Quote: I tried to edit and produce AVCHD Lite video recorded by DMC-ZS3 in 720p50 with max 17 mbps. Although I can successfully produce a final video, the result is not what I think the best. The video looks interlaced but mediainfo tells me that it is progressive. What goes wrong?

I would also like to preserve the original format, codec and quality as much as possible without re-encoding/rendering, which can also reduce the output time. Can this be done with this video format by PD8? What should be the custom profile for output? Can anyone give me details please? Can I use SVRT at all since the input/output format can never be matched (because I can't select the custom profile in "View->SVRT Information")?

Thanks a lot for giving me any insight.

Hi Mick,
AVCHD default templates do not give you 720p, although you are provided with a frame size option when you select Create a new profile . You'll have to play with the other settings. I opted for Constant Bit Rate (CBR) I chose to lower the Average bit rate and move the Speed/quality indicator up to 7. I converted a 720p .mp4 file to .m2ts and Hardware encoded the video file.

I suggest you read a summary of information here:
vn800rider. HD Editing - AVCHD, AVC, HDV and 720p, 1080p, 1080i
Article 1: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/5924.page
Article 2: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/5925.page
Article 3: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/0/5926.page

I'm not sure I've answered your enquiry. Please ask additional questions.

Dafydd
[Moderator]

I have the same camera (DMC-ZS3).

In any case, PD thinks it is taking video at 50 frames (pal) or 60 frames (NTSC) when it reads an .mts file from the Zs3. the reality is the frame is shot progressively (ie, all at once) and then copied to the 2nd field, so it is really 25 or 30 frames per second.

Also, the 720 p records at around 15 Mbps in SH mode on the ZS3.

I have found that increasing the bit rate and rendering at 1080i produces better results (but when you increase the bit rate, you cant fit as much video on the DVD (stored as AVCHD format).

I only recently switched to PD8, but had used PD7 that I "tricked" into rendering at 17 Mbps average bit rate.

First produce the m2ts file, then open PD again (blank project), import the .m2ts file and burn disk from there. SVRT should not make it render again.

hope that helps.
Alex

hope that helps.

Quote: Hi Mick,
AVCHD default templates do not give you 720p, although you are provided with a frame size option when you select Create a new profile . You'll have to play with the other settings. I opted for Constant Bit Rate (CBR) I chose to lower the Average bit rate and move the Speed/quality indicator up to 7. I converted a 720p .mp4 file to .m2ts and Hardware encoded the video file.

I suggest you read a summary of information here:
vn800rider. HD Editing - AVCHD, AVC, HDV and 720p, 1080p, 1080i
Article 1: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/5924.page
Article 2: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/5925.page
Article 3: http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/0/5926.page

I'm not sure I've answered your enquiry. Please ask additional questions.

Dafydd
[Moderator]

Thanks Dafydd for your help. I do have additional questions to ask. But first of all, I want to make it clear that I don't really want to re-encode the clips, that's why I try to maintain the same bit rate of my source video. By the way, my original file is in ".m2ts", not ".mp4".

Let's go in the details of the production settings, under H.264 AVC, I created a custom profile, in the video tab, I selected 1280x720 (720p) which is my original resolution, I put in "25" for Length and "1" for B-frames but I am not sure what is this "Rate control", ticked "CAVLC", and the bit rate I use avg 15000 and max 17000 (should be the same as my source), don't know how to select on this "speed/quality indicator" and "use deblocking" since I have no idea about how they impact the rendering process.

Another major question is about SVRT. How can I make it work? I read the rules, but don't really know how to match the source and the final video in my case, because it is certainly NOT one of the standard profiles.

I saw somewhere else that PD8 should work with AVCHD Lite, there must be something I am missing or doing the wrong way. Is there anyone having success out there? Can you share your experience and put up a step-by-step tutorial please?

Quote: I have the same camera (DMC-ZS3).

In any case, PD thinks it is taking video at 50 frames (pal) or 60 frames (NTSC) when it reads an .mts file from the Zs3. the reality is the frame is shot progressively (ie, all at once) and then copied to the 2nd field, so it is really 25 or 30 frames per second.

Also, the 720 p records at around 15 Mbps in SH mode on the ZS3.

I have found that increasing the bit rate and rendering at 1080i produces better results (but when you increase the bit rate, you cant fit as much video on the DVD (stored as AVCHD format).

I only recently switched to PD8, but had used PD7 that I "tricked" into rendering at 17 Mbps average bit rate.

First produce the m2ts file, then open PD again (blank project), import the .m2ts file and burn disk from there. SVRT should not make it render again.

hope that helps.
Alex

hope that helps.

Thanks Alex. I think I should give more details about my setup. I don't burn the video on disc. I play the .m2ts files via a HD media box and watch them directly on TV. I don't really need to reduce the size but rather prefer to preserve the original quality as much as possible - I think re-encoding is destructive, am I right? Instead of just joining all the clips together, however, I want to add some transition effects between the clips and may be adding some PiP or other effects as well. That's why PD8 comes to my choice and I found problems.

My ZS3 outputs 50p while native CCD frame rate is 25p. Is this the source of problems? How should I work with PD8 in regard of this? Why were my clips rendered into interlaced video although I selected 720p?

I would take a look at how the media box prefers its HD content.

If you give it 720p content, it will likely upscale to 1080i or 1080p. In any case, It will do a simple linear interpolation (not the best solution) or perhaps a transcode.

Transcoding done in a program such as PD8 via the rendering process will look much better when viewed directly with the HD box in its native resolution (I am assuming 1080i) rather than giving the HD box a 720p (for example) stream and letting it upscale.

Try this: take the raw image file from a short clip, import to PD8, re render at 1080i and 24 mbps. Put that on the same drive/file folder as the original clip. View each back to back, I will bet the re-rendered clip will look better when played with your HD box.



I hop

I tried to edit and produce AVCHD Lite video recorded by DMC-ZS3 in 720p50 with max 17 mbps.

I was playing with the template settings when I used an mp4.

Perhaps you can provide a 10 second sample off your camera.

It'll be useful to have something to examine and see what works and doesn't. I could also throw this data to R&D for them to check and respond.

Please fill in the information requested here:
********************************
Have you seen this, please add your spec?
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/8445.page
Please add your camera spec here:
http://forum.cyberlink.com/forum/posts/list/8727.page
Thanks
*******************************

PM me when you've done that and include your email address please - I'll send you FTP upload info afterwards.

Dafydd
[Moderator]