An example of the sorts of resources I was talking about in my last post.
Just as Rick arrived yesterday I was talking to Gusztav, a friend who's been struggling with a new camera because his current editing package doesn't read the files it produces. I was getting a little boggled by the .mts files he was looking at and not linking this to an issue I know about - which is that older kit really doesn't like AVCHD. Talking to Rick I realised that this was what the issue was. So I managed to google a few solutions and suggest them - I don't know if it helped.
Anyway, last night I searched on "AVCHD to AVI conversion tutorial" and found a some relevant resources. I liked the look of http://www.winxdvd.com/how-to-convert/avchd-to-avi-converter.htm, which promises up to 15X real time conversion rates. The tutorial is more of an advert for a piece of software, but download the software and you get 15 days to try it out before it starts watermarking the output, and it's only $30 for the licence. I had to try it - it is fast, writing 60-80 fps at 1080p.
Another option comes of out searching "avchd to avi freeware", which turned up http://www.brothersoft.com/free-avchd-converter-download-236601.html, which is from a company I've heard of. No idea if the perfomance is better or worse, but two options has to be OK. Well the truth is that there are hundreds of programmes out there. It also looked like you could use Handbrake which is a good open source program I've used on a Mac.
Now's the interesting part - you can look at people using the thing in action. So there's a tutorial for handbrake at:
and another for the edit package I have (Vegas Pro):
These don't have amazing production values compared to something slick like this Apple seminar http://www.seminars.apple.com/seminarsonline/newsandsports/apple/index.html?s=203&locs=us_en, but they don't need to. The point is I learnt enough from watching them to see another 2 solutions to Gusztav's issue, and as a bonus on a click through from one of them picked up something in the comments thread that really made sense too. Not bad for half an hours digging, and really I could have stopped after 10 minutes. I don't know how long I could have gone on for, but my feeling now is that this is a very, very bounteous well to draw on.
I have been using a Panasonic AG-HMC151. It is a great piece of tech. I have worked with it in all conditions where tape would die.
ReplyDeleteThe best way of getting a reliable video file from AVCHD in to the editing system you are using to to firstly make sure it supports the format. Most package such as premiere have a transcode tool to import AVCHD. In the Case of Final Cut Pro you are given an option in the transcoding tool to either use Apple Pro Res or HDV. I have tried to use some early versions of these tools in the past and found that the video quality is not great and that in some cases I have had sync issues with the audio.
AVCHD is a great format for archiving ruahes. Most cameras tend to record to SD CARD. Full resolution AVCHD tends to require at least a class 6 card, whereas the latest XDCAM cameras need something like a class 10. You can take the SDCARD and create a AVCHD archive disc. Depending on the size of the card will denote the media you use such as data DVD or Blu-Ray. The great thing about AVCHD archive discs is that they will play in most Blu-Ray set top boxes. They are also recognised by the editing system as a source to transcode from. Toast and Nero 10 are both examples of software that can create AVCHD archive media.