I just got my Canon HG10 AVCHD hard disk camcorder today, and I'm wondering about something I read in the manual for the Ulead software that came with it. The manual says that the Ulead software can only copy AVCHD files up to 2 GB in size to your PC, but the camcorder manual itself doesn't mention this limitation. Is this a limitation of the AVCHD format, or the Ulead software that transfers the files to the PC? If it's a limitation of the format, that means a new file is created every 17 minutes at the best quality recording setting. Is this true?

I just got my Canon HG10 AVCHD hard disk camcorder today, and I'm wondering about something I read in the manual for the Ulead software that came with it. The manual says that the Ulead software can only copy AVCHD files up to 2 GB in size to your PC, but the camcorder manual itself doesn't mention this limitation. Is this a limitation of the AVCHD format, or the Ulead software that transfers the files to the PC? If it's a limitation of the format, that means a new file is created every 17 minutes at the best quality recording setting. Is this true?

Jeff,

I tested this out Friday night.

I ran my HG10 for about 40 minutes straight.

The HG10 created files that are less than 2 gb.. I think it was about 18-19 minutes of video. (I assume it depends on compression amount, so your 17 minute estimate is close ).

FAT32 is limited to 4 gb anyways.

Maybe there was some assumption by Canon that some person out there might be trying to copy to Fat16 (2 gb limit?).

I could only find reference in the Corel documentation about a HG10 limit.

Thanks Brian! I re-read the Corel Software Manual and it does say that the HG10's files are limited to 2 GB, and the software will NOT seamlessly combine them when you copy them to the PC. (Unlike DVD ripping software, which seamlessly combines the DVD 1 GB files into a 4 GB VOB file.)

So you're limited to 17 minutes of highest-quality AVCHD per scene. While this isn't a problem for me now, it most certainly would have been when my kids were younger and appeared in some very long play or recital scenes that I would have had to cut somewhere in the middle. With DV or HDV tape I could record an hour-long scene, creating a 13 GB file that any newer PC could handle. I think a 4 GB limit (34 minutes) on a FAT32 disk would have been more useful.

Thanks Brian! I re-read the Corel Software Manual and it does say that the HG10's files are limited to 2 GB, and the software will NOT seamlessly combine them when you copy them to the PC. (Unlike DVD ripping software, which seamlessly combines the DVD 1 GB files into a 4 GB VOB file.)

So you're limited to 17 minutes of highest-quality AVCHD per scene. While this isn't a problem for me now, it most certainly would have been when my kids were younger and appeared in some very long play or recital scenes that I would have had to cut somewhere in the middle. With DV or HDV tape I could record an hour-long scene, creating a 13 GB file that any newer PC could handle. I think a 4 GB limit (34 minutes) on a FAT32 disk would have been more useful.

I didn't pay attention to whether or not I could see any 'cut off' between files as I didn't splice the files together at the cut off point.

I guess that will make for another test. ;)

I didn't pay attention to whether or not I could see any 'cut off' between files as I didn't splice the files together at the cut off point.

I guess that will make for another test. ;)

For some reason, I thought with AVHCD compression and all the black, I'd end up with at least 30+ minute segments..

Test here:

http://www.stage6.com/user/bas_vp/video/1937380/HG10-Pinacle-Splice-Test

in HXP mode

file1: finish 18:03.2
file2: start 18:03.2 finish 36:01.7
file3: start 36:01.8 finish 54:00.7
file4: start 54:00.9

Also up against the 2gb limit. At least I'm seeing it's built into the cam and not a software issue. I wouldn't care so much but when I put sequential clips from a dance recital (dragged .mts files from J:/canonhg10/avchd folder run thru cineform ) onto premierepro timeline there's a noticable hiccup as the play crosses the adjacent clips. This occurs even when taking the 'raw' .mts file and playing 2 in a windows media player even before cineform.
That's what really sucks. Anyone know a way around this?

Also up against the 2gb limit. At least I'm seeing it's built into the cam and not a software issue. I wouldn't care so much but when I put sequential clips from a dance recital (dragged .mts files from J:/canonhg10/avchd folder run thru cineform ) onto premierepro timeline there's a noticable hiccup as the play crosses the adjacent clips. This occurs even when taking the 'raw' .mts file and playing 2 in a windows media player even before cineform.
That's what really sucks. Anyone know a way around this?

See this thread:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?p=821259&posted=1#post821259