How to edit .WTV files from Hauppauge HD-PVR (H.264/AC3) in Adobe Premiere

[milOtis]

This will be a very informal tutorial, forum-based only, unlike my other ones, because it it mainly just to keep you from pulling your hair out trying to figure out how to make this work (which is what I did), so I am passing along the information.

If you are a very specific user like me, and use Windows Media Center with your Hauppauge HD-PVR to record TV (via DVBlink 2.0), then you know what a pain the resulting .WTV files can be. This also applies to anyone using hardware that captures WTV files using the H.264 video codec with either AC3 or AAC audio. Below is a list of steps that can help you out on how to get your WTV video into Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 without having to re-encode anything (no quality loss). Just for your information, here is my hardware and software setup (you probably have something similar)...

Hardware:
Wall jack --> to U-Verse HD STB via coax--> video out to Hauppauge HD-PVR via Component --> to PC via USB cable

Software:
Windows Media Center
DVBLink for HD-PVR v2.0 (allows the HD-PVR to work with Windows Media Center)

Software Dependencies:
WTV H.264 to TS" (Source: http://dvr-ms.com/wtv-ts.htm - You must buy this one for $30 USD)
VideoReDo TVSuite V4 with H.264 (Source: http://www.videoredo.net/msgBoard/showthread.php?t=15759 - You can use this one in trial/demo mode)

Steps: (Tested on Windows 7 ultimate 64-bit)
1. Record your show, as your normally would, in Windows Media Center
2. Run the "WTV H.264 to TS" software (make sure you are licensed or it will truncate your output file in demo mode
3. Drag and drop your WTV file into the drop-box area, set your desired Output folder, and click "Convert"
4. When it is complete, you may close the 'WTV H.264 to TS' software
5. Run the 'VideoReDo TVSuite 4 with H.264' software
6. Select "Tools", then "QuickStream Fix..."
7. For the input stream, select the TS file created by the first software
8. For the output stream, use the location and filename of your choice, but change the "Save as type" drop-down selection to "H.264 M2TS (*.m2ts)", then click "Save", and then "Start QuickFix"
9. When this completes, you can now import the resulting M2TS file natively into your Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 project, then drag and drop it to your sequence timeline.

Now you can edit it, export it as another format using Adobe Media Encoder, or just save your project, then use Encore to export directly to BD disc or auto-down convert to DVD by using the Dynamic Link option in Encore and selecting your Premiere Pro project sequence.

This leapfrog method from one program to another is currently the only way to do this with WTV files created in Windows Media Center by the Hauppauge HD-PVR. Since it is not re-encoding, but just remuxing the audio and video streams, then you are not losing quality with this method. Soon the 'VideoReDo TVSuite 4 with H.264' software will support the WTV files natively, and you can skip STEPS 1-4, but for now this should work for you Premiere Pro users like me who are wanting to edit WTV files using H.264/AC3 or AAC.

Good luck, and let me know if you have an questions! I use this method weekly.

[milOtis]

Update: The developer of "VideoRedo TVSuite4 with H.264" says he will have a working fix for larger WTV files by the end of the week (the files I tested with that did not work are like 10GB). He said if he cannot get it working by then, he will offer me a refund, since I bought it thinking it would work before I tested it on a larger file (works fine with smaller WTV files, sub-100mb)

[milOtis]

UPDATE: You can still use the above method, or you can just use the VideoReDo software alone now. It can remux to a compatible M2TS or TS file for 3rd party editing programs like Premiere.