AVCHD editing - No problem at all.

B

BhambuNath

Well-known member
Hello Friends,

Just thought I should post it for those who haven't yet tried to edit the AVCHD footage on their current computer setups.

Before I got the GH1, all I heard was how hard it is to edit the AVCHD footage without using something very powerful(like i7) and I was always under expression that I'll have to transcode the footage for editing on my dual core AMD 64x 5200.

What I find is that my computer handles AVCHD pretty smooth using Vegas Platinum Studio 9 and I do not need to transcode it before editing. Here are my computer specs.

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Processor: AMD 64x 5200

RAM: dual channel 4GB 800mhz

Graphics card: Nvidia GEforce 8500 512MB

2 Hard Disks 7200 RPM

Windows XP service pack 2.
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Just make sure that all the irrevelant services that run in the background are turned off and your OS is optimized for dedicated editing.

From Vegas, I'm exporting with Lagarith codec for my workflow but I did not have any problem rendering to AVCHD.

Bye.
 
I have 2Gb of RAM, and a slower processor at that on the laptop I'm writing from. At first I thought I couldn't use it for AVCHD editing, as Premiere (Yes, it's windows.) didn't even like properly transcoded files. However, I installed Vegas, and it's smooth! I can edit 1080p just fine with Vegas, which I was quite amazed by. It seems to work pretty much flawless with AVCHD.
 
Here with a quad core PC with 2 GB memory, which works well with other packages, Vegas wasn't happy at all working with AVCHD. Funny things, computers.

Well, I suspect Vegas likes more memory than mine. And the phrase "which works well with other packages" may be the clue - sometimes having one package installed will mess with another, particularly when codecs are involved, and maybe I've got too many on board now.

I recall seeing lots of reports that a certain Adobe package (not video) was giving trouble on many users' PCs. Then we realised that the common factor was the use of Logitech mouse drives (not that the problems seemed at all mouse-related). I wrote a little routine which would temporarily turn off those drivers while using the package and hey presto, end of people's problems. Like I said, funny things, computers.

I do like the way Vegas works - apart from the glaring white interface, which seems a bit out of place (maybe there's a way round that), and I'll certainly try the next release, but this one doesn't suit me at all.

For sheer speed I've not found anything better than CyberLink PowerDirector 8, which makes good use of Cuda and other graphics card accelerators, but of course speed is one thing but features is another.
 
No problems with FCP7 either

No problems with FCP7 either

Happy to report my first transfer from the archive drive into FCP7 went swimmingly through Log and Transfer by setting the drop down menu for AVCHD to import ProRes LT. Absolutely no issues with 1080 or 720. I also conformed some 720 footage through Cinema Tools to 24p for silky smooth slo-mo. There is nothing difficult about editing AVCHD in FCP7 with Mac.
 
chrisccw said:
Happy to report my first transfer from the archive drive into FCP7 went swimmingly through Log and Transfer by setting the drop down menu for AVCHD to import ProRes LT. Absolutely no issues with 1080 or 720. I also conformed some 720 footage through Cinema Tools to 24p for silky smooth slo-mo. There is nothing difficult about editing AVCHD in FCP7 with Mac.
Click to expand...
which mac?
 
>There is nothing difficult about editing AVCHD in FCP7 (Mac)

You edit transcode footage and not directly AVCHD. I use Neoscene for the same purpose.
 
chrisccw said:
Happy to report my first transfer from the archive drive into FCP7 went swimmingly through Log and Transfer by setting the drop down menu for AVCHD to import ProRes LT. Absolutely no issues with 1080 or 720. I also conformed some 720 footage through Cinema Tools to 24p for silky smooth slo-mo. There is nothing difficult about editing AVCHD in FCP7 with Mac.
Click to expand...

LOL, that's because you're editing ProRes. I don't believe FCP can edit AVCHD at all.
 
>I don't believe FCP can edit AVCHD at all.

No it only can import. That is why I convert with Neoscene. Not even sure it is good idea to use AVCHD directly for color corrections and grading.
 
Editing AVCHD directly with Premiere CS4

Editing AVCHD directly with Premiere CS4

I'm considering a GH1 to replace my Canon HV30. I have Premiere CS3 and am thinking about upgrading to CS4. I've read that you can edit AVCHD directly in CS4. Some questions though...

  • Is my information correct?

  • What are the limits to direct editing AVCHD? In CS4?

  • Can you color grade AVCHD directly using something like Magic Bullet Looks? Limitations?

  • What is your workflow? When do you render? At what point would you remove pulldown? Would you use Neoscene?
I appreciate any feedback.

Thanks and regards,

Dan.
 
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I would transcode to a 10 bit 4:2:2 codec to do color correction. I don't even like to color correct in DVCPro HD.

I do not use neoscene, I mostly shoot 720p footage and I just put it right into final cut as ProRes LT, and drop it right into a 24p timeline, sometimes converting it with compressor if just dropping it in doesn't hold up on some shots.

I render whenever I see a red bar and want to playback? Not that hard to deal with.

I edit on pretty old hardware and everything does just fine. I have a feeling that once I'm back at school I'll be going in and using a MacPro to handle my rendering.
 
On the Adobe forums I've seen comments to the effect that Premiere CS4.1 fixes AVCHD problems which showed up in the original CS4. I'd search for "AVCHD" on the Adobe forums and see what problems end users there are reporting.
 
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