How to Transfer my Video clips to my PC

[Melvin Partido]

For those who have the AG HMC 150P, how do you transfer the video clips to my PC so that I can edit for a family movie?

I'ved looked at my camera instruction book, but its very vague on how they explain how to do it.

I have the Pinacle Software version 14. Do I removed my memory card and attached to a adapter? What kind of adapter?

Need help.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Melvin

I find a card reader is really the easiest. I have one built-in to my computer for convenience but you can also get ones that plug into your USB port and the card simply plugs into the adapter. Just make sure you get a reader that does SDHC cards.

You can then copy the contents of the stream folder to a convenient location. From there it will all depend on your computer and what NLE you are using as to how you handle the footage.

Chris

[Melvin Partido]

Chris,

Today, I finally attempted to gather all my video and edit and record it on a DVD.

I am using Pinnacle Studio 14 to record my movie. So whenI removed my 32GB Sandisk from my AG HMC 150 camera and inserted into my PC SD slot, my program could not find anything on the disk. I ran the preview on the camera and it did show video and audio.

Have any solution to what I am doing wrong?

[Don Bloom]

Does Studio14 read AVCHD? If the software doesn't recognize the codec then you need to find another method of capture (copy) to get the footage into your NLE. I'm not really familar enough with the Pinnacle Product to be of any real help but the first thing I would check is to see if Pinnacle can read the codec.

[Melvin Partido]

Don,

Since it can record "AVCHD", I would presume it could accept this memory card. I'm at a lost here.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Melvin

Panasonic AVCHD and Sony AVCHD as well as other "AVCHD" isn't all the same unfortunately!!!

Stick the card in a card reader ..navigate to the "Stream" folder and copy just one of the MTS files to your computer. Import the file into Pinnacle and see if it works...easy as that!!!

Now IF it doesn't work or won't accept Panny MTS files you can either change your NLE OR you can also transcode the Panny MTS files to an "easier" format like HDV

I use the application Upshift from NewBlue FX and my 'puter handles the less compressed format with no issues!!

Just remember you need a pretty hefty system to edit raw HMC150 files (at least a QuadCore processor) and Pinnacle, being video card dependant, will need a good card too!!!!

However just start with one little MTS file and go from there!!

Chris

[Melvin Partido]

Chris,

My best bet is go through the USB cable connection from my AG HMC 150 to my Computer PC.

But at this time, I just can't find a location where I can purchased this optional USB connection bacle.
This cable is shown in my 150 operating instruction book, page 72. I have the "Ferrite core" included to use with this cable. I just don't the function of this "Ferrite core."

Have you any suggestions where I can get this exact cable?

[Chris Harding]

Hi Melvin

On my camera it's a standard USB cable...even supermarkets seem to have them now days!!! Go to any tech or computer shop and get one. It is STILL a LOT easier to just get a SD/USB card reader...you can even get them where the card plugs into an adaptor that plugs into your computer's USB port...they seriously cost pennies!!! Why go to all the issues of having to run the camera and put it into PC mode and then connecting with your computer...but if that's how you want to do it, then just buy a standard USB cable

Chris

[Melvin Partido]

Chris,

The reason I want to go the USB cable route is because I tried your first suggestion by using the card reader. I did navigate to the stream folder and got one file. It did work, but when check the other files, some were blank. So I ran a preview on my camera to ensure that I did have video on those clips and they did have video.

Another problem I was having is when I remove one file, how do you add more?

Getting back to the USB cable, I'll get one but i just don't know why I need to attach the "ferrite core" to to each end of the USB 2.0 cable. Sheesh!!!

[Melvin Partido]

Hey Chris,

I finally did it. With my 32GB in my computer I imported my movie with no problem. But during the Edit mode, I did ran into problem. The problem was there was no movie frames to drag to the timeline.

After working with Pinnacle Tech support, I importated the movie that was save in my public video file.

I believe you mention to do it that way. Anyway I am off to the movie... family style. Thanks for your help again.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Melvin

Well done!!! I know it's not correct but I ignore the ferrite cores!!! You are supposed to put the cable thru the ring a few times to stop interference ...I'm lazy but never had any issues!!

Sorry I couldn't assist with Pinnacle but I edit only on Sony Vegas and have been for the last 10 years too..I just like the software so I use it!!!

Now for your next movie??????

Chris

[David Jimerson]

If you're going to copy from the card to the computer hard drives, it's a best practice to copy over the entire folder structure, not just the STREAM folder or individual MTS files. The folders and the data in them are part of the AVCHD spec and there's some software which will not be able to use the MTS files without all of the rest of the information. The software you're using now may work fine without it, but you may not always be using that software, or future versions of the software may be different.

[Chris Harding]

Good point David!!

I have only found that HD Writer needs the metadata and thumbnails as also if you have MainConcept's Transcoder it needs the folder structure intact to work.

Sony NLE's only need the MTS files to work, hence the reason I just copy the stream folder!

Better safe than sorry if you are not sure!!

Chris

[Melvin Partido]

Chris,

I need your assistance.

I am on my second DVD family movie on my Panasonic AG-HMC150P. Here is the problem I am having:

1. With my Pinacle Studio Ultimate open, I clicked on "Import." Than I selected "Other device" (Removable Disk G). With this selection, I clicked all the way to "Stream." Pinnacle started to download the 53 frames. When it was done, I noticed that the video was on my previous project. That project was completed and recorded on a DVD. I am done with that project.

So I removed the "32GB Sandisk" from my PC and inserted back to my Panasonic camcorder. I wanted to see if I still had my old video project. There was no old video shown on the card.

I am dumbfounded. If my PC detected my old project on this card, and yet when I removed the card from my PC back to my camera, there was no old project shown on the memory but the new project that I wanted to import.

I'm not sure if I had deleted all clips when I completed my first video project. But the monitor on the card viewing it on my LCD, shows only my current video project.

Need your assistance.

[David Jimerson]

Are you sure that the G: drive was the correct drive? Do you have any other removable disks?