VMS not compatible with Panasonic HDC-SD1?

Erv wrote on 7/9/2007, 8:58 AM
I have a Panasonic HDC-SD1 HD camcorder that records in AVCHD onto SD cards. When I try to open the .mts or m2ts files (both directly copied from the SD cards and via the panasonic download software), VMS 8a fails with a vague "unable to open file XXXX.mts" error message.

Does VMS only work with Sony AVCHD camcorders? Other software (Pinnacle Studio 11 Plus) opens these files fine (I just hate the Pinnacle software). I'd really like to use VMS, but this is obviously a showstopper.

Has anyone had any luck with this combination of camcorder/software?

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 7/9/2007, 10:26 AM
Complete, total, and utter guess here, but it won't cost you anything to try this ... what happens if you rename the files to .m2t ?
Erv wrote on 7/9/2007, 1:37 PM
No luck. I tried .mts .m2ts .m2t.

I downloaded the Ulead VideoStudio trial and it worked also.
4eyes wrote on 7/9/2007, 3:40 PM
As far as I can tell it only works with the Sony cams. You have to use the sony software supplied with the avchd cam to extract the files to the harddisk, then insert them.
The trial version of Vegas 7.0e will load the m2ts or m2t files.
Erv wrote on 7/10/2007, 6:07 AM
The issue is that Vegas Movie Studio does not recognize the .m2ts files after they have already been copied to my PC from the camera/memory card.

I haven't tried the full Vegas. I'll DL the trial and see if conciders the .mts files as valid.
Erv wrote on 7/11/2007, 10:02 AM
Vegas 7e doesn't recognize the files either. Oh well. I'll have to stick with other vendor software until Sony gets this working. I suppose Panasonic might not have followed the AVCHD spec correctly, but that seems unlikely since 3 other vendors' software can read and edit the files.
Tim L wrote on 7/11/2007, 1:40 PM
So far, Vegas/VMS support for AVCHD appears to be only for Sony cameras. All their release notes seem to be careful to state it that way as well.

Back on May 1, when the Vegas 7.0e update was release with support for "Sony AVCHD camcorders", there was a mention on CamcorderInfo.com that Panasonic uses a slightly different version of AVCHD, and that they (Sony Creative) were still working on support for Panasonic:

"Sony Vegas 7.0e

Here is a link to the full article:
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Real-Time-AVCHD-Editing-Is-Here.htm

Tim L

Edit: And here's another link from just a few days ago that confirms "Sony AVCHD Only" at this point:
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content/Sony-Updates-to-Vegas-Movie-Studio-8-and-Vegas-8-Platinum-Edition-32909.htm
Erv wrote on 7/16/2007, 12:57 PM
Good to know. Thanks for the information. No $$ lost on my part since I only ever tried the trials. It's a shame though. I really prefer the Sony Vegas software to their competitors, but I can't wait an unknown amount of time in order to be able to edit the output of my camera, so I'll have to settle for one of the other options.

I'll definitly revisit Sony when their next version comes out though!