Problems with Vegas Pro 8 on Laptop

Tomsde wrote on 2/10/2009, 5:25 PM
I wanted to see if I could edit AVCHD films on my laptop. It has a Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 gig processor. When I download the software and tried to work with the AVCHD files, the files would play audio when clicking in the Explorer Tab, but no image. When I moved the image to the timeline it played the video, but it studdered.

I attempted to convert the file using AVCHD upshift to a .m2t file format, played smooth on the timeline but still would not preview in the explorer tab. Is anyone else having this problem? I could not contact Sony since I'm just using a trial version.

Is my laptop too weak to handle this type of editing? Any suggestions?

Comments

rs170a wrote on 2/10/2009, 8:14 PM
Is my laptop too weak to handle this type of editing?

Unfortunately yes :-(
Sony recommends at least a 2.8 GHz processor for HDV and AVCHD.
Most users here will recommend at least a quad core for AVCHD.

Mike
i c e wrote on 2/10/2009, 11:50 PM
Yes I have had the same problem. I can only view AVCHD files on the program that came with the software.
I have a simular laptop (a little faster at 2.0GHZ). I would not go to .mts if I were you I would go straight to .avi. Much easier to work with.

Josh
Tomsde wrote on 2/11/2009, 10:43 AM
I was able to transcode .m2t and work with a project in Vegas Movie Studio 8 (but it won't that version won't handle high definition). I was able to add effects and render a movie in a standard definition format okay. Since I'm running 64 Bit Vista, I can't use Movie Studio 9 (Sony isn't supporting 64 bit OS in the current version). Do you think that it might be worth it to get a copy of Movie Studio Plat. 8?

Since the advent of multi-core processors it's more difficult to know if your computer meets the requirements (as software vendors don't have often have what in the minimum in multi-core). A 2.8 gig Pentium 4 or atholon sn't the equivalent of the 2.8 Core 2 Duo. Now with the new Pentiums coming out with 8 cores, it will be even more difficult to know.

I appreciate your advice and thoughts.
i c e wrote on 2/11/2009, 11:02 AM
Hey man I really in your same boat here.
Trying to figure this whole thing out. Platinum 8 does not include most of the really nice new blue effects that 9 does (but then again neither does pro 8).
have you considered going with a 32 bit OS? I can get the restore disc from HP for $26 and you can put you machine in 32 bit. I'm thinking about it but not reassured that it wouldn't somehow cause more problems. I am also thinking of exchanging this one for a 32 bit.
Anyways good luck with your desicion and if you figure anything out please let me know,

thanx,

Josh
Tomsde wrote on 2/11/2009, 11:14 AM
As 64 Bit OS become more common, software vendors will have to update their products eventually. Best Buy, where I bought my laptop, 99% 64 bit computers now, with only some lame, under powered systems being 32 bit. At this point, downgrading to 32 would probably cause more problems than its worth.

I have a Quad Core 2.4 Gig processor on my desktop and it handles AVCHD okay. I did do a comparison, however, and trans coding to m2t with AVCHD Upshift consume only have the processing power that working with the original AVCHD file did. The down side of that, however, is that it created a file that was approximately 3x larger than the original file at the highest quality conversion. So the AVCHD file was 888 mb and the .m25 was 2.1 GIGABYTES!