Converting AVCHD to Avi? WMV?

[Evilmonkey]

Hi all,

My dad recently took some video of my sons christening with his new sony camcorder. He kindly left me the SD card and the disc that came with the camcorder to be able to use the files, but... The install disc installs part of Sony PMB, but then asks for the device to be connected to install the rest (IE the bit that works with AVCHD files).

I've had a good rootle around on the internet trying to find a freebie to convert the files into something I can use, but haven't turned up anything that works. Avidemux got the closest, it seems to open the files with a couple of 'notes' (not quite errors) but then when you play it, its at half speed with choppy sound.

At the moment I can't even watch it as VLC player doesn't seem to like the files either (1 frozen picture with sound)

So, I'm after something:-

• That is free (or v cheap), this is a one off job to convert 13 files
• That converts it to a format I can edit (trim, take clips from) in Windows movie maker (don't laugh, I very rarely use video files).
• That can convert to a format I can upload to facebook for foreign realatives to see

Or do I just bite the bullet and send the SD card to m'dad and ask him to process it for me?

As you might guess, my video knowledge is not great, so apologies in advance for any daft comments!

Thanks

EM

 

[senu]

You could ask your dad to do it for you or better still borrow his camcorder to install PMB ( no more than 15-20 min) , get the files off his card and give it all back to him. Once installed PMB wont ask for the hardware again and infact any Sony camcorder may allow such installation

There are lots of converters out there ( free and paid for) but if you have a decent spec PV you may not need to convert first before editing as the software will take the files and edit then either natively or do the converting in the background and output it in a way you like
Saying that, if VLC cannot even play the files .. that is a problem, maybe with your Hardware
Try MPC-HC
or

Splash .. for playback
I think you might need to wean yourself off WMM as an editing software because although free and easy to use its file support is terribly lean and conversion to allow it edit and then output from it will mean your output may be quite significantly quqlity degraded compared to the original.
Even for one off use you can get a very easy to use and not terribly expensive Editing software or a fully working trial ( which should work for 30 days)
You never know you might need it again! If you have a young son it is worth video recording him from time to time

 

[Evilmonkey]

You could ask your dad to do it for you or better still borrow his camcorder to install PMB ( no more than 15-20 min) , get the files off his card and give it all back to him. Once installed PMB wont ask for the hardware again and infact any Sony camcorder may allow such installation

Unfortunately he lives a fair distance from me (4+ hour drive). If I'd known about the limitation with PMB needing the HW attached I'd have setup it up when he was here!

There are lots of converters out there ( free and paid for) but if you have a decent spec PV you may not need to convert first before editing as the software will take the files and edit then either natively or do the converting in the background and output it in a way you like

PV = ? I'm sorry, this is probably a daft question... I wouldn't mind something where I could edit it in the AVCHD format, as long as I could convert at 1 point to a format we could upload to the web for distance viewing!

Saying that, if VLC cannot even play the files .. that is a problem, maybe with your Hardware
Try MPC-HC
or

Splash .. for playback

There was an error message and it was probably an old version of VLC I've not used in a long while. I might see if it needs updating or something...

I think you might need to wean yourself off WMM as an editing software because although free and easy to use its file support is terribly lean and conversion to allow it edit and then output from it will mean your output may be quite significantly quqlity degraded compared to the original.
Even for one off use you can get a very easy to use and not terribly expensive Editing software or a fully working trial ( which should work for 30 days)
You never know you might need it again! If you have a young son it is worth video recording him from time to time

I know what you mean, I find the whole process of using video files a complete pain. There are seemingly endless combinations of incompatible file systems. I created a DVD of clips from point and shoot digital cameras a couple of years ago of my 1st child, I enjoyed the process far less than making a photobook the year before. Maybe I'm just a stills guy, or maybe I just haven't found the right software yet.

Any suggestions of a decent editor with good compatibility for someone who's, at best, a dabbler?

Thanks for all your help!