AVCHD Support for HMC-150

Jeff9329 wrote on 9/23/2008, 8:59 AM
Does anyone have any idea if Vegas works with AVCHD 5.1 (not 4.X profile) high profile as found in the new Panasonic HMC-150.

I don't think Sony really supports AVCHD other than very basically.

Im hoping someone has downloaded some test footage and tried it.

I know Sony does not support exporting any type of high profile AVCHD. If the camera isn't supported yet, no need to get one yet.

Comments

dibbkd wrote on 9/23/2008, 9:15 AM
How do you tell which version of AVCHD you have?

I haven't seen that as a spec on any of the Sony cameras for example.

And while we're on the subject of AVCHD versions, why won't G-Spot give you any information on the .mt2s files? Is there something that will?
tumbleweed2 wrote on 9/23/2008, 9:33 AM

From a business standpoint, would you sell software that would enable someone to buy a competitor's camera instead of your's?...
you only make a few hundred(or less) on the software, whereas you would make more selling a camera, along with some accessories...
I know this is oversimplified, but maybe this is why SCS is sometimes not as quick to work with other formats, as we would like?...
p@mast3rs wrote on 9/23/2008, 10:11 AM
So lets just call Sony "APPLE" now.
dibbkd wrote on 9/23/2008, 11:39 AM
Go to the www.pana3ccduser.com forum and see if someone will send you some footage. I'm sure someone will.
FrigidNDEditing wrote on 9/23/2008, 1:34 PM
I had some working with the new MPEG decoder, and some not ( don't know what the dif. was, but that was from the protoype, don't think there is one out yet is there? ).

Dave
Jeff9329 wrote on 9/24/2008, 6:26 AM
Well I tried to put some footage on the timeline last night and Vegas 7.0d does not recognize it at all. For some reason, VLC wouldn't play it either. Thats always a bad sign, VLC likes everything usually.

I will go ahead and install 8.0c tonight and try again.

Kinda reminded me of HDV back in 2004.

I tried Ulead MF6+ next. I usually use this to author my HD projects to BR & HD-DVD. It did import and identify the video. It took 1hour & 40 minutes to process 2 minutes of video (at 25% CPU utilization) and create the HD-DVD disc. I wont do that again. Im sure MF6+ will be fine when I get Vegas to render it a proper file.

Dave: The cameras started shipping Monday although I thought the release date was Oct 2nd.
Xander wrote on 9/24/2008, 7:52 AM
VLC does not fully support interlaced H.264 yet.
Jeff9329 wrote on 9/24/2008, 11:09 AM
Does Vegas support DVCPRO HD?

The Panasonic software may be a workaround for now. Here is the text from the Panasonic website;

AVCHD Transcoder (AVCHD to P2 DVCPRO HD Transcoder software)

Update:

Found this DVCPRO HD thread:
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/forums/ShowMessage.asp?ForumID=4&MessageID=612336

Looks like you need Raylight to import DVCPRO HD file into Vegas.

This is getting painful.
Yarin VooDoo wrote on 9/24/2008, 12:15 PM
Ciao,

some days ago I was in Cologne, Germany, for the offical Panasonic HMC151E (european version of HMC150) presentation.
You can find some HMC151 AVCHD (PH mode) here

In Vegas 8.0c HMC151 clips works fine.

Ciao
Jeff9329 wrote on 9/26/2008, 10:05 AM
Vegas 8.0c is working great so far on the AVCHD clips off the HMC-150!
kurtmo wrote on 10/16/2008, 10:24 AM
Check out this clip in Sony Vegas Pro 8.0c. When I drop it on the timeline and preview it, it gets hung on one of the final frames and Vegas locks up (CPU util sticks at around 50%).

I have two systems, one with XP and one with Vista. I've seen it happen with both systems, but I only tried on my vista system with this clip. Most clips work fine.

The clip plays fine in AVCViewer and VLC, so it doesn't appear to be an issue with the clip. And I can transcode it just fine with the Mainconcept transcoder, but then I need to use Raylight, which I don't own.

Others see this behavior as well. The clip is here, just remove the word "NOSPAM" from the link: http://jewellhomeNOSPAM.net/hmc/00030.zip
RogerB1 wrote on 10/16/2008, 3:06 PM
I to have loaded clips onto Vegas 8c and burned as data, then played back through my PS3. It looked GREAT!
TeetimeNC wrote on 10/16/2008, 3:42 PM
My experience has been that Vegas 8c doesn't support the HMC150 AVCHD very well. I have shot about 20 clips with the cam. Some lock up Vegas 8c immediately. Most will preview or render until Vegas reaches the end of a clip at which point Vegas locks up.

I've determined a workaround for this problem which is to drag the right edge of the clip in a few frames. Then Vegas can get past the edge to the next clip.

And the 720p60 clip I posted in another thread (golf swing) has a bad case of the jitters. I've sent a veg and clip to SCS Support to hopefully help them get these problems resolved soon.

Jerry
TeetimeNC wrote on 10/17/2008, 4:25 AM
And I can transcode it just fine with the Mainconcept transcoder, but then I need to use Raylight, which I don't own.

Kurt, I want to learn more about transcoding AVCHD. I've looked at the Raylight site but don't quite follow how it is used with AVCHD. It looks like it is a plugin for editing Panasonic P2 clips in Vegas. What am I missing here.

Also, is there any good documentation available on the existing Vegas 8c templates? For example, I can render my HMC150 mts to AVI using the HDV 720-24p intermediate template. This then gives me an intermediate that I can easily edit in 8c. After edits, I want to render as 720-24p m2t (mpg). There isn't a template for this (why not?) but there is HDV 720-25p. If I change this to 24p and render and it looks pretty good. What am I giving up with this workflow? What would be an optimum workflow if I have to use an intermediate or proxy file?

Jerry
Jeff9329 wrote on 10/17/2008, 7:21 AM
Update:

I have had no problems whatsoever since I installed 8.0c with editing files from the HMC150.

I have produced several test projects and delivered one final project in NTSC DVD and HD-DVD (a HDV render & Ulead author) shot with the camera.

Im shooting a wedding this saturday with the HMC 150 and have no doubt Vegas 8.0c will render it correctly.

It can be a little slow rendering to HDV, but it's not bad rendering to DV projects.

I have also mixed XH-A1 and HMC150 footage on the timeline and they work well 90% of the time. However the HMC footage is so much better than the XH-A1, I probably will have to get another HMC150.





Cheno wrote on 10/17/2008, 9:27 AM
Hey Jeff,

What about the quality of the HMC 150 do you think is so much better than the A1? I will admit, I've been blown away at some of the footage I've seen considering is AVCHD (but then again was with my HF100) - What specifically about the panny cam do you prefer?

I played with one briefly at our local pro seller and was a little dubious coming away as some of the footage I brought home was corrupted. Haven't had that happen yet on my little Canon or on SxS or P2.

I will say though that as of Vegas 8.0c, the AVCHD plays VERY well.

cheno
Jeff9329 wrote on 10/20/2008, 11:05 AM
Hey Jeff,

In good light the two cameras will match pretty well with the right presets. When it gets dark the HMC150 has better response and less noise and it's impossible to do a fade between the two cameras. The XH-A1 image just looks bad. Otherwise, there are a lots of pros and cons for each of the cameras. They are more similar than different, except for the tapeless recording.

Sitting through an hour of HDVsplit is torture compared to an equivalent 5 minutes dowloading the hour of SDHC card video.

The wide angle of the HMC150 lens is also excellent for events. You can get shots impossible with the XH-A1.

Check the DVXuser forum if you want more info. A lot of real world reviews and comparisons there.

Jeff
TeetimeNC wrote on 10/29/2008, 6:10 AM
Hi Jeff, I wish I too could say I have not had problems using 8.0c and editing files from the HMC150. My 24p and 30p clips do ok, but 60p is very problematic in 8.0c. If possible, could you try this one test and see if it renders properly for you. If it does, then I must have a problem with my PC.

1. Shoot 10 seconds of 720p60.

2. Import the clip into the 8.0c timeline and set project settings to HDV 30p template (SCS tech support recommends this for 60p footage).

3. Insert a velocity envelope and set velocity to -100% (i.e., full reverse).

4. Render to MainConcept HDV 720 30p.

When I do this the clip exhibits extreme jitters. In general, this is my problem in varying degrees with 60p source, but the above scenario produces 100% repeatable and extreme jitters.

Jerry

> have had no problems whatsoever since I installed 8.0c with editing files from the HMC150.