Making a movie with Canon Legria clips

[Clare - the Witch]

I'm an absolute beginner, so please forgive me for my questions...
My videocamera is CANON LEGRIA HR R205.
I use PIXELA to import video files on my computer (through USB), but I can't see the clips with Windows Media Player. It says: The selected files has an extension (.mts) that is not recognized by Windows Media Player, but the player may still be able to play it. Because the extension is unknown to the player, you should be sure that the file comes from a trustworthy source. Do you want the Player to try to play this content? Even if I click YES, I can't see the clip.
I can see clips with VLC Media Player, but sometimes with some problems (audio and video not syncronized, sometimes the video freezes and the audio goes on, lines on the screen)
I gave some clips to a friend, and she couldn't see them with any player.
These files are .mts, and there are also .cpi files (I suppose it's the audio - ?)

So my first question is HOW CAN ONE JUST WATCH THE CLIPS AS THEY ARE, ON A COMPUTER?

My second question is HOW CAN I EDIT THE CLIPS INTO A MOVIE, WHICH CAN ALSO BE UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE?
As I'm not too confident with technical terms, by EDIT I mean cut the clips, join them together, add subtitles and titles, add pictures, add soundtracks and credits...
At the moment I have WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER, but I can't import the clips: for .mts files it says "unspecified error", for .cpi files "the codec is not installed..."
I've just been given ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS CS4 to try, which looks pretty complicated to me, and it says .cpi is an unsupported filetype or extension whereas I can see .mts, but without audio.
If you can answer me, please use simple vocabulary...
Please, do help me! I promised my pupils we're doing a movie on dinosaurs!!!

Thanks!! Clare - the Witch

[edDV]

My first action to this kind of request is to look at your stated computer profile.

No way for you. Or "no soup for you" until you update computer profile.

[Clare - the Witch]

What do you mean? I haven't go any chance??? What kind of computer would I need?

[edDV]

What do you mean? I haven't go any chance??? What kind of computer would I need?

What kind of computer do you have?

Oh Oh I'm in a fight with a witch

[Clare - the Witch]

Yes, an Italian witch, one of the worst...

My computer is Compaq 615 Hewlett Packard, laptop. Processor AMD Turion(tm) x2 Dual Core Mobile RM 74 2.20 GHz RAM 2.00 GB
Is it enough?

[edDV]

I'm an absolute beginner, so please forgive me for my questions...
My videocamera is CANON LEGRIA HR R205.
I use PIXELA to import video files on my computer (through USB), but I can't see the clips with Windows Media Player. It says: The selected files has an extension (.mts) that is not recognized by Windows Media Player, but the player may still be able to play it. Because the extension is unknown to the player, you should be sure that the file comes from a trustworthy source. Do you want the Player to try to play this content? Even if I click YES, I can't see the clip.

I can see clips with VLC Media Player, but sometimes with some problems (audio and video not syncronized, sometimes the video freezes and the audio goes on, lines on the screen)
I gave some clips to a friend, and she couldn't see them with any player.
These files are .mts, and there are also .cpi files (I suppose it's the audio - ?)

So my first question is HOW CAN ONE JUST WATCH THE CLIPS AS THEY ARE, ON A COMPUTER?

My computer is Compaq 615 Hewlett Packard, laptop. Processor AMD Turion(tm) x2 Dual Core Mobile RM 74 2.20 GHz RAM 2.00 GB
Is it enough?

Not enough CPU power alone to run AVCHD h.264 video. That means VLC will struggle playing.

Some Compaq 615 models have the ATI Radeon HD 3200 display chipset with hardware AVIVO HD h.264 decoder.

Try installing Media Player Classic Home Cinema MPCHC. Normally it installs with default to DXVA (hardware assisted playback) for h.264 and AC3 audio. http://www.codecguide.com/faq_dxva.htm

[edDV]

My second question is HOW CAN I EDIT THE CLIPS INTO A MOVIE, WHICH CAN ALSO BE UPLOADED TO YOUTUBE?
As I'm not too confident with technical terms, by EDIT I mean cut the clips, join them together, add subtitles and titles, add pictures, add soundtracks and credits...
At the moment I have WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER, but I can't import the clips: for .mts files it says "unspecified error", for .cpi files "the codec is not installed..."
I've just been given ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS CS4 to try, which looks pretty complicated to me, and it says .cpi is an unsupported filetype or extension whereas I can see .mts, but without audio.
If you can answer me, please use simple vocabulary...
Please, do help me! I promised my pupils we're doing a movie on dinosaurs!!!

Thanks!! Clare - the Witch

Your computer is weak to edit AVCHD video. If you can play the video, it is possible to edit but it will be difficult and slow. Better to use a faster computer with quad core processor or better. No way will that computer handle Adobe After Effects CS4.

There are several methods to edit HD h.264 if you must use that machine.

1. Convert to lower resolution MPeg2. This is what Apple does in iMovie.

2. Use a digital intermediate codec such as Cineform Neoscene.

My advice. Edit on a faster machine. A good basic editing package is Sony Vegas Movie Studio.

[jagabo]

Windows (XP?) doesn't know what MTS (Mpeg Transport Stream) files are. You need a file reader/splitter to let Windows know they are video files and give it the ability to read them. You can use Haali for that. Then you may need video and audio decompressors for the codecs used in the video files. ffdshow has audio and video decoders for most codecs.

Your computer is on the borderline for playing full HD h.264 video.

[edDV]

The computer profile says Win Vista Business edition. If I remember correctly, the business edition lacks Media Center and Movie Maker apps that are standard in Vista Home Premium. MPCHC is supposed to have internal DXVA support for h.264. Adding ffdshow and Haali will help other players and apps.

Windows Live extensions may add Movie Maker functionality to Vista Business but the CPU is still weak for h.264 timeline manipulation.

[Clare - the Witch]

Thanks a lot for your help, I'll see what I can do.
What if my husband gives me a new computer for StValentine???? Maybe a MAC??
Bye, Clare - the Witch

[edDV]

Thanks a lot for your help, I'll see what I can do.
What if my husband gives me a new computer for StValentine???? Maybe a MAC??
Bye, Clare - the Witch

A low end Mac won't edit AVCHD directly. Instead iMovie captures to a digital intermediate format AIC and offers limited output options since Blu-Ray isn't supported by Apple.

A quad core i5/i7 Windows 7 machine running Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum would be more ideal for directly editing AVCHD and outputting to AVCHD DVDR disc or Blu-Ray.

You need to think through how you intend to use and watch the edited video. You may need a Blu-Ray player or HD AVC capable media player.