Prevent Re-encode from Canon HF M41

[mattg]

Hello,

I'm struggling to find a solution to use the H.264 files captured and created by my High-Definition Canon HF M41 without re-encoding!

I currently have the 30-day trial version of version 7.00.398.0 installed and it insists on re-coding my files!

Yes! I do have the "Do not convert compliant MPEG files" option checked in the advanced encoding settings, and I haven't edited my video files at all!

Is there a way to ensure my files are not re-encoded? What is the definition of "compliant MPEG files"? Does it matter what I set my Corel encoding settings to? I know my Canon M2TS files are "compliant" because I can uses the poorly written PIXELA software to create a Blu-Ray Disk without re-encoding and I've identically matched the burned files versus the files on my computer (using MediaInfo, size of file, etc.). I've even burned a Blu-Ray Disk with PIXELA and imported the M2TS streams from the Blu-Ray disk and Corel doesn't think they are "Compliant" and re-encodes!

The only difference I can see is the bit rate. My Canon M41 encodes at 25Mbps, where the max bitrate setting for H.264 in Corel is 20Mbps.

Corel, if you can help, I'll buy your product and tell all my Canon User friends how to make this work! I refuse to throw away video quality by re-encoding. That's why I bought a decent HD Video Camera!

For completeness, my "raw" Canon HF M41 files are:
From "MediaInfo"
General
ID : 0 (0x0)
Format : BDAV
Format/Info : Blu-ray Video
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 23.8 Mbps
Maximum Overall bit rate : 24.0 Mbps

Video
ID : 4113 (0x1011)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Codec ID : 27
Duration : 54s 988ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 22.6 Mbps
Maximum bit rate : 22.7 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.363
Stream size : 148 MiB (95%)

Audio
ID : 4352 (0x1100)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : 129
Duration : 55s 72ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -66ms
Stream size : 1.68 MiB (1%)

I set my Corel Encoding settings to:
MPEG files
24 bits, 1920 x 1080, 29.97 fps
Upper Field First
(HDMV-NTSC), 16:9
H.264 Video
Video data rate: Variable (Max. 20000 kbps)
Audio data rate: 256 kbps
Dolby Digital Audio, 48 KHz, 2/0(L,R)

Thanks,
Matt

[Ken Berry]

The only difference I can see is the bit rate. My Canon M41 encodes at 25Mbps, where the max bitrate setting for H.264 in Corel is 20Mbps.

And that, I am afraid, is your problem. MF 7 was written well before the international standard bitrate for AVCHD video was raised first to 24 Mbps and now to 27 Mbps. So I am afraid you cannot set your output to achieve more than 20 Mbps. And since your video is higher than that, then it will always be re-encoded to the lower bitrate.

No update patch has been produced for this as yet, nor as yet for Video Studio. While it might be hoped that such a patch might emerge, I would not be holding my breath. More likely a new version of Video Studio will cover the situation. But I don't know what might happen with Movie Factory. Corel took a decision a long time ago to discontinue Movie Factory as a product. MF 7 when it was released, was only released in a limited number of areas of the world. It was only when Corel shot itself in the foot with the ridiculous new burning module for VS X3 that they were forced to issue an SE edition of MF7. And thus international interest in Movie Factory more generally occurred. So while there might now be the possibility of an MF8, I can't say I have hear any suggestion that it will in fact happen.

[teknisyan]

You can try and use VideoStudio Pro X4, which is an advance video editing and authoring software. You can download the trial at http://pnoy.me/coreltrials

[Ken Berry]

Abiel -- as far as I am aware, Video Studio X4 has the same bitrate limitations as MF 7.

[mattg]

Thanks guys for the quick response. Too bad. Any advice on a decent bd authoring package that won't make me reencode and has good menu designs thats less than $100? The cyberlink suite has the same limitations on forcing a reencode.
Thanks again,
Matt