Misconception in AVCHD editing

[Ian Duff]

Hello all.

I'd just like to share my experience particularly in AVCHD editing. I have seen a lot of people stating that AVCHD editing is very slow that it takes almost forever to encode or edit. So other people would say that buying a brand new quad core processor will do the trick! Well, I'd disagree on that. It will all vary on the processing speed of your processor chip. If you want to edit AVCHD, you won't need a quad core or P7 chip. You just need a faster CPU processing speed that's all. I have a Core 2 Duo with 2.6GHz and I can edit AVCHD with 1080 videos in Adobe Premiere CS4. Though you will see some lags during editing (which is minimal), its very minor compared to what others say that it's really a pain in editing. So check your hardware, you might not need that new Quad core afterall.

[Brian Tori]

Ian,

What is your processor doing while playing back a clip on timeline. What percentage is it using with AVC footage?

[Ian Duff]

Hi Brian,

I checked out my CPU usage and when I play my AVCHD video in CS 4 when editing, it spikes from 20% to 70%. If there are some effects, then the CPU usage spikes to 80% to 100. Though this really is consuming a lot of resources, AVCHD editing for me is still a do-able task. =)

[Bruce Foreman]

Originally Posted by Ian Duff

So other people would say that buying a brand new quad core processor will do the trick! Well, I'd disagree on that. It will all vary on the processing speed of your processor chip. If you want to edit AVCHD, you won't need a quad core or P7 chip. You just need a faster CPU processing speed that's all. I have a Core 2 Duo with 2.6GHz and I can edit AVCHD with 1080 videos in Adobe Premiere CS4. Though you will see some lags during editing (which is minimal), its very minor compared to what others say that it's really a pain in editing. So check your hardware, you might not need that new Quad core afterall.

It's a bit more complicated than that. Adobe finally incorporated workable code with CS4 and it's great that you can get by with a fast dual core with that package. It took Adobe a pretty long time to "come on board with AVCHD". And some folks can't afford the price of CS4.

Sony Vegas is also reputed to be less computer resource demanding than other packages and that works out fine for those who can afford the price of admission there. But it took Sony awhile to get with the AVCHD program also.

But there are other packages that work different, the one I use is a "voraciously hungry beast" for computer resources that packs an awful lot of features into an approximate $100 package but requires a quad core at 2.66Ghz minimum to edit 1920x1080 smoothly. But they were also one of the early ones to accommodate native editing of AVCHD and their package has always been an "all in one" program from capture/import to DVD authoring and burning.

I put up with having to go a quad core machine while many others were putting up with things like proxy editing and transcoding.

The software package I use is Pinnacle Studio 12.1, it's not a "fashionable favorite" but version 11 and now 12 runs very stable on my system and gets done what I need. I'm not into Blu-ray yet (the software is already capable) but render my HD content to HD files I can watch using a media player hooked up to my HD TV, so I may bypass the Blu-ray thing entirely.

So it's a little bit more than seeing if you can "plug in" a faster processor.

[Rob Taylor]

I haven't upgraded from Premiere CS3 to CS4 yet, but I did pick up Premiere Elements 7 for about $100 and it does support AVCHD.

I am using it on an AMD dual core processor (4600+) with 4 gigs of memory. So far I haven't found it too slow to edit AVCHD.

Just another option. Rob

[Ron Cooper]

Interesting Rob, are you running under XP or Vista ?

RonC.

[Rob Taylor]

Hi Ron,

I am running an HP a1730n computer, with Vista Home. I have disabled alot of the Vista stuff, that adds to the overhead. The system is a AMD 4600+ dual core processor with 4 gigs of ram. (I know Vista only accesses 3.5 gigs on the 32 bit system.) I have an NVidia graphics card with 1 gig of ram. I have a separate 750 gig internal hard drive just for video.

The footage I've worked with was from the Panasonic SD-9 at the highest bit rate you can set with that camera.

Working with Premiere Elements 7 and the AVCHD footage I don't find any real problems with speed. During playback of a clip, it will sometimes not play perfectly smooth, but that doesn't happen often on my system. Editing is smooth and playback of transistions are smooth.

I don't have any real complaints about working with AVCHD and Primiere Elements 7. This is one reason why I haven't upgraded my Premiere CS3 to CS4.

Rob

[Milutin Labudovic]

i had some raw footage from some sony XDCAM EX, in 1920x108, it had worked great. the time line was responsive, no probs. do have not export it to see the lenght, no `comforting` in premiere cs4 was necessary if updated.
it ran on XP, intel 2180 and 2gigs of RAM.

wonder if a sony HDR-SR12 would run as smooth. someone has link to a raw footage of about 1 minute or so of lenght from HDR-SR12 to download?


BTW: i don`t see HDR-SR12 in stores any more, retired?

[Robert Young]

Originally Posted by Milutin Labudovic

BTW: i don`t see HDR-SR12 in stores any more, retired?

SR12 has been replaced by the XR520

[Dave Blackhurst]

SR11 was replaced by the XR500V (with larger 120GB HDD), SR12 by the XR520V, with some crazy huge 250GB or so drive... While the SR's were great cameras, I'd not hesitate to recommend the XR's - a much larger jump between generations in many respects than I expected. Files should handle the same though.

[Milutin Labudovic]

Originally Posted by Robert Young

SR12 has been replaced by the XR520

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

SR11 was replaced by the XR500V (with larger 120GB HDD), SR12 by the XR520V, with some crazy huge 250GB or so drive... While the SR's were great cameras, I'd not hesitate to recommend the XR's - a much larger jump between generations in many respects than I expected. Files should handle the same though.

thnx
as i recall the price was about 700$ for sr12 - now the xr520 is 1200$. wow.

[Robert Young]

I think the SR12 lower price happened at the end of its product cycle.
When it was first released, the price was closer to the current XR 520 price.
No doubt the XR price will drop in time as well.
I have both cameras, and IMO the XR is a big step up- particularly important to me is the huge improvement in the low light/low noise arena.

[Denny Kyser]

I have not upgraded to CS4 yet, I am not sure if Cineform, and the magic bullet plug ins work in that yet.

With cineform prospect HD, can I convert the files to Cineform AVI and then use in CS3?

going to check into CS4 again, and see if its time to upgrade.

[Milutin Labudovic]

Originally Posted by Robert Young

I think the SR12 lower price happened at the end of its product cycle.
When it was first released, the price was closer to the current XR 520 price.
No doubt the XR price will drop in time as well.
I have both cameras, and IMO the XR is a big step up- particularly important to me is the huge improvement in the low light/low noise arena.

yes if a low light is better, that is very important. i bought a canon hv 30 HDV cam, and i am satisfied, but i have a bitter taste because i want a HDD camcorder and a sony to prefer.
i just wanted to buy sr12, but is outdated, and i can not afford 1200$. now i see that my 2.0ghz and 2 gigs could run AVCHD files and i made a mistake going tapes instead of HDD thinking it will be easier.
if no problem can you pass mi for download original file of a 1 minute length, so i can try my computer, or a link to some raw avchd file. have goggled but with no success. thnx

[Robert Young]

Originally Posted by Denny Kyser

I have not upgraded to CS4 yet, I am not sure if Cineform, and the magic bullet plug ins work in that yet.

With cineform prospect HD, can I convert the files to Cineform AVI and then use in CS3?

going to check into CS4 again, and see if its time to upgrade.

Cineform Prospect HD v. 4 works perfectly with CS3
Cineform software for CS4 is not completely finished, but is fully functional. I just completed a CF/CS4 project.
Magic Bullet Looks has an update for CS4- you can download it on their website.