Successful editing of AVCHD files in Windows Movie Maker

[gmr]

I'm not sure if people are aware of this or not but thought I'd mention it anyway.

I'm successfully editing AVCHD files from my Canon HF100 in Windows Movie Maker (Vista Premium). All you need to do is install the Pixela ImageMixer software. This installs a Directshow Video decoder for the native AVCHD files off the camcorder. I'm not sure if this works with other camcorders but worth a try (I would install the software that comes with your camcorder before trying WMM).

With the correct Directshow filters installed it's a simple case of dragging and dropping the clips from Explorer into WMM. On my PC (Quad Core 6600, 4GB RAM) it's pretty quick to edit these files and although WMM doesn't have any fancy capabilities I still prefer to use it over Premiere Elements 7 for a lot of things. (And I still use Pixela ImageMixer for very basic edits and other stuff).

What helps is to add thumbnailing for the AVCHD files in Explorer:

Add these lines to a text file, save with a .reg extension and double click to update registry:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.mts\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11D1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]@="{c5a40261-cd64-4ccf-84cb-c394da41d590}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.m2t\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11D1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]@="{c5a40261-cd64-4ccf-84cb-c394da41d590}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.m2ts\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11D1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]@="{c5a40261-cd64-4ccf-84cb-c394da41d590}"

Or click here to download a file I've already done for you!

You may need a reboot to get the thumbnails to display. I also needed to delete my thumbnail cache to force it to start thumbnailing - in Vista run disk cleanup (type "cleanup" from start). Select "thumbnails" and delete.

For uploading to the web HD videos I export using the 720p profile and upload to Vimeo with excellent results.

Hope this is of use to someone.

Cheer

Gidon

[muscleflex]

wow thanks for that. useful info!

[mmace]

I can do the same with CoreAVC installed (quicker codec)

[Gasman2]

Originally Posted by gmr

What helps is to add thumbnailing for the AVCHD files in Explorer:

Add these lines to a text file, save with a .reg extension and double click to update registry:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.mts\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11D1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]@="{c5a40261-cd64-4ccf-84cb-c394da41d590}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.m2t\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11D1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]@="{c5a40261-cd64-4ccf-84cb-c394da41d590}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.m2ts\ShellEx\{BB2E617C-0920-11D1-9A0B-00C04FC2D6C1}]@="{c5a40261-cd64-4ccf-84cb-c394da41d590}"

Or click here to download a file I've already done for you!

Great tip - thanks!!

[Mr Lazy]

It's interesting, I recently built myself a new Q6600 PC and one of the first things I did was try playing back AVCHD from my HF100. I installed ImageMixer SE 3 thinking (based on previous experience) that it had a stand-alone codec. The player can play back the video adequately. However, WMM says it doesn't have the correct codec and Media Player recognises and plays the files but the video distorts. The Tools->Compatibility option in WMM does not list any codes.

I installed ffdshow (which has a built-in H.264 codec) and Media Player now plays back the video "ok" but still not as fluidly as ImageMixer. WMM still does not list a codec. I guess I must be doing something wrong. Using 64-bit Vista though wouldn't have thought that would have made any difference.

[gmr]

Good to know works with CoreAVC codec too although you have to pay for that .

Mr Lazy - don't know what's going on there. Can only guess it's because you're using 64-bit . I see the Pixela H264 decoder under Tools | Options | Compatability. (I've just checked and this is definately what's doing the decoding - if I deselect it the video files won't play.)

Gasman2 - much as I'd like to claim credit I found that tip somewhere else!

Cheers

Gidon

[Gasman2]

Originally Posted by gmr

Gasman2 - much as I'd like to claim credit I found that tip somewhere else!

Ahhh... but I found it here!

[toffee_andy]

Works for me too Great Tip

I burnt a clip i took to a dvd but get lots of horizontal lines, any guess at why this might be happening?

Cheers

Andy

[Gasman2]

Originally Posted by andyfreeman

lots of horizontal lines

Probably something to do with interlaced footage on a non-interlaced screen, would be my guess.

But, someone who knows what they're talking about might be able to help more!

[toffee_andy]

Might it be to do with the fact that my camera is NTSC?

I need to learn about this stuff a bit more lol !!

[mmace]

Originally Posted by andyfreeman

Might it be to do with the fact that my camera is NTSC?

I need to learn about this stuff a bit more lol !!

in the HD world there is no NTSC or PAL

[Gasman2]

Originally Posted by mmace

in the HD world there is no NTSC or PAL

I'm not disputing this - but why then does my HF10 say 'PAL' in big letters on it? Is it just as comfort, so I know it will work on UK TVs? Or is their another reason?

Is there really no difference at all between a UK and US HF100/HF10 etc?

Thanks

[senu]

Originally Posted by Gasman2

I'm not disputing this - but why then does my HF10 say 'PAL' in big letters on it? Is it just as comfort, so I know it will work on UK TVs? Or is their another reason?

Is there really no difference at all between a UK and US HF100/HF10 etc?

Thanks

The PAL and NTSC still apply if in using an analogue composite video ( or s-video) output, you want to play them on a display which may not be capable of accepting multiTv standard signals. That is a bit unusual these days for Displays sold here as DVD players output in either TV system

[alpine101]

Also Pal and NTSC tend to be associated in people's minds with frame rate. European camcorders record normally at ~25fps, US ones at ~30fps.

[zeroice]

does this work with the new version of WMM?
(the Live one)
Movie Maker beta - Windows Live