Hi,
Please could somebody advise me on the best way to make 1080/50p video files useable in AMC? Is there a convertor I can use? I've found a few help related topics to do with Macs but not PC's.
Also, I work for a charity and have to keep costs to an absolute minimum, so any free software or convertor suggestions would be great.
As this is the best setting on my camcorder I'd like to shoot the majority of my footage with it, but at the moment I've got unuseable files, sat waiting as they won't import directly.
Out of interest, will the process of making them useable affect the quality? I'm just thinking that if it does, I may as well use the setting that isn't quite so good, but is able to be imported directly into AMC.
I would really appreciate some advice,
Kat
What do you need to use the files for? There isn't much that can playback 50p currently.
25fps is the broadcast frame rate for UK and europe (so it's good enough for TV)
If you want ahigher rate for web video you could shoot 30fps (or 29.97)
Broadcast & Post Production Consultant / Trainer Avid Certified Instructor VET (Retired Early 2022)
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Hi Pat,
Thank you for getting back to me. I filmed at this setting when I first used the camera - before I discovered they'd be problmematic (I previously thought the best choice was to film on the best setting).
I don't plan on using this setting again but I do have these video files I need to edit. I read that if I transcode to 720p50, this may be the best solution, but I'm unsure how to do this?
Going forawrds, I'm going to set my Panasonic HDC-SD900 to the record setting 'HA1920', which I believe is 1080p25 AVCHD 17Mbps. Do you think this is good enough quality for both TV and web videos?
Many thanks,
Whats the final output of the content for?
UK broadcasters are moving (Most are already there) to 50mbps minimum and loking to 100mbps in the future for acquisition and AVCHD just doesn't get close.
The other current complication with Media Composer is issues with AVCHD format support. I believe some flavours of AVCHD that use variable GOP (not variable bit rate) won't AMA or import into MC.
So you'd have to test to be sure the recordings worked ok. 17mbps is painfully low but you don't really have any options looking at the camera specs. the 50P has a higher datarate but you have double the frame rate so the compression is even higher....
To convert the 50P into 25P you need additional software but it needs to be able to decode the AVCHD source files and then make Avid friendly media for easier input to MC.
Thank you for the advice regarding the conversion. Is there any additional software you would recommend?
The final output for the content is to be uploaded to YouTube and also onto DVD so that it can be played out on large TV screens when required. None of it is for TV broadcast at present.
In terms of improving the standard of output, I believe this is done during the export process, is that right?
Currently I'm exporting as a QuickTime Movie: 'Compression: MPEG-4 Video' 'Quality: High' 'Frame rate: 30' 'Key frame rate: 24' and 'Bitrate: 6400 kbits/sec
This is what I'm using for the videos I upload to the web. Do you have any suggestions about how to export so that the quality is good enough for a large TV screen?
Again, I apologise if any of my questions seem obvious, but it's crucial for me to get it right and without anyone I work with able to help it's a bit worrying. I'm much more creative than techy so all a huge learning curve for me. Any advice you have on export settings will be VERY much appreciated!
Forgot to mention, the export setting I'm using is, 'Untitled'. Do you think this is right for what I'm doing? If not, which other setting would you suggest?
Thank you,
I have a workflow posted, maybe it´s on the Mac side but workflow is the same.
Squeeze and transcoding to J2k, then ama link - transcode or fast import fixes this .
Tomas
You want your export frame rate to match your content frame rate so not 30fps.
Ideally you wnat the export to be as low compression as you can manage in terms of final file size and your limit on upload to youtube.
You export setting is called untitled because you haven't done a save as in the options to create a template yet. Not an issue but it's easier to do a save as of your settinsg so you can switch between them easily by name.
Katherine - I have a HDC-SD707 model (equivalent to the 700 model) which also does 1080/50p. It is stunning footage - shame we can't use it! It goes to about 28Mbps in this mode.With your Panasonic you should have got Panasonic's 'HD Writer AE' software. You can use this software to convert the 1080/50p footage to 1080/50i. There is other stuff out there which can take you from 1080/50p to 720/50p which I believe MC can import but I've not tried this route.If you don't have the software, use this link to download it (I've uploaded it for you): http://www.mediafire.com/?28zygexxjdfp5cb.Once you've installed the software, remove the battery from the camera and power it via the adapter. Connect it to the PC via the USB cable. Lauch the software and it should read your SD card in the camera. Use the software to copy the footage to the hard drive ('Copy to PC' icon top left). If you copy the files straight from the SD card, the software won't recognise those files. You may want to change the default folder of where it will put the footage: Tools -> Settings -> General -> Registered folder.Once you've copied the files, the footage should appear in the main window. I would make a sub-folder in the folder it creates to store your converted footage. Select the clip(s) you are interested in converting and then do: Tools -> Movie -> Format conversion. Just follow the menus. You'll get to a window where you can select the folder in which to save the converted footage.What it will do is use the camera to do the conversion which is a lot faster than doing it in software. It acts like a hardware acccelerator. Hopefully, if all goes well, then you should have your converted file. This you can AMA or import into MC6.I would personally shoot in 1080/50p and then just convert using Panasonic's software. That way you always have the footage in the highest resolution.Hopefully, this will work for you.Regards
Mohammed
http://dreamvalley.net
mtahir: Katherine - I have a HDC-SD707 model (equivalent to the 700 model) which also does 1080/50p. It is stunning footage - shame we can't use it! It goes to about 28Mbps in this mode.With your Panasonic you should have got Panasonic's 'AE Writer' software. You can use this software to convert the 1080/50p footage to 1080/50i. There is other stuff out there which can take you from 1080/50p to 720/50p which I believe MC can import but I've not tried this route.
Katherine - I have a HDC-SD707 model (equivalent to the 700 model) which also does 1080/50p. It is stunning footage - shame we can't use it! It goes to about 28Mbps in this mode.With your Panasonic you should have got Panasonic's 'AE Writer' software. You can use this software to convert the 1080/50p footage to 1080/50i. There is other stuff out there which can take you from 1080/50p to 720/50p which I believe MC can import but I've not tried this route.
as already said, Squeeze and J2K can do this, no need for external software in that case but you need to be on Avid 6,5
I don't have MC6.5, not sure if Katherine is, but I find the conversion using the Panasonic camera to convert the file in hardware really quick and easy to use plus it's also free.
mtahir: I'm not on MC6.5, not sure if Katherine is, but I find the conversion using the Panasonic camera to convert the file in hardware really quick and easy to use plus it's also free.
I'm not on MC6.5, not sure if Katherine is, but I find the conversion using the Panasonic camera to convert the file in hardware really quick and easy to use plus it's also free.
and so is Squeeze if you have MC 6 and up
Is that Squeeze 8 with CUDA support for the graphics card? I don't have that either I'm afraid on my FX3500.
mtahir: Is that Squeeze 8 with CUDA support for the graphics card? I don't have that either I'm afraid on my FX3500.
It´s Cuda " support " and not Cuda " need " and it works well on all systems, also those with uncertified videocards.
It´s included for free with the 64 bits versions of Avid
So, if you have MC6 and have CUDA cores on your graphics card, then MC6 will make use of them? Am I understanding this correctly? I remember seeing a setting in Squeeze 8 about this and thought perhaps this is something for compresison tools only to support. The FX 3700/3800 has CUDA cores, if I'm not mistaken.
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