VideoStudio 11 Trial Pack and AVCHD

NIFTY_NEV · Post by **NIFTY_NEV** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 2:32 am

I'm afraid I must report my recent experience with the VS V11 trial pack is that it crashes as soon as I try to import an AVCHD file derived from my new Panasonic HDC-SD9 Video Camera.

The VS Support page indicates updates can't be applied to the trial pack. A search of the forums suggests that quite a few folk are experiencng various problems with AVCHD features, albiet I haven't read of anyone having exactly the same problem as me.

My editing machine has an Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.4 GHz with 2GB RAM in an XP environment with SP2 installed.

My AVCHD source is a Panasonic HDC-SD9.

The crash occurs while attempting to import the files direct from the camera, or a copy on the HDD or removable media. While VS V11 is able to determine the number of scenes and basic info from the source files which indicates it can open and read the files OK, the crash occurs at the moment a scene is selected for import. A debug message is produced that gives quite a lot of detail about various DLLs at the time of the crash.

Because it can see, open and read basic detail from the AVCHD files, I am confident it is not a UDF 2.5 problem.

Similarly, because the AVCHD files can be imported quite happily by Pinnacle Studio Plus hd edition in their trial version, I am comfortable that my source files and system are at least compatible.

And, needless to say, Panasonic's own software, albiet quite incapable of any serious editing, does allow me to work with my files as expected.

As a long standing user of Video Studio with my previous Panasonic NV-GS400,

and seeking to upgrade to support my new HD toy, I am looking forward to maintaining my relationship with Ulead in the world of HD. Unfortunately, unless they come up with a fix fairly shortly, I will (shudder/horror) be forced to fork out cash for a competitive product that works.

I'm heading out to Christmas Island shortly to get some great video of the wonderful natural beauty of the place, including the weird red crabs and robber crabs. I'll have lots of media to edit when I get back. Hopefully, in the mean time, if anyone can confirm their editing experience with AVCHD files derived from Panasonic HD cameras using VS V11, I would be delighted to hear further. Maybe it will be fixed in V12 and that will be worth waiting for.

What I do suspect is that the Panasonic flavour of AVCHD is presently not compatible with VS V11. Does anyone know?

Thanks in advance for your helpful replies.

Post by **Ken Berry** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 2:50 am

I am afraid you have partially answered your own question. The simple fact is that unfortunately VS 11/11+, including the trial version, cannot deal properly with AVCHD. The 6 November 2007 update and the 8 November Hot Pack which upgrades the plus version (VS11+) to VS11.5+ added this functionality regarding AVCHD (plus a number of other things relating to other high def formats). But as you say, those patches and updates don't work with the trial version.

Our resident AVCHD/high def expert, etech, and a number of other AVCHD users, however, report that it works fine as VS11.5+ with such files. (I have a Canon HV20 HDV camera, so cannot comment from the point of view of actually importing video from a camera such as yours. However, I successfully use VS11.5+ to both produce, edit and playback AVCHD from other HD sources. And you will see from my System button that I have a computer not unlike yours... though am using Vista Ultimate.)

If you are feeling really pressed, you could buy the full version, upgrade it (free) with the Hot Pack and the update patch, and if it does not work to your satisfaction, claim a full refund within 30 days.

And have a great time on Christmas Is. I have just got back to Oz from a wonderful trip in Europe where I bought my HV20. Ended up in Penang and managed to visit an orang utan reserve on an island in a large lake. Wonderful footage...!! But I am still jealous as I have seen lots of video of those incredible plague-proportion crabs on Christmas...!!

Post by **Ron P.** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 3:49 am

I'll just add to Ken's wonderful wisdom, that Corel no longer offers VS11+ via on-line purchase. The only version offered for sell is the VS11.5+, which should not require the .5 upgrade..

NIFTY_NEV · Post by **NIFTY_NEV** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 4:34 am

Thank you Ken and Ron for your swift replies. I hardly had enough time to update my profile and post an AVATAR and you guys were there to help. (These forums are brilliant).

Well, the long and the short of it is that it seems VS V11 can't support the Panasonic AVCHD format, and we can't confirm it has been fixed in any later release (trial version or otherwise).

As it stand then, the best option is to wait until I can confirm the Panasonic flavour of AVCHD is accommodated or go with the opposition (uggh!)

Because I won't have time to do any editing before mid May, perhaps this problem will be resolved before I need to upgrade. I think I would rather do that and forgo the frustration of buying the latest and greatest, discovering the problem still exists, and then have to go through the exercise of seeking a refund.

BTW Ken, it seems we have a common interest in videography. At present I Blogg some of my travels and put stills on Panoramio. (Please see my profile). I'm looking forward to the day when we can do the same sort of thing (post on line) with HD video clips. Alas, I fear that is still some way off. As for the coming trip, well the crab migration doesn't start until late in the year on Christmas Island so I will miss it this time, but it is still possible to see zillions of the buggers in the forests.

cheers

alpine · Post by **alpine** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 4:12 pm

NIFTY_NEV wrote:Thank you Ken and Ron for your swift replies. I hardly had enough time to update my profile and post an AVATAR and you guys were there to help. (These forums are brilliant).

Well, the long and the short of it is that it seems VS V11 can't support the Panasonic AVCHD format, and we can't confirm it has been fixed in any later release (trial version or otherwise).

As it stand then, the best option is to wait until I can confirm the Panasonic flavour of AVCHD is accommodated or go with the opposition (uggh!)

That's not actually what he said. VS11.5Plus supports output from Panasonic SD camcorders and it's available now. VS11, as I recall it can be updated to 11.5+ via downloads from the Corel/Ulead site, provided your copy is registered.
I use VS11.5+ regularly with output from my SD1.

Jerry Jones · Post by **Jerry Jones** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:48 pm

I can't get VideoStudio 11 Plus + Power Pack to be stable on my system after I install the latest Cineform intermediate codec.

So I now use my Mac for all AVCHD editing.

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

sjj1805 · Post by **sjj1805** » Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:16 am

NIFTY_NEV wrote:......
Because I won't have time to do any editing before mid May, perhaps this problem will be resolved before I need to upgrade. .....

VideoStudio 12 has already been released in Japan so hopefully by May it will have either been released worldwide or the release will be imminent.