VS X3 and the loss of precious 5.1 surround sound

[laidback]

Does any one here own a mid range Canon or Sony camcorder that records in AVCHD format and critically in 5.1 surround sound?

And have you created an AVCHD DVD? and or AVCHD movie file with VS X3 with your video clips without loss of the surround sound?

If so... All I want to know is whether 5.1 surround sound was the default settings with VS X3 or did you have to go out of your way to ensure your 5.1 surround was not going to be lost - By having to hunt around VS X3 and set it up in order it retains the recorded 5.1 surround sound in your videos?

Importantly - Are the VS X3 settings permanent once set? Or are they prone to mysteriously return to a stereo or worse mono setting!???

Please respond only to this post if the date is before July 30th 2010..
As by then I may have moved on to using a professional suite that in the long haul I feel will cost far less and it seems provide almost unlimited templates, FX's, transitions, masks, and soundtracks and sound FX's, and most importantly that 5.1 surround is retained or with an additional purchase A 7.1 surround setting that once set is the default no matter what!!!!..

Yeah I know its not much time left for Corel to release its third or fourth patch or service pack by July 30th 2010 fixing whatever bugs X3 may have, but hey you never know - all it needs is for them to source one brilliant Programmer, and it just may be worthwhile to give VS X3 a go..

Cheers,

Peter J Schoen..

[Roberto]

After reading your post, considering that I have more than 15 years experience in ASM, C, C++, JavaScript, HTML, ASP, Java, RTOS, and embedded programming, do you think I have a chance to get a high salary if I send a resume to Corel ?

Now, being serious: I have noticed that, once the .m2ts files are imported into VS, no audio filters can be applied and this is kind of annoying me...
So, it looks like the original AC3 audio is somehow retained (in fact, no filters can be applied) but I haven't tried to burn a 5.1 yet.

[laidback]

After reading your post, considering that I have more than 15 years experience in ASM, C, C++, JavaScript, HTML, ASP, Java, RTOS, and embedded programming, do you think I have a chance to get a high salary if I send a resume to Corel ?

Gee~ I dunno?
They might not wanna pay the extra 500 bucks a week to improve VS X3 having every video editor wanting it, and therefore Corel ends up raking in thousands of dollars a week..

Now, being serious: I have noticed that, once the .m2ts files are imported into VS, no audio filters can be applied and this is kind of annoying me...
So, it looks like the original AC3 audio is somehow retained (in fact, no filters can be applied) but I haven't tried to burn a 5.1 yet.

Could you be so kind and render two short RAW AVCHD clips together and let me know if it is indeed lost?

Cheers and thanks,

Peter J Schoen.

[Roberto]

[/quote]Could you be so kind and render two short RAW AVCHD clips together and let me know if it is indeed lost?[/quote]

No problem, I will try this evening.
Anyway, just being curious: do you think a camcorder that shoots audio in 5.1 is really helpful ? Somehow, I regret, because I checked the 5.1 waveforms and I can't see a real difference. The environment was: me playing in a pub and people talking in the back stage ( they never listen to me! haha... )
The waveforms and sounds were similar: I rather expect to hear more guitar in the front channels and more chatting in the rear ones...
But maybe that's also because my camcorder is a mid-entry level (Panasonic SD20)...
What's your opinion ?

[laidback]

Could you be so kind and render two short RAW AVCHD clips together and let me know if it is indeed lost?

No problem, I will try this evening.
Anyway, just being curious: do you think a camcorder that shoots audio in 5.1 is really helpful ? Somehow, I regret, because I checked the 5.1 waveforms and I can't see a real difference. The environment was: me playing in a pub and people talking in the back stage ( they never listen to me! ha-ha... )
The waveforms and sounds were similar: I rather expect to hear more guitar in the front channels and more chatting in the rear ones...
But maybe that's also because my camcorder is a mid-entry level (Panasonic SD20)...
What's your opinion ?

In most camcorders there are three microphones that are semi directional, and when there is no zoom used by the camcorder operator, the output should be much the same from all mics, but when zoom is utilized, the ending recorded sound result should be that where ever you have zoomed into, sounds emanating from the zoomed in area should be enhanced "Increased gain for centre front mic and or speaker", like wise sudden loud noises detected from the left rear mic or right rear mic should also be what I call phase shifted, so the result is an enhanced surround FX.

Its hard to explain but lets say you zoomed into the guitar and while recording to your left, two glasses were clanked together, and then some loud mouth who was somewhat to the left and behind you yelled out or whistled, what should be heard when playing back the video clip on a surround sound system is that the guitar should be phase shifted to be heard MAINLY from the centre front channel and if you have a 7.1 surround sound amp as I do - The two glasses clanking would be phase shifted and heard MAINLY from the left surround or left side speaker and that loud mouth should be phase shifted and heard MAINLY on the rear left speaker, the recorded wave forms would all look much the same but on closer scrutiny the rear wave forms would be more out of phase to the front, as are the left and right more out of phase to each other..

The key here is if zoom is not used, then the above phase shifting is not negated as much by the camcorder, so surround sound may not be so evident..

So yeah, I now need to ask did you use zoom while you recorded?

Cheers,

Peter J Schoen..

[Roberto]

Hi,

thanks for the detailed explanation.
Actually, I knew about the zooming vs. sound direction, but I imagined that even without zooming the camera mike would have somehow tried to separate the back from front sound.
Anyway, my answer is: no, I do not zoom, because I prefer to keep the camera nearby me, in order to avoid people to bump into it

Anyway, next sunday I plan to put the Zoom H4 (which is a digital recorder... same name as "zoom" camera ) in front of the amplifier and then sync the video with the sound: much better

Ok, I think we are now off-topic here... sounds more like sound recording rather than NLE editing
This evening I will try to record a couple of AC3 following your advice: zooming on me talking (better not singing... ) and leaving some music in the background... and then render them... then I will let you know.