AVCHD(.mts-sony hdr sr5) convertions questions

[dragonstd]

hey guys - i just bought last week my first camcorder, and its an HD one. i got a very weak pc, but i managed to take .mts files and turn them to wmv using WINAVI video converter. i also got ULEAD 11 + vegas platinum 8.0, although i dont have too much of an idea for how to use them. my questions:

1. which program will you recommend for converting AVCHD to WMV, AVI and such?
2. which program - for changing movie resolution(lets say from 1440*1080 to 1024*768wmv etc).
3. should i deinterlace the files before conveting them? and with which program?

4. off-record: how come a camcorder shoot HD 16:9 - but the resolution is actually 4:3(1440*1080)?!?!?!?
5off-record: any recommendations on quality topics?(like - should i just film on SD - or maybe captured HD converted to SD holds more quality? )

thanks ppl for your help, and have a great day !

[dragonstd]

no one knows?

[bytre]

1. which program will you recommend for converting AVCHD to WMV, AVI and such?

I am currently using Sony Vegas. I'm not eager to recommend it, but you may want to download the free demo.

4. off-record: how come a camcorder shoot HD 16:9 - but the resolution is actually 4:3(1440*1080)?!?!?!?

Its an anamorphic 1440x1080. The HDV format supported this, and it looks like most of the AVCHD camcorders are also storing in this format. The 1440 resolution gets "stretched" to a full 1920 when displayed, so you get the correct aspect ratio. The lower resolution takes less data, and the difference is considered to be visually imperceptible by many.

5off-record: any recommendations on quality topics?(like - should i just film on SD - or maybe captured HD converted to SD holds more quality? )

[Soopafresh]

CoreAVC Pro Decoder - $15

With

TmpgencXpress - $90

core_avc_tmpgencxpress5.avi

[dragonstd]

thanks guys for answering.
i got sony vegas 8.0 platinum btw, but it wont import the avchd files and wont recongnize them. i tried both mts files(when taken directly from the camera to my pc) and the m2ts+modd files(when using the program and importing the files from the camera - dont know what the hell is the difference besides the fact that mts is just one file while the m2ts comes with some "modd" file). vegas just won't import:\ any solutions ?

[ticos2000]

You shoud be able to import MTS files directly on vegas 8. Just visit the website (sony) and get the latest patch that states specifically that fix that issue. Dont bother about modd files just drag and drop the MTS files directly over vegas

On the other hand in order to change your resolution you can do that easily with vegas also.

I have one question and it has to do with how to burn and play the MTS files on standalone blu ray player using BD R or BD RE. I got NERO and cyberlink software and neither can do the job.

Best regards from bogota colombia south america

Tico

[maek]

I have been having a similar problem as well. I just got a Panasonic HDC-SD9.

Trouble is, Sony Vegas Pro 8.0 crashes every time I try to import the MT2S file. I have latest patch for PRO which is 8.0b, build 217.

Has anyone overcome this issue and how?

[Soopafresh]

They may have changed it, but Vegas was only importing AVCHD files that were made on Sony cameras.

[maek]

Actually I just got off the phone with tech support and here's the deal:

The current 8.0d version of Sony Vegas 8.0 Platinum Movie Studio supports it, but the 8.0b version of Vegas Pro does not.

However, since the Platinum (read "downgraded") version can currently do it (and the 30-day trail does!), then Vegas Pro will eventually catch up in 8.0c.

I'll keep everyone posted when it happens so we'll have the "fix" in place, so to speak.

Thanks for the quick response.

[maek]

Ok - after extensive testing and "uhhh...dunnos" from tech support, the AVCHD format does not appear to be supported for the HDC-SD9. That said, tech support claims that it was able to open my m2ts file in Sony Vegas Platinum Movie Studio.

All I have to say is "buyer beware" on AVCHD formats and Sony Vegas. Unless you have a Sony camera, you may encounter problems.

[Soopafresh]

Sony strikes once again with their proprietary silliness. How petty of them. I'm surprised they didn't do the same to HDV files.

[PuzZLeR]

Ok - after extensive testing and "uhhh...dunnos" from tech support, the AVCHD format does not appear to be supported for the HDC-SD9. That said, tech support claims that it was able to open my m2ts file in Sony Vegas Platinum Movie Studio.VCHD formats and Sony Vegas. Unless you have a Sony camera, you may encounter problems.

You know what? You get two types with tech support - extremely knowledgeable or the ones with the "uhhh...dunnos". This is highly dependent on whether or not the firm actually invests in this service or outsources to some cheap call centre sweatshopping poor, badly trained, locals from some exotic underdevelopped nation far far away...

[maek]

Sony strikes once again with their proprietary silliness. How petty of them. I'm surprised they didn't do the same to HDV files.

Agreed. The AVCHD "standard" is anything but. A Panasonic AVCHD file will not decode in the same manner as one produced by Canon or Sony. The technology is half-assed to begin with and even the 3rd generation cameras are showing motion artifacting that still cries out "unacceptable".

The whole point of AVCHD is to compress the video even further than the standard MPEG-2, but the "highly efficient" compression is trying to do too much with too little. When I got the the Canon HV20, the HDV footage was night and day compared to the AVCHD footage. Sure there was SOME artifacting with HDV, but not to the point where I wanted to drill a hole in my head.

Once they start putting out AVCHD cameras for the consumer that encode at 25 Mbps, then it begs the question "why" when HDV is doing the same job, better, at that bitrate.

[PuzZLeR]

Although I do believe they will (hopefully) work it out, I am currently disappointed with the AVCHD "standard" as well. For years while waiting for this war to end I was selfishly hoping for a universally compatible H.264 stream - one that will play in all BD players the same way a compliant MPEG-2 stream plays in all DvD players but even better - that it will play as a data file too perfectly.

The good news I believe is that the incompatibilities have alot to with the coming AVCREC, which is essentially AVCHD, but a format for BD playback as opposed to AVCHD which is a camera format. I'm not being pro-Sony, but I'm hopeful it's just a matter of logistics that were only able to commence after the competing HD REC (from HD-DvD) would sieze to exist before we get the true jpg/mp3 of video... hoping...

[PuzZLeR]

Once they start putting out AVCHD cameras for the consumer that encode at 25 Mbps, then it begs the question "why" when HDV is doing the same job, better, at that bitrate.

The answer to "why" is not really about compression but behind the reverse of the theory that AVC is roughly twice as efficient as MPEG-2.

The mindset is not about getting twice the video length in the same space, but about getting twice the video quality in the same space.

Apparently they haven't come through on that intention with any impressive results...