Upload AVCHD back into Canon HG10

[mfpgomes]

Hi there,

first of all let me address to the gurus here and say I've learned a lot in the past few days reading some of your posts. You really know what you're talking about and you're helping a lot in my task of choosing my mother's gift for my father's 60th birthday!

Let me tell you that depending on your answers to this question and if the price is not an obstacle, I'm leaning towards the Canon HG10 - HDD solution against the HDV options like the HV20 or the Sony's SR7.

But I still need an extra explanation on an issue, I read in several posts in other threads that you cannot edit the AVCHD recordings in the PC and upload them back to the camera (at least this is what I understood), can anyone clarify this statement...
- is this true for every HDD camera (including the HG10), or just for the sony's HDR series?
- if you don't actually edit the files just keep the original copies as you get them from the camera, would you then be able to upload them back to the camera?
- is this an issue of having the right software (and good enough hardware) to output the AVCHD format - is Pinacle Studio 11 able to do the task?

If one could upload recordings back to the camera this would solve the problem of not having HD-DVD recorder/players around the house and minimize the disadvantage of not having your tagged tapes ready to play whenever you want - which I agree is a great advantage of the HDV models!

Thanks a lot for any clarifications here.

Miguel

[rhubarbe]

- is this true for every HDD camera (including the HG10), or just for the sony's HDR series?

I believe so.

- if you don't actually edit the files just keep the original copies as you get them from the camera, would you then be able to upload them back to the camera?

You should be able to, but I don't have one so...

- is this an issue of having the right software (and good enough hardware) to output the AVCHD format - is Pinacle Studio 11 able to do the task?

Yes and no. I believe that the latest iMovie for Mac can do it but no PC software can.

If you have a Sony cam and a PS3 you can just slip the MS into the PS3 and save to HDD.

[senu]

It is also true that you can transfer AVCHD files to an optical disc and play these off the PS3 or copy these to its HDD

This also applies to m2t files which could come from edited on non edited HDV , or those outputted from AVCHD

To those with HD-DVD or the Xbox360 add on, WMV-HD files burnt to optical disc will similarly play

[mfpgomes]

Originally Posted by senu

It is also true that you can transfer AVCHD files to an optical disc and play these off the PS3 or copy these to its HDD
...
To those with HD-DVD or the Xbox360 add on, WMV-HD files burnt to optical disc will similarly play

Thanks for your quick responses rhubarde and senu!
I could advise my father to buy a PS3... that would surely make me visit him more often!

The doubts I'm having with the HDD option are related to the management of old movies (when the internal disk gets full).

How will my father keep them (in what format media)?

Because by now he doesn't own an HDDVD player (or bluray, or PS3... ), he does own an HD TV (that's why the HD option), and somewhere in the future I'm sure he will have some kind of player for HD formats (other then the camera itself).

So I thought, for the time being that if one can at least upload AVCHD formats (original backup copies, or edited ones when the PC SW makes the drill) back into the camera then the problem of reviewing old movies is solved (almost as we do with old mini-dv tagged tapes) and when he finally owns some kind of HD player it will be just a matter of conversion into that format (be it HDDVD, bluray...).

Does this make sense?

[senu]

Originally Posted by mfpgomes

So I thought, for the time being that if one can at least upload AVCHD formats (original backup copies, or edited ones when the PC SW makes the drill) back into the camera then the problem of reviewing old movies is solved (almost as we do with old mini-dv tagged tapes) and when he finally owns some kind of HD player it will be just a matter of conversion into that format (be it HDDVD, bluray...).

Does this make sense?

Yes .. but it means that they might have to stay unedited (for now) till PC software catches up with imovie08 in being able to output back to AVCHD ( if ever). You van do some in camera basic editing though

Nonetheless, even if it gets possible to output back to AVCHD .It wont be back to the camcorder for replay

However there are certain media players ( rhubarbe usually links one ) which can allow you watch Hidef without nessesarily needing a PS3.. How suitable this would be Im not sure

[satisian]

mfpgomes, this maybe naive from me, but why wouldn't he just keep the movies on computer hard disk, and connect PC to HD display via VGA (assuming TV has this port and is close enough) and watch archived files that way?

[senu]

It may not be close enough, Its graphics card may be limited in that its VGA output may not carry a Hi Def Signal..to a TV display
TV may not have a DVi or VGA , it may have HDMI scart ect
Not all PCs are HTPC capable
However many of the adoptees of AVCHD are not really keen that it be returned to the camcorder

In my house, the threat to domestic and matrimonial harmony would be quite considerable

[mfpgomes]

Originally Posted by satisian

mfpgomes, this maybe naive from me, but why wouldn't he just keep the movies on computer hard disk, and connect PC to HD display via VGA (assuming TV has this port and is close enough) and watch archived files that way?

Not naive at all, satisian. Unfortunately his panny LCD only has 2 HDMI ports (no VGA).

And to tell you the truth I think he will want to keep it as simple as he can. I myself have a tvix media player and am leaning towards keeping everything on a network hard drive (fotos, videos, dloaded movies, etc.) and making the smallest number of copies/conversions/burnings I can (if it weren't for the WIFI problems and still some CODEC incompatibilities...).
But I don't think that will be the case for my father... he is well adjusted to computers and gadjetry but I think in the end the simplicity in the act of picking up the tape with the 2007 Xmas and place it in a player in the living room will still be very hard to beat for older people.

That's why, for this specific buy, I have all these doubts between HDD and MiniDV. And the answers here didn't go the way I was expecting, I was hoping that at least the upload back into the camera of the original file (AVCHD) would be totally guaranteed and a common procedure.

Thanks again for all your answers, I'll do some more research and maybe address Canon or Sony support directly to see what they say... (do they answer questions? ).

Still, If anyone has tried this I would very much appreciate some feedback here.

[mfpgomes]

senu I didn't pay enough attention to this sentence:

Nonetheless, even if it gets possible to output back to AVCHD .It wont be back to the camcorder for replay

this contradicts this reply from rhubarde

...would you then be able to upload them back to the camera?

You should be able to, but I don't have one so...

Can anyone untie this from experience? Cause this is actually the main question I had on this thread...

thanks again guys.

[senu]

You can return AVCHD footage to the camcorder if

It is not edited.. except in the case of Sony by Motion browser which allows simple cuts trims.

Imovie08 edits and outputs AVCHD but AFAIK you may not be able to play its outputted AVCHD returned to Camcorder

For other PC based Editors that isnt even an option as they dont output AVCHD

[mfpgomes]

Just an update on my research, I found this rather complex workflow to edit AVCHD files on a PC on this link:
http://www.jakeludington.com/camcord...amcorders.html

Where you can also see the links for two PC softwares that actually edit it:
Nero 7 Ultra Edition ENHANCED
and
Pinnacle Studio 11 Ultimate

The author states he now uses Studio 11, and he has an article on it here:
http://www.jakeludington.com/pinnacl...studio_11.html

Still working on this issue...

[senu]

As stated AVCHD is editable..

The imovie08 for the Mac can edit and output back to AVCHD. But it is the case that its outputted AVCHD cannot be played back by the current HDD camcorders.

PC software;
The list is getting Longer

Pinnacle Studio 11 plus, UleadMoviefactory 6 plus, UleadVideostudio 11 plus, Sony Vegas 7/8 ( and the movie studio equivalents)
As well as the latest Adobe Premiere elements 4 ( not forgetting Nero Vision from Nero suite 7 and 8 ) are able to edit AVCHD
None output AVCHD so playback via camcorders isnt an issue

Hi all,

Has the above basic problem been solved during last year?
I own this Canon, too, and reload/upload of edited movies to be played directly from camcorder would be the supreme success!

Positive answer, please! - and big thanx!

[A n d r e w]

Originally Posted by jolaca

Positive answer, please!

I've heard of it being done on a Panasonic AVCHD camera, but not the Canons.

[senu]

Originally Posted by A n d r e w

I've heard of it being done on a Panasonic AVCHD camera, but not the Canons.

I wouldn't hold my breath .TBH
It might depend on which software was used in the case of the Panasonic's
Some earlier basic trims with PMB also allowed it with the Sonys but I d rather just go with " not possible"