Rendering Clip in Premiere Pro

[zato1]

2 problems:

1.) I hit enter to render a clip. A "Rendering Files" GUI apears, but when I play the rendered clip, there is no video; only a black picture.

Under "Project Settings" my compressor is DV (NTSC). I believe I need special hardware to use this option (I am running a Ti 4200) so this is probably the problem? This leads into the next problem.

2.) I start a new project and set the compressor to "PICvideo M-JPEG Codec v3" and when I go to render the clip and there is no "Rendering Files" GUI. When I hit "enter" to render the clip, it just plays the sequence... on the fly I would asume.

I am a total newb so treat me like the virgin I am; go slow and be gentle

[Scintilla]

2.) I start a new project and set the compressor to "PICvideo M-JPEG Codec v3" and when I go to render the clip and there is no "Rendering Files" GUI. When I hit "enter" to render the clip, it just plays the sequence... on the fly I would asume.

Premiere Pro will not render preview files for any part of the timeline it thinks it can play back at the full frame rate (even if it really can't).

It will render preview files for any part of the timeline marked by a red line underneath the Work Area Bar; when the area gets previewed, the red will change to green.
Usually this only happens when you add effects of some sort (be they as simple as motion or transparency), but you can trick it into wanting to preview by plopping a color matte into the timeline on a higher video track and setting its opacity to 0% -- the result will look exactly the same, but you'll be able to make Premiere render a preview of it.

[zato1]

Ok, I created a new color matte, but how do I access it and add it to the timeline?

[zato1]

Alright, I have the color matte in my timeline. How do set the opacity to 0%?

[zato1]

Ok, I set my opacity to 0. But now I get an error that reads, "PICVideo M-JPEG3... WARNING: compressing in trial mode will permanently "brand" the output with the trial mode "watermark" text. Are you *certain* you want to continue? Yes/No." Do I need to be using a lossless codec? If so, which one should I use?

[Scintilla]

For previews, an MJPEG codec (with or without the watermark) is fine, since no one but you will be seeing those files anyway.

When you're finished editing and want to export the whole thing, THEN you use a lossless codec.