5 Replies Latest reply: Aug 10, 2012 8:21 AM by screamingaddabs

Converting AVCHD to another format (slow PC)

screamingaddabs Aug 10, 2012 12:55 AM

Hi all, I hope you can help. I have searched the forum and couldn't find quite the right answer to my question.

I have a Panasonic HDC-SD80 video camera that shoots in 1920 x 1080i at 60 fps. It has the following options:

HA, HG, HX, HE

I have no idea what difference these make, so my first question is of course "what difference do these settings make.

More importantly, I am aware that adobe premiere elements does not support 60fps. Added to this I am also aware that my PC (2Ghz, 4GB RAM, windows 7) will be under fairly hefty strain trying to do anything with this at all.

I am not all that bothered about a really high quality video, standard TV resolution (non HD) would be fine to be honest! As such, can anyone suggest a good way of converting the files I have into a format suitable for editing with my specs in Elements 10?

I will keep copies in HD format for the future (when I may have a better PC etc), but right now I just want to edit stuff for simple home movies and short fun films, I don't care about best ever quality, so long as it looks ok on a telly when played.

Thanks in advance!

Adam

1. Re: Converting AVCHD to another format (slow PC)

Steve Grisetti Aug 10, 2012 4:58 AM (in response to screamingaddabs)

Premiere Elements does indeed support 1920x1080i AVCHD at 60 fps, Adam. It's only the 1920x1080p AVCHD that it doesn't yet support. (Techncially, 60i fps is 30 complete fps while 60p is 60 complete fps.)

Just make sure you're shooting 60i at HG, HA or HX quality and you should be fine. (Those letters are just different levels of picture quality. It's up to you which you find acceptable.)

Your bigger challenge is going to be editing AVCHD with a dual-core 2 ghz machine. You might be able to do it to some degree, at least with version 10 -- but you may find your comptuer lugging if you work on a bigger project.
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2. Re: Converting AVCHD to another format (slow PC)

screamingaddabs Aug 10, 2012 5:10 AM (in response to Steve Grisetti)

Aye, that is the biggest problem. Is there a decent way to convert the files into a less processor draining format? I looked online for software to do this, but you end up with about 10 options, no idea if they're just full of adware/spyware and all wanting 30 dollars for the full version.

I have considered just loading up each video file individually in premiere and exporting it in a different format, however I am guessing that this would probably take quite a while if I was doing it to then make a video comprising say 50 odd shots.

Is there some decent software I can obtain to convert the files or is there an efficient way to do it in premiere itself? As I say, I don't mind not having HD quality at the mo, I just want Premiere to run smoothly when I edit stuff and the output to be around non-HD TV standard.
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3. Re: Converting AVCHD to another format (slow PC)

John T Smith Aug 10, 2012 7:43 AM (in response to screamingaddabs)

Convert AVCHD to HDV http://forums.adobe.com/thread/390605
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4. Re: Converting AVCHD to another format (slow PC)

the_wine_snob Aug 10, 2012 7:52 AM (in response to screamingaddabs)

I have not used this workflow, but OzPeter posted his proxy file workflow some time back, and it might prove useful to you: http://forums.adobe.com/thread/486598?tstart=90

Good luck,

Hunt
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5. Re: Converting AVCHD to another format (slow PC)

screamingaddabs Aug 10, 2012 8:21 AM (in response to the_wine_snob)

Thanks everyone - all very useful. I will probably have a go at proxy-ing as this would seem the bets solution in terms of quality output. If that is a real hassel or does nay work then I'll look at converting the files permanently.

Cheers,

Adam
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