DVD MovieFactory6 Plus - no support for Sony AVCHD M2TS

[GeorgeW]

I think the confusion here is DATA burning versus AUTHORING.

Data burning is merely (more or less) COPYING a file to a disk. MF6 will do this... as with several other programs.

AUTHORING is a method used in video to set up the disk with a menu system, chapters, previews... and other goodies.

It is taken for granted that when most if not all video edit programs talk about going to disk... they are talking about AUTHORING not data burning. If in fact the program is talking about data burning, then one would figure that a video edit/burning program has a CLEAR obligation to spell out that AUTHORING is not possible.

The feature I am reading says:

Capture from either HDV or DV video camcorder, and burn directly to Blu-ray Disc to create a video disc that plays on your next-generation player.

The way I interpret that statement is you can capture from your video source directly to Blu-ray disc, and it will be recognized and playable by the Blu-ray player as a "video" disc (kind of like a no-menu SD DVD that autoplays when you insert it into an SD DVD Player).

Again, this is only my interpretation -- I have had no experience with this because I don't own any Blu-ray burner/discs...

Regards,
George

[etech6355]

The Blu-Ray Burner section of MovieFactory writes in the video mode creating a BDAV Disk.
Not just the data mode.
They call it the BDAV Mode.

It's very similar to recording in a dvd recorder in the -VR format which doesn't use menus, only playlists.

[Bignosetw]

Dear all

I have just been made aware of the discussion going on here. It's nighttime now, but tomorrow morning first thing I will check this issue thoroughly and report back.

For the moment, though, I can categorically state that DVD MovieFactory 6 does support AVCHD "capture" (not from "open file", but from "Import from DVD") and it does support basic editing/trimming. (However the file will be converted to HD or SD MPEG or whatever other format you choose for output, depending on your settings. )

As for the Blu-ray support, it is indeed as the materials say - you can burn data, or you can capture from your video source directly to Blu-ray disc, and it will be recognized and playable by the Blu-ray player as a "video" disc. It will however be in the BDAV format, without menus. HD DVD authoring and burning is supported in this version.

My personal apologies for any confusion or uncertainty, and I promise to post back here tomorrow.

Best regards

Tobie Openshaw
Manager: MarCom Dept
Corel Digital Media

[Paul Peil]

Tried this out this morning. The software does not "see" any AVCHD files in a folder I called DVD folder or any other place (desktop etc.). Nero 7 Ultra does allow one to mount these files and create a DVD from them. So the files appear to be OK. Files were generated by the Panasonic SD based AVCHD camcorder. Thanks for any help.

[Bignosetw]

It's morning and I'm working on it. Expect a reply later today.

Tobie Openshaw
Manager: MarCom Dept
Corel Digital media

[mikesijacic]

I guess the lack of a quick reply can be read as it is not an easy solution.

[po'duser]

Dear all

I have just been made aware of the discussion going on here. It's nighttime now, but tomorrow morning first thing I will check this issue thoroughly and report back.

For the moment, though, I can categorically state that DVD MovieFactory 6 does support AVCHD "capture" (not from "open file", but from "Import from DVD") and it does support basic editing/trimming. (However the file will be converted to HD or SD MPEG or whatever other format you choose for output, depending on your settings. )

As for the Blu-ray support, it is indeed as the materials say - you can burn data, or you can capture from your video source directly to Blu-ray disc, and it will be recognized and playable by the Blu-ray player as a "video" disc. It will however be in the BDAV format, without menus. HD DVD authoring and burning is supported in this version.

My personal apologies for any confusion or uncertainty, and I promise to post back here tomorrow.

Best regards

Tobie Openshaw
Manager: MarCom Dept
Corel Digital Media

MF6 may support avchd in some raw format, but it does not support import from disc or capture from camera from my sony hdrsr1. I have tried saving the files from the camera to computer hard drive, they save as avchd in an m2ts container. Ulead does not recognize this container. I have also burned from my camera directly to a dvd disc. From the import from dvd option, I can see the videos, and Ulead correctly identifies them as avchd and multichannel audio, but when I try to import them it tells me it is an unsupported file. The problem is not the avchd format itself but I believe it is the container Sony and Panasonic choose to put it in. Unfortunately Sony or Panasonic AVCHD HDD camcorders do not allow you to get raw AVCHD without the m2ts container format. Therefore, there is no way to get AVCHD from the camcorder to MF6. I would have thought that if your product manual states "DVD MovieFactory also allows you to import AVCHD video, a format developed by
Sony and Panasonic-parent Matsushita" Ulead would have determined how avchd is saved and transported by these Sony camcorders.

[etech6355]

I downloaded and installed MovieFactory 6 Trial.
So far it appears to me they added some things I requested awhile back such as Field_Order Selection, a few others.

Anyway, I have a Mini-Dvd-rw that was recorded on a Sony AVCHD unit.
I put the mini-dvd into my writer. Clicked on Import Dvd, selected the burner, it diplayed the videos. Then I imported the AVCHD Video, trimmed it down on the timeline and then exported it to a HD-Mpeg2 File.
After importing the video it was displayed on the timeline. The properties of the video said H264 / 1440x1080i Dolby Audio etc.

What I did notice was I couldn't re-use these imported files again, at least not in MF6 by taking them from the capture folder that they were extracted to & inserting them into the timeline.
My version of PowerDvd7 played them nicely.
Nero Showtime did not play them back correctly.

Nero 7 wouldn't even recognize the mini-dvd when I tried to import it.

[Bignosetw]

Ok, so I had a good talk with the PM of DVD MovieFactory, and she confirmed for me that the AVCHD support was tested with both Sony and Panasonic devices, and that it works on our test systems here. So I would like to ask those who are having problems to please contact me personally at tobieopenshaw@ulead.com.tw, and I will arrange an ftp site where you can upload a small piece of your AVCHD video. We will then test this and see if we can come up with an explanation for your hiccup. Please be assured that we are comitted to resolving any issues you may have.

Best regards

Tobie Openshaw
Manager: MrCom Dept
Corel Digital Media

[vgallego65]

I downloaded the trial version, and there is no way to import AVCHD video files from my Sony HDR-SR1E. The program always respond with unsupported format advise. At least I have not pay for the program, and I can imagine how does people who have pay feels.
For me is impossible to understand how Ulead company announce AVCHD "Editing" support when it is clear that do not support at all.

Furthermore in the last post an administrator from Corel digital Media, far from recognize his error, confirms that AVCHD support was tested with both Sony and Panasonic devices, and that it works.

I am very interested to see how this matter is going to be managed and the following explanations from Corel Digital Media.

[Windancer]

Thank goodness that others are having the same problem I've been having with AVCHD. I thought it was only me.

I have the Sony HDR-UX1 camcorder and I am very pleased with the picture quality. However, the software that came with the camera doesn't allow video editing. My research indicated that DVD Movie Factory Plus would enable me to edit my movies frame by frame. I use Adobe Premiere Elements so I was expecting something along this line.

The program did not recognize my camcorder but I was still able to move the video from my camcorder into my computer using the camcorder settings. I was able to cut out some scenes (which I can do the same thing directly on the camcorder) but when I did the playback, it was very choppy and my sound was replaced with some music which I didn't choose. The other disappointing part of this project was that the video was not saved in HD format. It ended up as MPEG2.

As I am only an amateur at video editing, I may be misssing something in settings or some things aren't available in the trial version.

I've been able to copy our video's to a large DVD disc and can play them in the Sony Playstation 3. Unfortunately, Playstation will not play the small DVD discs which the camera uses.

I am glad that I tried the trial version and not put the money out on the full program. I am disappointed that Sony and Panasonic are selling these cameras and don't provide good video editing software.

We want to edit our video's and then be able to play them in HD. We are going to be patient and hope that someone gets on the bandwagon and comes up with a program that works.

[ironside]

It does say in there pdf file that is supports and edits AVCHD files.
However I must assume that AVCHD .m2ts is a different standard.

SJJ1805 has just told me that MF6 Plus does not support AVCHD .m2ts and locked my cheated file so I guess he knows!

[Adbear]

I have the Sony HDR-UX1 camcorder and I am very pleased with the picture quality. However, the software that came with the camera doesn't allow video editing. My research indicated that DVD Movie Factory Plus would enable me to edit my movies frame by frame. I use Adobe Premiere Elements so I was expecting something along this line.

I'd have been very surprised if it allowed you to edit in that way, even the higher end editing cards don't fully support it yet. I for one would never buy a camera that uses this format as it's highly compressed and therfore if you want to edit it you either need a very high end PC (dual xeon) to allow you to edit or you'd need to convert into a different format to edit properly. We build video editing systems for big companies and so far have told people to steer clear of this format and to stick with the standard mpeg2 HDV cameras

[rkgibbons]

I'd like a step-by-step explanation explaining how to import AVCHD from my Sony camera (since it claims that it can import from either an AVCHD DVD camera or a hard-drive camera).

[etech6355]

The program did not recognize my camcorder but I was still able to move the video from my camcorder into my computer using the camcorder settings. I was able to cut out some scenes (which I can do the same thing directly on the camcorder) but when I did the playback, it was very choppy and my sound was replaced with some music which I didn't choose. The other disappointing part of this project was that the video was not saved in HD format. It ended up as MPEG2.

Have you read the manual on how MF works. In ALL video editing software programs the first thing you have to do is setup the "Project" and "Project Settings". Please read the manual because this version of MF has many features.
First and most important, did you start a HighDefintion Project? If MF made a dvd then you must have had the settings to create a dvd.

IF MF6 let you import the videos from your camcorder into the Timeline and you can see them on the timeline then that's correct and great. The next step is after they are on the timeline to set your "Project Properties" to the same equal properties as the H264 Codec except in Mpeg2 format.
You set you Project Properties under the "GEAR" Icon -> Change Mpeg Settings. Take specific notice to the properties of your AVCHD imported file on the timeline. You cam records in various quality settings, this is important to retain those video_bit_rate settings and correct fielding for proper HD Conversion.
Please give me some time because MF6 is new and I haven't had alot of time to work with it, but I've taken footage from dvd-rw's written in the AVCHD mode. Imported them into MF6, exported them and play them without issues on a PS3 unit, computer software & the linkplayer2 HighDef Player.

I've been able to copy our video's to a large DVD disc and can play them in the Sony Playstation 3. Unfortunately, Playstation will not play the small DVD discs which the camera uses.

Have you tried this. on my PS3 the mini-dvd is displayed as an AVCHD disk and plays no problem.I recorded directly onto a mini-dvd-rw disk, then finalized it, popped it into the PS3 and it played.

Have you upgraded the firmware version to the latest version on the PS3?
It should be Firmware Version 1.54

I haven't seen any software yet to date that can directly EDIT in the AVCHD format. The video(avchd) is converted to another format first that is in an editable format.

If you can import and display the videos on the timeline of MF6 then I can help you to get them to playback on the PS3.
The important issue is to get them into the timeline of MF6. That's been the key, to decode the codec, it's format and the transport container that sony/panasonic has developed.

It would help if you posted what HD files you did get to playback on the PS3 and how you did that. I don't have the software that comes with the cams to work with. I do know you have to change the cams settings to "Computer" or something like like so it's displayed as a device (or drive) in windows.
When your playing the videos back on the PS3 hit the "Start" button to display the properties of the video. That will tell give you information about the codec video/audio properties along with the bit-rates the video(s) were recorded at. You should also be able to copy them to the PS3 harddisk by highlighting the video, pressing the "Triangle" key and select "Copy".

In MF6 you right-click on the video after it's imported into the timeline and select "Media Properties".

etech