[deefadog]

Hi all, I have Just purchased a Panasonic HDC-SD1 (second hand) and I am really impressed with it. When plugged directly in via HDMI to my LCD TV or via MY Media player (WDTV as it plays .mts without converting) The quality is stunning.

I work with a Macbookpro and only currently have Imovie 06 which can't cope with the HD (Imovie 09 on order). So i am using handbrake to convert, but i am having problems with the quality after conversion.

Here is what option i have and need to know which container & codec will produce the best quality.:

Containers:

AVI
MP4
MKV
OGM

Codecs:

H.264 (x264)
Mpeg-4 (FFMprg)
Mpeg-4 (XviD)
VP3 (Theora)

Audio:

MP3 (lame)
AC3 Passthru (best as i have an amp that takes AC3?)

I find a 2-pass transcode produces better results.

Any help most appreciated on this as it's driving me insane

Thanks

[StevieBuck]

Two factors affecting the output quality of your video is the video bitrate, and the video resolution.

In order to keep the HD quality, you will need to make sure the resolution is large enough (1280x720 for 720p video, etc). What resolution settings have you used so far for your encodes?

If you set the bitrate too low, then you will get a poor quality output regardless of the resolution you choose. There may be presets available for HD video quality in Handbrake, but to be honest I've never actually used it.

[mmace]

for the best quality, don't convert it

if you're editing and exporting then hat's different, but if you're just converting then what's the reason for this?

[deefadog]

Hi Steve, thanks for the info.

Basically i have kept the ratio the same which is - 1440 x 1080. It's a funny res they use, maybe that's my problem?

Here is what i found on the matter:

All Canon and Sony HDV camcorders record 1440 x 1080 using rectangular pixels.

Upon playback the image is properly scaled to 1920 x 1080 using square pixels.


On the bitrate i have tried to stick to around 18mps, as my WDTV media player has problems over 20mps. I have not tested these yet as i am in work.

The .mts files direct from the CamCorder are H.264/AVC 1440 x 1080, 25 fps - Audio DD 5.1 48000 Hz

So would it make sense to stick to the same H.264 codec along with all other settings, only the container would change, but whcih would be the best or does it not really matter?

mmace - My media player can play .mts files directly, but yes i will be editing them in imovie 09 (when i can afford it), not sure if i can save it back out as that, i will have to see. But for the time being i need to convert it to edit it, keeping the quality as best as i can close to the original.

Thanks

[A n d r e w]

If you're converting the video in order to edit in iMovie HD, then if you can output as HDV, you'll not only maintain the same resolution as the native AVCHD files on the SD1, but you'll find that iMovie has an import preset for HDV.

I'm assuming that by iMovie 06 you mean imovie 06 HD - which can, as the name suggests, edit high definition video, just not AVCHD.

You might also want to google Voltaic HD, which will also give you a bunch of options for conversion.

[mmace]

AVI is a container and can contain any number of codecs, 99.9% of which are compressed (like DV, DiVX, XviD etc)

[deefadog]

Thanks for the tips! I have checked out Voltaic & HD Video Converter. Had a few glitches with both regarding fails, bad quality etc - maybe have to play more. But i will hang fire until i get iMovie 09.

Does anyone know if with iMovie 09 you can export or save to .mts?

[A n d r e w]

Originally Posted by deefadog

Does anyone know if with iMovie 09 you can export or save to .mts?

Yes. You can't.

[deefadog]

Thanks! Great information - much appreciated!

One more thing, more about the camcorder, does any capacity SD card work with this? As i am thinking of getting a 16GB or 32GB card, no issues?

Cheers

[A n d r e w]

Should be fine - though a number of smaller cards is cheaper than one large card (and less grief if you have a card go belly up).

[deefadog]

That's very true, although the Play have the 16Gb Cards for £17.99 delivered!

Thanks

[deefadog]

Afternoon all!

Well ilife 09 arrived on the weekend and i have been playing around with imovie 09.

So i have many questions still, but thought i'd go through each individually.

One thing i would like cleared up is that the Panasonic SD1 records in 1440 x 1080 anamorphic. And from this quote i found on a review site:

"The HDC-SD5 and HDC-SX5 both record in 1920 x 1080 “full HD,” while the HDC-SD1 and HDC-DX1 top out at 1440 x 1080 anamorphic with a 1920 x 1080 output signal."

So does this mean when i import from the camera to imovie i am indeed importing a 1920 x 1080 video?

Thanks

[A n d r e w]

Originally Posted by deefadog

does this mean when i import from the camera to imovie i am indeed importing a 1920 x 1080 video?

I expect so, given that the output signal is listed as 1920x1080. You'll soon find out when you import a clip or two: if the picture looks squashed, then there's a problem. I imagine it'll work, though.

[deefadog]

Thanks, no the picture does not look squashed - it looks fine! Reason i ask is that on imovie o6 you could "apple i" each clip and it would tell you the dimensions, i can't find it on the 09 version

Also, as they state the output as 1920 x 1080 i was not sure they meant when imported from the camera or when outputted via hdmi to a TV. But as you say it would looked squashed otherwise then it must be outputted by both at 1920 x 1080.

I am still having problems exporting the movie to play correctly on my WDTV player, now this maybe the WDTV players fault. I have tried out putting using the "quicktime" option and have choosen a full quality avi, mpeg4, mov and still i get jumpy video or blurred edges or interlaced, when the imported video is as we have now established 1920 x 1080i and my HDTV is 1080i then i should not have the interlaced edging problem no?

EDIT

Well, I just found on the apple support site (imovie 09 compatibility chart) that -

"Panasonic HDC-SD1 - AVCHD - Memory - 1440 x 1080 will be imported as 960 x 540"

You can however change this to full - original size - but i get the warning - Selecting full on this computer may result in degraded video playback.

I have just got the info on the AIC / mov files that imovie transcodes to (which i imported as full) and they are 1440 x 1080.

So i must assume when we talked about the output being 1920 x 1080 it must be for play back to a TV via the HDMI cable?

Can anyone confirm any of this? think i am more lost LoL

[A n d r e w]

Originally Posted by deefadog

"Panasonic HDC-SD1 - AVCHD - Memory - 1440 x 1080 will be imported as 960 x 540" You can however change this to full - original size - but i get the warning - Selecting full on this computer may result in degraded video playback.

Ignore that and import as "full - original size" unless you find the clips just won't play back. Chances are they'll be fine.

Originally Posted by deefadog

I have just got the info on the AIC / mov files that imovie transcodes to (which i imported as full) and they are 1440 x 1080. So i must assume when we talked about the output being 1920 x 1080 it must be for play back to a TV via the HDMI cable?

Ah, of course, the 1440x1080 video will be using rectangular pixels at a ratio of 1.3:1, whereas 1920x1080 uses square pixels - hence your clips are still 16x9. I suppose that means that it's just when you hook your SD1 up to an HDTV that it outputs 1920x1080. Interesting.

Have you tried exporting using the H.264 codec, and seeing whether that looks okay played back on your WDTV?

[rogs]

AIC is not universally regarded as a particularly high quality transcoding format - have a read through the article I linked to here: 25p mode: great as mts, choppy as quicktime?

It could just be that you are noticing some loss of quality from the transcoded format itself?

You might want to have look at trying the Avid DNxHD codec:http://www.avid.com/dnxhd/features.asp .
Should give very high quality transcoded files to work with. Not tried it myself (I use Canopus HQ as an intermediated format -not available for Mac though) but it is free, so maybe worth a go!

[deefadog]

Andrew -

Ignore that and import as "full - original size" unless you find the clips just won't play back. Chances are they'll be fine.

Yes i have and the play fine

Ah, of course, the 1440x1080 video will be using rectangular pixels at a ratio of 1.3:1, whereas 1920x1080 uses square pixels - hence your clips are still 16x9. I suppose that means that it's just when you hook your SD1 up to an HDTV that it outputs 1920x1080. Interesting.

Have you tried exporting using the H.264 codec, and seeing whether that looks okay played back on your WDTV?

Thanks, so i was not going mad - So should i work flow in - edit and out as 1440 x 1080. I know i'll have small black bars at the top and bottom, but this does not bother me as long as the quality is there?

As for the output as .mov using the H.264 - Yes i have tried this but it will not play on the WDTV. This is strange, because if i transcode nay file using handbrake using the same settings and codec they play ok in WDTV.

rogs -

Thanks for the tips! I have tried the Avid codec, it create a large file with 71.5Mbps - but quality was terrible! may have to play with this. Now, what program do you use to transcode the .mts files to the Avid codec .mov's? as handbrake does not seem to pick up the codec when i installed it?

Thanks

[mikebuddy2]

My biggest problem is those peskey AVCHD files.
Using my new canon HFS100 recorded files straight off
the memery stick at the highest quality (24mbs) into
my PC (not the greatest q6600 OC to 2.8ghz) and using sony vegas
the picture jumps when scrubing,playing etc.
I am trying to save my projects to HDD using the highest quality which according to sony vegas is Sony AVC AVCHD 1920x1080 @25fps 16mbs however when playing back rendered files anything larger than 3 minitues the footage starts to shudder, missing frames.etc. I recon this is a problem with my PC & am trying verious settings & file formats to get something matching the quality of the raw AVCHD files.

[senu]

A Q 6600 Quad core is hardly a puny PC, even when not overclocked
Im not sur where the bole neck is but I have one which works fine ( actually ver fine) with AVCHD files
I7 systems are hardly all over the place, yet
Im not sure whats the matter in terms of system optimising

[deefadog]

Is there editing software for the mac that can import AVCHD files without transcoding them? As vegas is only for PC's

[A n d r e w]

Originally Posted by simon56

f you want to edit AVCHD videos in iMovie, there is an easy way, you can try iMeda Converter for Mac, it can convert Video files from one to another.

No need, friend. iMovie already handles the conversion of AVCHD.

[deefadog]

Yes, AVCHD files are transcoded to AIC (Apple intermediate Codec), which loses quality on the way. I am trying to find a way to keep the quality.

I have voltaic HD and HD Video convertor, which format will should i convert to to retain the quality?

[deefadog]

Thanks! will give it a go!

Plenty of time to experiment now as the reason for getting the new camcorder was for the arrival of my 2nd baby daughter, which arrived last night

Noooo sleep for me

[deefadog]

One more thing, more about the camcorder, does any capacity SD card work with this? As i am thinking of getting a 16GB or 32GB card, no issues?

Well i have found out after receiving my 16gb card that anything above 4gb will not work!

When i read the manual it conformed it - doh!!!

Anyone want to buy a 16gb card