What is wrong with VS 11 Plus???

[Cufon]

I have the same problem as you and my sentiments are also identical. I have searched this forum, I have downloaded the manual(which I find useless) and nowhere can I find a simple answer to this simple problem. HOW DOES VS11+ CONVERT m2ts FILES TO m2t? If I've missed it please direct me to the post. What is ironic is that I've spent the last few days on a project that resulted in a 17 minute HD DVD complete with titles, transitions, music that will only play in my HD-DVD Toshiba player. The result is nothing short of SPECTACULAR, MAGNIFICENT. So I don't think there's anything wrong with the program. If anything it lacks simple detailed instructions to include how to convert these m2ts files. For the life of me I cannot remember how I did it for my project. And so until I solve this problem I cannot go on to my next project.

Hi!

First, let's start with the first part of your question of how to get your *.M2TS files and convert them into usable *.M2T.

There are 3 ways (that's what I've got so far...)

1 - The way it supposed to work in the first place;
- Connect your camcorder to your computer. Of course, make sure it is powered up and on AC power, not on battery.
- On your camcorder, after you connected it to your computer's USB, select the 'HD <-> COMPUTER' sign,so your camcorder knows what to do and how to communicate with the device, in this case, your computer.
- Wait till it recognizes it as a camcorder and a USB Mass Storage Device and lists it at "My Computer"as a Hard Drive, such as F:\ for me.
- The file manager should automatically open up to indicate the contention of the new drive.
- Open it and check that you see the AVCHD directory. If you find it, then you are all set! Close the file manager.
- Go and open VideoStudio.
- Go to 'CAPTURE'.
- Select "IMPORT FROM DVD/DVD-VR". Don't even try the others if your camcorder doesn't connect with firewire. If it is, like mine, a HDR-SR1 with USB, then the "IMPORT FROM DVD/DVD-VR" is the proper selection.
- The windows will show you your DVD drive, ignore it, go for the "IMPORT DVD FOLDER" option.
- You will see your drivers over there, but don't expect to see your Camcorder's Hard Drive just yet.
- Click "Cancel" to this box.
- Open it again, click "IMPORT DVD FOLDER" again.
- Now you will see your Cam's HD listed. Why not before? Good question... (... it is one of those 'programming things' I guess....)
- OK, open your Cam's HD folder and select AVCHD.
- Congrast! You are ready to IMPORT files, which will be in *.M2T format!

2: OK, this didn't work for you (it didn't work for me either with the Sony software on my machine...), then do this:
- Power up, connect like before, make sure it is listed under "My Computer".
- Select the Cam's HD from the list.
- Edit - Select All, then Copy.
- Open C:\ drive, or wherever you want to copy your Cam's content, such as C:\Temp\ (if you don't have such directory, make one) and then Edit - Paste. This will copy the entire directory structure of your Cam's HardDrive to your computer's C:\Temp\ directory.
- Open VideoStudio, do as before, Import, Select "IMPORT FROM DVD/DVD-VR" then "IMPORT DVD FOLDER".
- Scroll down to the directory you pasted your Cam's content, in this case; C:\Temp\.
- Open/Select AVCHD.
- Done, you are ready to IMPORT in *.M2T format!

3: When nothing else works, here comes pain!
- Transfer all your video files using the Sony software.
- Burn the files to a DVD disk with AVCHD DVD creation.
- When done, put back the Disk and close the DVD drive. (after burning, it will eject the disk, so you have to put it back)
- Open VideoStudio, go to IMPORT and then select the same 'IMPORT FROM DVD / DVD-VR.
- Select "Import" and there you go, it will start importing, BUT, it will be a very slow and painful process to go through...

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!

-

The other thing you said, that your project plays back very good... well...

... if it is a 16:9 project and you made it in *.MPEG format, then it may look very nice, until you just hook up your camcorder to your LCD or Plasma with the HDMI cable and check out the original version. Then you would say... hmmm.... what is that??? ... because you will see the quality difference immediately!

Unfortunately VideoStudio is NOT a "true" 16:9 editing software, only an imitation! It 'squeezes' the 16:9 video into the middle of the 4:3 environment, that's why there are those stupid Tv-Stripes on the clips all the time when played back with WMP, DivX, RealPlayer, even QuickTime (some...), and that is why Windows Media Player correctly indicates the aspect ratio to be "4:3 actual, 16:9 playback" but the average "Joe" is happy that his/her DVD player plays back a 'seemingly' widescreen video, which, in fact is just a stretched 4:3 one, losing at least 20% in the original quality due to the stretching!

But if you don't mind that, that's OK, but then again, why would anybody bother with this thing and pay for it in the first place if the final goal is not to have a TRUE 16:9 widescreen, edge-to-edge Hi-Definition experience at its best quality possible without conversion to MPEG and compression into a 4:3 and then streching to be a 'look-alike' widescreen????

My evidence is so overwhelming by now, that I am just shocked!

Thank you MRG for your suggestions. I use #3 method. This way I keep a copy of the original files for future projects.
When I said the result of my project was magnificent I was not exaggerating. The video quality is as good if not better than viewing it with the camcorder as u suggested. I don't get any of those lines as you are experiencing. The image fills my 60" Sony XBR. I'm no expert but I do believe I'm getting true 16:9. One of the problems I had with this project was that although I wanted to make an HD DVD disk with DVD media and using standard burner (not HD DVD burner) I kept burning a 740X480 disk How I accomplished getting a true HD disk was to select a 15G HD DVD standard disk in the final phase of the operation and that seems to have done the trick. The disc will not play on my PC because I don't have the PnP codec required for my player. But I don't care. I use my home theatre.

[MRG]

I don't get any of those lines as you are experiencing. The image fills my 60" Sony XBR. I'm no expert but I do believe I'm getting true 16:9. One of the problems I had with this project was that although I wanted to make an HD DVD disk with DVD media and using standard burner (not HD DVD burner) I kept burning a 740X480 disk How I accomplished getting a true HD disk was to select a 15G HD DVD standard disk in the final phase of the operation and that seems to have done the trick. The disc will not play on my PC because I don't have the PnP codec required for my player. But I don't care. I use my home theatre.

So, as far as I can tell, if you are burning in Standard Definition, then you might have a wonderfully nice picture on a widescreen TV, but I can assure you that even with the best DVD players' upscale features, it will not be as close as good as it would be with a 'true hi-def' editing/creating/burning solution. Not even close!

But, like I said, the average user won't see any difference and won't see TV-Stripes when playing the clips from a DVD Player to their Hi-Def TV either, because the technology stretches out the 'usable' image and ignores the 'stripes', but it doesn't mean that they are not there, only made invisible, and that process, the stretching is where most of the 'true' quality gets lost.

But all together, I believe that you are so occupied with the main task of getting the files converted, that you won't care and you will be happy with the output.

Good for you!

I wish I could settle for that, but unfortunately I've run so many tests and have so much evidence to prove my point (DivX encoding, HD-DVD encoding, RealVideo encoding, WMV encoding, all suffering from the same disease... swithcing to 4:3 mode where all the TV stripes disappear in all rendering modes, then appear while going back to 16:9... that you have to manually select the 16:9 output with WMV, even when you are already in 16:9 and everything is 16:9... etc-etc.) that it is too late for me just to close my eyes and put up a happy face knowing the very sad facts...

I guess I'm enlightened and there is no turning back...

[MRG]

Hi!

I've found the following at Ulead's website regarding WinDVD player:

"InterVideo WinDVD 8 Silver plays back any video and audio files, including AVCHD."

Well, that's a straightforward lie, isn't it? As it was already determined, this WinDVD player CAN NOT playback "any" video files! DivX for eg, some MPEG-2 videos, distorts WMV videos and MPEG-4 files (which is like not playing back at all...) and it could not even recognize *.M2T (AVCHD) files either!

Then again, I may be wrong, but anybody was able to open *.M2T files or *.M2TS files with this WinDVD player??? We've tried and tried but nothing....

There are so many things that Ulead states about VideoStudio 11 Plus, yet can not deliver half of it. Is this just one more of those false statements or am I missing something here???

Ps: I really don't want to sound like a bad news deliverer here, but if Ulead can't produce something, why advertise it like that? It is just like a recipe for a class-action lawsuit...

[Ron P.]

Please do not turn this thread into a bashing. If so I'll be forced to lock it.

[MRG]

Hi!

I was just wondering;

- VS11+ can produce HD-DVDs, but WinDVD, its official media player bundled with it cannot play them back, right?
- On the other hand, VS11+ cannot create AVCHD DVDs (who knows why...), but, if you make one, then WinDVD plays the disk back.
- ... and yet, it can't recognize *.M2T files, which are the base for AVCHD disks...

... it's a bit twisted.... or something .... isn't it?

[MRG]

Please do not turn this thread into a bashing. If so I'll be forced to lock it.

Since when is it 'bashing' when I BUY a product, have TECHNICAL PROBLEMS with it, COME FOR HELP AND SUPPORT, and DISCUSS the PROBLEMS, for which the company provides NO SOLUTIONS WHAT SO EVER????

By the way... could you, or anybody at the company provide solutions for all the TECHNICAL PROBLEMS I've encountered???

Or, is it so bad to SPEAK THE TRUTH???

Ps: I've also noticed that this topic became one of the most widely read one, so I'm quite sure that a lot of people are interested in the problems that VS11+ has, don't you think? Especially before they decide to buy it or not???

[Ron P.]

First I don't have a use for HD video, don't own an HD camcorder, TV, DVD Player that can play HD or BD. So that part of VS is left untouched by me.

Now the question I have is why Tobie and etech6355 are able to be successful if it is the program? If it was a bug in the program, then it would be able to be reproduced on numerous machines, not just a couple.

I will say that I did not install WinDVD8. I do a lot of reading on forums. What I read did not fair well for Intervideo, so why would I want the headache? My opinion is that they have a real problem with that program, which is probably exacerbated by Vista. They more then likely pushed it too quickly, trying to be the first kid on the block to have a HD DVD program that was Vista compatible. I really don't know, but I don't need it, so it stays, nice and compact, on the CD.

[Ron P.]

Since when is it 'bashing' when I BUY a product, have TECHNICAL PROBLEMS with it, COME FOR HELP AND SUPPORT, and DISCUSS the PROBLEMS, for which the company provides NO SOLUTIONS WHAT SO EVER????

Requesting help for problems with programs is one thing, however this post

Hi!

I've found the following at Ulead's website regarding WinDVD player:

"InterVideo WinDVD 8 Silver plays back any video and audio files, including AVCHD."

Well, that's a straightforward lie, isn't it? As it was already determined, this WinDVD player CAN NOT playback "any" video files! DivX for eg, some MPEG-2 videos, distorts WMV videos and MPEG-4 files (which is like not playing back at all...) and it could not even recognize *.M2T (AVCHD) files either!

Then again, I may be wrong, but anybody was able to open *.M2T files or *.M2TS files with this WinDVD player??? We've tried and tried but nothing....

Is what I'm talking about. How is that asking for help?

Or, is it so bad to SPEAK THE TRUTH???

Of course not. However what you are voicing is your opinion, which is not entirely fact. Like I pointed out, if there is a real problem with the program, then how is it that others can use it without the problems that you describe?

[MRG]

First I don't have a use for HD video, don't own an HD camcorder, TV, DVD Player that can play HD or BD. So that part of VS is left untouched by me.

Then what exactly are you doing here as the forum moderator of a topic dedicated solely to VideoStudio, a Hi-Def editing software??? And why do you get into something you don't even know anything about????

Now the question I have is why Tobie and etech6355 are able to be successful if it is the program? If it was a bug in the program, then it would be able to be reproduced on numerous machines, not just a couple.

Exactly, that's what I've been doing in the last few days since I bought this software, test it and test it and test it, because it is FULL OF ERRORS!!!

I will say that I did not install WinDVD8. I do a lot of reading on forums. What I read did not fair well for Intervideo, so why would I want the headache? My opinion is that they have a real problem with that program, which is probably exacerbated by Vista. They more then likely pushed it too quickly, trying to be the first kid on the block to have a HD DVD program that was Vista compatible. I really don't know, but I don't need it, so it stays, nice and compact, on the CD.

What are you talking about????

Because what I'm talking about here is that Ulead is advertising a software bundle FOR MONEY that doesn't deliver what it says it would!

For your information, that is ILLEGAL!!! If it is just about a couple of small technical problems, then the company should write out a clear statement that the program is not perfect, have this and that issues, and as such, is for free on the usual 'as it is' base! But it is not, isn't it????

And I, for one, as a consumer, have every single right to complain about the technical problems this product has and the issues I discover that don't match the information that promotes and sells this item, and which was the base for me to buy it!

But, when someone, a consumer comes here to find a solution to a LOAD OF PROBLEMS which I HAVE PROVEN time and time again with evidence and hundreds of tests, and I complain, then instead of the 'corporate cleanup crew' to silence the customer, the company should send the programmers to the labs to start working overtime to solve the problems!!!

So, my message to the company is, to go and start working!!! Solve the problems!!! Make the software what the company advertises it to be!!!

And yes, I intend to come back for answers when I discover a problem, and I will complain when I discover something that I feel to be unfair towards the consumer, because I am one of them!

[MRG]

OK, then let's make it simple;

Is there anyone from Ulead, like Tobie and etech6355 who officially can claim and prove, that the bundled multimedia player is capable of doing what the company advertises on its website, namely:

"Bonus Features - InterVideo WinDVD 8 Silver plays back any video and audio files, including AVCHD. "

??? If the answer is yes, then please come to New York for a live demonstration at a very well known computer superstore at your convenience and let's see the results on a variety of computers! (I've been there, run the tests, know the results already...)

Anybody there???

[etech6355]

MRG,
I thought that WinDvd 8 Silver was for Standard Def Video & Gold was for HD.

Could you please start a new thread because this one is already 6 pages long.
To be constructive in the new thread use the import dvd/dvd-vr function and import some avchd video from your cam. While on the Timeline right_click on one of the avchd(H264) videos and select "Properties". Post the properties of the avchd(h264) video files back to the new thread.
The properties should have one set of video/audio parameters that are standard to this new avchd codec. Interested in all the parameters especially the aspect ratio and fielding information of these videos.
I know this is important because this is where I think the real problem is created.
I may have been able to duplicate your problem but I'm not sure. I would need for you to perform a import of the avchd folder using the dvd/dvd-vr function (not inserting any previous .m2t files directly into the timeline from previous imports).
Import the video and post the properties of the imported avchd H264 video(s). They should all be the same.

[Cufon]

I don't get any of those lines as you are experiencing. The image fills my 60" Sony XBR. I'm no expert but I do believe I'm getting true 16:9. One of the problems I had with this project was that although I wanted to make an HD DVD disk with DVD media and using standard burner (not HD DVD burner) I kept burning a 740X480 disk How I accomplished getting a true HD disk was to select a 15G HD DVD standard disk in the final phase of the operation and that seems to have done the trick. The disc will not play on my PC because I don't have the PnP codec required for my player. But I don't care. I use my home theatre.

So, as far as I can tell, if you are burning in Standard Definition, then you might have a wonderfully nice picture on a widescreen TV, but I can assure you that even with the best DVD players' upscale features, it will not be as close as good as it would be with a 'true hi-def'
editing/creating/burning solution. Not even close!



But, like I said, the average user won't see any difference and won't see TV-Stripes when playing the clips from a DVD Player to their Hi-Def TV either, because the technology stretches out the 'usable' image and ignores the 'stripes', but it doesn't mean that they are not there, only made invisible, and that process, the stretching is where most of the 'true' quality gets lost.

But all together, I believe that you are so occupied with the main task of getting the files converted, that you won't care and you will be happy with the output.

Good for you!

I wish I could settle for that, but unfortunately I've run so many tests and have so much evidence to prove my point (DivX encoding, HD-DVD encoding, RealVideo encoding, WMV encoding, all suffering from the same disease... swithcing to 4:3 mode where all the TV stripes disappear in all rendering modes, then appear while going back to 16:9... that you have to manually select the 16:9 output with WMV, even when you are already in 16:9 and everything is 16:9... etc-etc.) that it is too late for me just to close my eyes and put up a happy face knowing the very sad facts...

I guess I'm enlightened and there is no turning back...

First of all let me say that I had resolved the problem converting mt2s files before I read your suggested 3 methods. But I still thank you for your reply. The project I produced is definetely true HI DEF and true 16:9. It is not in standard definition upconverted as you suggest. I know HI DEF when I see it. I've been working with HD probably before you even knew what it was. And what makes you such an expert? I think you are wrongly and unfairly critisizing this program and perhaps scaring people away from it. Frankly I think you really don't know what you're talking about. I've read all your postings on this thread and you're all over the place. It may be you have other problems that may have a conflict with this program. As for your statement that more than 10,000 people read thid thread the question is how many have replied? Most of the postings are yours and I really don't understand your problem. I think it's attitude.
For the benefit of those who may have missed it I produced, for the first time with Ulead, a 17 minute project IN TRUE HI DEFINITION AND TRUE 16:9 and it's simply superb. Please believe me. I agree this thread is getting too long.

[MRG]

First of all let me say that I had resolved the problem converting mt2s files before I read your suggested 3 methods. But I still thank you for your reply. The project I produced is definetely true HI DEF and true 16:9. It is not in standard definition upconverted as you suggest. I know HI DEF when I see it. I've been working with HD probably before you even knew what it was. And what makes you such an expert? I think you are wrongly and unfairly critisizing this program and perhaps scaring people away from it. Frankly I think you really don't know what you're talking about. I've read all your postings on this thread and you're all over the place. It may be you have other problems that may have a conflict with this program. As for your statement that more than 10,000 people read thid thread the question is how many have replied? Most of the postings are yours and I really don't understand your problem. I think it's attitude.
For the benefit of those who may have missed it I produced, for the first time with Ulead, a 17 minute project IN TRUE HI DEFINITION AND TRUE 16:9 and it's simply superb. Please believe me. I agree this thread is getting too long.

Hi!

- I've read many-many threads myself and don't reply either.
- I've (we have now) run about 200+ tests, organized all findings with the rendered files and I will conclude the results to see by anyone and to verify when all is done.
- Also, we will organize a 'big-scale' test, in which we plan to test the findings on over 100 (!!!) computers, because obviously the dozen or so we've got are not convincing enough. If we manage to make this 'super-large' test, it will be on video with independent experts from a variety of magazines and software companies. (some already signed up, some already tested my findings and concluded the same, or very similar results...)
- Attitude has nothing to do with it, nor personal attacks against me, about which I couldn't care less by the way.... The facts talk for themselves...
- There are many more signs and 'evidence' to prove my theories about the inherent problems of this software. Some I will ask about here openly, some I will not, because some are already proven beyond any doubts whatsoever...
- I'm sure this forum script can handle a couple of pages of text just fine, and the topic itself is very relevant if someone wants to hear about the actual problems from a user's point of view before they buy it.
- If I'm so wrong and there is nothing 'fishy' about VS11+, then why are these guys and you obviously, so afraid of discussing the issues???
- I'm not just 'running my mouth' here, but provide data and actual video files to prove my point, which I tested/created/generated on different computers with almost identical results! These are facts and not fiction, like some of the statements made by the company to sell the product!
- I feel that many of my findings the 'experts' already verified to be true, that is why they try to hide it, not to discuss it and probably, eventually close it, because what I bring here as evidence, is all true and controversial!

So, I say, let's stick to data, facts and evidence, and let us continue the topic as it is, namely;

WHAT IS WRONG WITH VIDEO STUDIO 11+ ????

[MRG]

MRG,
I thought that WinDvd 8 Silver was for Standard Def Video & Gold was for HD.

Well??? So, in regard of my statement, that in fact, WinDVD 8 Silver IS NOT capable of playing ALL audio/video format, as it is proudly advertised at Ulead's website, IS CORRECT and TRUE, right???

- It CAN NOT play back DivX Videos, right?
- It CAN NOT play back *.MT2 or *.M2TS or *.MTS AVCHD files, right?
- It CAN NOT play back HD-DVD disks, right?
- It distorts many of the generated video files, such as WMV, MPEG-4, REAL, just to mention a few, right?
- It was UNABLE to open that custom MPEG-2 file I openly put out for everyone to download, right?

In short, I am right and the official company statement "InterVideo WinDVD 8 Silver plays back any video and audio files, including AVCHD." " is wrong, not factual and does not reflect the facts, correct???

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Could you please start a new thread because this one is already 6 pages long.

Are you telling me that this script has problems with a few pages of text? Some places I've seen the same script with hundreds of pages within a topic and nobody ever complained about it. Here, even 6 pages are too long? Or just the content of the topic is 'too hot' for 'some' to handle? You see, that I do believe...

To be constructive in the new thread use the import dvd/dvd-vr function and import some avchd video from your cam. While on the Timeline right_click on one of the avchd(H264) videos and select "Properties". Post the properties of the avchd(h264) video files back to the new thread.

OK, I will, no problem. But I still intend to continue with my 'what is wrong' type questions here, where the topic is most relevant.

The properties should have one set of video/audio parameters that are standard to this new avchd codec. Interested in all the parameters especially the aspect ratio and fielding information of these videos.
I know this is important because this is where I think the real problem is created.
I may have been able to duplicate your problem but I'm not sure. I would need for you to perform a import of the avchd folder using the dvd/dvd-vr function (not inserting any previous .m2t files directly into the timeline from previous imports).
Import the video and post the properties of the imported avchd H264 video(s). They should all be the same.

OK, I will and we can continue those findings in another topic.

See you over there soon...

[etech6355]

- So, I say, let's stick to data, facts and evidence, and let us continue the topic as it is, namely;

I couldn't agree more.
So please cooperate and post the video/audio properties of your ORIGINAL .M2T files after they are captured to your harddisk so the persons you call experts can actually try to help.

Experts become experts by making mistakes and being wrong.
Experts make mistakes all the time, that's why they become experts.
Experts also admit when they are wrong.
Even the best professional swimmers can drown and experts can fail.
No human is perfect.

I'm not an expert, I do have common sense. I've asked you to please post your original .m2t files extracted to harddisk using the import feature.
This is the first logical step in troubleshooting. Reviewing the source material.

My request is very relevant to the problems you are experiencing.

Please respond with the requested data.