Sony AVCHD HDR CX6 file type help please

[Artois guy]

Hi

I have just got a Sony HDR CX6 ... very pleased with it! ..

The software that comes with it is not brilliant for editing so I am probably going to buy Vegas movie studio platinum 8 ( I still have a load of Micro MV tape from my old ip55 to edit and this package seems to handle this format as well ... oh how I will miss Sony Movie Shaker ... not!) Any view on this package welcomed...


When I "backup" my clips from the camera it seems to split the clips into 3 different file types.
.MOFF
.MODD
.M2TS

None of these will automatically open when I double click them in file manager. Even when I "associate them" with "Player for AVCHD" that came with the camera (I hope I have now not messed up anything by associating these files in this way?)

The clips play fine when using the "Picture motion browser" that came with the camera, the thumb nails show and its just a double click on the clip you want and away we go. It will also play on the PS3 when I just copy all of the files in the directory onto a DVD (very clever, quick and good quality)

I am used to a clip being one file ... ie "sportsday.AVI" or "sportsday.MMV"

My question is ...

Are all of these 3 files "the file" .. does the codec "put them back together" in order to play? ....

I was expecting a file called "sportsday.AVCHD"


To cap it all, when I look on the memory stick it has the "streaming files" as file extention
.MTS
Once again these will not "double click and open"


Can someone explain all of this please

I am not sure whether having the "3" files saved means they are safely stored or whether I should be "mirror copying" the memory stick in order to keep a backup copy of the files.

What do I end up importing into Vegas?

Many thanks indeed

Harvey

[senu]

Im not sure what the other files are but the video files are m2ts
It may be that the camcorder ( and Sonys software (not SVMP) use them for indexing or referencing
To play back give THIS a go
If you have Nero Showtime 4 ( from Nero 8) on your system it is also good for playback and the files might associate them selves with it
Vegas will open either mts or m2ts

[Artois guy]

that could be something to do with it as the software asks if you want to "register" your files first. It then has a very good way of showing thumbnails of the clips placed on an "Outlook" type calendar ...

strange that the files don't open up when they are double clicked though ... you would have thought that the m2ts ones would as they are the video files ....

so I am still not sure if I can wipe my memory stick and my files are safe ... or whether I should "mirror" copy the stick?

I have a raid sytem and backup so the files are about as safe as they can be once on the PC ... unless the house goes up!

thanks for your help

[senu]

Im pretty sure if you just copy all the contents of the stick it should be fine. If you are paranoid.. chose the option to"unhide" all files ( in Windows explorer tools) to ensure your PC copy is the same as the memory stick one
AFAIK, once you have copied your m2ts files ( at the appropriate size) that is it
The JVC Everios with thier MOD files also had an unusual no of files on HDD ( some backups , thumbnail files which were very small compared to the real *.MOD files) making it hard to know what to delete and what to keep but simple "mirrow ing your memory stick for reassurance should be all you need

[glesgaguyav]

Originally Posted by Artois guy

so I am still not sure if I can wipe my memory stick and my files are safe ... or whether I should "mirror" copy the stick?

Once PMB has imported the files into the selected folder on your HD, you can just wipe/format the memory stick.

The actual Video files are in the M2TS folder, the other folders are as said previously only for in camera and PMB program management.

Just make sure you have all the M2TS files on your HD

[Artois guy]

Many thanks ... I will now "wipe without worry"

I am still a bit bamboozled as to why the M2TS files do not open with the AVCHD player when they are doubled clicked on? ..

I presume therefore that Sony vegas 8 will import the M2TS files

Thanks again

Harvey

[glesgaguyav]

The AVCHD player is for playing AVCHD DVD's not AVCHD files.

PMB will create AVCHD disks.

I may be wrong but I believe you may need Sony Vegas Pro to create AVCHD files, others will inform you.

[senu]

Originally Posted by glesgaguyav

The AVCHD player is for playing AVCHD DVD's not AVCHD files.
...
I may be wrong but I believe you may need Sony Vegas Pro to create AVCHD files, others will inform you.

You are right
You can also use Nero 8 ( Nero Vision 5) to output AVCDH as such
or
Pinnacle Studio 12
or
Ulead Video Studio 11.5

You can play the files with Nero Showtime 4 ( also part of Nero 8) or this Qxygen

[Artois guy]

Thanks everyone ... all is now clear ... it really does seem wierd that Sony would not give a program that plays the native file type with the camera ..

is there a codec to play MT2S files that you can download for Windows media player yet?

I also think that Sony Vegas 8 platinum doesn't export in AVCHD format. Which I don't think is a big deal? ... it looks like my best option for editing as I still have a load of film in MMV format which I would like to edit ... Movie Shaker just takes ages ...

Just out of interest, when I go to burn a Bluray disc ... what file format is it using? ,,, I understand that normal DVD is Mpeg-2

always more questions I'm afraid, so thank one again for so much help ... I am learning!

Regards

Harvey

[redsox_mark]

Bluray players must support MPEG-2, H.264/AVC, and SMPTE VC-1. So you can author a Blu-Ray disc with any of these.

[senu]

Originally Posted by Artois guy

Thanks everyone ... all is now clear ... it really does seem wierd that Sony would not give a program that plays the native file type with the camera ..

is there a codec to play MT2S files that you can download for Windows media player yet?

Yes it is called Core AVC pro

I also think that Sony Vegas 8 platinum doesn't export in AVCHD format. Which I don't think is a big deal? ... it looks like my best option for editing as I still have a load of film in MMV format which I would like to edit ... Movie Shaker just takes ages ...

AVCHD export is related mainly to the fact that the H.264 format is smaller than mpeg2 without a quality disadvantage ( all being well done)

Just out of interest, when I go to burn a Bluray disc ... what file format is it using? ,,, I understand that normal DVD is Mpeg-2

BD can be as well albeit mpeg2 1080i (larger pixel size and higher encoding bitrate Compared to DVD video) ( in addition to H.264 and VC1 which Mark has explained )

[shirleyyang]

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