MainConcept MPEG HD plugin for Premiere Pro

[Sten Newfield]

http://www.mainconcept.com/mpeg_pro.shtml

Haven't tested it myself but they promise an ability to capture straight from HD10 and edit MPEG natively on Premiere Pro.

[Sten Newfield]

Well, as expected, the speeds were nowhere near the DV speeds, but still in the ok-land. I imported 2 .ts files just for a quick test, slapped a few transitions and a color correction upon the clips and was able to scrub back and forth with 0,5 - 1 sec delay. This was on 2,4GHz HT P4 with 1GB of memory, MainConcept recommends 3GHz.

[Jeremy Peterson]

I've been using this plug-in in demo mode for about a week and I must say that I am impressed, it sped up my performance quite a bit. It also fixed the lockup problems that I was having when editing in Premiere Pro before I installed the plug-in. (This might be because of a bad codec or filter I was never able to find)

It seems about as fast as editing standard DV on my last PC, a 1.8ghz p4.
(New PC is a 2.8ghz p4 HT, also has faster hard drive)

Editing 720p in Premiere Pro is as easy and stable as editing and capturing regular DV, It allows for real-time capture preview as well as function controls for Play, Rewind, Stop, Pause, Ect... I defiantly prefer this plug-in to a separate program for capturing.

All in all, I like it very much. Anyone want to buy me the full version?

[Jeremy Peterson]

I forgot to mention, it also supports SD mode as well :)

[Peter Robert]

Would it be possible to export the timeline as m2t file and then send back to hd10?

Procoder 2.0 is a new release. It seeems that Procoder 2.0 could create m2t file.

[Andre Jesmanowicz]

If you use 18300 CBR with 448 buffer size than the mpeg is accepted by JVC LE editor that comes with a camcorder. Transcode it to m2t format - very fast - mainly copy only, exept headers, an you are done.

Andre

[Peter Robert]

Hi Andre,

Are you saying that encode the timeline by 18300 CBR as mpeg2 file adn then import in JVC LE editor which could output as m2t file?

[Andre Jesmanowicz]

Yes,
and the transfer is very fast. No transcoding!
Don't forget to set mpeg2 quality to "High 1440" or you will not be able to use 18300 bit rate. Set I frames to 6 to get BBIBBP GOP, VBV Buffer size to 448 and audio to 384.
Good luck,

[Alex Raskin]

How does this plug-in compare to the much more expensive CineForm Aspect HD?

[Ken Hodson]

In AspectHD you are not editing in mpeg2.
Ken

[David Newman]

True Aspect HD is not editing MPEG2, but it is doing this for greatly increased performance, and editing freedoms through file compatibility. There is no real-time performance in a MPEG2 editor, yet Aspect HD can mix up to four video streams without dropping a frame on the minimum PC needed to run the MainConcept software. Aspect HD also converts MPEG2TS files into standard AVIs (in real-time) during capture, which allows your HD10U footage to be edited in any PC package including VirtualDub, Vegas, Affect Effect, Combustion etc.

Cost is no-longer a factor if you need Premiere.

Non RT solution:
Main Concept MPEG $349
Premiere Pro $699
Total = $1048

Real-Time solution
CineForm Aspect HD ($1199)
Including Premiere Pro ($699)
Including Audition ($299)
Including Encore DVD ($549)
Now Total = $1199

For $149 extra you get real-time editing plus DVD authoring and audio sweeting.

*** Advertising mode off ***

Aspect HD and the MainConcept solution are very different methods to solving the editing of HDV. Aspect HD is targeted to particular professional needs, just us next product, Prospect HD is for even higher-end HD editing. We expected the MainConcept and Ulead products, so we created the Connect HD product to complete. Connect HD is much more feature compatible with the MPEG editors. All those products are under $500 and offer the cost sensitive purchaser (aren't we all :) ) plenty of choice.