Using AVCHD (1080i) instead of regular AVI-DV (480i) MINI-DV - argh!

[eddie24]

I finally purchased a new camcorder with the notion that I would start recording in High Def prior to even having a High Def TV. I didn't think it would be much different but so far it has proven to be a big deal. I have a quad-core system yet AVCHD is trully taxing it to its limits, even with 4 GB RAM. Premiere CS3 won't deal with it very well even with the "workaround" posted here (using AVISynth). I hear that CS4 will work with it no problem but does anyone else suggest an interim process? I have tried to convert the files to AVI and they take FOREVER. I don't yet need to output in High Def. As I said, I dont even own a Blue Ray player nor a High Def TV. I feel like I jumped the gun too early and I'm paying for it.

Ed

[filmboss80]

I've heard that Vegas will handle AVCHD. Frankly, it is not a very edit-friendly format, and I have to concur that you may have jumped the gun in buying that camcorder. (Pre-purchase research about AVCHD's limitations would have served you well before you shelled out the money.) Nevertheless, you are not the first to face this challenge. Read this thread: https://forum.videohelp.com/topic352836.html.

[eddie24]

I couldn't follow the thread on your post.

I did read up on AVCHD. I know that someday it will take over HDV. But the thought of smaller files than HDV sounded good. I also thought that my system would be powerful enough. Another reason was hard drive vs tape recording media. I ended up getting the new Canon HG21 which is the first camcorder that can do the full 24Mbps bitrate. So all those things combined made me feel good about my decision, but I definitely underestimated the cpu load.

[eddie24]

One more thing... for those who are already recording/editing in AVCHD.

Do you guys record in p30 instead of i60 (progressive vs interlaced) for better editing?

[vhelp]

Believe me, I feel you pain. Its the same problem with encoded mp4 (via x264 cli) you can't open and edit them losslessly. If at all, you might be able to open them via directshowsource() in avisynth but this is not an appropriate move because there is some decoding issue with this function not to mention the frames aren't manageble. Someone said you can open them (x264 cli) in yamb, but even these have not worked out well for me but I suspect that it has something to do with how I encode them, -qp 0 and wrong -Level or something, I don't know. But I feel you pain, too.. they are not easily open-able.

-vhelp 4913