Mini Guide - AVCHD to Anything Using DGAVCdec

[Darkflame]

gedas5, try using Xvid4PSP

darkflame, your source video is PAL 25fps so no TFM is necessary. The artifacts issues are a common problem. It is due to the model and make of your camera and problems with the free libavcodec.dll file that decodes MTS files. Give Xvid4PSP a shot.

Thanks, I'll try that.

Although I dont get those artefacts when I have 24p Cinema mode turned on, the normal conversion bats do a fine job.
It seems only when I have it disabled. (which is odd you say thats 25fps, as the manual says that should be 60i)

Either way, there's obviously an extra complication being caused somewhere by flipping that mode on/off.

Incidently, before your reply I already found a very crude solution to my problem;
1) Use SUPER to convert the MTS to a loseless compressed video format. This converts with less artifacts, but the video comes out almost twice as long as it should be!
2) Use SUPER again to export it purely as a Wav. (which by the sounds of it, always comes out correctly)
3) Use the length of the Wav as a guide to resizeing the length of the loselessly compressed footage in Premiere.
(The ratio, incidently, seemed to always be about 196.8%.)


I'll give Xvid4PSP a shot next time, as this method is crude, and involved going ver 20gig-files so it wasnt that convient.

[DanontheMoon]

Soop, I can't get AVISynth to install - says it can't write to the registry. Can you offer any advice?

[Soopafresh]

Strange I have seen that problem before, however. I just can't recall how it was fixed.

edit:

delete "C:\Program Files\AviSynth 2.5" directory if it exists, then try installing again

[gedas5]

Hi Soopafresh

thanx for suggesting me to use XVID4PSP as it gives as good results as you said... BUT: it takes 16GB file to make it to .mp4 about 1 day and couple hours or as i decoded 8GB before which took about 12 hours...this seems to be ages..maybe i'm doing something wrong? or is this how it's supposed to be? take a look at the picture added and you'll see what settings i use. maybe you could give some suggestions?

thanx a lot for your help!

[Soopafresh]

The only thing that is going to speed up your Xvid4PSP

1) Smaller output dimensions - 720x400 or 640x352

2) Faster computer - Dell I7-920 XPS-435MT is a ferocious transcoding machine and very low priced.

[gedas5]

@ Soopafresh

thanx for reply
can i ask you if you use Xvid4PSP yoursef? and what settings do you use to get the best quality? i've got Canon HF10 and the camera is superb but i'm strugling to find the best quality that can be played on any PC after decoding. also ther's problem with Vegas Studio 9 which doesn't seem to be supporting .mp4 as i would like to do some editing. any suggestions here as well?

thanx for your assistance

[DanontheMoon]

Thanks, Soop!

I found a workaround for the install issue. Right now, I'm trying to convert some more footage from a Canon Vixia HG20 using the method here:

http://eugenia.gnomefiles.org/2008/05/04/avchd-transcoding-using-free-tools/

Just wanted to say "thanks for the help!". I'll let you know how it goes.

//The aspect ratio is a little off, but I reckon I can fix that in SUPER. Cheers!

[Seasonal]

There aren't too many free methods to convert AVCHD to other formats. Recent upgrades to the libavcodec library have built in PAFF support, which allows AVCHD to be properly decoded. The latest DGAVCdec program works with AVCHD. Here's how to do it.

1- Install Avisynth 2.57 or later. v2.58 works fine on my machine:

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=57023&package_id=105994&release_id=625750

2- Download and unzip the AVCHD_CONVERT package:

avchd_convert_v9.zip

3-Drag your .MTS files into the same folder as the unzipped files. Double Click the appropriate .bat to run

soop, i tried to follow but did not see the .bat extention in the folder. I did not see .bat extension but pal and ntsc

[DanontheMoon]

Did they not show up at all? Check under your folder options, is "hide extensions for known file types" turned off?

[DanontheMoon]

Soop, are there any good alternatives to AVISynth?

I tried deleting the folder and reinstalling, then running a registry cleaner, still, no dice.

[waver123]

Soopafresh,

Thanks for these great scripts, I recently got my panasonic zs3 and have been playing around converting those avchd lite videos.

Now here's my problem, your vimeo script that converts to mp4 works great. The avchd_convert_v9 script however after I saved with virtualdub is running at 2x frame rate (I can play inside vdub and see it run faster).

The original .mts file also run at 2x rate when I use kmp, but runs correctly when I run it in media player classic.

I've read a lot about these 2x rate problem with avchd lite videos, I tried play around with the -r switch with ffmpeg and mencoder fps but couldn't get it to run properly with divx. Any idea what I can do to make it runs correctly inside virtualdub? Thanks a bunch.

[waver123]

Ok I can kind of work around my 2x rate problem by doing this right now (which is not too bad),

after import the .avs into virtualdub, set frame rate to 29.97 (current @ 59.94), re-merge the .ac3 audio by using audio/audio from another file and select the extracted .ac3 stream (otherwise the music stop at midpoint).

[laurenrodz]

hello
i'd like to use a rotation of image in the script

i came along a plugin called zoom.dll
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=49429

and tried using it like this
for %%a in ("*.dga") do @echo loadplugin("zoom.dll") >> "%%~na.avs"
and this
for %%a in ("*.dga") do @echo zoom(angle="90") >> "%%~na.avs"

using a mts to mp4 .bat file for DGAVCdec
....
but nothing happens...
can you help ?

i'd like also to try a dutch angle plugin if possible ?...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_angle
tnx

[tat2jr1]

Soopafresh,
Thank you so much for this guide. I bought a Panasonic HDC-SD1 camera 2 years ago, and have been fighting with that damn PAFF interlacing until an hour ago!!!! I have since replaced it with a Canon HF11 that shoots in 30p, so I don't have any PAFF issues anymore, but wanted to help those who have any SD1 footage.

This guide didn't work for me at first because the programs in the guide somehow messed with the 5 video editing programs I use daily, so I just restored, and said I'd deal with it in the future. Last night I rechecked this thread, and downloaded that XviD4PSP as suggested. It didn't screw with any of my video editors... so far, so good! It wasn't working well when I first tried it (interlace wasn't detected correctly), but I finally figured it out!

First. You MUST go to Video/Decoding/Other files, and select FFmpegSource instead of the default DirectShowSource. DirectShowSource isn't going to deinterlace anything no matter what setting you pick.

When I drag my raw MTS file into the program it gets stuck at 4% when detecting the interlacing. I just close the 4% window, and the video is loaded. (I just drag my files off the SDHC card... if I actually used the panasonic program to get them off as m2ts files, maybe it would detect the interlacing fine? Not sure... I'll never know.)

Now I set the interlacing manually. Here's the settings I found that work with the (my?) SD-1:
Source Type: Hybrid Progressive Interlaced
Field Order: BFF
Deinterlace: YadifModEDI
Target Type: Progressive
Output Framerate: 29.970 fps
Framerate Converter: Convert FPS

The field order threw me off. I thought AVCHD was upper fields first. I set it at TFF and I was seeing it as deinterlaced, but with random blocks through the parts of the video with movement. When I switched to BFF it worked perfectly. Also, I tried pretty much all the deinterlacing modes and YadifModEDI gave me the best results by a far margin. One last note. I tried to bump it up from the standard 1440x1080 the camera shoots in to 1920x1080 and it didn't look very good (It could very well be that I'm so use to my Canon's 24Mbps instead of the Panasonic's 12Mbps), so I resized it to 1280x720. Looks great! Editable! AWESOME! Thank you again!

Hope this mini guide will help anyone that is in my shoes with that Panasonic.

[skysailor64]

This is my first post here so please forgive the lengthy explanation of my problem. Years ago I did quite a bit of video editing of old Betamax..yes Betamax home movies onto DVD+R's. During that period I got moderately familiar with Huffyuv, VirtualDub, Adobe Premiere, Ulead MF3, 4 & 6 and a few of the other names mentioned here. But I gave it up for a few years and now have rentered into the 21st Century by purchasing a new Sony HDR-TG1 camcorder. I upgraded my Uead programs to the current version of DVDMovieFactory 6 Plus with the HD Power pack add-on so I could (I thought) smoothly edit my videos of grandkids etc. Ha! The native files from my new camera play video but no audio in the project timeline and I have been playing around for three solid days since getting the camera, looking for answers. After reading through this forum topic and other forums I took a chance and downloaded a trial version of Sony Vegas 9 Platinum. That program seems to readily accept any and all types of video files I have thrown at it and unless Ulead tech support finally (no luck yet) helps me out, I think I may have to make the additional investment in Vegas. I know my computer will need upgrading too!

That brings me to my underlying issue and question. I would like to start using and enjoying this beauty of a little camera as quickly and effectively as possible and then take the next months/years exploring its more intricate capabilities. I dont yet have a Blu-ray set-up or an HDTV so my initial DVD production will nesessarily be the highest quality DVD's that can be created with a thought of eventually making the move up to full HD. This camera takes video at 1920 x 1080i at the top end and then has three other lower quality settings. Is anyone familiar enough with this camera and the programs I've mentioned to tell me the 12-step way to enjoyable use? I know I can archive the high resolution files for future use so basically what can/should I do for present day utilization?

I have read this thread from start to finish and I just know you can help but if I should be posting this elsewhere please let me know. Thanks for any help and again sorry for the lengthy explanation.

[creamyhorror]

Soopafresh: just came across this interesting package of yours. Sorry if this has been asked before, but why do you not provide a batch file for deinterlacing 1080p? And why do you include the 45-frame fades?

Just wondering, because deinterlacing before import into an NLE would be great. (Or is that the wrong way to do things?)

[Soopafresh]

Unzip and copy this batch file to the same folder as the others. It will deinterlace and there is no fade-in or fade-out.

1920x1080_deinterlaced.zip

[creamyhorror]

I was just asking for the rationale. This package seems like it would solve the trouble of many NLE users who get lousy deinterlacing when they downscale from interlaced HD to SD.

I suggest putting the non-fade deinterlace batch file in your first post. I'll recommend the package to people who need such a solution - thanks for your work in putting it together.

[Soopafresh]

When I wrote it (18 months ago) not many people had fast enough computers to transcode and edit 1920x1080 resolution. And the deinterlacing process for 1920x1080 resulted in some bad looking video, especially with the first generation of AVCHD camcorders.

The whole batch process to do this is pretty much antiquated by now, with better apps replacing this method - NeoScene is a far better way to feed your files to an NLE.

[creamyhorror]

The whole batch process to do this is pretty much antiquated by now, with better apps replacing this method - NeoScene is a far better way to feed your files to an NLE.

Hmm, how is it better? Faster decoding, less use of disk space, faster transcode?

I would think Avisynth would remain relevant as it offers the best deinterlacing and resizing methods available. (Plus it's free...)

[eckoze@yahoo.com]

Hi, Soopafesh,

I have a Canon HF100 camcorder. It records video in m2ts files. How do I convert those files to more conventional file format like avi or mpg?

Thank you!
Wendy

[Soopafresh]

eckoze@yahoo.com- Try Xvid4PSP

[eckoze@yahoo.com]

Soopafresh,

I downloaded Xvid4PSP and installed it, but I do not know how to make it work. Could you please give me some pointers?

Thanks,
Wendy

[Soopafresh]

http://forum.winnydows.com/viewforum.php?f=8&sid=b71c2a057c33a9b7459c8b5165752a31


If you want the EASIEST method to convert your files to an AVI, purchase a copy of NeoScene. The resulting AVI files will be easily edited in just about any editing app like After Effects, Premiere, Vegas, etc.

[creamyhorror]

I'm still wondering what advantage the NeoScene codec has over this workflow.

[poisondeathray]

I downloaded Xvid4PSP and installed it, but I do not know how to make it work. Could you please give me some pointers?

Install haali media splitter and ffdshow

[eckoze@yahoo.com]

I installed Haali Media Splitter and ffdshow, that enables the Windows Media Player 11 to play m2ts files.

I installed Xvid4PSP. The problem is I do not know how to start Xvid4PSP. I'm not familiar with all the different video-audio file formats. I suspect the starting point for Xvid4PSP is the AviC.exe file. Is that right?

[gedas5]

@ eckoeze@yahoo.com

if you check my screenshot above of the settings i use with Xvid4PSP then you'll know what to select. in my mind it gives very good results! maybe coding is a bit slow (that's laptop's fault) :) but results are really good! by the way i've got Canon HF10 so it's almost the same as yours and i think with those settings you'd be happy with the result. Post your findings. Maybe you'll find some better solutions ;)

[nOMERcy]

Hi all.. I just bought a Canon HF200.. I have read almost everything in the forum about converting mts files to avi/Xvid.. Specially the avchd_convert_vimeo has been VERY useful thanks to you scoopafresh! I'm converting the mts files with the "_multi_demux_mts_Xvid_1280x720" because thats the only .bat that works for me. The others work but the sound is way of...

The main problem though.. I havent been able to find anything about joining mts files.. Yes I have tsMuxer but it only gives me m2ts files as output and m2ts does not work with the script... IF I do convert two mts files to Xvid via the script of yours and as you know I get 2 Xvid files.. Would it be a bad idea to join them in Movie Maker or Camtasia Studio??? To get the final output?? Because I seriously don't know what else to do...
Sorry my bad english, tried my best to explain

Thanks!

[Soopafresh]

Try Xvid4PSP instead