should I convert avchd to avi or use VASST GearShift

[Danny Hays]

GearShift makes DV proxies to edit on slower computers, then replaces them with the AVCHD files right befor rendering. You said larger AVCHD files crash your machine so GearShift won’t help in this case. An i7 computer with Win 7 64 bit and Vegas Pro 10 64 bit is all you need. My i7 handles my 1080 60p from my TM700 and previews great.

[John Rofrano]

Danny is correct that GearShift won’t help if you can’t even place the files on the timeline because GearShift requires that they be on the timeline in order to make the DV Widescreen proxies.

You should look at CineForm NeoScene. This will convert your AVCHD to the CineForm codec. I would download the trial and make sure that it can process your files before you buy it.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Donna Black]

Thank you so much. Now I know where I need to start. I did not understand completly how GearShift worked even went to the VASST site. Now that you explained it still has to go onto the time line then I understand why it will not work. I will be getting a whole new computer system in the future and I will go by the specs that you have listed. I had no idea I would be getting into video editing much less HD editing so my computer is bare minimum. However, I love editing and am so greatful for this forum. I have learned so much.

[Danny Hays]

Johns idea of trying CineForm NeoScene is a good idea and costs way less than an i7. But if you can swing for an i7, you won’t need Cineform, as it will be able to handle anything you throw at it.
Your render times will be significantly faster as well.
Your camera probably uses USB to transfer the video to the computer, but I would still make sure the i7 has a firewire port as there will no doubt be some instances where you need to capture DV or HDV and those cameras are mostly firewire. I tell you this because firewire is being phased out and it’s getting harder to find computers with them. Hope this helps, Danny Hays

[Donna Black]

Yes that helps alot. I will start looking into i7 before I get Cinform NeoScene since I am going to get a new computer anyway. I had a question based on what you said about capturing my video. I get my video clips from my sdhc card that I pull out of the camera and put into a card reader and drag and drop. The model of camera that I have does not have internal hard disk. It only records on cards. Should I not be doing it that way? Isn’t plugging the camera into the computer and transfering data the same as putting the card into a card reader and transfering it that way? If not then could you explain why it is different?

[John Rofrano]

[Donna Black] ” Isn’t plugging the camera into the computer and transfering data the same as putting the card into a card reader and transfering it that way? If not then could you explain why it is different?”

If you are just dragging files manually they are the same but you should be using the Vegas Device Explorer. It will stitch together large recordings that have been broken up into several files due to the FAT32 file size limit of all media cards.

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Donna Black]

Yes I am using the explorer device in vegas. Thanks for all of the information from everyone. I will make sure to post the outcome of neoscene if I go that route.

[Al Bergstein]

If you can wait for thunderbolt to arrive on windows, I would. It is a game changer, and should be better than just using esata. Really will require new motherboards, and given that it is Intel, that likely will happen this year. If you can’t wait, desktop systems are pretty cheap, if you aren’t a pro, needing workstation features. My Dell works fine, cost like $700fully configured. I use cineform and love it. But, for simple jobs, I just edit AVCHD raw.

Alf