Continuous AVCHD Playback on PC

[Ron Cooper]

A very simple requirement !! - Is there any software out there that will simply AND continuously, play back AVCHD files from a folder in a PC. It is a pain having to play each clip separately when reviewing these clips prior to importing them into the editor.

I don't understand why this has not been addressed before, as cameras & editors play them this way why can't Windows ??

RonC.

[Chris Medico]

VLC media player can do that. Load up a folder of files in the play list and bam. It will play them all and even repeat the list if you like.

[Ron Cooper]

Thanks Chris. - I downloaded VLC and it is a big improvement on the last time I tried it but there is still a distint gap between files.

I cannot understand all this as these files play so smoothly in-camera. Surely there is a reason.

How do simple cameras manage to handle it so smoothly ? - What software/codecs do they use ?

Regards,

RonC.

[Chris Medico]

VLC will play continuously but it sounds like you are wanting seamless playback. Is that right?

[Ron Cooper]

Thanks again Chris, - yes, certainly, just like the cameras do.

RonC.

[Jeff Pulera]

What NLE do you use? With Premiere, if you simply use File > Import with spanned clips, they will have the gap/glitch between them. The trick is to copy entire SD card contents to hard drive - all folders intact - and then use "Media Browser" within Premiere to do the import. Multiple spanned clips will then import as one single long clip, glitch free.

Thanks

[Ron Cooper]

Thank you Jeff.

No, I don't use Premiere, I use Vegas, but really all I was hoping for is a simple way of playing these files just from windows or a simple program without having to put them into an editor first.

Sure, I can import them into Vegas & drop them straight on the time line & they play seemlessly but I just want a simple way of just highlighting a few files and then able to quickly show my efforts to others watching on my computer. Just like I used to do with AVI files.

RonC.

[Roger Van Duyn]

Originally Posted by Ron Cooper

A very simple requirement !! - Is there any software out there that will simply AND continuously, play back AVCHD files from a folder in a PC. It is a pain having to play each clip separately when reviewing these clips prior to importing them into the editor.

I don't understand why this has not been addressed before, as cameras & editors play them this way why can't Windows ??

RonC.

Hi Ron,

Windows can. What version are you running?

On my PC running Windows 7 Pro, all I do is migrate to the folder containing the AVCHD clips using Windows Explorer. There is a bar along the top of the window with several choices. Just select the choice "Play all" and Windows Media Player plays all the clips in the folder, one after another, until all are finished. Then WMP asks if you want to play them again. Yes, there is a VERY brief, fraction of a second pause between clips. Length of pause may depend on speed of the PC. Mines is an I7 from 2009.

The list of choices in the bar: Organize, Include in library, Share with, Play all, Burn, New Folder

It also works with audio files. For Pictures "Play all" choice is replaced with "Slide show"

If you don't want to play all the clips in the folder, it requires a few mouse clicks. Left click the first clip while holding down the shift key. Left click the last clip while continuing to hold the shift key. Then Right click, still holding the shift key, and select PLAY from the menu that opens up.

Another variation is to hold the control key and select individual clips while holding the control key. Then right click and select play.

Hope this helps.

Roger

[Ron Cooper]

Many thanks Roger.

My lovely win 7 machine crashed & at present I'm on a dreaded Win 8 - (aarrrgghh !! ) a powerful laptop but it was sort of doing what you described but I'm pushed for time, but it did look as if I had to import the files into a playlist first, but I will check again later.

RonC.

[Roger Van Duyn]

I feel your pain. I spent part of yesterday helping a client fight with his Win8 machine. Did not enjoy the experience. Mousing around was clunky. Keyboard commands, control C, control v, etc. still seem to work the old fashioned way, and that's what I did. Didn't have time to teach those commands to the client because had to run to another appointment.

From that experience, it seems to me Microsoft leaves out some codecs it used to include.

My son's PC running the latest version of 8 is better, but his machine has been customized.

[Ron Cooper]

Thanks again Roger, - still haven't time to really check out all your suggestions but I am running the Latest Win 8.1 if that helps.

You are probably correct about Microsoft leaving things off, as I am suffering other major problems with lost emails & other VIP stuff. - On Win 7, I was using Outlook Express & even had many folders & files backed up on another drive, but now I find that Win 8.1 only has M/S Outlook, which won't even read these files. - Bizarre !

RonC.