FX1 capture: conversion of m2t files to avi?

Serena wrote on 5/4/2005, 12:30 AM
Just tried out the HDV plugin in Vegas 6 and captured files OK but I would like to have them converted to avi format (as does the original Cineform HD software). I can't see any mention in the V6 manual (I refer to the short printed version) or any options in V6 for making that conversion. Presumably V6 does it. Advice appreciated.

thanks

Comments

Serena wrote on 5/4/2005, 1:31 AM
I've had some trouble with Cineform not cutting clips correctly, so decided to download without "clipping". Then, although everything appears to be working, I've found the download has stopped somewhere and not come down to disk, even though the reported file size continued to grow until I stopped the transfer. Although there was no report of transfer stopping because of dropped frames, could this be the cause? No dropouts are seen on the camera replay. This lead me to try capture within V6, thus leading to the subject of this thread.
PeterWright wrote on 5/4/2005, 2:13 AM
P 231 of the V6 manual describes how to create intermediate files.

For a more automated procedure Gearshift is a handy plug-in.
Serena wrote on 5/4/2005, 2:59 AM
Thanks Peter. Not an automatic process. It looks to be more efficient to use the Cineform HDlink to capture and convert, rather than capturing directly into V6. The ability to edit lower resolution clips and replace them with the original HDV clips is a nice capability, if it's needed. I can run the Cineform intermediates in real time so editing them is no problem and they claim no loss of resolution in the final render to HD output. Any comments about this?
epirb wrote on 5/4/2005, 4:27 AM
Cineform does do a nice job , and I still use it if I want to convert it to a HDV intermeadiate. it seems faster than rendering to the intermeadiate in Vegas. someone commented but i havent checked, that it renders to the "large" file size selection like you have in the connect hd software.
I too have just started to use Gearshift for editing, after you capture the m2t file. open a vegas project at the dv widescreen properties settings . Then open gearshift select the m2t file and it creates a DV proxy instead of a HDV proxy if you will.
advantages, it edits much faster esp when adding effects etc.
then gearshift will swap out the proxy w/ your orig m2t fro final rendering.
they have a free trial period fully functional on the VASST site.
MH_Stevens wrote on 5/4/2005, 10:31 AM
I use GearShift and highly recommend it. The only thing that CineForm has going for it is that it will (with fast computers and luck) detect and cut scens which allows for using "Save with Trimmed Media" and much smaller storage disc usuage. Using GearShift you must capture the transport stream with V6 first which has no scene detection. If using V5 then capture with CapDVHS then convert with Gearshift.

Someone (Spot/Johnney types) need to write a utility that will capture m2t files with scene detection to use before the conversion to the intermeadiaries.

Mike
epirb wrote on 5/4/2005, 1:22 PM
or even if you could somehow scan the whole m2t clip on the timeline split the clip into the good sections, then do something like extract good clips like in Excal 4 then render just those sections of the original m2t clip into proxies.
just thinking outloud here...
MH_Stevens wrote on 5/5/2005, 7:54 AM
epirb: I've been dreaming about being able to do that. I think it is a pity that the Vegas splitting and editing is virtual. I would prefer a DESTRUCTIVE editor with functionality over a non-destructive one now we have the limitations of mpeg raw footage.