transcoding AVCHD to DVCPRO HD

Panasonic Cameras

transcoding AVCHD to DVCPRO HD

Posted by Tim Linn on February 4, 2009 at 2:27 am

I’m researching a workflow using the AG-HMC150 and PP CS4. I understand that CS4 has native support for AVCHD but I also understand that editing this way isn’t ideal.

Panasonic provides a free utility to convert my AVCHD footage to the DVCPRO format. My question is this:

Does the transcoding process downconvert my footage from 1920×1080 to 1280×1080? The guide to the utility does not specify the horizontal resolution of the transcoded file and I don’t know if the 1280×1080 resolution is a characteristic of DVCPRO HD hardware or the format itself.

Assuming this process reduces the resolution of my file, what would be another good intermediate codec that does not? I’m using Windows.

Thanks!

Lorne Golman replied 16 years, 11 months ago 4 Members · 5 Replies
5 Replies

Noah Kadner
February 4, 2009 at 5:42 am

If you’re going to transcode- transcode to ProRes- much higher image quality than DVCPROHD. And I would test the native workflow in CS4 first- for some it works fine.

Noah

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Tim Linn
February 4, 2009 at 9:13 pm

Thanks for the response, Noah. I’ve been assuming that ProRes is a Mac-only codec unavailable to Windows users with CS4. Am I incorrect on this?
Noah Kadner
February 5, 2009 at 2:41 am

Ah ok- didn’t realize you were Windows only. In that case I’d definitely stay native in CS4 and not bother with a transcode. You gain little in the Windows world with that workflow.

Noah

Check out My My FCP Blog and my new RED Blog. Unlock the secrets of the DVX100, HVX200 and Apple Color.
Now featuring the Sony EX1 Guidebook,
DVD Studio Pro and How to Light Interviews.
https://www.callboxlive.com
Maxwell Federman
May 5, 2009 at 9:47 pm

Hello Noah

My current workflow often involves capturing media to DVCPRO’HD format so I can edit successfully on a G4 1.5Ghz PowerBook w/ 2 Gbs RAM (with media on external drives).

With the current, updated version of FCP 6, will I be able to import HMC150 files into the “Log and Transfer” dialog and batch transcode to DVCPRO’HD without issue on the system profiled above?

Thanks for taking the time to read this post

Max

Max Federman

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Lorne Golman
June 18, 2009 at 11:46 pm

Hello,

I own a PC with a 2.6 GHz Core 2 Duo Processor with 4 gb of ram. Will this be enough juice to run CS4 and edit AVCHD files naively?

Thanks!

Lorne Golman

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