Personal Conclusion: AVCHD Windows workflow

L

lirany

Active member
I have done some testing with AVCHD (In winXP) and have come to these conclusions:
1. AVCHD native editing is impossible with Premiere CS4 (unless you have some Core i7 and some nasty Quadro card) and even after that no 720p support means you're kind of stuck... EDIT: 720P is supported with the XDCAM preset but CS4 is SO UNSTABLE!
2. AVCHD native editing is possible with a medium-high-end computer with Edius and Vegas 8.
Vegas has problems with imported 25/50p MTS files, Edius is certainly faster.
3. I thought Edius and Vegas were amazing programs but I don't have yet the right hardware for Real-Time editing and have to stay with Premiere's pre-Render workflow (which I like BTW).
4. Non-Native AVCHD editing in windows has 2 "FREE" solutions:

a. MAinconcept's AVCHD transcoder - Quality suffers a bit but very stable and easy to edit with. For this I would recommend Premiere CS4 since CS3 won't take 1080p transcoded files without further inner transcoding for some reason.
b. DNxHD - Great quality, very fast Transcoding times (Using Avisynth & Avanti(ffmpeg)), works best with Vegas. you get fairly medium sized files at a very good quality(I found it better than P2).
c. Didn't like Cineform, Prospect HD is fast but complicates the process quite a lot.
d. AVCHD upshift - Didn't try it but it sounds good, I will try it soon (if anyone care to share his expriences with it please do) but it's not free, although 50$ is not much if it works. EDIT: I have tested Upshift and it seems to be a solid solution for XDCAM-Like workflow, exporting is fairly fast and files are easy to edit on all NLEs

Conclusion:
Premiere users - For a non-super-high-end computer you'll have to stay with the lower quality P2 workflow. for that to work well you've got to have CS4(EDIT: Or if CS3 is the only way than use Blackmagic's intensity drivers) maybe they'll improve AVCHD engine in the next version who knows...
Vegas/Edius users - Go native if you have the power these 2 programs seemed to be able to eat some AVCHD files without problems (Edius Provided better results).
Without power go for DNxHD it's a great free solution that gives you awesome quality.

That's it,
hope this helps someone...
 
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I would not say editing in CS4 AVCHD is impossible. I am sure that I am not the only one doing it, and on two laptops, maybe what is needed is a CORE 2 DUO, not just a dual core, at over 2 gigs, and 4 gigs ram.

As for 720p, Can't you just set the file up in CS4 to be 1080 24p AVCHD, and then go to general tab and change the size to 1280x720, thus creating a custom preset? I did it and it took the preset, but I don't have 720p files to test.

Cineform works quite well in CS3, it really is like editing DV.,


in CS4, you have to disable the main concept codec, or it will crash., or wait for support.
 
No possible in CS4 Mac.

Go to general tab --- actually no tab, but in preference there is a general -- no way to change size.

Premiere CS4 has hung twice as I type this on a quad core Mac with 6 GB/s ram
 
do you have an alternative so i can work with 720 60p in Vegas? That seems to be the only frame rate that doesn't work well for me in veags.
 
The current workaround to Premiere CS4's lack of 720p AVCHD editing presets is to use the XDCAM editing presets. Choose the 720p XDCAM preset that matches your footage and the files should import without any problems and will not require rendering from within the timeline (AKA, no red line above the timeline).

The XDCAM presets are the closest thing you are going to find to native 720p AVCHD presets from the current version of Premiere CS4, but it will not improve realtime playback. Even with a quad core chip oc'd to 3.0GHz, 4GB of RAM and a Quadro FX 1700 graphics card, realtime playback of PH mode AVCHD footage is not present.
 
digitalcapturegroup said:
The current workaround to Premiere CS4's lack of 720p AVCHD editing presets is to use the XDCAM editing presets. Choose the 720p XDCAM preset that matches your footage and the files should import without any problems and will not require rendering from within the timeline (AKA, no red line above the timeline).

The XDCAM presets are the closest thing you are going to find to native 720p AVCHD presets from the current version of Premiere CS4, but it will not improve realtime playback. Even with a quad core chip oc'd to 3.0GHz, 4GB of RAM and a Quadro FX 1700 graphics card, realtime playback of PH mode AVCHD footage is not present.
Click to expand...

Thanks! it works, but as you said Premiere is still very hungry...

Did you try AVCHD upshift? it seems to me like a very good solution. I have tested and it is very easy to edit with it as XDCAM presets in CS4 will accept it, and editing with the EX1 was very easy.
I haven't compared quality with this transcoder but at first sight seems good, maybe a balanced solution of size/quality/fast workflow?
Anyone who has done some testing would you please share your thoughts on this.
 
I have never tried to edit AVCHD files natively in Edius. They just do not playback.

I convert all the files to Canopus HQ and they edit like DV.
 
Bassman2003 said:
I have never tried to edit AVCHD files natively in Edius. They just do not playback.

I convert all the files to Canopus HQ and they edit like DV.
Click to expand...

In Edius 5 AVCHD files playbacks fine.
Maybe you're missing a codec.
Canopus HQ was really slow transcoding with so I don't recommend it as a solution.
 
If your question is how did I make AVCHD in edius play smoothly, than to your question I didn't.
My computer which is a lower-spec computer gave me almost real time playback so I presume any quad-core or high end dual core will achieve Real-time playback and smooth editing. Unless I've got it all wrong...
 
I just downloaded the Upshift by Vasst and I'm quite taken. Their manual claims that if you transcode into their mpeg2 format in 40-50mbps bitrate it'll be pretty much identical to the raw AVCHD files.

The trial only lets you encode up to ten second clips, just long enough to prove it works.

Anyone else using this? I don't see the purpose of buying Cineform or Raylight if this does the trick so well for so much less.
 
Edius can do it, and it's the ONLY solution with real "real time" output. It doesn't do a RT "preview" like the others. What you see is being output is full raster in real time with a fast computer.
 
Edius 5 or Edius Neo 2 Booster?

I am confused as neo 2 Booster says it handles and edits native avchd in realtime yet edius 5 does not say this on their litarature or forums... people actually bitching that they bought edius 5, and the cheaper booster performs miracles in speed with avchd that the higher end edius does not.


Thoughts on this?
 
Edius 5.5 will be a free update that allows the same if not better performace as Neo 2.5 Booster, and 5.5 will be FREE to 5.X users.
5.5 should be released by/at NAB in a few weeks.

Imagine full AVCHD multicam editing! Sweet!
 
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