I know this may sound strange, but is there one or more settings that can be made in the HMC-150 that will allow each push of the Start/Stop button to "append" new footage to an existing clip rather than create an entirely new clip?

I have a customer who often sits-in on editing sessions. He's accustomed to using tape, (most recently, with a Sony HDV camera, but not sure of the model) and he hasn't yet "adjusted" to what I think of as a "file-based" workflow. In post, he gets frustrated because I'm "bouncing around" the UI of the NLE (most often Adobe CC) and he has no idea what I'm doing, (and it's difficult and time-consuming to always "narrate" what I'm doing while editing).

He's asked if there's some way I can set the HMC-150 to simulate tape, i.e. continuous footage within a single clip. Does anyone know of a way to have the HMC-150 do this?
(Because he's the one paying me, I'm looking to give him what he wants, even if it does take longer in post).

I realize it may seem like a step backwards, but I told him I'd research it. I've read the Owner Manual pretty closely and haven't found any mention of a way to do this.

I can easily "simulate" the effect in post by adding all individual clips to a single sequence, but for some reason I don't yet understand, that seems to not meet his needs.

Hi Denis

That's the way AVCHD cameras work and I must admit it frustrated me years ago when I came off MiniDV where I could film say, 10 short sequences and they would simply just add them to what has already been shot and onto a system that created a clip every time you hit record. The first time I used my them HMC82's I ended up with a HUGE amount of clips so had to change my shooting method quite dramatically!

Even if you keep the camera running (which in theory will just make one clip) you are still sunk!! As soon as a clip hits the 2.00GB file size a new clip is created so depending on your bitrate, anywhere between 12 and 17 minutes is the biggest clip you are going to achieve.

Your only practical solution if you have to do it that way, is to get some stitching software and join all the files into one big file. Try a search on "join MTS" ..I have seen software that joins up MTS files into one.

Chris

Even if you keep the camera running (which in theory will just make one clip) you are still sunk!! As soon as a clip hits the 2.00GB file size a new clip is created so depending on your bitrate, anywhere between 12 and 17 minutes is the biggest clip you are going to achieve.

Except that's not how it works in an NLE. If you import an AVCHD clip the proper way (such as using Media Browser in Premiere instead of digging through the folders), it will import a single clip. Not sure how that works in Vegas or Edius, but there should be similar methods of properly ingesting spanned clips as well.

Hi Gary

Correct ! The right way to import a clip will in fact create one huge clip as long as you don't stop the camera. Importing a split file with say, 3 components will result in just one clip but do you really want to keep the camera recording all that time non-stop.

If the record button is pushed to stop recording then no matter how you import the clips ONLY spanned clips will be joined NOT individual clips

Nero Vision will actually join up MTS files together into one huge file to create what you want but I would hate to have to edit such a massive file.

Obviously if you are recording a staged event on a fixed camera then letting it run and importing the split files as one is simple but I don't think I would like to run my camera on record for an extended time just so I don't get an individual clips ...Exactly what are you shooting??

Correct ! The right way to import a clip will in fact create one huge clip as long as you don't stop the camera. Importing a split file with say, 3 components will result in just one clip but do you really want to keep the camera recording all that time non-stop.

I don't think it should be done this way, in fact if I had a client who was constantly upset about there being multiple clips, I would politely ban that individual from sitting in on edit sessions because the last thing I would need is someone taking out their issues on me while I am trying to work.


Nero Vision will actually join up MTS files together into one huge file to create what you want but I would hate to have to edit such a massive file.

Frankly, I prefer ClipWrap on the OSX platform to do this for me when dealing with spanned clips. I just have a thing against "general video software" for the masses doing something like this, as I don't feel I can trust that it does a good job. Perhaps I am wrong though, as I have never used it. Plus, I don't think .MTS is meant to be standalone. Though I don't know what to suggest for the Windows platform.

Thanks for all the input and feedback. If this customer wasn't the one paying me, by the hour I might add, then I might "suggest" I be left alone while editing; it would certainly progress faster.

Perhaps I should have mentioned that the subject matter is in the legal video field, e.g. Day in the Life videos, and Settlement Brochures with interviews. Neither are well-served by "directing", nor should they have a script of any kind, and each can be long, (leading to spanned clips), with unpredictable content, e.g. showing the difficulties a paraplegic has while going through their normal daily routine of waking, washing, dressing, eating, and moving about; things fall, get spilled, bumped, or knocked-in to, etc. It also takes a bit of conscious - and constant - self-control, because you find yourself wanting to help them, but that would defeat the purpose of the video.

As for workflow, I often navigate to the bottom-most "STREAM" folder, then import the MTS files all at once. Once all are "in" PPro, I simply create a single sequence with all clips added to it. I still fail to understand how that sequence doesn't simulate the use of tape, but I'll not worry about that anymore. In any event, I've done my research as promised, and found no other way.

Thanks for confirming my suspicions.

As for workflow, I often navigate to the bottom-most "STREAM" folder, then import the MTS files all at once.

You should not be importing this way. Use Media Browser.

Gary,
Thanks for that tip. I've since changed from importing MTS files to using Media Browser, and it was easy to adapt to/change my approach to importing.