You have to get audio working first which is before any CineForm tools will get involved.

This is the AC3 decoder that works for others : Download AC3 Filter 1.51a

Drop your M2TS file into GraphEdit to see why the audio is not working.

HDLink DeInterlace.
 

I was wondering what kind of method does HDLink use to DeInterlace? Is it what people call as Smart DeInterlacing? Where if it detects motion, then deinterlace. Or is it field blend? Or something else?

If I want a 24P results out of 50i footage, which one will give better results:

- DeInterlace 50i to 25P -> Edit 25P -> Output 25P -> Convert 25P to 24P.

- Edit 50i -> Output 50i -> Convert 50i to 24P.

- Convert 50i to 24P -> Edit 24P.

The third workflow leads me to a question, does HDLink do great job converting 50i to 24P or will I get better result using Magic Bullet Frame?

Thanks in advance.

It is a modified linear light field blend. It works best on sources with a shutter speed that matches the field rate (i.e. 50Hz for 50i, 60Hz for 60i), the results are more resolution than deinterlace typically offers. We don't find smart deinterlacers all that successful, neither preserving much resolution or have a predictable motion blur. For you use HDLink you can deinterlace and convert to 24p in one step, with audio pitch compensation.

Hdlink - avchd
 

Clarification please on getting HDLINK to convert with sound...

Deniz...

d/l and install ffdshow and x264 on your computer. they're free and it will allow playing of avchd on wmp.

I had zero problems with this whatsoever.

1. Install AC3Filter or ffdshow tryouts version - both decode AC3 just fine and both are free
2. Install CoreAVC and make it the preferred decoder (it's in the CoreAVC configuration panel). Make sure you install Haali splitter that you get with the package (ffdshow should decode h264 any way, but CoreAVC is faster and better)
3. Double click on your .MTS file and when Windows doesn't have a clue what to do with it, point it to Media Player. WMP will complain that it doesn't know what it is, but just get it to play it any way. From then on, .MTS files will always open with Media Player.

Once WMP can play your MTS files with sound, so HD Link will be able to work with it.

Thanks Richard
 

Nice clean explanation - now everything working fine. phew...

This is a question I have often asked myself as well. Does anyone else have any experience with it?

Can HDlink do batch exporting?
 

I would like to export multiple ts files at one setup. Not clear if this can be done.

Thanks

Dave

If you mean convert multiple files into CineForm AVIs, then yes - that is HD Link's primary purpose.

What I meant is I have 3 large TS files on my hard drive that I want to export back to my Sony HDV deck to archieve. So far, I have to go down to my computer when each one completes, delete the one I just did, and start again on the next one. Would be nice to have them all selected, and then come back in 4 hours and they would all be on tape.

Dave

Do you have a 4 hour HDV tape? HDLink will playback a sequence of M2T files, however there is often a glitch between each clip on the tape, so have extra black rendered on the begining and ends of each clip.

Yep, 4hr 40 min HDV tape I am putting multiple TS files on. I do not have headers and trailers. :o( Just about done filling the tape. What I have been trying to get to work is after done writing the tape, is to read the entire tape w/o errors. Shall see if a few hours.

Dave

Scene detection and HDlink
 

Okay, still trying to output M2T files to my sony deck to tape, and then read back with HDlink, get it to scene detect each M2T file I put on the tape, and not have errors. :o(

So, on top of continuing to learn new stuff, having to redue my m2t videos, since I did not put the recommended black headers on the video. Oh well, I see it is there in the fine print.

So here is the question. What is HDlink triggering on for scene detect, and how do I make sure when I output to tape, HDlink will split correctly? When I just did this, exporting 3 m2t files to tape with HDlink, when I used HDlink to read these 3 files I put onto tape back in, it did not scene detect each file. Instead it made one big file, and the audio was messed up with the video at each file change.

So, I am now adding some black header and footers to my file and making new m2t file outputs. But, after I use HDlink to export the first file to tape, what do I need to do in order for HDlink to see the next file as a scene detection and make into the next file when I read these back? Do I need to reset something on the Sony deck with the TC? Do I need to set an option with HDlink? Hope this question makes sense, since I do not know what HDlink triggers off of. I assume this same trigger will work is I read the tape with HDVsplit?

Thanks

Dave

HDlink, export, data code
 

Okay, I think the scene detect triggers with a change of the data code (time and date).
So, I just looked at a file I exported with HDlink, and it looks like the data code is blank. Guess this would cause scene detect to not work. So, is there a way to have HDlink set the data code as it is exporting to tape?

Thanks

Dave

As we no long produce M2T files, you should look with tools like TMPGEnc to see if they do that.

HDLink Conversion Problems
 

I'm runnning the latest version of Aspect HD and HDlink and I'm trying to convert some
Hello All

1280x720 MS-YUV encoded avi to Cineform HD via HDLink. The problem is that some of the converted Cineform avi files are having extreme playback and audio sync problems.

The video on the converted avi files will play back way too fast while the audio is playing back at normal speed, then about half way through or so the video will stop on a frame while the audio continues playing underneath the still/stuck frame for remainder of the duration.

I'm on a Hyperthreading 3.4Ghz P4 2GB Ram

In the HDLink prefs, no rate change or resizing is being applied, and I am encoding them to Medium quality. Progressive is selected for the frame format.

Any help would be appreciated

Thank You

Likely the source file/decoder is reporting the wrong frame rate to HDLink. Use this tool Free-Codecs.com : Download AVI Frame Rate Changer 1.10 : AVI Frame Rate changer allows you to modify the frame rate of a pre-rendered AVI File to restore the CineForm AVI frame rate to see if it plays correctly. If it does you have a simple workaround. To really see what is happening you will need to send a sample clip to support (file a support ticket.) Use yousendit.com for clips up to 100MB.

HDLink Conversion Problem
 

Thanks for the quick reply, unfortunately the suggested program was to no avail.

Do you have any other suggestions? I am unable to send a sample of the footage due to an NDA pretaining to the project.

No more suggestions until you explain what "no avail" means. Did the tool not change the frame rate, crash, do something else? Do you know what the frame currently is? What it is a supposed to be? If the tool didn't work try another, AVIFrate, there are dozens of them.

HDLink Conversion Problem
 

Sorry for the vagueness of my comment.

I used the suggested tool on the original MS-YUV footage and then converted the footage again using HDLink and got the same result. I also used the tool on the convereted Cineform files and the results were the same as well.

The frame rate of the footage is supposed to be 29.97. I'll try the other tool you reccommended

More HDLink Conversion Problems
 

I am trying to convert some AVCHD clips taken with my Sony HDR-SR11 camera as .m2ts clips. I am using the latest version of Aspect 5 and want to make certain I can convert using Aspect before I upgrade to Prospect.

My system has both Premiere Pro CS3 and CS4 installed and I am using the Haali splitter for the conversion.

As soon as I select .m2ts files and try to convert, the following error messages appear every time:

Error M_Media Control Run {} 0x80040212-Dispatch error #18 in Direct Show Graph cpp at 218

Error M_ ConvertGraph StartGraph 0x80040212 Dispatch error #18 (CFF Capture DLG cpp at 2373)

I also tried uninstalling the Haali splitter and the conversion seems to work although very slowly. The clips play in a Cineform preset of 1440x1080 but at an increased video speed. The audio sounds correct.

I tried converting non Cineform HD avi files captured via Premiere Pro and they convert correctly

My system is an Intel QX9650 chip running Windows XP Pro and a single Nvidia GEforce 8800 GT video card.

Any help with conversion of the .m2ts clips would be much appreciated.

Many thanks,

Marty rahn

More HDLInk Conversion problems-Update
 

I have Aspect V 5. on two computers and tried to convert some .m2ts clips on the second computer that only has PPro CS3 installed. I installed the Haali splitter and using HDLink, the conversion worked without any problem. It must be the presence of CS4 that causes the process to fail.

When Prospect 4 is available, will conversion using the Haali splitter be necessary and will the presence of PPro CS3 interfere with the conversion process?

Thanks,

Marty Rahn

The CS4 compatibility issue will be address. The AVCHD issue has already been fixed, and will likely be in the next v3 release if that comes out before v4.

It Worked
 

I converted a clip using HDLink with no Haali splitter and the frame rate was off although the audio played correctly.

The free fame rate correcter recommended by David worked perfectly. It is a slow process that willl hopefully be superceded by the new Prospect 4.

Marty

HDLink Conversion With Prospect-File Size
 

I installed the latest version of Prospect for PPro CS3 tonight and converted several .m2ts clips from my Sony HDR-SR11 camera. The conversion went smoothly. However each converted Cineform .avi clip was approximately 6 times the size of the original .m2ts clip. That ratio was consistent for each clip converted.

Am I doing something wrong or is it intended for the Cineform avi clip to be so much larger? I also noticed that during the conversion, the blue bar indicating progress did not appear.

Thanks for the help.

Marty Rahn

You don't mention which CineForm product you installed, HDLink comes with all of them. The progress bar is fixed is some versions, not all yet.

From the CineForm web site: "CineForm AVI file sizes vary based on image sizes and frame rates, Expect 1920x1080 24p files to be about 10 MB/sec or 35 GB/hour"

CineForm files are designed for post, AVCHD are compressed to an inch of their life, are not designed for post. AVCHD is stores 6 times the image data in file half the size of an NTSC DV.avi, something has to give. CineForm expands the file you give some more room and speed in editing.

HDLink Conversion with Prospect_File Size
 

David:

Thanks for the prompt reply. You guys are terrific. I am using the latest version of Prospect HD 3.4.8.

I knew AVCHD was highly compressed but had no idea it was THAT much compressed.

The first clip I used was 17 minutes and 2.1 G. The Cineform AVI is 13 G which is consistent with your advice. At least I know I am not doing anything wrong.

I will probably need more storage space to deal with the much larger files!

I am looking forward to the newest version of Prospect that will work with CS4 and enable me (when that feature is available) to monitor my work on an external HD monitor.

Marty Rahn

Neo Scene HDLINK: What does "Convert to 24p" actually do?
 

I recently worked with Cineform's very responsive support team to fix a problem I was having with the Neo Scene version of HDLINK. When I captured from HDV tape via HDLINK from my JVC GY-HD100, I first checked the Cineform website for the appropriate settings for capturing 720 24p material. It said to keep framerate at "Automatic." However, when I did so, captured files would show up on my Vegas timeline as 60p material, with the video way too fast, shorter and out of sync with the associated audio.

Cineform support advised me to simply check the "Convert to 24p" radio button in HDLINK. That seems to work fine, and I haven't noticed any quality loss.

Still that got me thinking. When I check the "Convert to 24p" button in HDLINK, is it simply telling the software to save this as a 24p file? Does Cineform automatically detect the difference between a native 24p video stream (such as transmitted by the JVC ProHD cameras) and a 24p stream embedded in a 60i stream (such as transmitted by Sony and Canon cameras)? Or, is Cineform actually trying to do pulldown on the JVC stream?

If this is, in fact, how this is supposed to work, I would respectfully suggest that Cineform relabel this button to something such as "Save as 24p file," and to update the HDLINK camera-specific settings on the website.

Just a couple of thoughts for future updates. I'm very happy with my Neo Scene purchase overall and with the tech support I received.

That was fixed a few weeks ago. Just get the latest NEO Scene.

Great! I'm downloading it as I write this.

HDLinke.exe has stopped working on Vista
 

I posted that issue a weeka ago and there was no solution from you guys David. But I uninstalled the latest version and went back to Prospect 3.46b188 and it lloks like it is working - my Canon HG-20 .mts files are converting.

I tried the coreavc and ffdshow advice but finally it was the latest version that was giving problems (you should look into it so it does not get into ver 4)

I just uninstalled (did not have to do any reboots) and installed the older one and it works

I had the same problem. I uninstalled Prospect 3, installed Adobe Premiere CS3,restarted, installed Prospect 3.8.6.188 version (only other one I had and NOW IT WORKS! I noticed the log says I am using the Adobe AVC encoder but Graphedit says something different.Maybe all this could help.

Experiencing erratical behavior with HDLink (running Vista Ultimate + SP1):
at times it just crashes @ opening;
at times it opens, correctly captures & converts first file, then starts doing weird things, like splitting a sequence into dozens of "microfiles" & introducing huge artifacts;
sometimes it opens, and then freezes when told to Start job.

(Dell Precision T7400, Xeon E5430, video on a G-Raid 3TB via eSATA, Vista U SP1)

Trouble ticket filed, but hope somebody else on the board might chime in...
Any idea? Thank you in advance

Vasco

Addendum:
while the CF codec clearly deserves five stars
(and lots of kudos to its developers),
HDLink's erratical behavior under Vista is such
a major nuisance, and apparently a well-known one.
If I may, I'll quote David Newman:

"All our software does now work under Vista, however HDLink and Vista still has driver issue will the HDV cameras connection and we don't know why (it doesn't happen on all Vista systems.) While this is an annoying work-around, you can capture using HDVSplit (free) then batch convert in HDLink under Vista." (unquote)
The above quote is dated November 25th 2007 (!)

Absolutely no disrespect intended! The thing is that HDLink's on-the-fly conversion
would be such a great feature, and giving it up in favor of a two-step approach (HDVSplit capture, HDVLink conversion) is really a major disappointment.

My straightforward question To David:
are you still trying to fix this thing, or have you given up?

All the best - and again: the CF codec is a real jewel!

Vasco

Odd HDLink split scene capture prob
 

We have captured for a long time with HDLink (CFHD) and usually have no real probs with the stable versions. Now, we just came against a strange scenerio that maybe David could explain.

We sync'd two Sony V1's with freerun timecode going, to make our production lives a bit easier. When we try to capture with "scene detect" turned on, it goes nuts and only records the last few secs of the 2-3 min captures!

This happens for all the scenes...

Suggestions (other than capturing manually...)?

UPDATE: we can capture with timecode in Premiere under CS3 this way, but not in HDLink. Can't remember if this is normal? If so, why would it be "normal"? Is this another Adobe roadblock to CF?

Also, "scene detect" apparently works under CS3 in Premiere, but not in HDLink with freerun timecode. Very odd.

Question for support.

If only I could get HDlink working things would be fine in every aspect - or should I say prospect. But since upgrading from AHD to PHD I lost HDlink. Starting hdlink.exe only activates the capture log window. I was hoping that phd v4(beta) would be the solution to my issue - but no. My AE cs3 / cs4 and ppro cs3 has been installed over and over again - as PHD 3.4.9 and 4.0.1. Obviously there must be something wrong with my setup as HDlink 4.0.1 seems to work fine (not really tested but the GUI is there !) on one of my laptops but NOT on the editing machine. Question ; is it possible to have two separate installations of HDlink (different machines) on the same registration code. Or stated another way - is HDlink dependent on a registration in order to work more than the 15d trial period.

Bingo!
 

TECH SUPPORT AT CF sent me patch for HDlink_registry_values & everything works well. I'm impressed. And still wondering how this "error" came to arise in the first place.
Anyway - great support. Just to let you know ;)

FYI, all the Vista + HDV capture problems we were seeing internally disappeared with the Vista SP1 update.

I have an HV20 personally, and Jake has an HV30. Both of us are able to capture with HDLink in Vista... and do so regularly. The Sony HVR-V1U hasn't really ever had problems, and continues to work well.

If you haven't done the SP1 upgrade yet, please try it!