AVCHD confusion at DVinfo.net

Michael Tobias · December 16th, 2009, 02:15 PM

I have a HP Workstation with a Xeon and 8 Gigs of RAM, running both Windows XP and Windows 7. On the XP side I have Vegas 8.0c 32-bit and on the 7 side I have Vegas 8.1 64-bit.

Today a client came in with 1920x1080 AVCHD files which from my understanding should work quite well with Vegas. However on the XP/Vegas 8.0c side I can import the files and drop them on the timeline but as soon as I try to do anything including down-res Vegas just crashes. Not too surprised considering the RAM issue in 32-bit. BUT, on the Win7/Vegas 8.1 side, Vegas does not even recognize the AVCHD file. It says it's an unsupported format so I can't even import the files.

Any ideas as to why Vegas would be having problems with AVC at all?

Gerald Webb · December 16th, 2009, 02:30 PM

What cam did the avchd files come from?
Will VLC player open them?
In VLC what does the codec information say?
A few weeks ago, I had one file that crashed vegas whenever i browsed to it to open it. Could not work it out, moved the file to a diff drive, all was good. Dont know why, might be worth trying.

Perrone Ford · December 16th, 2009, 02:39 PM

Vegas 8.1 was not fully fleshed out. So no surprise it won't handle the AVCHD files. And 1080p in Vegas 8. Memory problems galore.

Michael Tobias · December 16th, 2009, 02:41 PM

No clue what camera shot it. The client just brought me the files (and trying to get real info out of clients can be somewhat frustrating.) I don't use VLC but MediaInfo is telling me it's AVC 4:2:0 and not much more than that.

I did try moving it to another drive but it's the same result.

Michael Tobias · December 16th, 2009, 02:46 PM

Perrone... yeah I'm not surprised at 8.0c either and the memory issue. But 8.1? Really? You'd think they have thought of that. Guess it's time to head up to 9.0 maybe that'll help.

Perrone Ford · December 16th, 2009, 02:49 PM

I'm cutting several flavors of AVCHD on VP9.0. You MIGHT want to stop at 9.0b unless you have a pressing need for 9.0c

-P

Petrus du Toit · December 16th, 2009, 03:35 PM

Hi Perrone, why did you say stop in Vegas 9.0b?

Perrone Ford · December 16th, 2009, 03:43 PM

I said stop at 9.0b if you can, because 9.0c seems to cause some trouble with certain kinds of AVCHD files. Especially the Panasonic GH1.

Brian Luce · December 16th, 2009, 06:29 PM

Do you have older versions of Vegas? V5 is the most stable of all. I've had stuff that only opens in 5 and crashes all other versions up to 9c, I transcoded to CF or something else in v5 and reopened in 9c.

Perrone Ford · December 16th, 2009, 07:03 PM

Version 5 wouldn't support any of the formats I use. I have V6, V7, V8, V8.1, V9

Brian Luce · December 16th, 2009, 07:07 PM

I think I lied, I used V6 to open and transcode some unstable files. I have heard V5 is the most stable though. Some Soundies still use it.

Ron Cooper · December 17th, 2009, 05:12 AM

I still think it's a bit poor when Vegas 8 crashes on AVCHD even though it claimed that it would handle it when it was released.

Now they expect you to go out & buy Veg 9 even though you are otherwise happy with Veg 8. They should put out some sort of upgrade just for this without having to go to the expense of a whole new version with features you may not want.

RonC.

Michael Tobias · December 17th, 2009, 10:56 AM

Well this was not fun to learn. On the WinXP side I also have Adobe Premiere which for some reason pulled in the AVCHD just fine. Working with it was still a pain because of the RAM issue. But, I rendered out the AVCHD files to the exact same file (AVCHD) into a different drive, opened up Windows 7 with Vegas 8.1 and sure enough those new AVCHD files went in and I could cut away to my hearts content.

Absolutley strange. It had to be something with the clients camera or something. If it's not one thing it's another.

Thanks guys for ideas and info.

December 16th, 2009, 02:15 PM	#1
Michael Tobias Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 45	AVCHD confusion I have a HP Workstation with a Xeon and 8 Gigs of RAM, running both Windows XP and Windows 7. On the XP side I have Vegas 8.0c 32-bit and on the 7 side I have Vegas 8.1 64-bit. Today a client came in with 1920x1080 AVCHD files which from my understanding should work quite well with Vegas. However on the XP/Vegas 8.0c side I can import the files and drop them on the timeline but as soon as I try to do anything including down-res Vegas just crashes. Not too surprised considering the RAM issue in 32-bit. BUT, on the Win7/Vegas 8.1 side, Vegas does not even recognize the AVCHD file. It says it's an unsupported format so I can't even import the files. Any ideas as to why Vegas would be having problems with AVC at all?

December 16th, 2009, 02:39 PM	#3
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	Vegas 8.1 was not fully fleshed out. So no surprise it won't handle the AVCHD files. And 1080p in Vegas 8. Memory problems galore. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

December 16th, 2009, 02:49 PM	#6
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	I'm cutting several flavors of AVCHD on VP9.0. You MIGHT want to stop at 9.0b unless you have a pressing need for 9.0c -P __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

December 16th, 2009, 03:35 PM	#7
Petrus du Toit New Boot Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Centurion Gauteng, South Africa Posts: 19	Stop in Vegas 9.0b ? Hi Perrone, why did you say stop in Vegas 9.0b?

December 16th, 2009, 03:43 PM	#8
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	I said stop at 9.0b if you can, because 9.0c seems to cause some trouble with certain kinds of AVCHD files. Especially the Panasonic GH1. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

December 16th, 2009, 02:30 PM	#2
Gerald Webb Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Central Coast Australia Posts: 1,046	What cam did the avchd files come from? Will VLC player open them? In VLC what does the codec information say? A few weeks ago, I had one file that crashed vegas whenever i browsed to it to open it. Could not work it out, moved the file to a diff drive, all was good. Dont know why, might be worth trying.

December 16th, 2009, 02:41 PM	#4
Michael Tobias Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 45	No clue what camera shot it. The client just brought me the files (and trying to get real info out of clients can be somewhat frustrating.) I don't use VLC but MediaInfo is telling me it's AVC 4:2:0 and not much more than that. I did try moving it to another drive but it's the same result.

December 16th, 2009, 02:46 PM	#5
Michael Tobias Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 45	Perrone... yeah I'm not surprised at 8.0c either and the memory issue. But 8.1? Really? You'd think they have thought of that. Guess it's time to head up to 9.0 maybe that'll help.

December 16th, 2009, 06:29 PM	#9
Brian Luce Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,290	Do you have older versions of Vegas? V5 is the most stable of all. I've had stuff that only opens in 5 and crashes all other versions up to 9c, I transcoded to CF or something else in v5 and reopened in 9c.

December 16th, 2009, 07:03 PM	#10
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	Version 5 wouldn't support any of the formats I use. I have V6, V7, V8, V8.1, V9 __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

December 16th, 2009, 07:07 PM	#11
Brian Luce Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,290	I think I lied, I used V6 to open and transcode some unstable files. I have heard V5 is the most stable though. Some Soundies still use it.

December 17th, 2009, 05:12 AM	#12
Ron Cooper Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 481	I still think it's a bit poor when Vegas 8 crashes on AVCHD even though it claimed that it would handle it when it was released. Now they expect you to go out & buy Veg 9 even though you are otherwise happy with Veg 8. They should put out some sort of upgrade just for this without having to go to the expense of a whole new version with features you may not want. RonC.

December 17th, 2009, 10:56 AM	#13
Michael Tobias Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 45	Update Well this was not fun to learn. On the WinXP side I also have Adobe Premiere which for some reason pulled in the AVCHD just fine. Working with it was still a pain because of the RAM issue. But, I rendered out the AVCHD files to the exact same file (AVCHD) into a different drive, opened up Windows 7 with Vegas 8.1 and sure enough those new AVCHD files went in and I could cut away to my hearts content. Absolutley strange. It had to be something with the clients camera or something. If it's not one thing it's another. Thanks guys for ideas and info.