AVCHD to AVI

1. yeeman
   Member

   

    Sorry for asking a common question again: I just purchased a Panasonic HDC-HS100 & want suggestions for an EASY to use & understand software to convert from AVCHD to AVI.

   Posted 2 years ago #

2. XTR-91
   Member

   

   There are a number of converters around. Note that most editing software (particularly consumer brand) does not suppot AVC-HD. Anyway, converting to MPEG or any other more compressed format kills quality. DV-AVI is probably your best shot. Doing a search (freedownloadscenter.com) for an AVCHD to AVI converter, this is what showed up:

   http://www.avchdconverter.org/

   Posted 2 years ago #

3. Cyberlink
   Member

   

   yeeman,
   Can I ask why you want to convert to AVI? ou can easily edit AVCHD without converting, if you use the right software. It's better to preserve the full quality of the AVCHD footage.

   Remember that if you want to create DVDs, you will have to convert the video to MPEG-2. Each time you convert from one format to another, you will lose some quality. Of course, you will lose a lot of resolution if you convert from AVCHD to DV-AVI (you will be going from HD to standard definition).

   Tom
   Cyberlink

   Posted 2 years ago #

4. yeeman
   Member

   

    I'm planning on creating an instructional video ( instrumnetal music ) & a friend with all MAC equipment had mentioned that he preferred AVI files if possible & separate WAV files that he will sync together.....this is when I had a mini-DV camcorder. Now, with this HD/non tape camera, a whole new can of worms has opened up. I was used to working with AVI myself in the past. No involved editing, just very basic editing with Windows Movie Maker, which I understand does not support HD video. Doesn't AVI files burn to DVD discs ? AVI is better quality than MPEG-2 ?

    

    

   Posted 2 years ago #

5. NormanWillis
   Member

   

   Cineform NeoScene.

   http://www.videoguys.com/Item/CineForm+Neo+Scene+PC/54E4543435F454E4.aspx

   Posted 2 years ago #

6. XTR-91
   Member

   

   Cyberlink: Of course, you will lose a lot of resolution if you convert from AVCHD to DV-AVI (you will be going from HD to standard definition).

   There are two types of AVI formats: Windows AVI and DV-AVI. I am not an expert with Windows AVI, but DV-AVI is a raw (nearly uncompressed) video format. Both DV and HDV camcorders use this format. The reliability of DV-AVI is that you do not lose quality in the process when converting Standard or HD video.

   Like Cyberlink said, if your editing software supports AVCHD, there is no need to convert. If you need to convert, however, DV-AVI is probably the best choice to ensure no loss.

   Yeeman: Doesn't AVI files burn to DVD discs ? AVI is better quality than MPEG-2 ?

   Good question - MPEG-2 video is compressed; DV-AVI is not. If you think about it though, there is probably no noticeable difference. MPEG-2 generally takes longer to encode and export, while AVI would take longer to import. Computers cannot capture from DV camcorders any faster than the tape can play, so there is no need for compressed video. All DVDs use their special codec, so all content burned to DVDs is converted to MPEG-2.

   Posted 2 years ago #

7. yeeman
   Member

   

    Hmmmm....so when I convert the AVCHD ( M2TS ) file to AVI ( or WMV ) using AVS video converter, why is the video pixalated ?

   ( & what do I have to do to correct this ? )

   Posted 2 years ago #

8. Aspyrider
   Member

   

   Magix Movie Edit Pro and Video Pro X will edit AVCHD. http://www.magix.com

   Posted 2 years ago #

9. XTR-91
   Member

   

   When converting, make sure the format is DV-AVI, not Windows AVI. Also - WMV is a lossy format. If you are still having this problem, you should check the settings for your output format (resolution, audio sample rate, etc.)

   Posted 2 years ago #

10. Cyberlink
    Member

    

    You and I never work with uncompressed video.  All popular video codecs use lossy compression, including DV which compresses the video bitstream approximately 10:1 (including chroma subsampling).  DV uses spatial compression on each picture, similar to creating a JPEG image (but slightly different than JPEG).  DV does not use temporal compression (inter-frame compression, where some video frames are expressed in terms of the preceding or following frames).  MPEG-2 and AVC (H.264) are more efficient codecs than DV, achieving a lower bitrate for a given level of quality.  They use both intra-frame and inter-frame compression.  DV is standard definition video only (720x480 pixel picture size in NTSC land).  AVCHD, on the other hand, is normally shot in high definition (1440x1080 or 1920x1080 pixels), although it is possible to shoot standard def AVCHD (a contradiction in terms... should we call it AVCSD?).

    I think the more important issue is whether you want to preserve the video in high definition while you are editing, or not.  If you would like to save the final video in HD, you'll want to edit it in AVCHD format.  Generally it's a better workflow to preserve your camcorder's full quality through the editing process.  This lets you choose from a variety of output formats when you are finished, and your video software should be able to do an optimal conversion in each case.  Every time your video is rendered and re-encoded, it loses quality.  Ultimately, when you create a DVD title your video software will have to render the frames and re-encode the video to MPEG-2.  Ideally, this would be the one and only time your video is re-encoded.

    I would recommend Cyberlink PowerDirector 7 (naturally... I work for Cyberlink).  Cyberlink's patented Smart Video Rendering Technology lets you edit AVCHD directly.  For scenes that don't include effects, transitions or overlays, PowerDirector will transfer the full, original camcorder video to your AVCHD output or Blu-ray disc.  This is both faster and higher quality than the alternative - rendering and re-encoding the video.  PowerDirector will also take advantage of your ATI or nVidia graphics board, using the graphics processor to speed up effects and encoding.

    If your friend will edit your video on the Mac, check to see if he has an update version of iMovie, which can handle AVCHD directly.  Then you can hand him your camcorder, and he can capture the video directly.

    Tom

    Posted 2 years ago #

11. XTR-91
    Member

    

    DV-AVI is not entirely, but very near to lossless, and is also very large. That is why hard disk camcorders do not use it.

    Posted 2 years ago #

12. NormanWillis
    Member

    

    Yeeman,

    >>I was used to working with AVI myself in the past. No involved editing, just very basic editing with Windows Movie Maker, which I understand does not support HD video.

    WMM in XP does not support HD.  WMM in the more advanced versions of Vista (I think Business, and Ultimate for sure) do support HD in WMM. 

    But there are some better editing programs out there that will give you lots more options, for not that much money.

    I hope that helps.

    Norman

    Posted 2 years ago #

13. yeeman
    Member

    

     I just tried to play back the MTS/M2TS video file in WMM / Vista Business and only the audio comes out, video is just the black screen.

    Depending on how I extract the video file....different software,USB cable ( from HDD/SD card ) directly from SD card, etc....the file will be either the MTS or M2TS.

    Does it matter which one I use when converting to something else ?

                                                                                                         Thanx

    BTW......can someone recommend an easy to use program for converting AVCHD that HAS phone support in the U.S ?

    I have the Panasonic HDC-HS100 camcorder.

    Posted 2 years ago #

14. NormanWillis
    Member

    

    Hi Yeeman.

    Have you checked out Cineform NeoScene?

    Norman

    Posted 2 years ago #

15. yeeman
    Member

    

     That Cineform seems to involve MUCH more than what I need.......I just need basic conversion.....thanx, anyway.

    Posted 2 years ago #

16. zoobie
    Member

    

    Your cam didn't come with software?

    See if Corel/Ulead Video Studio 11 editor which handles AVCHD natively saves as AVI...cheap on ebay.

    There also are newer versions out like Pro X...

    Interestingly, although MSP is still available (because it runs on Windows 7), VS is the only editor now currently produced by Corel/Ulead

    Another world's first! - http://www.BuskerAlley.com - Busker HD on the web!
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    Posted 2 years ago #

17. yeeman
    Member

    

     The software that came with the camcorder could burn the the AVCHD file in the cam memory

    straight to disc in MPEG-2.

    I just want AVCHD converted to AVI files at this point....no editing.

    There's tons of stuff out there, I just wanted recommendations.

    Posted 2 years ago #

18. zoobie
    Member

    

    Try Xvid4PSP. It's free and seems to work well.

    Posted 2 years ago #

19. EarlC
    Moderator

    

    I thought you used Sony Vegas. What do you mean by it "seems" to work well? Have you actually USED Xvid4PSP in a production or test series? You stated that Vegas sometimes seems like a "toy" to you in another thread, but at the end of your post said you continue to use it. Why?

    Posted 2 years ago #

20. zoobie
    Member

    

    Yes, I've used Xvid4PSP several times when converting where Vegas just throws an error.

    Xvid4PSP works very well with high quality encodes but sometimes, especially on my longer clips of ten minutes, it may throw an error itself...so I keep my clips short. I've only used it for m2t=>x264/mp4 but others have reported great success with this ap. Most of the high quality HD x264/mp4 clips on the site in my signature were made with Xvid4PSP.

    Don't let the name fool you. As of this writing, Xvid4PSP is one of the very best converters out there...and it's free.

    Posted 2 years ago #

21. Tom Skowronski
    Staff

    

     Does Xvid4PSP create clean looking files? Cause all the other ones discussed I seem to run into trouble with the video breaking up.

    Associate Editor
    tskowronski@videomaker.com
    VM Customer Support: 1-800-284-3226

    Posted 2 years ago #

22. Tom Skowronski
    Staff

    

     And actually the only program that I've seen handle AVCHD without  big probs is Vegas 9. Everything else has just died when you start to cut the AVCHD footage

    Posted 2 years ago #

23. zoobie
    Member

    

    It may make a good article for one of the guys to test. Handbrake is another but I've never used it. Can Vegas Pro 9 move the x264/mp4 meta data to the front? You need a lot of horsepower to edit AVCHD...A lot have to buy a whole new computer to edit it. It seems there's 2 programs released every week now and it would be hard to catch up on all of them.

    Posted 2 years ago #

24. Adventure
    Member

    

     <span style="font-size: x-small;">

    Hey Cyberlink, just a quick question since I cant seem to find it on the Cyberlink website and came across your post here. Are you stating that if I edit my AVCHD video in power director 7 ultra and just edit as in cut and split the video and add no effects this will then render to AVCHD file without any loss in quality (Lossless format) Also what about if I add chapters to my project does this make a difference and is there a way of telling whether power director is re-encoding my project or not.

    Thanks

    </span>

    Posted 2 years ago #

25. williamfrantz
    Member

    

    My camera is the Panasonic HDC-SD1.  Like others have mentioned, for editing, I import AVCHD into iMovie '09.  Keep in mind, the import is a lossy step since it converts the H.264 stream into Apple Intermediate Codec.  After I'm done editing, I want a DivX AVI file but iMovie won't export to DivX so I export to Quicktime Animation Codec at 100% quality (lossless) and then use MPEG Streamclip to convert that into a DivX AVI file.  So I suffer two quality reductions from AVCHD->AIC then from AIC->DivX but I'm typically happy with the results.

    Many times I don't want to make any edits.  In that case I use DivX Converter ("Pro" is $20) which will convert directly from AVCHD MTS to AVI in a variety of resolutions and bitrates.  I have a DivX 720 HD set-top box on my TV (the DivX Connected D-Link DSM-330).  So I usually convert my 1080i H.264/AC3 AVCHD MTS files into 720p MPEG4 ASP/AC3 DivX AVI files using DivX Converter.  It works great and there's an option to copy the original audio track without re-encoding it.  So my only quality loss is going from 1080i H.264 to 720p ASP but my box only plays 720p video anyway so it's no big deal.  There's no loss in audio quality.  It's the next best thing to connecting my camera directly to me TV (which is inconvenient).

    BTW, DivX 7 Player will play H.264/AC3/MKV files which are very close to AVCHD H.264/AC3/MTS files except for the file container.  So on my PC, I will sometimes use TsMuxeR to break up the MTS file and then use MKVMerge to put the streams into an MKV file.  That's a fast operation that does not require transcoding the audio or video.  Once I have an MKV file, it will play great in DivX 7 Player on my PC.  There aren't many players that properly play MTS files.  DivX Player is free.  TsMuxeR and MKVMerge are free.  It's the only free solution I know of to play your AVCHD files without transcoding them first.  Now all I need is a set-top box that can play 1080i H.264/AC3/MKV files.  (They are coming.  Watch for "DivX Plus HD" players.)

    FYI, all media files should be described by their codecs and containers.  For example, most "AVCHD" files are H.264/AC3/MTS.  Most "DivX" files are MPEG4 ASP/MP3/AVI.  Many DivX files are ASP/AC3/AVI.  Simply asking for an "AVI" file isn't descriptive enough since nearly any codec could go inside an AVI file.  However, when noobs ask for an "AVI" file they usually mean a DivX Home Theater profile file which is 720x480 (or less) ASP/MP3/AVI.

    Posted 2 years ago #

26. Cyberlink
    Member

    

    "Are you stating that if I edit my AVCHD video in power director 7 ultra
    and just edit as in cut and split the video and add no effects this
    will then render to AVCHD file without any loss in quality"?

    Yes, that's correct... SVRT (Smart Video Rendering Technology) will preserve the video quality... and you will get your result much faster.  You'll just need to select "Use SVRT" when you create your movie or
    disc (and this only applies to situations where your target video format matches your source, such as HDV to Blu-ray, AVCHD to AVCHD output, or AVCHD to Blu-ray.  One caveat is that frames within a GOP (group of
    pictures) at the beginning or end of an edited segment of video must be
    rendered and re-encoded.

    "what if I add chapters to my project, does this make a difference"?

    Chapters are just reference marks for DVDs or Blu-ray discs. Chapter
    marks are outside of the video stream, and they don't affect it at all.
    I don't think PowerDirector provides any direct feedback when
    SVRT is in effect, but you will notice that PowerDirector creates your
    project much faster than when SVRT is not used.

    William - good info.  Note that AVCHD clips show up as .m2ts files on a Windows PC. 

    AVCHD can be more than just a collection of video clips.  The AVCHD format allows for playlists, and some basic menus and navigation (similar to DVD).  You can create AVCHD titles on DVD which provide HD video without the expense of Blu-ray drives and BD-R discs.  You can play AVCHD titles with PowerDVD, or with most Blu-ray players.  This is a great low cost alternative for full quality HD video for many consumers.  By editing your AVCHD in full quality, you can write your finished production both to DVD, and to AVCHD on DVD or Blu-ray disc.  In a few years, you (or your clients) will be thankful that you preserved the full HD version of your movies.  After all, if you shoot in HD, who wants to watch the finished production in standard def?

    Tom

    Posted 2 years ago #

27. warphead
    Member

    

    thanks for the infos is very helpful for me.

    Canon
    Dirty Piercing

    Posted 2 years ago #

28. jtan
    Member

    

    Im a HD video fans,  and i usually use this video file converter to convert AVCHD to AVI for my BB storm ... It's not bad to do this work.

    Posted 2 years ago #

29. larmes
    Member

    

    AMV Converter  is used to convert video to AMV format supported by some MP3 Players. The imported video formats of Free AMV Converter includes: AVI, ASF, WMV, MPEG/MPG, RM, MOV, VOB, etc. This AMV Converter allows you to play the video files and you should make sure that the relevant codec is intalled. You can also use Free AMV Converter to edit your videos simply, for example, you can trim you video and change video and audio parameters or adjust the aspect ratio and so on. The most important is that the converter is completely free.

    Posted 2 years ago #

30. XTR-91
    Member

    

    "Both DV and HDV camcorders use this format. The reliability of DV-AVI is that you do not lose quality in the process when converting Standard or HD video."

    Wow, this thread as been started nearly (if not over) seven months ago, and I'd have to take back the mistake I said in a post I made above. DV camcorders record DV-AVI, while HDV camcorders record MPEG-2 TS along a "transport stream". DV-AVI is a Standard Definition only format, hence the term "Digital Video" instead of "High Definition Video". DV-AVI does have its limitations just like any other format, and will ease back on quality during a conversion from some other format, but with not much notice.

    Posted 2 years ago #

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