What settings do I use to save AVCHD output?

genericuserunknown wrote on 7/28/2011, 11:50 AM

Magix claims a 90% time savings when editing AVCHD files in MEP 17 Plus. I would like to take advantage of that, especially since the vast majority of my video was captured in AVCHD. What I don't know is, what settings do I use to take advantage of this time savings? I have read that it doesn't re-code during rendering for areas that weren't edited, when outputting to AVCHD. Well, I don't see the output option for AVCHD. I am not looking at it now (it's on a different computer), but it seems the only output option for my computer is WMV. I see that I can output to different devices, like HD2 camcorders, etc. But most/all of them are in 1920x1080 and my video is originally in 1440x1080, and I'm sure the whole thing will have to be re-coded when converted to a different format.

In a nutshell - I want to output my edited video to save on my computer. Input is AVCHD 1440x1080. I would like to take advantage of the faster rendering. What settings and options must I select to make this happen?

Thank you so much,

Jay

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 7/28/2011, 12:44 PM

The depending on how and what you want to export/burn settings are located as follows (see images)

1. File, Export, Video as MP4

2. Burn AVCHD disc

3. Burn BD disc

Follow the number sequence depending on which export you require.

HTH

John

genericuserunknown wrote on 7/28/2011, 2:04 PM

John,

Thanks. That tells me I am barking up the right tree, so to speak. I suppose I should have provided more detail. My original video is AVCHD 1440x1080i at 29.97fps. If I recall correctly, there are no options, even in export to device, which are a match. Also, seems last time I tried one of the 1440x1080 options when exporting to a device (camera), it still took forever to re-encode. Also, the video was gone from the directory I originally selected to save the file. It was as if the software said, "Ok, we output to the camera, so the original output file can be erased."

I'm sure that part of my problem is the fact that I have been a long time user of Pinnacle's Studio software. The option to output to a file allows the user to select exactly what file type to save to, which codec(s) to use, what bit rate, etc. That, as opposed to a series of templates. One can output to a tape, or disc, also, but outputting to a file on the computer is wide-open, as to what format it is in. BTW: I have completed my project in Pinnacle Studio, but I would like to further my understanding of MEP. I'm sure both tools will have a place in my arsenal of video editing software, but I have so little experience in MEP, that it isn't yet possible for me to determine which tool is best for which job. I suspect MEP will be the one for AVCHD, if I can get over this hump.

Thanks again for your help!

Jay

johnebaker wrote on 7/28/2011, 4:17 PM

Hi Jay

As an ex Pinnacle user I agree with you that MEP is a little more complex . However once you get over the hump you will wonder how you managed to do some of the great stuff MEP lets you do.

If you want the .mts video file the easiest way is - on the Burn tab select Blu-ray disc and use the iso recorder to create an image. In a folder called Disc Images (you will need to find this) you will find a folder(s) beginning with BD H264..... open this, then into BDMV then STREAM here you will find 2 .mts files the one named 00000.m2ts is the video stream which you can copy and play - it will be the largest of the files.

John

Scenestealer wrote on 7/29/2011, 2:52 AM

Hi Jay

If you go File > Export Movie > MPEG4 and then choose 1920x1080 AVCHD Transport Stream from the preset dropdown, you can then click the square button with 3 dots next to the resolution dropdown and a window will open allowing you to enter 1440x1080 and likewise with the framerate below it. This will change the descrition in the export preset box to "user defined" whereby you can then click the adjacent save icon and create your own preset name in the list for use later.

To smart render click the "advanced >>" button in the same export window and the advanced settings window will appear allowing you to tick 'Smart render". The trick is making sure all your settings audio and video match your original footage parameters and that you have not altered the footage beyond hard cuts.

genericuserunknown wrote on 7/29/2011, 1:28 PM

John,

Thanks a ton. Sounds like this may be exactly what I'm looking to do. I wish saving/exporting as .mts directly were an option, but... if creating a disc will do it, then that will work. Thanks again!

Jay

Scenestealer wrote on 7/29/2011, 8:00 PM

John,

I wish saving/exporting as .mts directly were an option,

Jay

It is if you follow my instructions.

Scenestealer

genericuserunknown wrote on 8/4/2011, 6:24 PM

Thanks to everyone that helped. I think I understand much better now. I know my question was pretty novice, but... I suppose I'm a novice! :D

Along the same lines, does Magix have a way to determine what the "specs" are, for the video being edited? I notice I have the option to change much more about the output file, than I know about the input file. Really, I don't know much more than the resolution, frame rate, the general encoding (mp4, mp2, etc.) I would like to make sure, for my smart rendering, that I match all the settings correctly, but I just don't know how to determine all that information.

Thanks again for all your patients and help.

Jay

Petrambijus wrote on 7/25/2017, 12:37 PM

So no one answered, and now i need same information, how can i use smart rendering just to join mts files? i know i have to make same options as original mts but not sure how to do it.

johnebaker wrote on 7/25/2017, 1:04 PM

@Petrambijus

. . . . So no one answered . . . .

Welcome to the forum.

Please do not resurrect old topics, this one is 6 years old and has already been answered.

Please read this topic then start a new post giving us more information including:

Computer specification - processor make/model, graphics card or chipset, RAM, hard drive size and free space?
Windows version and is it up to date?
Software full name and version number - see under Help, About . . . ?
Format and resolution of the video on the timeline?
What is your aim for the joined files is, eg are they to be uploaded to Youtube, Vimeo etc, to be played on computer or TV, are they an intermediate step for another process or what?

If you are a new user to Movie Edit Pro then I would also suggest, if you have not done so already, you read the installed PDF manual available under Help and also watch this tutorial on using Movie Edit Pro.

John EB