HD Writer won't recognise m2ts files from Panasonic Lumix TZ30

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HD Writer Question:
Using HD Writer to edit my home videos from my Panasonic TM900 camcorder.
However, I took some AVCHD video with my Panasonic Lumix TM30 - it takes the same files (I thought) - m2ts, same 25fpm and Panasonic too.
I thought as they were both m2ts and Panasonic, that they'd both be able to be edited through hd writer. I'd like to compile a dvd from the videos off both cameras. Trying to import the TM30 files into HD writer won't work. I get greyed out thumbnails with a ? in them and a message saying the files can't be dealt with by HDW. (But they're both Panasonic, and both m2ts!!) So I downloaded them to my PC and the photos show in the HD writer menu, but the video files won't show.
It's driving me crazy. I've put the files in folders, they're not just loose files. I've stored them in the same location as my Tm900 files. They're appropriately named.
The folder names appear in the menu, but are greyed out, and with a '0' (amount of files) next to them, when there are actually dozens of files in the folders.
Why on earth can't I get the Lumix video files to be recognised by HD writer when they're the same brand and same format?
 
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You can, of course, download directly to a folder without using HDWriter. Just drag and drop.
Can you see your video on your PC?
I could not find a Lumix TM30 on the current Panasonic range and I wondered if there would be a version of HDW to work with it. I expect that your best option is to ignore downloading with HDW and just pull the files across.
 
Annoyingly, there are several versions of HD Writer -- and several flavours of AVCHD.
Most of them are not compatible.

For example, my SD5 footage can be used with HD Writer versions 2.0 or 2.5. Anything later ---(V.1.0AE onwards) - simply won't work.

When it comes to AVCHD versions, it's even more complex. Most of the early Panasonic 'superzooms' used AVCHD 'lite' -which HD Writer wouldn't open.

If you look at the specs of the TM900 and the TZ30 you will see all sorts of different letters after the various video formats, described on both spec sheets. So I'm not surprised it doesn't work. Seems about par for the course, with Panasonic!

I should follow Terfyn's advice and find another way. HD Writer isn't very good anyway......IMHO, of course....:)
 
Chuck the software away, import the raw video files directly and use a proper video editing software package. In this case used Magix rather than MovieStudio because it allows 5.1 original audio from the 2 Sony camcorders to be used. Content burnt to DVD blanks in HD AVCHD format.

Just done a video with 1080i content from a Sony CX410, HDR 500 and a Panny TZ40 (granddaughters 6th birthday party). No problem at all :D
 
What would happen if the offending files were put through tsMuxer
 
(Post #5), It might be possible to "fool" the Pana Software, yet somehow I doubt it - software is almost always designed to mess about with the User, just in case.
tsMuxer isn't exactly a helpful software package, IMHO.
I think Terfyns ans is correct - the software is dedicated to specific cameras - this may be good (OR not), but it's rather annoying if that's the only software you have.

Then a real Editor like Vegas Movie Studio is available in Suite-version, v12 for about £28 (Az). This is an excellent package, although it does require some learning - Who said film-making was easy-peasy?

(Post#4),Oddly I find I'm disagreeing with glt as it's my impression that 5.1 audio is treated correctly in Vegas Movie Studio. As it is, I understand it can be used to move the image-position - although I've never use 5.1 - having two audio tracks is sufficient complexity IMHO. But then I wouldn't use the 3D features of v12.
 
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You can, of course, download directly to a folder without using HDWriter. Just drag and drop.
Can you see your video on your PC?
I could not find a Lumix TM30 on the current Panasonic range and I wondered if there would be a version of HDW to work with it. I expect that your best option is to ignore downloading with HDW and just pull the files across.

Thanks Terfyn. The still camera (with the other videos) is a TZ 30, not Tm.
It has a stupid 'Fun Photo' software that deals with it. I need the HD writer to edit my 'main' TM900 video, and thought I could add the TZ30s into it. Damn it to hell!! Yes, I can see it on my computer. I finally downloaded it onto my computer directly. It's just the HD won't 'see' the videos that are there.
What software do you recommend to deal with all these different Panasonic formats?
 
Chuck the software away, import the raw video files directly and use a proper video editing software package. In this case used Magix rather than MovieStudio because it allows 5.1 original audio from the 2 Sony camcorders to be used. Content burnt to DVD blanks in HD AVCHD format.

Just done a video with 1080i content from a Sony CX410, HDR 500 and a Panny TZ40 (granddaughters 6th birthday party). No problem at all :D

Thanks Graham, I think I might have to! I like HD writer because it's easy, but my TZ 30 takes beautiful little videos too, and is more convenient sometimes, but if I can't mix the vids when editing it's all a bit pointless.

Software?? You mentioned Magix, and Moviestudio. (Magix is german isn't it?) and movie studio is Sony? I have had bad luck with other software,...I have Pinnacle which I hate, because it doesn't say how many Gbs of data there is, so don't know how much dvd is used.

I've been trying to find one that will do m2ts, but am reticent to buy something I'm not sure of. What would you suggest? I'm only a home-video-er, but with picky taste. :)
I need the software to provide tasteful titles options, fades and transitions, nothing cheesy. I also need to be able to preview the clips as my husband often videos his feet! Finally, I need it to be fairly easy. I like the timeline type of setup. oh...and it has to be able to do both my tz30 and tm900's types of m2ts.

Which Magix package have you got? If you used magix successfully, I wonder if it would work with mine?
 
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(Post #5), It might be possible to "fool" the Pana Software, yet somehow I doubt it - software is almost always designed to mess about with the User, just in case.
tsMuxer isn't exactly a helpful software package, IMHO.
I think Terfyns ans is correct - the software is dedicated to specific cameras - this may be good (OR not), but it's rather annoying if that's the only software you have.

Then a real Editor like Vegas Movie Studio is available in Suite-version, v12 for about £28 (Az). This is an excellent package, although it does require some learning - Who said film-making was easy-peasy?

(Post#4),Oddly I find I'm disagreeing with glt as it's my impression that 5.1 audio is treated correctly in Vegas Movie Studio. As it is, I understand it can be used to move the image-position - although I've never use 5.1 - having two audio tracks is sufficient complexity IMHO. But then I wouldn't use the 3D features of v12.

Thanks 12harry, so now I'm thinking of new software. As just mentioned to another post, I have pinnacle (yuck). I don't want the software to be too complicated, I don't need to mess with the audio or add audio. I just need tasteful titles, fades, and to be able to cut out sections I don't want. Preferably on a timeline. It's not easy peasy :) but I don't need anything tooooo Pro, ...my head is exploding as it is!! I just need it to handle both tz30 and tm900's .m2ts. Panasonic software technicians should be shot.:confused::confused:
Which would you suggest?
 
What software do you recommend to deal with all these different Panasonic formats?

I use VideoStudio Pro X6, others on this forum like the Sony editors, if your files are of a recognised type then they should load easily.
An editor gives you so much more than HDW with the ability to create good video and audio which can then be aimed at a DVD or YouTube for example. look at the specs on the Corel and Sony sites then download the free trial versions. Both VideoStudio and Sony have many tutorials showing how to do things, have a look at Tutorials - Free tutorials as an example
 
Hi Jaymay

I use PowerDirector 10. It's really easy, produces great results and handles mts files without a problem. I found that the user interface was more suited to the amateur, like me, than some of the other brands on the market.

Try downloading a free trial and see if you like it.
 
Everyone has their own favourite. In my experience all these editors have basically the same format, an input or capture, an editing area with a timeline, a set of thumbnails and a screen showing the clips you are editing, finally an output to create a disk or files to send to your favourite webpage.
As I suggested, download a free 30 day trial of one of these editors and have a go.

I started with Pinnacle Studio as it came free with my Canon HV20, I moved up from Studio 5 to 15 over the years but I always had problems with bugs and freeze ups. My Computer Dealer suggested I try Corel VideoStudio and I downloaded the 30 day trial - it seemed better and slightly simpler than Studio so I bought the disks. I since found that (like most of the other editors on the market) there was an excellent support of tutorials and forums to fall back on in case of difficulties.

Its a bit like buying a car, do you go Ford or Vauxhall, do you go German or Japanese or Korean. Basically you are buying a box with four wheels. Its that some appeal more than others and you need to find one that suits you.
 
jaymay, video editing software is very hungry for computer power. I would say that unless your PC is modern and powerful it is essential that you do download a 30 day trial first. If your PC is not up to the job you will not have lost anything. Believe me there is nothing worse than constant crashing and freezing when you are trying to edit your clips.
 
A trial is a good idea, but my limited experience of (only) Vegas Movie Studio is that it's the Render times that get longer - not crashes at least under Win7 (and before that Win XP, but I did no Editing then).
Recently an 11-min movie was scheduled to take 12 hrs to Render, because I'd introduced a track-effect to make all the movie clips look "Cinematic" ( Yes, I know I shouldn't fall for that one ).
However, the next morning it was still running, as I'd forgotten the Processor turns off after "4 hrs" - I've now set that to "never" - but I wonder why I can't enter a figure under "Other" (which Option is not present!!!), as I'd like the PC to power-down after something like 24hrs, should I have left it ON and then gone away for a few days.... It being easy to miss, as the Monitor powers down after only 15 mins - possibly too soon?
FWIW, my PC is 2-core, 2.4GHz, Win7-32b.+ 4Gb RAM.
OP can roughly apply proportionally, knowing his own PC specs.

jaymay - don't need to add audio? [Post#9], Wow! I can't think of any movie I've done that didn't have something added, excluding the Opening "Wake-Up" jingle to set the audio-levels . . . Even "Silent movies" (Club Challenge last year) includes a honky-tonk piano - there being little chance one would be available on any night it was shown and I managed to get the last "phrase" and closing bar to align with the screen action.
+Don't you plan to use any Royalty-free Music?
Furthermore, some sounds may not record cleanly, so a little piece of Foley does no harm. eg a shot of a building site can sound like a race-track if it's near traffic lights, so you replace the background with building noises.... possibly from a building site miles away. Children playing at a party can be "difficult" to record audio, esp with next-door's dog barking - so the worst of it should be replaced from an earlier-time, perhaps. Spoken Words are difficult to replace, but it's not impossible.

Getting yr stuff into a PC is not a big problem, once done. You need to create a "Master Copy" folder with sub-folders for each card/session (or Month, etc.).
The STills will be under DSC... and Movies are hidden under Private/.....AVCHD/Stream (it's kinda not made easy) . . . and forget the free Software.
Before you Edit, create a local folder "Project name" (e.g Summer Holidays 2012)into which all the necessary clips go, along with Stills and other stuff" -pref each in a separate Bin (so it's easy to remove/check). But most Editors have Help-Files and there are many tutorials on YT, but often Tediuos so you need to be selective.
Always start with no-longer than 1 minute... until you find it "easy"

Good luck.
 
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