New to videostudio X8 and need help

[Capricorn12]

Hi to all and hope someone can help me. I bought a Panasonic HC V550 HD camcorder a few weeks ago and soon realised my PC was not up to the task of editing. Even with my new PC with a 3.9ghz AMD quad core processor and 8gb of ram plus 1tb HDD the software that came with the camcorder(HD writer LE 2.1) it still throws up messages of speed deficiencies. I tried free trials of various editors including Lightworks, Powerdirector and Videostudio proX8. All caused some problems but I have used an early version of Video studio in the past and liked it so bought the X8 Ultimate version and found it brilliant as it is so much easier than Lightworks and it didn't crash like Powerdirector. I uninstalled HD writer and downloaded the video files directly from the SD card. First problem was that they downloaded with just the number of the file on the card i.e. 000121 and not the date and time number as HD writer did. I have now bought my wife the same camcorder as we both film and and realised there may be video files on the PC with the same name which may cause problems so I re-installed HD writer and unticked the auto open box as it was annoying opening everytime an AVCHD disc went in. Hopefully this will so;ve the file number problem. Now to my question: at presnt I am only burning AVCHD files to standard DVDs and don't know if recording at a a higher compression rate i.e. 1080 50i HG instead of 1080 50p and thus using less memory, whether this will give more time on an AVCHD disc as tests I have done seem inconclusive. I love Pro X8 but there is quite a lot to learn. I am planning to cover a wedding in July for a nephew as a favour with no great expectations from him but I want to get things flowing smoothly before that date and it is probable I shall buy a blueray burner before then so I can fit a fair amount of time on the finished blueray disc so I will obviously record that in 1080 50p. Thanks for any help that can be given.

[Ken Berry]

Welcome to the forum!

You need first to be aware of the international standards which govern both AVCHD hybrid discs (i.e. burning AVCHD to a DVD) and Blu-Ray discs. At the moment they do not allow 1080 50p video to be burned to them -- only 720 50p. So for burning both an AVCHD and a Blu-Ray disc your 1080 50i video is in fact the right choice.

An AVCHD hybrid disc, moreover, by international standard, has a bitrate limited to 18 Mbps (though extendable to 20 Mbps). Using this maximum, you can burn around 20 minutes of AVCHD to a single layer DVD. And of course you need a Blu-Ray player to play back such discs once made. A proper Blu-Ray disc will accept higher bitrates for both AVCHD and BD-compatible mpeg-2.

[Terfyn]

First problem was that they downloaded with just the number of the file on the card i.e. 000121 and not the date and time number as HD writer did. I have now bought my wife the same camcorder as we both film and and realised there may be video files on the PC with the same name which may cause problems.

Good housekeeping is the better way. Set up your folders in "My Video" for the two cameras and rename the files as soon as you have downloaded them. I use a global rename, not on each file.
I use "Import from Digital Media" which gives you the choice of which folder or folders to download, you can mix and add folders just by ticking the appropriate box.
Using this method I have sorted two camera shoots and shoots of the same subject on different days. You can add to the folder and files with the same generated number, 000121 comes up as 000121(2). In practice it is the "thumbnail" picture that gives the clue about the shot, not the date or time.
I scrapped HDWriter as it pulled a load of irrelevant files in with the video files and just blocked up my folders with rubbish.

[asik1]

Capricorn12 , you don't need HD writer at all (even the current 5.2 http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/sup ... _ae52.html), simply connect the camera and copy the MTS files to your PC proper folder, you better not have it on your C drive . Indeed you have a decent system for most works but if you have trouble playing those files than it's properly clogged with lot of junk.
I run inferior system to yours and it works fine.

[lata]

Hi

Other options.....

If you use the option Import Digital Media the program will use the shooting date as the files names.
Read my guide, 1 / Import Video to Computer
http://www.lata.me.uk/corel/all.htm

Right click timeline and choose Import Digital Media
Or use File – Insert Media File to Timeline / Library……. Import Digital Media

50P v 50i, if you intend to burn a Bluray disc then record using 50i

If converting AVCHD to DVD Mpeg2, I am not sure, maybe 50P would produce better Mpeg2 quality using 25P, must admit I have not tried that approach.

AVCHD to Mpeg2 25fps will reduce quality, make sure from F6—resampling quality is set to Best.

[Capricorn12]

Thanks for all the replies and the valuable information therein. I still cant seem to get the files to download with the date and time as the filename without using HD writer but I will persevere with that as I don't really want HD writer installed as you so rightly said. The task of renaming every clip seems a daunting task with the prospect of 4 hours of holiday video to edit. I have 22,000 photos on my PC and know the value of structured cataloging so want to get this right from the start. Obviously my idea of recording AVCHD at 1080i HG giving over 5.5 hours on a 32gb card which translates to 45 minutes of AVCHD on a 4.38gb DVD will not work as planned due to the limitations of the DVD format. Videostudio advises all saved data should be on a slave drive and this is planned along with a blueray burner but with the recent cost of two camcorders plus a new PC and editing software the bank balance needs to recover a little. Thanks again for all the advice.

[lata]

Hi

Well if you cannot use Video Studio Import Digital Media to move the files from the SD card then you have no option but to re-name. Other than keeping the files in separate folders. Cannot understand why VS does not do that with your files.

You can re-name the files, Bulk Rename Utility is very good, once you have mastered the check boxes, a little difficult at first but will re-name any combination.

Windows can also batch rename, Select a folder containing files, Ctrl = A to select all, then right click first file for re-name.

There is one problem that the first clip gets a different name format, then may list as the last clip. When you try you will see what I mean.

[Capricorn12]

Hi

Well if you cannot use Video Studio Import Digital Media to move the files from the SD card then you have no option but to re-name. Other than keeping the files in separate folders. Cannot understand why VS does not do that with your files.

You can re-name the files, Bulk Rename Utility is very good, once you have mastered the check boxes, a little difficult at first but will re-name any combination.

Windows can also batch rename, Select a folder containing files, Ctrl = A to select all, then right click first file for re-name.

There is one problem that the first clip gets a different name format, then may list as the last clip. When you try you will see what I mean.

Ah got it at last thanks for being patient with me. I was just copying the files directly which just copied the thumbnail number. Now I can get rid of HD writer and all those extra files that are useless. Being over 70 means some things take a bit longer to sink in. This will now make life simpler when I come to download clips from 2 camcorders into the library or timeline as it should put them in order of time/date. Thanks again.

[lata]

Hi Capricorn12

Some things to consider…

1 / For each download / transfer to the pc you should create a new folder to hold those files. I usually use a folder for each SD card, give the folder a suitable unique name.

2 / I assume the camera records to MTS type files (m2st)
You should set your project properties to match your video files properties.
From F6 Settings Preferences – tick Show messages when inserting First…..
When you add the first clip you should be prompted to match the properties.
Works for many formats but not all.
Will not show if properties are already set.

3 / As you are eventually to burn a Bluray Disc I would record using 50i aka 25fps

4 / You mentioned 1080 50i HG, that should be suitable, there may be another setting on the camera 1080 50i HA, would improve quality a little.

If you are unsure about anything, come back to the forum and ask..

I am updating my Quick Guide using X8, explaining my approach from camera to burning a disc, you may find it useful. link below.

[Capricorn12]

Thanks for the reply Lata and I have noted everything you mentioned. Looking at bit rates and the amount of space the video files take up on the SD card and the PC I was hoping to get about 44 minutes of AVCHD video onto a DVD when recording with the camera set to 13 Mbps (1080i HG). But it seems it does not work like that and I will not get more than about 20 minutes onto a DVD. With this in mind I will first fit a 2 tb slave drive and then buy a blueray burner plus download the add-on from Corel so I can burn blueray discs. As my films rarely exceed 50 minutes I will record at 17 Mbps (1080i HA) to improve the quality a bit especially when doing my nephews wedding. I have bought my wife an identical camera so I can mix the video and do cutaways etc. Have also got the workflow working how I want by just copying the files from the card to the PC in a named folder then copying these to the library or timeline using 'insert digital media'. As this changes the file name to a date oriented one this means I can download the files from both cameras and the program can sort by date so the order of the files will be in correct time order. Thanks again for all the help.

[lata]

Hi

Burning a disc ……….

Use Digital Dolby audio that uses less memory (Mb) than LPCM audio, much less.

If you render the project to AVCHD using the correct data rate the file will be below 4.3 Gb, at 13000kbps it seems that 40 minutes would do.
At 16800kbps, my Panasonic uses that rate I can get about 36 minutes.

Much better to purchase that Bluray burner and use Bluray discs.

If you are only getting 20 minutes is VS rendering to 18000kbps.

[Capricorn12]

After playing around with settings it seems I can get 36 to 40 minutes from an AVCHD dvd and while this would be ok for some of my smaller videos, it will not be sufficient for others so a blueray burner will be my next purchase after a 2gb slave drive. My wife wanted to give a friend a dvd of our grandchildren I did in AVCHD but as she only has a standard dvd player so I burnt it to a rewritable dvd and was quite surprised at the quality it produced. I only have a 32" tv but have noticed that some of my older dvds look a lot better than they used to now they are played on a samsung blueray player using an hdmi lead. Whether this is the upscaling or just the newer TV I am not sure but am impressed with the quality of most stuff I put in there now.

[lata]

Hi

I upgraded to HD camcorder about 18 months ago, since then I have gone through the same processes as yourself, first purchased a Bluray Player burning AVCHD for a while. Then bought the Bluray burner, never looked back.
Fortunately the pc copes well enough editing HD not the fastest but does the job, otherwise it would have been more expense.

And like you noticed the quality difference when playing those old DVD on a new TV, think that is simply upscaling by the tv/players.

You could consider using USB memory stick, (no 40 minute limit there) my DVD player will play raw MPG, save the files till you get that Bluray Burner.
If I render to MTS, I simply re-name to use MPG, although the Bluray player will play MTS

Unfortunately does not support menus via USB otherwise I could burn a Bluray folder/image?

My TV does not have USB, I play via the DVD players usb port, new tv on the cards soon.