VS X2 can't handle MTS files?

[Brain Champagne]

Am I correct in assuming that mts files aren't compatible with VSX2? I can drag them to the library but when I put them on the timeline the program shuts down. These are HD files from my Canon video camera.

I also can't import them- I've tried every way to get the files into VS but it shuts down.

[BrianCee]

My copy of X2 handles the MTS files from my Panasonic camera with no problems at all.

These are the properties of my MTS files - what are yours ?

(right click on a thumbnail in the library and choose properties)

[Brain Champagne]

I can't copy and paste so I'll retype it:

format ntsc hdmv
size 1,998,768 kb
duration 690.691 sec
type H.264 video, upper field first
frames 20,700
24 bits, 1920 X 1080 16:9
rate 29.97
data rate varible max 22699
audio dolby digital
samples 33,153,153
attributes 48000 hz
layer none
bit rate 256 kbps

[Ken Berry]

The problem could be the bitrate. X2 was produced long before high def AVCHD camcorders could use a bitrate much over 16 Mbps (or even with a few, 18 Mbps). Many AVCHD camcorders these days have a max bitrate of 28 Mbps and also run at 50/60p i.e. 50 or sixty full frames per second. The latter is not the case with your video, but certainly your bitrate is more that X2 was designed to handle.

The only options I see are either to upgrade your version of VS, or else film with a lower quality setting which would take your bitrate to 18 Mbps or below.

I would also have to add that your computer would appear to also be below the specs necessary not only to edit but even to play .mts files smoothly. For that you need at least a decent Core 2 Duo CPU and preferably something more powerful.

I also can't remember if X2 came with SmartProxy (though I think it might have been the first version which did). But if it does, you might want to try that. It creates a standard def copy ('proxy') of your high def files, which you can edit and play easily. Then, when satisfied, you apply those changes to the high def originals.

[Brain Champagne]

Thanks. I think my camera has been shooting at 24 mbps because I wanted the highest-res (and have big enough SD cards to handle it). I can't go back and reshoot video I've already taken...

But- I have a new computer, Win7, so that's not an issue.

X2 does have smartproxy but it doesn't do much good if the program shuts down every time I drop a file onto the timeline...

And as I've already expressed, I'm angry enough at all the bugs I've run into that I don't think I'll be using VS much going forward... too bad, because the other Corel product I use (WordPerfect) is still far better than any of its competition.

[Ken Berry]

Since you are now using Win 7, can we assume you have fully patched X2. There were problems when it was first issued for Win 7 users since it was written well before Win 7 ever came out. But Corel issued a patch which made it fully compatible. I have to add that other users had no difficulty inserting mts files into X2, though as I said above, in those days the AVCHD max bitrate was lower than yours is now.

[BrianCee]

VS X2 is quite an old programme now in software terms (around 4½ years) - quite a lot has happened since X2 was released and it is possible some of your problems are due to the age of the programme.

Why not download the FREE trial of X6 - you do not need to uninstall X2 to run the trial - just install X6 alongside X2 - then see what X6 can do

if it's no better then you can uninstall X6 and carry on with your old X2.

[Brain Champagne]

Thanks but it were something simple and I wanted to spend that much money maybe.

But bugs have a way of finding their way into stuff months later, it's not like I could try every possibility and see if it works flawlessly. And given Corel's attitude toward fixing stuff I think the 'once bitten, twice shy' should apply.

[aljimenez]

"The grass looks greener from the other side" applies here. If you expect any other complex video editing program to have no bugs and to somehow handle the enormous changes to cameras and video files over a period of over 4 years, well you will learn it again. The above suggestions should work, in particular trying out the latest version of VS, but you appear to have made up your mind. I wonder why you posted your problem here?

[Brain Champagne]

Some software is buggier than others. Some companies pay at least some attention to fixing bugs while others are just keen on new features (MS for example) and appear to have no interest in actually fixing problems.

I posted here hoping to solve my problem since I've been editing a video for the past two weeks that I just got working a few days ago... and then wanted to create another with newer footage but I can't put the newer files into VS.

Apparently there are rules on this board about discussing other software so let's just say that upgrading my VS2 is beyond my current software budget.

[Brain Champagne]

On the positive side I had the idea to check for updates (since apparently the program doesn't auto-update and I couldn't see anything in the program that says 'check for updates'). There are two, I installed them and now it can read the mts files. So for now I can stick with VS2. Thanks,

[canuck]

Some software is buggier than others. Some companies pay at least some attention to fixing bugs while others are just keen on new features (MS for example) and appear to have no interest in actually fixing problems.

I posted here hoping to solve my problem since I've been editing a video for the past two weeks that I just got working a few days ago... and then wanted to create another with newer footage but I can't put the newer files into VS.

Apparently there are rules on this board about discussing other software so let's just say that upgrading my VS2 is beyond my current software budget.

Do you really think any company is going to waste time and money on fixing problems on 4 year old products especially when they are selling products that are 4 versions along?

[Brain Champagne]

Well, here are my thoughts:

1. They could've fixed it long before now.

2. It's not like each version is created from scratch- a lot of bugs carry over since the new software builds on the old code.

3. They do have an ethical obligation to make sure their product works as advertised. The fact that it's software instead of hardware doesn't alleviate them of this responsibility. Would you accept "Hey, so what if your windshield wipers stop every time you make a left turn? It's a four year old Ford, what do you expect?"

This is why people hate software companies- they're very interested in adding new features few people need and most people can't even figure out how to use, but uninterested in fixing problems.

[aljimenez]

Well, here are my thoughts:
3. They do have an ethical obligation to make sure their product works as advertised. The fact that it's software instead of hardware doesn't alleviate them of this responsibility. Would you accept "Hey, so what if your windshield wipers stop every time you make a left turn? It's a four year old Ford, what do you expect?"

Your analogy is not correct. A better analogy is to expect car manufacturers to install seat belts on an old car because all new ones have them. Another analogy: car manufacturers should add hands-free phone connections since most new cars come with one... etc. The software didn't break, you are unhappy because new technology is not working in the old software... Al

[pvreditor]

FWIW, I did quite a bit of editing with 17 Mbps AVCHD (.mts) files in VideoStudio x2. I have a Canon camcorder that caused some glitches when I edited from AVCHD to AVCHD, so I worked around that by rendering to WMV and MP4. Those worked fine.

With VS x4, the glitches went away and the software was a joy to use. It's not perfect by a long shot, but it is stable and reliable. AVCHD-to-AVCHD works very well. I really appreciated the file structure for the library that was introduced in VS x4. x4 also had much more flexible overlay tracks than earlier versions, including doing effects in the overlay tracks. (That opened the way to doing effects between the main video track to the overlay tracks, for which I created a tutorial video: http://youtu.be/a2SgRd4u6ZM.)

With VS x6, I can edit 24 Mbps AVCHD files with no glitches or problems. At least, none that I've discovered yet. Now, even x6 won't let me edit glitch-free 28 Mbps AVCHD files... so it goes.

Bob Kovacs
http://www.bobkovacs.com