AVCHD import problems

[msi]

I have just purchased VS11+ and installed the power pack. But when I go to import AVCHD files downloaded to my PC (navigate to the folder and click on a file) the VS11+ just quits. No error, just closes out.

Any advise or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

ALso, I have not installed the Hot Fix. If I need to, the instructions are not clear. Do I completely "uninstall" VS 11+, run Hot Fix, then install VS 11+ and the Power Pack? Or do I just delete the folders via file manager? The latter seems really wrong.

Thanks

[rmk]

Same problem here! When I try to import AVCHD files (from Cannon HD10) a windows error message pops up and the program closes. Any suggestions??

[Ken Berry]

msi -- you do NOT need to install the hot fix at all. It is ONLY meant, as described in the notes, for people who cannot finish the initial installation of VS11. It is NOT meant for any other situation. Since you have already installed VS11+ and updated it, you do not meet the description in the notes. So forget about it.

Now, both msi and rmk, I rust both of you realise a couple of things. First, for AVCHD you have to have a fairly powerful computer -- at least Core 2 Duo or preferably Quad, to edit or even play back AVCHD smoothly. For less powerful computers, you can use SmartProxy, but it is slow, and you will still probably not be able to play AVCHD smoothly.

Next, what command are you using to try to import the AVCHD? In VS11.5+, you should choose 'Insert DVD/DVD-VR or AVCHD'. Then you navigate to the folder containing the AVCHD, either on your hard disk or on the camera, and follow the prompts.

Can you both also confirm, when you click on ? > About Video Studio, that you have version 11.5.0157.2. If you don't have the final '2', then you have not applied the update patch of 6 November 2007, which is not incorporated into the 8 November Power Pack and must be installed separately.

[rmk]

Ken -- I installed the update patch (.2 is now at the end of my version) and I use the command 'insert AVCHD'. I can see the correct number of clips in the dialog but as soon as I click on one of the clips it chrashes. I installed the software temporary on my company laptop and everything works fine. So that leaves only my computer. I just read (I know i should have done that earlier..) that Ulead only supports Intel processors and I have an AMD processor. Does that mean I need a different HW?

[Ken Berry]

Honestly, I don't know. I am pretty much a newbie myself when it comes to AVCHD. Normally, though, although they specify Intel, it usually means "Intel or the equivalent AMD". So in effect you would need a pretty decent AMD processor equivalent to, or better than, a Core 2 Duo to deal with AVCHD in its native form, and just one step below that to use SmartProxy. But to be frank, I don't recall any other AVCHD user here saying they are using AMD equipment...

[msi]

A couple of questions:

1. How do I find the release version? Not in the usual place for most software menus (e.g. help | about_

2. In importing the AVCHD files from the hard drive, I don't need to generate a AVCHD file, only need to combine some clips and save to data DVD for archiving. These files are that's mission critical but I wanted to get them off my AVCHD video camera's memory and archive in a more generic format to be viewed on my computer (avi, mpeg, wmv, etc).

What is the best/simplest way to do this? I can't even 'import' the AVCHD files into VS 11.5 Plus with it closing out completely.

Thanks

[Ken Berry]

If you look up in the top right hand corner of the VS screen, you will see a '?' beside the usual X etc. Click on that and you will see at the bottom of the drop-down 'About Ulead VS'. That will give you the version number.

I am not absolutely certain of this, but I suspect you will find on your hard drive a tree structure which includes a folder 'BDMV'. If you select that using Windows Explorer/[My] Computer, then a sub-folder will be there labelled 'Stream'. The video files are in there. And as far as I am aware, you can just transfer them using Windows to your computer without any intervention from VS at all.

Once on your computer, you could then try opening VS11.5+ and using the simple 'Insert Media' command instead of the 'Insert DVD/DVD-VR or AVCHD' command to see if the individual files can be opened without VS crashing. That might at least give more information about whether your installation of VS only falls down when the latter command is used.