AVCHD recording to DVD
 

I have just purchased a Sony HDR SR-12, and have upgraded my Pinnacle Studio editing system to Studio 11 Plus. Though I have been producing home videos for several years, this my first experience with HD recording. I plan to edit and record my HD videos to DVDs and view them on my 50 inch Plasma TV monitor. I assume from what I read that I will need a Blu-Ray player to play these disks, though I also can probably play them on my computer with the Sony Player for AVCHD software. Is that correct?

How many minutes can I record to a DVD in the following recording modes – FH, HQ, SP?

If I record to a 2 layer DVD, would those minutes double?

Don

FH=Full HD? Is it possible in DVD recording? I guess HQ is the highest DVD recording setting which recrod in 8MBPS, what FH means?

Kaushik

Yes, you can record full 1920X1080 HD to a regular DVD-R using programs such as ULead Studio 11+ or programs that come with a camcorder such as the Sony SR10/11/12.

The Sony Browser software that comes with the SR11/12 etc will allow you to do simple editing and assemble a DVD in SD or AVCHD with simple menus. The AVCHD disc will play on a Bluray player like a PS3 or on a computer that has an AVCHD player. Since AVCHD is a variable bit rate codec the amount of time for a disc is dependent on the content but allow about 8G an hour for the highest data rate( FH on the SR11/12). So your can assume 30mins for a standard DVD with AVCHD at highest FH rate.

Ron Evans

May I ask a SR11/12 owner what the format is for SD produced by the camera. I see it is MPEG2 but the manual does not state the suffix (.avi or whatever)
My Sony VX2000 produces AVI/WAV.
Which I think of as the basic SD format (DV25)
Can the SD from the camera be imported/edited by Premiere or do we need to do anything else to be able to edit is my concern.
Thanks.
Tom O'Farrell.

Most of the HDD camcorders record SD as mpg files which can be edited by most NLE's. The SR11/12 will record SD as mpg and will be transfered to the PC by the Sony Motion Browser software just like the AVCHD files and logged in the same way. So the My Pictures folder( or wherever else you have told the software to send the files) will have still, AVCHD and MPG files.

Ron Evans

And then you can play it on regular normal DVD player (not HD DVD player). I have Ulead Videos Studio 11 Plus, I just checked it after reading your post, but I am afraid it makes HD DVD, my question was that, are we able to make Full HD DVD in normal DVD format, means if wants to make DVD then we have highest choice is HQ (8MB/PS), and resolution is 720X480 and it is maximum!

I was aware that we can make HD DVD.

Kaushik

Kaushik. You cannot play high definition on a normal DVD player even if the files are recorded on a normal DVD( in fact DO NOT play an AVCHD disc in a normal DVD player as it may damage the player. A warning that is part of the camcorder package!!!!). SO to get high definition you must play on a player that can play high definition like a BLuray player, PS3 in my case. IT is possible to create a normal DVD from the AVCHD input using the supplied software, but this is not high definition it will be SD and subject to the limitations of the normal DVD format. For burned discs it is wise to keep the video data rate below 7mbps, in fact i like to keep mine so that the total video and audio is less than 6500 for good playback compatibility. The Sony Motion Browser software that comes with the SR11/12 will make an SD disc from the AVCHD files if that is what you want or if you have recorder SD ( MPEG2) it will make a disc of this too.
Ron Evans

Ron Evans,

Yes, if we create BD disc than we need stand alone BD player, in your case your PS3 so then you can play your created BDs in your Sony PS3, and if you create HD DVD then you must need stand lone HD DVD player then only you can play those created HD DVDs, I know that.

But here some one wrote that he is able to create DVDs with HD mode, I was afraid then because in case of creation of DVDs we have only three option LP, SP and HQ which is highest quality in DVDs resolution, but he never mention he can create HD DVD, so yes then we must need stand alone HD DVD player!

Kaushik

Kaushik, you can burn AVCHD to a normal 4.7G DVD but this too must be played in a high definition player like Bluray or HD DVD. I burn my AVCHD to a normal 4.7G DVD-R and play in my PS3.

Ron Evans

Ron Evans,

But why it is like that? The supplied software doesn’t convert AVCHD files into MPEG2, while we send those files in timeline? You do not have option to create whatever you want? Like Divx, or MPEG2 or MPEG1 or MPEG4?

So all AVCHD owners are not able to create DVDs which they can play their exiting DVD player?

I have with me JVC GZHD7 and Canon HV20, and I am using PowerDirector 6 editing software from CyberLink, and I can make any of format files like Divx, MPEG2, MPEG4.

So my question is that when you do some editing and after that if you want to create normal DVD which later on you can play with your exiting DVD player it is not possible with AVCHD? I mean supplied software is not able to convert those file into MPEG2 so then we can play those DVDs in normal DVD player?

Kaushik

Yes the supplied software for the Sony can convert the AVCHD files to mpeg for playback on a normal DVD player and in this case they are SD NOT high definition. They have been down converted from the high definition resolution to SD. IF you make a AVCHD disc on a normal 4.7G DVD it will be high definition but must then be played on a high definition player like BLuray or HD DVD. The type of disc used is not important its the file type on it that matters and the file type governs which player MUST be used to play the files. AVCHD MUST be played on a high definition player but of course SD can be played on both High definition and SD players. The supplied Sony software gives you two options AVCHD or SD . IF you want more than that use Vegas 8, Edius etc which have the ability to edit either native or with an intermediate codec and output to whatever format you may want.
The point of using a high definition camcorder is to record high definition and playback high definition. If you want to stay with SD then these camcorder will record SD MPEG as well but in my mind this is a waste of capability. Once you have seen the high definition output from these camcorders you will not want to shoot SD anymore!!!! The supplied software will allow you to make SD discs to give to friends with SD DVD players and lots of editing software can edit with AVCHD so there is little downside in just shooting AVCHD. The one caveat is that it will take a powerful computer at the moment to edit AVCHD. Or just use Sony's standalone disc burner that will make AVCHD discs or convert to SD DVD's for you. Cuts editing can be done in all these camcorders and playlist then be used to create a DVD or just playback from the camcorder and for the intended audience of consumers this is likely all they need to get a very satisfactory output.
The Sony software supplied with the SR11/12 will make a AVCHD with simple menus that can be played back on Bluray player and will also downconvert and make an SD DVD with simple menus to be played back on a standard DVD player.

Ron Evans

Oh! I see. Thanks Ron Evans for your clarification.

Kaushik

Glad to help. A correction to what I wrote though, it looks like Sony's VRDMC5 standalone disc burner will not convert AVCHD to SD but just makes a AVCHD disc from the camcorder so making SD discs from AVCHD will need to be done on the PC.

Ron Evans

Ron; I also thank you for this description.