Stitching AVCHD MTS camcorder files together in VMS 15 Platinum

robbif2 wrote on 4/16/2019, 8:56 PM

I haven't addressed this in a long while, but would love to have an in-editor solution.

It applies to several prior VMS versions.

I mostly record Bluegrass music band sets approaching an hour in length with 3 Canon camcorders: M500, HFG10, and HFG30. In continuous recording, each one generates several 2GB AVCHD MTS files.

If I simply assemble them on the timeline butted up together and play the timeline, there is an audio and video glitch at each intersection of the clips.

A buddy of mine with similar cameras and MTS files has an old version of Vegas Pro and tells me he doesn't have the problem.

The horrible clumsy slow ingestion software from Canon will "stitch" the files correctly, but years ago I went on and on with Canon with other problems, who disclaimed any responsibility for the software with the Canon name, made by some 3rd party.

My solution for years has been to use tsMuxeR https://www.videohelp.com/software/tsMuxeR to stitch the files into an M2TS.

My questions:

1. Am I missing something with VMS 15 Platinum (and prior versions)?

2. Does Vegas Pro stitch clips correctly?

3. If so, why doesn't VMS do it?

4. Would that be a valid official feature request?

Windows 7 & 10.

Thanks!

Comments

EricLNZ wrote on 4/16/2019, 9:06 PM

Have you tried using Device Explorer? It's in VMS16 but may have been called something else in VMS15. I've recently had a cleanout and only have VMS16 installed now so cannot check.

EricLNZ wrote on 4/16/2019, 9:09 PM

@robbif2 This thread https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/editing-joining-2-gb-avchd-clips-in-vegas-pro-13--101478/ refers. See OldSmoke's post, second in the thread.

robbif2 wrote on 4/17/2019, 5:42 PM

@EricLNZ, Thanks for the link. What I've been able to glean sofar is that Pro takes care of it and my VMS versions do not. I tried the recommendation of using the Explorer to no avail. I also ingested the entire SD structure to no avail. Everyone in my boat uses some external app as I do. I'll submit an official request.

EricLNZ wrote on 4/17/2019, 6:01 PM

Strange as my impression is VMS handles it the same as Pro. I'm not aware that Device Explorer is any different in Pro to VMS. But I've no experience with Pro and use my Canon Pixela software on the very rare occasions I need to join files. Hopefully someone with more experience can comment.

FayFen wrote on 4/17/2019, 10:48 PM

I solved this issue after timing a file, by stop & rec on applause or other break.

robbif2 wrote on 4/18/2019, 3:32 PM

I've done that in the case (a) I had only one camcorder and (b) I didn't need the banter between tunes.

Actually I have a 4th camcorder, a GoPro. Remotes for all of them would be too much trouble.

j-v wrote on 4/18/2019, 4:12 PM

Maybe time to step in

Am I missing something with VMS 15 Platinum (and prior versions)?

I miss nothing in my installed VMS 14, 15 and 16 PL.
Device Explorer exists and when I import through that option all AVCHD MTS files are stiched together when needed because of the border in the cam of 2GB. Exactly the same as in Pro. I can also use the software that came with my Panasonic cam to bring the total long files to my workstations.

So I think your doing something wrong when you not want to use the software of your Canons.

robbif2 wrote on 4/18/2019, 4:40 PM

Maybe time to step in

Am I missing something with VMS 15 Platinum (and prior versions)?

I miss nothing in my installed VMS 14, 15 and 16 PL.
Device Explorer exists and when I import through that option all AVCHD MTS files are stiched together when needed because of the border in the cam of 2GB. Exactly the same as in Pro. I can also use the software that came with my Panasonic cam to bring the total long files to my workstations.

So I think your doing something wrong when you not want to use the software of your Canons.

robbif2 wrote on 4/18/2019, 4:42 PM

Well, I've tried all the recommended methods, and I see there are most still use external apps to stitch.

So maybe we are all doing something wrong...not joking here.

Anyway I just got an official ticket and will report back when I get an answer.

robbif2 wrote on 4/25/2019, 3:25 PM

After a week or more, today I received this official response to my ticket.

"I can pass your feedback along. As of right now the only way to do this is to use the app that came with your camera to link them together as MS is not currently aware of how they should be stitched together."

Underwhelming!

I don't know what "pass your feedback along" means, so I will ask.

robbif2 wrote on 4/25/2019, 6:01 PM

I received an almost immediate reply to my last request...

I will pass your feedback for a feature request onto the development
team to see if there is anything they can do for future versions. Movie
Studio is unable to stitch the files together automatically, you would
have to manually space the files out or have the camera application for
your specific device do it for you upon import. If Vegas Pro offers this
functionality it is because that is a professional level product whereas
Movie Studio is a consumer product with less functionality. I would
recommend running the trial of Vegas Pro 16 to see if it stitches your
files together for you in the way that best suits your needs.

My reply to Magix...

I have always been aware of the trial version of Vegas Pro, but I'm
currently in the process of shooting, editing, and producing 4 videos,
in the next 3 days; and am limited to time, also disk space, and
installation interference with my current installations of VMS 15 and
16. I would have expected Magix to offer this longterm customer (VMS
12-16) the courtesy of testing yourself!

I can provide two of these very common AVCHD files, but will take some
time to upload them with my limited DSL connection and my production
workload.

I'll provide the links here too for anyone can help with my thanks in advance!

Marco. wrote on 4/25/2019, 6:26 PM

Almost looks like there is a misunderstanding on the side of the support as this is not about stitching individual files together but just joining 2 GB junks of one single record session.

Uploading the clips itself would be useless. It needs your complete SD card folder structure.

robbif2 wrote on 4/25/2019, 7:05 PM

Marco, you may be correct. However, two things in my original post...

1. I tried that with VMS15 to no avail.

2. Most telling: The alternate method (free app) I've successfully used for years (tsMuxer) does not need or have access to the complete structure! Some use the classic DOS binary copy/append command. There's another app for GoPro MP4s (MP4joiner) that also successfully stitches those files without the complete structure. VMSx cannot do either.

There seems to be enough online information from those free apps that, if Magix doesn't really know and Vegas Pro doesn't stitch them either, Magix should be able to implement a significant time-* and space-saving** feature for what I assume is a large group of users!

* Running the stitch app

** Not having to save both the original the original files and the potentially huge stitched file.

Marco. wrote on 4/26/2019, 2:36 AM

We users can only try helping get the existing tools running. Movie Studio's "Device Explorer" (not the Movie Studio "Explorer" which is a different tool) is expected to work fine joining AVCHD clip junks from SD card recordings. I often use the Movie Studio Device Explorer to join my Panasonic SD card recorded clips.

So I wonder whether there is something different in the folder structure of the SD card recording of your Canon cameras or if there is something wrong with your Movie Studio installation.
I'm looking for an online source which offers a download of a full SD card folder content of such a Canon camera but yet I did not find one.

robbif2 wrote on 4/26/2019, 5:02 AM

Thanks. I have 3 video shoots in the next 2 days, including a funeral of a dear friend. I will reply ASAP after that.

Marco. wrote on 4/26/2019, 5:28 AM

Sorry to hear that.

I just had the chance to quickly test the HG30 AVCHD import via Movie Studio's Device Explorer on a colleague's notebook. Automated joining of the clip segments worked fine (which is what I expected because the AVCHD folder structure of the Canon recording equals that one of the Panasonic AVCHD recording). One critical thing beneath the availability of the correct folder structure is that this only works with AVCHD footage, not with MP4 files.

robbif2 wrote on 4/26/2019, 7:13 AM

I found some time before the full day starts. Well, I'm a little embarrassed and very thankful for the patience and advice from everyone...which finally sunk in. I now understand the difference between the Explorer and the Device Explorer!
DrZen spelled out the exact steps and voila, time and disk space saved! It surely works!

Now the question that pops up: How come Magix had no idea about the solution?!!

j-v wrote on 4/26/2019, 8:30 AM

Now the question that pops up: How come Magix had no idea about the solution?!!

Because you did not know what was meant while we all had it about the Device Explorer and gave all the possible answers and screenshots of it.
Maybe next time you have a question for something you cannot find yourself and also not in the manual, you have to take a better look at the solutions we all gave you already from the beginning.

robbif2 wrote on 4/26/2019, 8:41 AM

j-v, I understand your frustration, but your blowing off steam admonishing me is not necessary.
I already self-deprecated, admitting it "finally sunk in" and thanked everyone.
I'm also hoping all the others who were using methods like mine can also learn from my ignorance.

vkmast wrote on 4/26/2019, 8:50 AM

As you said yourself, "Marco[.], you may be correct" with his comment.

robbif2 wrote on 4/26/2019, 5:39 PM

Epilogue

My reply to Magix...

I found the solution on two Vegas forums.
I'm very concerned and disappointed that Magix apparently doesn't know the answer - that in fact Movie Studio and Vegas Pro do know how to stitch files!

Magix response...

I'm glad that you succeeded in finding a solution. I guess I was confusing the spanning of related video files with stitching. Movie Studio is unable to span them but I guess it is able to stitch, my apologies for being misleading on that. Thankfully it appears that you have gotten it figured out!

I guess I can accept that.

Repeated thanks for everyone's help!

EricLNZ wrote on 4/26/2019, 6:31 PM

All is well that ends well.......

shaun-b wrote on 11/11/2019, 9:49 AM

Okay, how does one deal with this issue with Canon MP4 files? I used to use fjoiner with my previous Canon video camera and 2 gb files but my new camera's files (4 gb) for some reason aren't processed by fjoiner. Canon says this is a video software problem, not a Canon problem, and suggested I use Windows Live Movie Maker, which isn't what I want to do. I'm using Movie Studio Platinum 12. Is this still a problem with the newest version?

shaun-b wrote on 11/11/2019, 2:36 PM

Okay, I downloaded the trial of the latest version and it's still a problem. I need some sort of software to stitch the files together since fjoiner doesn't work with whatever new codec Canon is using. And Canon has been useless in helping solve this problem. Any ideas? I'm trying out Adobe P.E. but I really don't want to have to learn to use different editing software.