Pro X2 - AVCHD: Create File vs. Create Disc - Quality Diff.

[dalemccl]

My Sony SR-11 video clips are 16,000 bits per second, variable. When playing raw clips the bit rate is almost always in the 15-17 Kbs range and rarely drops below 14 Kbs.

After editing in Pro X2, if do a Share/Create Video File/AVCHD and set the bitrate to variable, 18,000 and the quality slider to 100%, the resulting file plays at only 9-11 Kbs and has a noticeable loss of quality compared to the original clips, especially when panning, as viewed on my monitor. If I burn that file to a hybrid AVCHD disc, the lower quality is apparent on my 52" Sony Bravia 1080p TV. (The burning step does not re-encode the video so it isn't loosing anything in that step.)

If I skip the file step and create a hybrid AVCHD disc directly from the project with 18,000 and 100% quality selected, the resulting disc plays at the same 15-17 Kbs range as the original clips and the quality looks identical to the original clips (I A/B'd them with the camcorder connected via HDMI to a 1080p Sony Bravia and the hybrid disc in a Blu-ray player.

Why would the quality and bit rate of an AVCHD file create by Pro X2 be lower than when creating a hybrid disc directly from the project timeline?

I assume that VS uses the same rendering engine in both cases so I think I must have a setting wrong somewhere.

[sjj1805]

....... has a noticeable loss of quality compared to the original clips, especially when panning, as viewed on my monitor. ......

Check your field order - it sounds as though you may have inadvertently reversed it. The Field Order is determined by the manner in which a clip is recorded and not by where you intend to play back the material. (Common misconception).

[dalemccl]

....... has a noticeable loss of quality compared to the original clips, especially when panning, as viewed on my monitor. ......

Check your field order - it sounds as though you may have inadvertently reversed it. The Field Order is determined by the manner in which a clip is recorded and not by where you intend to play back the material. (Common misconception).

Good thought, but I always use UFF for AVCHD clips when creating an AVCHD file or when directly creating an AVCHD hybrid disc. I am pretty certain the native clips are UFF.

[Ken Berry]

You are not the first to observe this. I have posted on it in the past, recommending that people jump the 'Create Video File' step in the Editing module, and instead go directly to the burning module -- and I recommend that for precisely the reason you have found...

I don't know why it happens, but it does. And that seems to be the work-around. In standard definition, I usually recommend against this work flow, but it works just fine with high def.

[dalemccl]

Thanks, Ken. It's good to know it isn't just me. Thought maybe I had a setting messed up somewhere.

[Przemek]

When creating a video file click "same as the first clip" - the quality I get is slightly better than that from an AVCHD disk.

[dalemccl]

When creating a video file click "same as the first clip" - the quality I get is slightly better than that from an AVCHD disk.

You are right.

I just tried "same as first clip" and the bit rate was the same as (or extremely close to) the original clips, whereas choosing "AVCHD" as the file type and setting the bitrate to the max of 18,000 results in a much lower bit rate than the original clips.

Thanks!!

[Przemek]

You are most welcome! Glad it worked for you. Anyway, thanks for contact with Corel and your work on the 'blip' problem. I just worry that there are not too many responses.
I've just uploaded few longer clips and do hope it will be enough. Still, it's just from two cameras...

[dalemccl]

You are most welcome! Glad it worked for you. Anyway, thanks for contact with Corel and your work on the 'blip' problem. I just worry that there are not too many responses.
I've just uploaded few longer clips and do hope it will be enough. Still, it's just from two cameras...

I too worry that if Corel doesn't see many responses, they will think the problem is isolated to a couple users and won't want to spend time trying to resolve it.

One poster in that thread (Mitchell65) indicated his intent to upload a clip but ran into i.d and p.w. problems trying to connect to the ftp site. Hopefully he will see the update that lists the i.d and p.w.