Adobe Premiere Elements 8

Thanks for your response; it raises two other issues which I will have to search for separately (re blu-ray and file conversions).

It is beginning to seem that one can TAKE hd footage but not edit or use it. The camera marks the files as "hd" (they do have the .mts2 extension).

Is there no software that can work with the files as they are, straight from the camera? Is conversion an absolute necessity? And if so, won't I lose the hd quality in the process? Kinda defeats the purpose of hd--if that's the case, I'll go back to my old camera and sell this one.

So if I use PE 8, or any other video editing software, I wouldn't actually be getting hd dvds?

Also annoyed that all the research I did--including cnet--re: video cams never brought up the apparently widespread issue of finding software that would actually WORK with an hd camera, or the fact? that a blu-ray burner + conversion software would be another required purchase.

I'm not a techie; technology in general is more of a necessary evil (mainly bec of issues like this!).

But reading http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=872255 you see a collection of software can make it happen.
Bob

I am a beginner at this, and it sounds like it would be much too much of a headache to mess with file conversion.

My first question is, is it really MANDATORY to convert these files?

Is there no software that can work with Canon hd cameras in the type of file they take? and really produce hd files?

thanks for the help--I am feeling less and less happy about this camera purchase. Great quality video--playing it back on the camera itself or directly connected to an hd TV, but apparently quite useless for actually creating a DVD (which is really the only way to share the videos!).

btw, I'm not a Mac user--windows vista.

It's only mandatory when your video editing can't use MTS2 files. I supplied the link to show that this topic has been broached before. As you have discovered HD content is still in a state of flux with new formats aplenty and the best thing to do is either nothing or find a conversion software title to let you use what video editing software you have today.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=529871&page=2 discusses conversion in Ubuntu (another free OS) using ffmpeg. There is a ffmpeg for windows. No tutorial is offered.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=ffmpeg+mts+to+avi finds more about such a conversion step.
Bob

I don't really want to mess with converting the files in the first place. that's why I'm wondering if that is a necessity.

is m2ts really an hd file type?

is there no software that can work with m2ts directly? (if not, why on earth would Canon choose that as their standard?!)

can PE 8 work w/ m2ts directly?

will converting m2ts mean losing hd quality?

thanks again!

The camcorder market is well, complicated. For most the need is to record and play back. No editing. So the makers make such a camcorder. It's up to us to research if what we buy does what we want.

And conversion will eventually be mandatory as we create some DVD or BluRay media. This may sound terrible but a good video editor would just do that for us.

What m2ts or MTS2 (which get you different answers) is is at http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=m2ts or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.m2ts

"Software support

Almost all commercially produced Blu-ray Disc titles use copy protection method called Advanced Access Content System, which encrypts content of the disc (including M2TS files). Software that supports M2TS files usually works only with decrypted or unencrypted files. Blu-ray Disc software players can usually play back encrypted content from original disc. Video content created using an AVCHD equipment is commonly unencrypted.

Currently, M2TS files can be played using the Picture Motion Browser, which is an application video player provided with Sony AVCHD camcorders.

Some M2TS files can be played with ALLPlayer, MPlayer, Windows Media Player, VLC and other media players, depending on used compression formats in a M2TS file. Some players will need an appropriate codec, component or plugin installed.[citation needed] The file type .m2ts is not always automatically associated with the player, so it may be necessary to open it from the player.

Current versions of Nero Vision, AVS Video Converter, FormatFactory, Total video converter, MediaCoder, HandBrake and Picture Motion Browser are capable of converting M2TS files into MPEG-4 files, which can also be viewed using the aforementioned media players.

Sony products Media Manager PRO for PSP, Media Manager PRO for Walkman, and Mobile Media Manager PRO are all capable of converting M2TS format to MP4 files.

M2TS format from Sony is not necessarily the same as that of Panasonic or Canon camcorders. However, programs like Sony Vegas Pro and AVS Video Editor can open and edit both Sony M2TS files as well as Panasonic M2TS files. (Sony Vegas Pro v.9 is also capable of reading and editing M2TS files produced by Canon Vixia Camcorders.) The only other piece of software known currently to handle both types is Pinnacle Studio 12 Ultimate and Cyberlink Power Director v8.

M2TS files can also be played on Sony PlayStation 3s, Sony Bravia TVs, Western Digital WDTVs, Xtreamer media player, and Panasonic Viera TVs supporting playback of AVCHD."

So there it is for you to ponder.

As to quality loss, you'll have to test it and see. Most don't lose much.

"can PE 8 work w/ m2ts directly?"
I don't have that so you have to rely on it's maker for the answer.
Bob

many thanks--guess PE 8 is not the best option.

Purchasing another computer is not an option, certainly not switching to mac based on this issue (which would also require me replacing all of my current software!) so far, I'm only in the hole $350; not going to make that $6000+.

The Vixia hf10 bills itself as a home movie camcorder--it's not pro grade but takes nice video. Most people do video to be able to share w/ friends/family who don't necessarily live in the same state or country. Read hundreds of reviews, editorials, checked three different tech websites, etc before purchasing it--that's the annoying thing--doing the research and not finding info on what is apparently a very widespread problem.

I'm guessing all of these hd softwares, then, require a blu ray burner.

Wish manufacturers were more forthcoming with basic info--but apparently they'd rather have irritated former customers than "loyal" customers!

thanks again for your help!

I'm sorry I couldn't sum it all up in one paragraph. It's a rather thick book with chapters on video formats, conversions, editors, solutions, non-solutions and more hardware.

I'll share I do have one Bluray player which is the PS3 but that was because I read many posts about BD players in these forums along with chats with friends, family and folk in the industry.

I have yet to decide on a BD recorder so I stick with content in files that I play on a laptop that has HDMI to connect to the HDTV.

Acronyms unite!
Bob

with the camera connected directly? What do you use, usb or other connections? If you use the composite connections (yellow, red, white), How does it look to you? Not hi-def., but how does it look, good enough?

Technically speaking, it's not my TV--so it's not at my house. It's been awhile since, but using the composite connections, it looks fine--better to see it than watching it on a 2.5" "screen"

If it looks good enough, then maybe using a dvd recorder might be the way to go. No hi-def. but dvd recorder can be had for less than $100. Just a thought.