Ras,
If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to see 2 hours worth of high bit rate hacked GH2 footage or a few gigs of super high fps into it and video tape it playing for us. I'd buy 5 acers just for your trouble.
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GH2 Device for preview GH2 MTS files
- Thread starter kopan
- Start date
Ras,
If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to see 2 hours worth of high bit rate hacked GH2 footage or a few gigs of super high fps into it and video tape it playing for us. I'd buy 5 acers just for your trouble.
Sol M.
Veteran
Just picked up the 722 for traveling. What player/codec do you use to play back MTS and have you tried playing back footage from an external HD on it? Playback stuttered when tested some MTS files using Media Player Classic and a small external 500GH HD. I will be testing some of the other players and codecs others have mentioned and will report back as well.
I use a 44mbps hack, as I've yet to ever see a demonstrable difference in footage shot at the ludicrously high bit rates. I get totally fluid playback from all .MTS files no matter the size when played directly off of the hard drive on my Acer 722. Note: this only works in Windows Media Player; VLC player does stutter.
My guess is that the SSD (approx $90) makes all the difference; the stock 5400 rpm drive probably just won't cut it. Nor would an external drive, obviously.
Sol M.
Veteran
Color me impressed! I tested some stock GH2 1080/24p files on the Acer 722 and Windows Media player played them flawlessly! Oh, and I was playing them off of a 5400rpm external hard drive (USB 2.0).
I doubt it'll handle any editing, but this little netbook just became a lot cooler in my eyes
I doubt it'll handle any editing, but this little netbook just became a lot cooler in my eyes
I doubt it'll handle any editing, but this little netbook just became a lot cooler in my eyes
You'd be surprised - in a pinch, it can handle light projects rather well (obviously only from the internal drive, since it doesn't have firewire). I've even done some AfterEffects work on it, and it isn't nearly as bad as you might think. For about $250-$300, it's quite the little beast. A nice complement to its bigger brother, my 15" Macbook Pro.
Bah... really? All these suggestions. And no one even thought of getting a 2nd hand Macbook Air or a 13inch Pro model.
Im not touting macs are the best or anything. Just, I know macs better then I know PCs.
I know, that a mac 2-3 years old can still play any AVCHD file just fine with only about 4gigs of RAM.
I have a few Macs the oldest one an, iMac Late 2009 - 4G RAM - Core Duo 3.06Ghz... and it plays all my GH2 files just fine (MplayerX and VLC are my go-to players).
You want something small and cheap, and I think you could probably find one of these used models for like $500 or less.
Plus, the screen and colors are ALWAYS going to be pretty good. I've gotten a few PC laptops and had some odd screen and color problems..because of cheaper LCDs.
Im not touting macs are the best or anything. Just, I know macs better then I know PCs.
I know, that a mac 2-3 years old can still play any AVCHD file just fine with only about 4gigs of RAM.
I have a few Macs the oldest one an, iMac Late 2009 - 4G RAM - Core Duo 3.06Ghz... and it plays all my GH2 files just fine (MplayerX and VLC are my go-to players).
You want something small and cheap, and I think you could probably find one of these used models for like $500 or less.
Plus, the screen and colors are ALWAYS going to be pretty good. I've gotten a few PC laptops and had some odd screen and color problems..because of cheaper LCDs.
M. Gilden
Canon DSLR Moderator
No one suggested that because for $500 you can get a pretty decent entry level editing PC laptop. I bought a mid-range i5 with Win7 over a year ago for about that price, and its still my main editing-on-the-go workstation. These days you can find them used for much cheaper, or get something better.
If you're a mac-only sort of guy, that's one thing. But since the OP opened with recommendations for Android tablets, I don't think that is the case. He just wants something fully functional for the money.
That being said, a budget conscious netbook for $250 seems to be an awesome recommendation. I personally like the instant on concept of casual computing that comes with a tablet, but it may not be so practical in this situation (although I do see it as doable).
M. Gilden
Canon DSLR Moderator
:
oints to previous posts regarding Acer 722::http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/series/aspireone722
To clarify...because obviously, my suggestion was taken in the wrong direction.
I know both platforms, however my experience is with Macs mostly.
I know, that the Macbook Air and the 13" pros can handle almost any type of media file you throw at it...MTS included. The form factor falls within the netbook range.
I only suggested "another" alternative for the OP to consider...
Sure, they are a myriad of PCs out there... like the Acer that can play MTS files. But its a real "question" which can play back .MTS and which ones are netbook/tablet size?, so i simply suggested something thats a "sure thing".
Which just happens to be a mac.
Give more criteria, and i can provide a more specific answer. Im simply meeting whats been given.
I know both platforms, however my experience is with Macs mostly.
I know, that the Macbook Air and the 13" pros can handle almost any type of media file you throw at it...MTS included. The form factor falls within the netbook range.
I only suggested "another" alternative for the OP to consider...
Sure, they are a myriad of PCs out there... like the Acer that can play MTS files. But its a real "question" which can play back .MTS and which ones are netbook/tablet size?, so i simply suggested something thats a "sure thing".
Which just happens to be a mac.
Give more criteria, and i can provide a more specific answer. Im simply meeting whats been given.
Not really. I have the i7 17" MacBook and I cannot play .MTS files right off the card in anything other than VLC, and it does a poor job. I have to transcode first, or purchase a utility like ClipWrap in order to convert .MTS to .MOV.
With a Windows-based system, you can pull up the files right off the card in Windows Media Player and they play perfectly fine.
Then your mac is obviously not configured/setup right.
I can play and convert any .MTS off the card on an old 2009 iMac.
Yes: VLC, MPlayerX, Roxio Video Player, Lightroom 4, RewrapAVCHD (Free), 5DtoRGB, Free MTS M2TS Converter, FCP X, CS5.5 and CS6, Clipwrap, etc...(too name a few)
I think my old work's 2007 iMac can play AVCHD just fine as well. (I only tested 1 file...but it ran just fine.)
Most computers, including PCs need something like VLC to also read various files. But yes, macs dont support AVCHD natively, so you must go through 3rd party apps.
I hardly think thats a problem, having to preview your AVCHD files though a 3rd party FREE applications?
If your editing AVCHD, there are now programs that will edit it natively without the need to transcode... But the question was about "Previewing," which a simple free app can solve.
Macs dont support AVCHD natively, so yes... even your i7 PB wont play it natively. So a FREE program like VLC or MPlayerX is need....
i recommend trying out MPlayerX over VLC... seems to play much faster and will continue to play all your clips that are in sequence numbers. But if your i7 is struggling even in those programs... then you need to look at other issues with you PB, like the card reader or hard drive is full, etc...
I can play and convert any .MTS off the card on an old 2009 iMac.
Yes: VLC, MPlayerX, Roxio Video Player, Lightroom 4, RewrapAVCHD (Free), 5DtoRGB, Free MTS M2TS Converter, FCP X, CS5.5 and CS6, Clipwrap, etc...(too name a few)
I think my old work's 2007 iMac can play AVCHD just fine as well. (I only tested 1 file...but it ran just fine.)
Most computers, including PCs need something like VLC to also read various files. But yes, macs dont support AVCHD natively, so you must go through 3rd party apps.
I hardly think thats a problem, having to preview your AVCHD files though a 3rd party FREE applications?
If your editing AVCHD, there are now programs that will edit it natively without the need to transcode... But the question was about "Previewing," which a simple free app can solve.
Macs dont support AVCHD natively, so yes... even your i7 PB wont play it natively. So a FREE program like VLC or MPlayerX is need....
i recommend trying out MPlayerX over VLC... seems to play much faster and will continue to play all your clips that are in sequence numbers. But if your i7 is struggling even in those programs... then you need to look at other issues with you PB, like the card reader or hard drive is full, etc...
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M. Gilden
Canon DSLR Moderator
So the bottom line, basically, is:
Certain used macbooks (ones that are at least recent enough to have the right processor) will play mts files. When configured properly with the right software installed, and will probably cost you around $500.
Which is the same price as a mid-range PC laptop, which is more than capable of playing and editing MTS files natively out of the box, and more than double the price of the much-more-portable netbook-class devices which are also pretty capable of playing them out of the box (especially if using WMP). And those easily fit in places that even the smallest Macbooks won't (my wife used to carry her purple aspire one in her purse). Since the OP opened with asking about tablets, portability appears to be important. He didn't ask for a laptop.
And then you wonder why no one else offered a used macbook as a recommendation? ::scratches head::
Sol M.
Veteran
No go with Vegas Pro 10; I get 1-2 fps on timeline playback (regardless of quality setting). What NLE did you use where you had decent performance?
M. Gilden
Canon DSLR Moderator
I guess 1-2 fps would classify as "pinch" performance. Not something you'd like to do, but if you're on location and need to make a change, you can.
I have edited standard 480p media for a DVD master while on an airplane using my wife's netbook. Obviously no where near as intensive as AVCHD, but I must admit that I was impressed that this little purple toy could actually do some of my work on the go. I don't know if I'd be comfortable using it for HD editing, but if I were in that situation again I'd be happy to get at least 1-2 fps, and RAM preview transitions and parts that I need to see smoothly. Better than an iPad or tablet that offers no editing options whatsoever.
skibovision
Active member
I have the acer aspire 4830TG i5 2.5 GHZ (4 virtual cores) 8GB RAM and I play back hacked and unhacked footage smoothly in windows media player from sd card. i transcode to cineform avi using the cineform codec from the gopro website and converting in adobe media encoder. It as an nvidia geforce gt540m graphics card in it which can be unlocked easily with a simple program for mercury playback.
I'm using cs 5.5 but I think in cs6 any gpu can use mercury playback
I'm using cs 5.5 but I think in cs6 any gpu can use mercury playback
@M. Gilden
Yes, I know there are tons of PC for a much lower price that can do similar to that of a "Mac", I just am not that familiar with the different PCs options available.
But as I stated earlier, more details/requirements the more specific solutions we can offer.
Simple Playback, it seems the price range and size of the Acer is the best solution... as well as simple backup needs, as the OP required.
My suggestion for a simliar sized device (Netbook/tablet) that was under the $1k mark, and can playback, backup, and even edit .mts files was merely food for thought.
Configurations and software are frankly pretty straightforward.... plain and simple, any mac made within the last 4-5 years will playback .mts files (MPlayerX which is free will do a good job).
The air and 13"PB are in that size range of the netbook, but for a little more cost then a netbook, you can have the ability to edit... and still stay under the $500.
But its just my helping suggestion.
Yes, I know there are tons of PC for a much lower price that can do similar to that of a "Mac", I just am not that familiar with the different PCs options available.
But as I stated earlier, more details/requirements the more specific solutions we can offer.
Simple Playback, it seems the price range and size of the Acer is the best solution... as well as simple backup needs, as the OP required.
My suggestion for a simliar sized device (Netbook/tablet) that was under the $1k mark, and can playback, backup, and even edit .mts files was merely food for thought.
Configurations and software are frankly pretty straightforward.... plain and simple, any mac made within the last 4-5 years will playback .mts files (MPlayerX which is free will do a good job).
The air and 13"PB are in that size range of the netbook, but for a little more cost then a netbook, you can have the ability to edit... and still stay under the $500.
But its just my helping suggestion.