Downconverting HD computer Files to DV in Vegas at DVinfo.net

Ron Cooper · November 3rd, 2008, 06:42 PM

I have some AVCHD files on the PC I wish to edit in Vegas 8 as a DV project.

How do you import media in AVCHD which is already on the hard drive to appear as DV in the project?

If I was capturing directly I would simply down-convert in the camera and then "Capture", but capture doesn't allow "Capturing" and downconverting into your project unless from a camera. Likewise I cannot see how to simply import media from the drive other than in its native form.

It appears to me as if I would have to import the native HD file & then render it out to DV and then use it - ?

The whole project is SD and my PC is apparently too slow to show the AVCHD files properly so it is too awkward to use these files on the timeline with other down-converted clips. The PC is a core 2 duo 2.13GHz. & NVidea GF 8800 GT

RonC

Edward Troxel · November 3rd, 2008, 08:45 PM

Just drop the files on the timeline. Vegas will handle the conversion fine for you.

If your computer can't handle the AVCHD files natively, just drop them on the timeline and render them to some other format like Cineform. You can also use something like AVCHD Upshift at newbluefx to convert the files from AVCHD to m2t.

Ron Cooper · November 5th, 2008, 05:12 PM

Thanks Edward.

I am not familiar with cineform or AVCHD Upshift. Are these separate program/codecs which I would have to buy or are they simple free downloads that work like AVI ?

I have only edited so far in AVI and thought that editing in m2v was more difficult due to the GOF structure.

RonC

Edward Troxel · November 6th, 2008, 07:30 AM

AVCHD Upshift is a third party product (see www.newbluefx.com for more info).

The Cineform codec comes WITH Vegas so you can render to that yourself (look under file type "AVI" at the various options). Cineform is also a separate product as well but you probably wouldn't need it.

Dave Blackhurst · November 6th, 2008, 07:34 PM

If you use PMB (the Sony utility) you can downconvert fairly quickly and easily as well.

Ron Coleman · November 11th, 2008, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Troxel

Just drop the files on the timeline. Vegas will handle the conversion fine for you.

If your computer can't handle the AVCHD files natively, just drop them on the timeline and render them to some other format like Cineform. You can also use something like AVCHD Upshift at newbluefx to convert the files from AVCHD to m2t.

Can Vegas 8 read TS files? If not, can AVCHD Upshift convert them to a format Vegas can read? Or can you suggest a way to get these files in a format that can be edited in Vegas? I just installed Vegas 8.1 on a new quad-core PC running 64-bit Vista, but I get "no files found" if I try dropping TS files on the timeline. Can't play them from the Explorer window in Vegas or import them either, but the files will play just fine in Windows Media Player. Any suggestions you can make would be greatly appreciated.

Edward Troxel · November 12th, 2008, 08:04 AM

Vegas can read many varieties of HD files but definitely not all. So any it can't read you'll need to convert. If you're using a Panasonic camera, you'll need to look at some options like Raylight or Cineform.

Ron Coleman · November 12th, 2008, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Troxel

Vegas can read many varieties of HD files but definitely not all. So any it can't read you'll need to convert. If you're using a Panasonic camera, you'll need to look at some options like Raylight or Cineform.

I noticed today that the 8.1 version I have installed won't even read MPG files that I've used on another PC with Vegas 6. I get the error "the file is an unsupported format". The same MPG file I tested can be read by Vegas 7 on the same PC. It also works with Vegas 8.0c, but not with 8.1. On the other hand, neither Vegas 7 nor Vegas 8.0c will read my TS files, so it's possible I'll have to convert those to another format. I checked the tech specs from Sony, which indicate that TS files are supported, but maybe that information isn't correct. It's not really a big deal if I have to use the 32-bit 8.0 version, since I have both versions installed, but I was kind of hoping the 64-bit version would work. AVIs work just fine, so converting the TS files to AVI is an option.

These TS files aren't from a camcorder. I captured them from a DVR using Hauppauge's HD PVR. I've been able to edit them with some freeware tools like H264TS_cutter and burn to standard DVDs without any problems.

Do you have any recommendations for conversion programs? If not, then I guess I'll test some programs that have free trials and see what works best. Thanks for the reply, Edward.

Ron Coleman · November 12th, 2008, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Blackhurst

If you use PMB (the Sony utility) you can downconvert fairly quickly and easily as well.

Where do you find the PMB utility?

Ron Coleman · November 12th, 2008, 11:28 PM

I downloaded the AVCHD Upshift trial and tested it on one of my TS files. I had to rename the file with a .m2ts extension, but it worked. The 10-second .m2t output file appears indistinguishable from the original. Now I'll see if Vegas can read the .m2t file.

Dave Blackhurst · November 13th, 2008, 01:45 AM

Picture Motion Browser should have come with your camera on CD.

November 3rd, 2008, 06:42 PM	#1
Ron Cooper Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 481	Downconverting HD computer Files to DV in Vegas I have some AVCHD files on the PC I wish to edit in Vegas 8 as a DV project. How do you import media in AVCHD which is already on the hard drive to appear as DV in the project? If I was capturing directly I would simply down-convert in the camera and then "Capture", but capture doesn't allow "Capturing" and downconverting into your project unless from a camera. Likewise I cannot see how to simply import media from the drive other than in its native form. It appears to me as if I would have to import the native HD file & then render it out to DV and then use it - ? The whole project is SD and my PC is apparently too slow to show the AVCHD files properly so it is too awkward to use these files on the timeline with other down-converted clips. The PC is a core 2 duo 2.13GHz. & NVidea GF 8800 GT RonC

November 3rd, 2008, 08:45 PM	#2
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Just drop the files on the timeline. Vegas will handle the conversion fine for you. If your computer can't handle the AVCHD files natively, just drop them on the timeline and render them to some other format like Cineform. You can also use something like AVCHD Upshift at newbluefx to convert the files from AVCHD to m2t. __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

November 6th, 2008, 07:30 AM	#4
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	AVCHD Upshift is a third party product (see www.newbluefx.com for more info). The Cineform codec comes WITH Vegas so you can render to that yourself (look under file type "AVI" at the various options). Cineform is also a separate product as well but you probably wouldn't need it. __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

November 12th, 2008, 08:04 AM	#7
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	Vegas can read many varieties of HD files but definitely not all. So any it can't read you'll need to convert. If you're using a Panasonic camera, you'll need to look at some options like Raylight or Cineform. __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

November 5th, 2008, 05:12 PM	#3
Ron Cooper Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 481	Thanks Edward. I am not familiar with cineform or AVCHD Upshift. Are these separate program/codecs which I would have to buy or are they simple free downloads that work like AVI ? I have only edited so far in AVI and thought that editing in m2v was more difficult due to the GOF structure. RonC

November 6th, 2008, 07:34 PM	#5
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	If you use PMB (the Sony utility) you can downconvert fairly quickly and easily as well.

November 12th, 2008, 11:28 PM	#10
Ron Coleman Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 58	I downloaded the AVCHD Upshift trial and tested it on one of my TS files. I had to rename the file with a .m2ts extension, but it worked. The 10-second .m2t output file appears indistinguishable from the original. Now I'll see if Vegas can read the .m2t file.

November 13th, 2008, 01:45 AM	#11
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Picture Motion Browser should have come with your camera on CD.