CS3.2 and AVCHD footage: What to do? at DVinfo.net

Bruce Pelley · July 31st, 2011, 10:52 AM

Very 1st time with AVCHD Camcorder

Normally along with my Canon A1s, I bring along a borrowed XH-A1 which regrettably acted-up on the past 2 outings so I decided instead yesterday to give it a "rest" and substituted it with a Canon VIXIA HFS-20 which is full frame HD and 100% AVCHD.

The problem is Premiere Pro CS3.2 will not import that footage into the project so i can work on it. It's the standard MPEG-4-AVC/H.264 compression AVCHD video with an .mts extension. This format/codec is entirely new to my experience.

Bottom line: how can this material be successfully converted or otherwise be repackaged to a more compatible format without quality loss that will be recognized as a valid format by Premiere Pro CS3.2 when attempting to import it ? I'd like to see it come out preferably as .m2t footage.

The material was recorded at 25 mbps and will need to be incorporated with HDV footage. That will be addressed in a future post.

In order to use this I will need your valuable insight, knowledge and recommendations on how to proceed. All responses welcome. What would you do in my shoes?

Thanks so very much.

Ann Bens · July 31st, 2011, 04:21 PM

Get yourself Cineform Neoscene, this will give you a visual lossless convertion, can be edited in CS3 and mixed with the hdv footage.
Cineform Neoscene

Brian Tori · July 31st, 2011, 05:42 PM

Or just use Adobe Media Encoder to convert the MTS files to m2t clips. Just use the Blu-ray preset.

Ann Bens · August 1st, 2011, 03:23 PM

Don't think the Media Encoder of CS3 supports mts.

Bart Walczak · August 1st, 2011, 06:03 PM

Upgrade to CS5.5. Seriously. The performance and stability difference between the two is astounding. You won't regret it at all.

Graham Hickling · August 1st, 2011, 10:01 PM

Short term solution: as Ann says - convert using Cineform Neo. They have a free fully functional trial of the encoder, and the decoder is free if you need to do more editing after the trial expires, so for this one job that's a good solution.

Longer-term solution: yes, CS5.5 rocks!

Bruce Pelley · August 7th, 2011, 08:17 PM

Gents,

I now have both Neoscene and CS 5.5.

Thanks for you encouragement,reccomendations and enthusiasm.

Neoscene really sucks up a lotta HD space:

A 800 meg AVCHD file converted with Neoscene grew sizewise by 700 %!!

Over 5 gigs.

I'm so new to 5.5 I haven't used 5's media encoder seperately yet.

Just the intregrated AME.

Thanks for you input.

Ann Bens · August 8th, 2011, 09:50 AM

For 5.5 you actually do not need NeoScene.
If you have a decent pc you can go native.

July 31st, 2011, 10:52 AM	#1
Bruce Pelley Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 339	CS3.2 and AVCHD footage: What to do? Very 1st time with AVCHD Camcorder Normally along with my Canon A1s, I bring along a borrowed XH-A1 which regrettably acted-up on the past 2 outings so I decided instead yesterday to give it a "rest" and substituted it with a Canon VIXIA HFS-20 which is full frame HD and 100% AVCHD. The problem is Premiere Pro CS3.2 will not import that footage into the project so i can work on it. It's the standard MPEG-4-AVC/H.264 compression AVCHD video with an .mts extension. This format/codec is entirely new to my experience. Bottom line: how can this material be successfully converted or otherwise be repackaged to a more compatible format without quality loss that will be recognized as a valid format by Premiere Pro CS3.2 when attempting to import it ? I'd like to see it come out preferably as .m2t footage. The material was recorded at 25 mbps and will need to be incorporated with HDV footage. That will be addressed in a future post. In order to use this I will need your valuable insight, knowledge and recommendations on how to proceed. All responses welcome. What would you do in my shoes? Thanks so very much.

July 31st, 2011, 04:21 PM	#2
Ann Bens Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 710	Re: CS3.2 and AVCHD footage: What to do? Get yourself Cineform Neoscene, this will give you a visual lossless convertion, can be edited in CS3 and mixed with the hdv footage. Cineform Neoscene

July 31st, 2011, 05:42 PM	#3
Brian Tori Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 408	Re: CS3.2 and AVCHD footage: What to do? Or just use Adobe Media Encoder to convert the MTS files to m2t clips. Just use the Blu-ray preset.

August 1st, 2011, 03:23 PM	#4
Ann Bens Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 710	Re: CS3.2 and AVCHD footage: What to do? Don't think the Media Encoder of CS3 supports mts.

August 1st, 2011, 06:03 PM	#5
Bart Walczak Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Warsaw/Poland Posts: 716	Re: CS3.2 and AVCHD footage: What to do? Upgrade to CS5.5. Seriously. The performance and stability difference between the two is astounding. You won't regret it at all. __________________ Creative Impatience - The Solace of Simple Solutions. A few useful plugins for Adobe users, and my remarks on the tools and the craft in general.

August 1st, 2011, 10:01 PM	#6
Graham Hickling Trustee Join Date: May 2004 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 1,669	Re: CS3.2 and AVCHD footage: What to do? Short term solution: as Ann says - convert using Cineform Neo. They have a free fully functional trial of the encoder, and the decoder is free if you need to do more editing after the trial expires, so for this one job that's a good solution. Longer-term solution: yes, CS5.5 rocks!

August 7th, 2011, 08:17 PM	#7
Bruce Pelley Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 339	CS3.2 and AVCHD footage: What to do? Gents, I now have both Neoscene and CS 5.5. Thanks for you encouragement,reccomendations and enthusiasm. Neoscene really sucks up a lotta HD space: A 800 meg AVCHD file converted with Neoscene grew sizewise by 700 %!! Over 5 gigs. I'm so new to 5.5 I haven't used 5's media encoder seperately yet. Just the intregrated AME. Thanks for you input.

August 8th, 2011, 09:50 AM	#8
Ann Bens Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 710	Re: CS3.2 and AVCHD footage: What to do? For 5.5 you actually do not need NeoScene. If you have a decent pc you can go native.