements 12/12.1's Add Media/Files and Folder/Project Assets from where you drag the video to the Expert workspace Timeline.
6. After edit of the Timeline content, export it using advanced export settings based on Publish+Share/Computer/AVCHD/ with Presets = MP4 H.264 1920 x 1080p30. Customization of the preset is done under the Advanced Button/Video Tab and export settings are set as seen the Figure 1.
 |
| Figure 1. Advanced Export Settings For 480 x 480 30p Premiere Elements 12/12.1 Project To Give AVCHD.Mp4 File 480 x 480 30p. |
COMMENTARY
This work has been road tested and found to work as described on Premiere Elements 12/12.1 on Windows 7 Professional SP1 64 bit. Although experimental, all indications so far are that this works and should be applicable in principle to at least Premiere Elements 11 through 14.
In the export choice used as an example here, the bitrates might be lowered without affecting quality, but that point has not been explored yet.
The Premiere Elements 12/12.1 PAL project presets do not contain the FLIP category as does the NTSC project presets. The suggested PAL counterpart to obtain a 480 x 480 25p project preset would be
- Modify the DSLR 640 x 480p50.sqpreset file found Local Disk C\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Premiere Elements 12\Settings\SequencePresets\PAL\DSLR\480p\
- Modifications would include changes in 640 x 480 to 480 x 480 (3 places) and, at the bottom of the document, changing the frame rate code from 5080320000 (for 50) to 10160640000 (for 25).
Proofread several times without finding changes needed. Will continue to proofread for accuracy.
ATR
