Hi folks - just wondering what might be anticipated as a potential offering, if any, from Cineform in terms of the newly announced AVCHD format from Sony and Panasonic...

I know it's early days yet but looking at the specs, or what has been provided so far, am I correct in speculating again that editing native AVCHD will be a "pig" like editing native HDV - and if so, does that mean a Cineform "solution" will offer effective AVCHD editing...?

Dave Newman and co. - can you at least share your thoughts on the new format and indicate if you have been in any preliminary discussions with vendors ie. Sony and Panasonic regarding AVCHD???

Just curious!

This new format will be great for CineForm business. :) The more the format is optizimized for distribution, the less it is optimized for post production. This will be even harder to editing than MPEG2/HDV, but no harder to convert into CineForm Intermediate.

Hehe - that was a fast reply! Much appreicated and good to know - wow, you sound like you know a lot about this new format - nudge nudge wink wink!

thanks!

Best,
mark

This new format will be great for CineForm business. :) The more the format is optizimized for distribution, the less it is optimized for post production. This will be even harder to editing than MPEG2/HDV, but no harder to convert into CineForm Intermediate.

Hi David -

Any more news regarding this (AVCHD) format and what, if any, tools Cineform is going to make for this?

I realize that the camcorders aren't even on the market yet, but if Cineform would make a tool (Aspect AVCHD?!) for Premiere Pro, that would be lovely!!

AC

Andrew, no need. If the camera comes with playback support for its media, the new tools in Aspect HD (currently in beta) will convert them today. So CineForm's Connect HD, Aspect HD and Prospect HD are about to get more future proofed. I'm sure we will offer various upgrades for new cameras as they arrive, but it is nice to have the tools ready ahead of time.

Thanks for the (quick) reply and info. David!!

AC

Has some one tried to convert AVCHD to Cineform AVI format , so that multi gen edit would not fallapart ?

When will Cineform support this format ??
__________________

We have yet to get a AVCHD camera so we haven't testing directly. However Aspect HD has been upgraded to convert nearly any media that can be played with MediaPlayer. If the camera drivers installs the needed decoder, then yes you can use Aspect HD with AVCHD cameras.

We have yet to get a AVCHD camera so we haven't testing directly. However Aspect HD has been upgraded to convert nearly any media that can be played with MediaPlayer. If the camera drivers installs the needed decoder, then yes you can use Aspect HD with AVCHD cameras.

David, would I be correct to assume that HD Link is the component that received this update, and therefore users of HD Connect would receive the same benefit?

Also, if I'm not mistaken the AVCHD allows for 5.1 surround to be encoded. What would happen when that gets converted to CFDI?

Jay,

Connect HD has the same upgrade. As for the 5.1, we have recent added some support for AVIs with 5.1 PCM audio under Prospect HD, so if this becomes common we should be able to manage 5.1 source data in all our products.

With thanks to the Doom9 forum, here are some AVCHD files. They are essentially Blu-ray compliant transport streams with AVC video muxed with AC3 audio:

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20060920/ezsm.m2ts

15Mbps
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20060920/ezxp.m2ts

9Mbps
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20060920/ezhq.m2ts

7Mbps
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20060920/ezsp.m2ts

5Mbps
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/20060920/ezlp.m2ts

I can play them back in Nero Showtime or force-play them in MediaPlayer, but HDLink doesn't like them much. I suspect that this is because DirectShow doesn't appear to have a clear handle on them. Certainly, despite being AVC in nature, my CoreAVC decoder isn't being routed to decode them, so playback is very jerky even on a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo Merom.

Richard, try with demo of Elecard XMuxer Pro v 2.1 (http://elecard.com/download/index.php)
Elecard XMuxer is video editing software designed for professionals and enthusiasts to demultiplex, multiplex, and remultiplex MPEG-2 Transport and Program Streams as well as MP4 files, trim HD DVD, iPod, PSP and AVI** files. The main XMuxer functions are provided by Direct Show filters performing demultiplexing and multiplexing.

I had to remove the 192 bytes striding to get CoreAVC to work. We intend to add that direct within HDLink so conversion is straight forward, and have the resulting files easy to play and edit.

David,

May I ask what the status is on supporting AVCHD?

I still happily use my Z1, but my wife doesn't like it... "too many knobs buttons and switches and it's too heavy!" So she wants a new small palm-sized camcorder to video the kids, et al.

So I'm thinking of the SR1 but would like to actually be able to USE the video and edit it.

thanks,

stacy

We can do it, just very busy with other projects at the moment. We hope to have this implemented in the next few months.

I still happily use my Z1, but my wife doesn't like it... "too many knobs buttons and switches and it's too heavy!" So she wants a new small palm-sized camcorder to video the kids, et al.

For what it's worth, I bought a Sony HC1 and my wife likes that for similar reasons compared to the FX1. Main problem with the HC1 is that it's not very good in poor lighting, so for indoor shots it's a bit iffy.

David: What is story with Canon's HG10, and its version of AVCHD. Will NeoHDV convert these files straight off the hard drive ?

Yes, if you have a AVC demux and decoder installed on your PC. You can tell if you have the correct components installed by playing the AVC clip in Media player. Decoder solutions like CoreAVC are promising, particularly as it is only $15 (see coreavc.com.) Elecard, PowerDVD and Nero all have AVC decoding solutions -- nothing is perfect yet.

Once you can play in media player, HDLink will convert your AVCHD to a CineForm AVI.

Thanks. I assume whatever is packed with Vegas 8 doesn't help. I actually can look at AVCHD files in Vegas, and render to a Cineform intermediate, but my guess is I won't be able to do pulldown correctly.

I hear it works, though I have never been able to work out all the problems I had initially with several systems, but I figure now cineform has worked many out for Vista related issues if that was the problem. So now I also have an HG10 that I play with, and was curious what the speed of conversion was from the harddrive or an internal drive of the mts files to a cineform avi with 24frame pulldown?

Stephen:

Check out this entire thread where discussion of Cineform and HG10 is covered. In particular look around post 38 for some specifics of how to use Cineform.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=105621

In Vegas, I have taken a 24p MTS file from on line shot in 1080i 60i edited on a Vegas time line, and rendered to an .m2t cineform .avi file. And tried pull down removal after that. It seemed to work.

David and Cineform Crew:

When the HG10 came out, there was some discussion about being able to convert AVCHD to the Cineform intermediate codec. At one point, I know some work arounds were required, but that it was doable. Those work arounds required some ability to reset what codecs were used, etc.

Have these issues been worked out so all the NeoHDV user has to do is install NeoHDV, and a proper codec is included ?

We still do not include an AVCHD decoder, yet the $15 version from http://www.coreavc.com/ works well with NEO and HDLink for conversion.

Hi All - question - I have a Canon HG10 which shoots native 1920x1080 HD video, but then gets downconverted and interlaced to 1440x1080 AVCHD. It says that it's 1080 60i and I think that means it's interlaced and is progressive 30? Is the correct setting in CineForm HDLink (I have AspectHD)to make it interlaced, progressive or automatic? I'm then going into After Effects/PP to edit. I've tested and tried so many combinations that I'm burned out and can't think anymore, so any clarification or advice is very much appreciated. Thanks!

Hi All - in case anyone is looking for camera specific settings . . .it IS on the Cineform website at: http://www.cineform.com/products/TechNotes/HDLinkCapSettings.htm
There's so much to learn. . . good luck to all!

I'm trying to convert a directory of AVCHD clips into Cineform using HDLink. The video looks great but there is no audio in the converted clips. Anyone have an idea of what might be going wrong?

I have a Canon HG10. The file extention in the camera Hard Drive is .MTS.
Cineform will not convert this either directly from the camera or from a folder in the computer.
Is there a way to convert this (MPG4) file to Cineform? I have NeoHDV and Vegas Pro8. Thank you.
John Kert

You need a AVC Decoder. Purchase Core AVC for $15 (http://www.coreavc.com/) it works well.

Thank you David. I installed CoreAVC, but HDlink still says: unrecognized file. Do I need to do anything else?
What are the steps to convert?
thanks

If you can play the file in Window Media Player it will convert. Some how, even with an installed AVC decoder, your PC isn't seeing the decoder. Try the WMP test, if that fails you my need to reinstall the AVC Decoder, if that works, please file a trouble ticket at www.cineform.com/support.