Exporting AVCHD to HD MPEG2

[Paul LS]

The size of HDV MPEG2 files is the same as DV-AVI... so about 220MB per minute or 13 GB per hour. This is certainly the easiest format to work with and you could export from PE7 as H.264 to get the correct finished file size.

[ChancyRat]

You give up the ease of transferring files for ease in editing. The tape must be captured in real time, 1 hour tape = 1 hour capture. The tapes hold 1 hour of video each and cost about 3 dollars a piece. Personally I wouldn't shoot video any other way. Call it old fashioned if you want to but it is what the professionals are still using today, guess they are just all old fashioned

Do you download the files off the film like you do from a memory stick? Can you 'write' to the film more than once? (ten times?) What's the longest film time possible on one tape? Sorry to be so scattered, the questions don't occur to me except randomly and rather chaotically.

[Mr Moderator I may have figured out how I end up quoting myself sometimes. I select "quote" to edit myself instead of "edit" to edit myself. ]

Thanks.

[ChancyRat]

OK, so if they upload "1920X1080 7.2Mbps H.264 Baseline Profile" then this is the maximum quality you can upload. However the file size may be too large at these settings. You can export at these settings and see what the file size is. If it is too large then you will have to reduce the bitrate until it is below the maximum file size limit. So, in Export>Personal Computer>MPEG2 select the H.264 1920x1080 preset and then in Advanced go to Video and select CBR from the Bitrate Encoding drop down and adjust the Bit Rate to 7.2Mbps. If the resultant file is too large reduce the bitrate and try again.
If the bitrate gets too low then quality will be impacted and you would be better going to 1280x720. At least then you can imcrease the bitrate to maintain the quality.

I have been doing this with great success, except I've got one step that may not be right. There is that option for "one pass" versus "two passes". I currently have the settings on "two passes," because I thought I read somewhere that 2 passes would help reduce the end file size. The 'however,' is that that takes an enormous amount of time (I think - well, I haven't exactly tested/compared whether one pass would take longer than 2 passes, but that 2nd pass is a zinger.) Which is best for reduced final file size? And what percent size would it save? And does the 1- or 2-pass option change the final quality? Thanks.

[Paul LS]

Regarding your tape question... tapes hold 1 hour of either standard definition DV-AVI or high definition HDV MPEG2. To download them to your computer you need to capture them over Firewire... so a Firewire cable from the camcorder to a Firewire port on your PC.

Tapes can be used multiple times but as they are inexpensive I keep them as an archive of my captured video.

Regarding 1 or 2 pass. If you are using Constant Bit Rate (CBR) then there would be no difference between 1 or 2 passes. 2 pass only optimizes file size for Variable Bit Rate (VBR) where the bit rate is adjusted depending on the action in the scene.

[ChancyRat]

Regarding your tape question... tapes hold 1 hour of either standard definition DV-AVI or high definition HDV MPEG2. To download them to your computer you need to capture them over Firewire... so a Firewire cable from the camcorder to a Firewire port on your PC.

Tapes can be used multiple times but as they are inexpensive I keep them as an archive of my captured video.

Regarding 1 or 2 pass. If you are using Constant Bit Rate (CBR) then there would be no difference between 1 or 2 passes. 2 pass only optimizes file size for Variable Bit Rate (VBR) where the bit rate is adjusted depending on the action in the scene.

I have not heard of firewire.
What is it and how would i know if my computer has one? Is it a USB port? Or, what plug does it go into? Like the cable connection?

[Chuck Engels]

Here you go, more than you would ever want to know. It even has a picture of what the cable looks like.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_1394_interface

Firewire cards can easily be added to most systems. Most camcorders and laptops have 4 pin firewire connections while most desktops have 6 pin.

[ChancyRat]

Here you go, more than you would ever want to know. It even has a picture of what the cable looks like.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_1394_interface

Firewire cards can easily be added to most systems. Most camcorders and laptops have 4 pin firewire connections while most desktops have 6 pin.

Thanks! I have a feeling my laptop is not wired for firewire. I'm going to ask my computer friend to tell me tomorrow when - {drum roll} - I will get 2 GB more added to my current 2 GB system, giving me {GASP} enough to let me edit in PE7 AND have an email window open!!!

[ChancyRat]

Regarding your tape question... tapes hold 1 hour of either standard definition DV-AVI or high definition HDV MPEG2. To download them to your computer you need to capture them over Firewire... so a Firewire cable from the camcorder to a Firewire port on your PC.

Tapes can be used multiple times but as they are inexpensive I keep them as an archive of my captured video.

Regarding 1 or 2 pass. If you are using Constant Bit Rate (CBR) then there would be no difference between 1 or 2 passes. 2 pass only optimizes file size for Variable Bit Rate (VBR) where the bit rate is adjusted depending on the action in the scene.

Thanks, this was very helpful.