Hello:
I apologize because I just found this forum and I would notmally spend time looking for answers before posting. Unfortunatelly, work is consuming all my time and I need to be able to play HD video from my new Sony HC3 camera this weekend. I will be purchasing VideoSudio 10 Plus tomorrow.
My goals beyond getting the video into the computer and editing are:
1) I do not want the camera to be used to play video on my HDTV. I would prefer the HD files to be played via Media Center and more specifically, via xbox 360 which is connected to the TV. I watch HD content now that has been recorded from over the air TV on my media center PC and xbox360. So, the question is, will the native HD files from my camera play within Media center? If not, can it be converted to do so without loosing HD quality?
2) Is there any way to put HD on a standard DVD and fine a home player to play it?
3) I don't see a way for me to get the HD video from the camera without software. The camera is recognized by WinXP/SP2 just fine but I don't see a capture option in Windows Movie Maker.
Thank in advance. I will contribute when I am up to speed.
Kevin
HD Video - editing and watching in Media Center - XBOX360
Moderator: Ken Berry
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jchunter
Hi Kevin,
See the High Def Tutorial at http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=13872
The answers to your questions are all "yes," except for xbox360 playback but there are other users who are working out methods for HD playback on the Xbox 360.
See the High Def Tutorial at http://phpbb.ulead.com.tw/EN/viewtopic.php?t=13872
The answers to your questions are all "yes," except for xbox360 playback but there are other users who are working out methods for HD playback on the Xbox 360.
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brumey
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jchunter
I don't know where you read that Divx was not compatible with MCE. Not true, AFAIK.
In any case, Divx is not essential to high definition video processing or viewing. It is simply one of several examples of highly compressed video codecs that are capable of putting two hours of high definition video on a conventional DVD platter. Others: Xvid, H.264, WMV, mpeg4,...
In any case, Divx is not essential to high definition video processing or viewing. It is simply one of several examples of highly compressed video codecs that are capable of putting two hours of high definition video on a conventional DVD platter. Others: Xvid, H.264, WMV, mpeg4,...
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wpowell
I have the same configuration as you. To play HD through the XBOX I have installed Transcode 360 on the MCE box. This is a free, on-the-fly transcoder which let's you play many more formats on the xbox, including Divx, WMV-HD, etc.
Don't recall where it is, but a Google will bring it right up. No custom configuration necessary, it runs right out of the box, though there is the ability to configure if you wish.
I record to a Sanyo HD1, which produces 720p MPEG-4 files. I use VS10 to convert them to WMV-HD for playback on the Xbox as an extender. The quality is excellent. I've been very happy with VS - lots of value for the money.
Don't recall where it is, but a Google will bring it right up. No custom configuration necessary, it runs right out of the box, though there is the ability to configure if you wish.
I record to a Sanyo HD1, which produces 720p MPEG-4 files. I use VS10 to convert them to WMV-HD for playback on the Xbox as an extender. The quality is excellent. I've been very happy with VS - lots of value for the money.
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brumey
JCHunter - I read the comment on DivX and MCE not supported from the DivX website. The FAQ question and answer is:
How do I solve compatibility problems between DivX software and Microsoft Media Center Edition?
Answer
DivX is not supported on PC's running the Microsoft Media Center Edition.
wpowell:
Thanks for the information on Transcoder360. I'll be getting that today. Your second commend indicated that you convert to WMV-HD for playback on xbox. Can I assume that VS10 will save in this format and the xbox360 will play it without transcoder?
Thanks agina for everyones help. I will be loading VS10 in a few minutes.
Kevin
How do I solve compatibility problems between DivX software and Microsoft Media Center Edition?
Answer
DivX is not supported on PC's running the Microsoft Media Center Edition.
wpowell:
Thanks for the information on Transcoder360. I'll be getting that today. Your second commend indicated that you convert to WMV-HD for playback on xbox. Can I assume that VS10 will save in this format and the xbox360 will play it without transcoder?
Thanks agina for everyones help. I will be loading VS10 in a few minutes.
Kevin
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jchunter
Kevin,
I was able to find that someone had a problem using "Dr.Divx" on his MCE computer. http://forums.divx.com/eve/forums/a/tpc ... #777109662
However, several other users followed up with statements that they were not having such problems with MCE. Inconclusive, IMO.
In any case, you don't need Dr. Divx to play Divx encoded high definition files. Most Divx products are limited by the Divx HD certification standards: (max 1280x720).
Most importantly, you only need the Divx Pro codec to make the Divx video files. Use the Unconstrained profile to make 1920x1080p files.
I use EDIT: MEDIA PLAYER CLASSIC for all HD playback on the PC because it works the best for all the codecs that I have tried.
I was able to find that someone had a problem using "Dr.Divx" on his MCE computer. http://forums.divx.com/eve/forums/a/tpc ... #777109662
However, several other users followed up with statements that they were not having such problems with MCE. Inconclusive, IMO.
In any case, you don't need Dr. Divx to play Divx encoded high definition files. Most Divx products are limited by the Divx HD certification standards: (max 1280x720).
Most importantly, you only need the Divx Pro codec to make the Divx video files. Use the Unconstrained profile to make 1920x1080p files.
I use EDIT: MEDIA PLAYER CLASSIC for all HD playback on the PC because it works the best for all the codecs that I have tried.
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brumey
All:
To conclude this thread, I was able to install Transcode360. What an awsome products. I know I'll be donating a few $$$ that way. I am now happily watching DivX and other video's that I could not before on my HDTV via xbox360.
My next test will be capturing HDV and converting to view on my HDTV. I'll try the some native microsoft transcode with VS10 and DivX HD.
Thanks for everyone's help.
Kevin
To conclude this thread, I was able to install Transcode360. What an awsome products. I know I'll be donating a few $$$ that way. I am now happily watching DivX and other video's that I could not before on my HDTV via xbox360.
My next test will be capturing HDV and converting to view on my HDTV. I'll try the some native microsoft transcode with VS10 and DivX HD.
Thanks for everyone's help.
Kevin
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jchunter
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brumey
Transcode360 does some sort of "on the fly" trancoding of DivX and other video files that you can normally not stream to xbox360 (Media Center).
I finally loaded VS10 and captured HDV to my PC. I had a few bumps in he road using the instructions posed earlier. I'll go through them again and maybe post the differences or errors. The most flustrating was the capture options defaulted to a DVD or standard definition and resolution format. Once I managed to change the capture settings to match those recommended, I saved the file (rendered) to MPEG2. When I played the resulting file with Windows media player, it looked awful. It was defenetly not the quality I am used to seeing from HDTV captures done by Media Center. I evidentally must be doing something wrong. Maybe setting MPEG2 as the filal rendered file type is not the best for HD. I'll try different rendered file types later tonight.
I did notice the recommended capture bitrate was 25,000. When I checked a file recoreded from HDTV with MCE, it showed 160,000. Maybe when I save the file (render) as a HD format, the bitrate will change too. Much to learn
My goal is to capture all clips on the tape and keep them in a file format as a master. Then. all edits will be done or saved to a different file. I assume that I can open a project and point to my previously captured file, make changes and save to a new file leaving my master undisturbed?
I need to spend more time with VS10 and figure out the best workflow.
On the topic of rendering and dual core aware, I don't beleive VS10 is using the dual cores when rendering. I have a 2.8Ghz, dual core, 2GB RAM, 2 x Raid 0 SATA arrays and I still got 99% utilization when rendering. Maybe I need a mac
Thanks again for everyone's help and encouragement. As soon as I see content captured from the camera in HD, I'll defer the learning curve for a while. I might have to hook the camera to the TV directly just to confirm it is HD I am capturing.
Kevin
I finally loaded VS10 and captured HDV to my PC. I had a few bumps in he road using the instructions posed earlier. I'll go through them again and maybe post the differences or errors. The most flustrating was the capture options defaulted to a DVD or standard definition and resolution format. Once I managed to change the capture settings to match those recommended, I saved the file (rendered) to MPEG2. When I played the resulting file with Windows media player, it looked awful. It was defenetly not the quality I am used to seeing from HDTV captures done by Media Center. I evidentally must be doing something wrong. Maybe setting MPEG2 as the filal rendered file type is not the best for HD. I'll try different rendered file types later tonight.
I did notice the recommended capture bitrate was 25,000. When I checked a file recoreded from HDTV with MCE, it showed 160,000. Maybe when I save the file (render) as a HD format, the bitrate will change too. Much to learn
My goal is to capture all clips on the tape and keep them in a file format as a master. Then. all edits will be done or saved to a different file. I assume that I can open a project and point to my previously captured file, make changes and save to a new file leaving my master undisturbed?
I need to spend more time with VS10 and figure out the best workflow.
On the topic of rendering and dual core aware, I don't beleive VS10 is using the dual cores when rendering. I have a 2.8Ghz, dual core, 2GB RAM, 2 x Raid 0 SATA arrays and I still got 99% utilization when rendering. Maybe I need a mac
Thanks again for everyone's help and encouragement. As soon as I see content captured from the camera in HD, I'll defer the learning curve for a while. I might have to hook the camera to the TV directly just to confirm it is HD I am capturing.
Kevin
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jchunter
For sure, Windows Media Player will make hash out of any high definition file. Bill Gates should be ashamed of himself. 
Download Media Player Classic from http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Med ... lassic.htm
for quality high definition playback on the PC.
You did right, capturing mpeg2 HDV because that is the native encoded video format and will preserve all the picture quality that was originaly encoded.
Don't use MCE to check video properties (160,000 is not correct). Use Video Studio. Drop an HDV file in the Edit timeline and when VS askes if you want to set Project Properties to the match the video file, click "yes". Read the properties from the menu File/Project Properties and post them in your reply to this post.
You can make edits without disturbing the original capture file.
I archive the finished project file, including video, music, overdubs, still images etc. on both DVDs as data files and to an external hard drive.
Download Media Player Classic from http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Med ... lassic.htm
for quality high definition playback on the PC.
You did right, capturing mpeg2 HDV because that is the native encoded video format and will preserve all the picture quality that was originaly encoded.
Don't use MCE to check video properties (160,000 is not correct). Use Video Studio. Drop an HDV file in the Edit timeline and when VS askes if you want to set Project Properties to the match the video file, click "yes". Read the properties from the menu File/Project Properties and post them in your reply to this post.
You can make edits without disturbing the original capture file.
I archive the finished project file, including video, music, overdubs, still images etc. on both DVDs as data files and to an external hard drive.
Ok, I'm a bit confused.
I have a Sony HDR-HC3 and an Xbox360.
I too would like to be able to view my HDV on my HDTV through a stream.
1)Can you stream/view mpeg2 thru the xbox360 with transcode 360 or do you have to convert it to another format?
I'd like to leave it in it's original state to avoid any degradation and to avoid lengthy rendering times.
2)Also, is it true that rendering in DivxHD takes nearly 20x (as I read)?
Thank you guys for your help. This forum has been a life saver.
I have a Sony HDR-HC3 and an Xbox360.
I too would like to be able to view my HDV on my HDTV through a stream.
1)Can you stream/view mpeg2 thru the xbox360 with transcode 360 or do you have to convert it to another format?
I'd like to leave it in it's original state to avoid any degradation and to avoid lengthy rendering times.
2)Also, is it true that rendering in DivxHD takes nearly 20x (as I read)?
Thank you guys for your help. This forum has been a life saver.
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jchunter
Divx can take 20x real time to render if you max out the quality setting. I have been backing that off to see if I can speed things up and the last test did about 12x and looks good on the PC. I haven't checked it out on the HDTV, yet.
BTW, I made a WMV HD file yesterday at a quality level of 95, which gobbled up 25x!
Xvid max quality takes about 12 - 14x.
My computer is a 3yr old Dell 8300 with 3.0GHz P4 HT.
I hope that someone with a real dual CPU will run some speed tests with and without SP1...
BTW, I made a WMV HD file yesterday at a quality level of 95, which gobbled up 25x!
Xvid max quality takes about 12 - 14x.
My computer is a 3yr old Dell 8300 with 3.0GHz P4 HT.
I hope that someone with a real dual CPU will run some speed tests with and without SP1...
Thanks for the quick reply jc.
Those render times are horrendous! Let me know what your testing reveals.
*btw- I really like your objective testing methods [i.e. the 4x re-rendering and measuring quality loss]. Those are the things that I wonder but have neither the time/know-how/equipment to perform the tests myself. Thank god we have someone to do it for us. Too often people go by theory/myth when telling you what you should or shouldn't do. We need the objective testing to know the truth-or at least how it applies to us.
On the other hand, I'm still wondering if I can directly stream mpg2 to the xbox via transcode360.
The reason I can't test this myself is that I don't have media center(only media connect which doesn't allow vid streaming). If it is easy to view vids, works well, and doesn't degrade video then I will consider switching to media center OS 99% for that purpose. I don't want to go through that hassle if it's not going to work however.
thanks again everybody.
Those render times are horrendous! Let me know what your testing reveals.
*btw- I really like your objective testing methods [i.e. the 4x re-rendering and measuring quality loss]. Those are the things that I wonder but have neither the time/know-how/equipment to perform the tests myself. Thank god we have someone to do it for us. Too often people go by theory/myth when telling you what you should or shouldn't do. We need the objective testing to know the truth-or at least how it applies to us.
On the other hand, I'm still wondering if I can directly stream mpg2 to the xbox via transcode360.
The reason I can't test this myself is that I don't have media center(only media connect which doesn't allow vid streaming). If it is easy to view vids, works well, and doesn't degrade video then I will consider switching to media center OS 99% for that purpose. I don't want to go through that hassle if it's not going to work however.
thanks again everybody.
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brumey
Hello - Viewing HD on an xbox360 that is hooked up to a HDTV is very nice. To answer your question, I rendered to DixX using the codex package I purchased and it's well worth it based on very minimal testing. Quality was excellent and comparable to HDTV broadcast and recorded HD from Media Center.
I have tried a few different options and actually started getting worst results than my first few tries. Bottom line, I think you can use Transcode360 to stream native MPEG2 but I need to test it again. I have not been very scientific in my testing due to time constraints.
You obviously need a Media Center PC to host transcode too.
Another advantage to rendering to DivX based on my limited understanding and not having done it is; saving HD content to a standard DVD disk and being able to play it back in HD quality on certain inexpensive DivX compatable HD players ($100-$300) I am told.
Good luck. Let me know if I can test something for you. I'll be travelling for two weeks so a little out of touch.
Kevin
I have tried a few different options and actually started getting worst results than my first few tries. Bottom line, I think you can use Transcode360 to stream native MPEG2 but I need to test it again. I have not been very scientific in my testing due to time constraints.
You obviously need a Media Center PC to host transcode too.
Another advantage to rendering to DivX based on my limited understanding and not having done it is; saving HD content to a standard DVD disk and being able to play it back in HD quality on certain inexpensive DivX compatable HD players ($100-$300) I am told.
Good luck. Let me know if I can test something for you. I'll be travelling for two weeks so a little out of touch.
Kevin