Thursday, May 10, 2018

PE 7: On Windows 10 64 bit

INTRODUCTION

Premiere Elements as well as computer operating systems have evolved since Premiere Elements 7 was released years ago.

Premiere Elements 7, 8.0/8.0.1, 9.0/9.0.1, 10, 11, 12/12.1, 13/13.1, 14/14.1, 15, and current version 2018
Windows XP, Vista, 8, 10

The System Requirements for Premiere Elements 7 displayed on the installation disc's box include operating systems Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2, Windows Media Center, or Windows Vista. The labeling on the disc in the box displays operating system Windows XP|Windows Vista. The Premiere Elements 7 Help PDF can still be found online HERE. A QuickTime requirement is invoked, and the now non existent photoshop.com was involved with Premiere Elements 7.

ISSUE

Does Premiere Elements 7 install and function on Windows 10 64 bit system? This blog post will explore the outcome of attempting to install Premiere Elements 7 with an installation disc* when the computer operating system was Windows 10 Home 64 bit.

FINDINGS

1. Premiere Elements 7 installed without issues on my Windows 10 Home 64 bit computer which already had installed on it QuickTime 7.7.9. The Premiere Elements 7 installation was done using installation disc purchased when Premiere Elements 7 was released in approximately October 2008. Premiere Elements 7 has a QuickTime system requirement which is essential for the appearance of QuickTime presets in the Premiere Elements 7 project Share/Personal Computer/QuickTime. For starter, consider HERE.

2. Photoshop.com no longer exists; nonetheless, each time the program is opened, the user is greeted with the following "Update Required" message which wants an Update or Cancel selection. The User needs to select Cancel to continue successfully. Important - Do not click Update to that message which reads:
"Photoshop.com services require an update to Premiere Elements. Please update using the Adobe Update Manager or by checking at the Adobe Website at http://www.adobe.com."

3. Unlock code/MPEG2 Activation code issue presented when first trying to render** the Premiere Elements 7 Timeline content. This error message in the project asked for an Unlock code which was supposed to be obtained by going to a website whose link was given in the error message. That link in the error message did not work. The working link was found thanks to online ID EAEC, who provided the working route to the Unlock code/MPEG2 Activation code. Refer to EAEC's April 2017 solution which worked for me today May 9, 2018.
https://www.adobe.com/motion/mpegactivation.html

4. Import/Export seemed to be OK. A very limited exploration of import and export did not reveal any issues after MPEG2 Activation was done.
Import. 620 x 480 29.97 fps video from my Casio camera (video format MPEG-4 Visual/Codec ID M4S2, audio format ADPCM/Codec 11, and file extension .avi. Also 1920 x 1080 29.97 fps video from online (video format AVC/Codec ID avc1, audio format PCM/Codec ID sowt, and file extension .mov.
Export. Each of the above using Share/Personal Computer/QuickTime for the H.264.mov exports.

Premiere Elements 7/5.1 channel audio behavior/issue remains the same whether the program is on Windows 10 or earlier. Following is an excerpt from another blog post here.

Premiere Elements 7
Video clip with 5.1 channel audio would appear on an upper video track unless the project preset was one that included description for use with a clip with 5.1 channel audio.
Solution is, for video with 5.1 channel audio, use a project preset which includes for use with a video containing 5.1 channel audio.



Note: User can create project presets with 5.1 channel audio description. Refer to following blog posts How To in the ATR Premiere Elements Troubleshooting series. See

PE11: Exporting a 1080p50 or 1080p60 file with 5.1
http://atr935.blogspot.com/2013/04/pe11-exporting-1080p50-or-1080p60-file.html 


PE11: Exporting a 1080p25 or 1080p30 file with 5.1 Channel Audio
http://atr935.blogspot.com/2013/04/pe11-exporting-1080p50-or-1080p60-file.html

PE12: Exporting a 720p50 or 720p60 file with 5.1 Channel
http://atr935.blogspot.com/2013/10/pe12-exporting-720p50-or-720p60-file.html


COMMENTARY

The findings did not point to any Premiere Elements 7 issues being specific to its install on Windows 10 Home 64 bit. That matter of Premiere Elements (any version) and its stated or unstated system requirement for QuickTime needs attention. The Premiere Elements 7 system requirement for QuickTime is spelled out in that version's Adobe System Requirements document. Without the companion QuickTime install, Premiere Elements 7 does not have QuickTime presets in its Share/Personal Computer/QuickTime. On the other hand, Premiere Elements 2018 and 15 System Requirements no longer list QuickTime under its system requirements. What does that mean? For example, Premiere Elements 2018 or 15 on Windows 10 Home 64 bit with no companion QuickTime installed does run into at least two serious QuickTime export*** issues
Export & Share/Devices/Computer/HD 1080 1920 x 1080 with Format = MOV - H.264.
Pressing Save to start the export triggered message "Incompatible Video Codec type in Preset"
          or
Export & Share/Devices/Custom and its Advanced Settings for Format = QuickTime sends out an export that has audio but no video at playback.
The above were resolved by installing QuickTime on the same computer as Premiere Elements 2018 or 15.  Based on these findings, it is curious why QuickTime was removed from the System Requirements for 2018 and 15, but was kept for 14/14.1 and earlier.

Lots to look at...other formats, QuickTime alternatives, and other (especially File Menu/Export/Movie as well as Share/Personal Computer/QuickTime).

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*Premiere Elements 7 installation files were not available for download from Adobe. Premiere Elements installation files for download from Adobe are available for only Premiere Elements 9 and later. See HERE. The Premiere Elements 7 installation disc used offered the following language choices during the installation Setup: English (United States), French, German, and Japanese. In contrast, the Setup gave many choices for the  "Country/Region in which you live".

**In the first project of the installed program, I suggest that the User do a Timeline content render as one way to get out of the way any possible MPEG2 Activation issues.
***In this work, Export, but not Import (.mov), issues were encountered when QuickTime was not installed on the same computer as Premiere Elements 7.


As always work, in progress to assure accuracy of information provided.



ATR