For the canon HF10/HF100 users out there. What softwares are you using on your PCs (not macs) to edit, create, make dvd or HD cds?
Ive demo the cyberlink PowerProducer and it doesnt have alot of options to play with.

What are you guys using?

Thanks

I just got my HF10 last week, so nothing yet. ;) However, I ordered Ulead VideoStudio 11.5 Plus (it should arrive today) as an intermediate software until Sony Vegas Pro 8 gets its AVCHD support squared away (no smart rendering? WTF???). I just needed something right away for basic editing, and I've heard good things. I'll try to get some thoughts posted within the next few days.

cool sounds good. downloading the demo. Let me know how you like it in a few days.

I have been using Nero 8 Ultra. It doesnt have great video editing capabilities, but it works really well for making DVDs/Blu-ray DVDs.

cool sounds good. downloading the demo. Let me know how you like it in a few days.

i don't think the trial demo will let you work with avchd.

I'm waiting for my HF100 to arrive, but I've been trying out various video editors to see how they work.

For starters, I already have Adobe 6.0 and have been quite happy with it, so if I can figure out a way to use it for editing the videos from my HF100 that would be great. I wouldn't mind converting the AVCHD files to a format more suitable for editing, but what is the best codec to use (something compatible with Adobe 6, VirtualDub, etc.)?

Vegas seems to be popular, but I find the "thumbnail" views on the timeline to be rather distracting. Is there some way to turn that off? Also, I prefer to have the video preview at the top of the screen, with the timeline at the bottom. Can I customize the workspace and save/load it later?

Ulead Studio 11 seems OK, but I can't figure out how to simple operations like split a clip, resize each section, and fade between them.

Pinnacle Studio 11 doesn't seem to have a trial version?

I have Nero 7, but haven't experimented much with video editing in that.

Suggestions?

Anthony

Depends really on how you intend to render your videos, If you have a Bluray player or PS3 you should render and burn your videos in their true AVCHD format to a DVD, no tranfer loss of any kind, if so then Pinnacle 11, Nero 8, (please note Nero 8 requires you to buy a HD codec package that allows you to burn in HD , Bluray and AVCHD formats), or Vegas 8 will do as well if you can swing the extra cash...
If you just intend on tranferring them to play on a regular DVD player then Pinnacle and Nero will do nicely as well, Pinnacle giving you more options to make you video productions more professional ....please note you will notice a drop in quality when rendering to Mpeg 2 compared to your original AVCHD footage if viewed on a regular DVD player on a HDTV....

I have demo the Ulead VideoStudio 11 and it works great on the ps3. But a bit laggy when producing the movie. But thw quality is great. I did burn the video in their true AVCHD format.
Has anyone tried CyberLink PowerDirector 7?

a quick question too. What is a better frame rate when recording in cine mode?

I would love another opinion from someone who has used both VideoStudio 11.5 and Pinnacle 11. Looking at the feature list, they seem pretty comparable. VideoStudio 11.5 also looks as if they could make 1080P DVDs in both Blu-ray and HD DVD compatible format. Does Pinnacle 11 offer both format support? Finally, does it make sense to upgrade to the Pinnacle 11 Ultimate over Pinnacle 11 Plus?

I use Ulead VS 11.5, successfully edited AVCHD, created standard DVD, AVCHD on DVD-R and an HD-DVD on DVD+R DL. Easy to use, long time to render.

None of these tools is re-encoding I hope? With MPEG2, it's easy to know. With MPEG4-AVC, as it takes so long to get an edited file, it's hard to know if re-encoding is/isn't also occuring. I know Ulead's DVD Movie Factory 6+ has a 'Do not convert MPEG compliant files' checkbox, at least for MPEG2 (not sure about AVC), but do Vegas, VideoStudio, etc. have the same?

I would hold off purchasing Pinnacle Ultimate for now, its seems they will be making a annoucement soon on the release of Pinnacle 12, wait and see what it offers....

What softwares are you using on your PCs (not macs) to edit, create, make dvd or HD cds?


I tried to burn a DVD (non-HD) via the included Imagemaker software, and the quality was degraded compared to plugging the camcorder into my HD TV via RCA jacks (non-HD). So the software is not doing a good job of down-resing the HD.

Do other software packages have the same problem, overly down-resing the HD during the burning?

Has anyone tried Nero 8 Ultra? Does it have the same issue?

Which software is the easiest to use?

For someone like me that's just doing basic editing of family videos, easy is good. :)

Does anyone want to venture a guess as to when Adobe Premiere (for the PC) will support editing AVCHD files?

Which software is the easiest to use?

For someone like me that's just doing basic editing of family videos, easy is good. :)


I'm in the same boat. I have an HDTV. Older DVD player. No Blu-Ray player. Three-year old laptop computer. Getting new camcorder soon. Probably Canon HF-100. Will upgrade laptop and get Blu-Ray player in time but need to know what will be easiest for now. I won't do much editing. Just want to get footage on discs to play in DVD player now and store files for Blu-Ray discs later. What is the easiest way to go about this?

Just want to get footage on discs to play in DVD player now and store files for Blu-Ray discs later.
Bingo. Same here.

This forum could use a noob guide with a sticky at the beginning.

For use in any DVD player, you can use NeroVision (in Nero 8 suite) or Ulead DVD MovieFactory 6+ w/HD pack (unsure if you need the HD pack to load MPEG4AVC). Just set your target as 'DVD Video' with 4.7GB or 8.5GB as the size. Will re-encode to that.

To play clips untouched on PS3/BD player, see my sig for AVCHD on DVD guide.

For use in any DVD player, you can use... Ulead DVD MovieFactory 6+ w/HD pack (unsure if you need the HD pack to load MPEG4AVC). Just set your target as 'DVD Video' with 4.7GB or 8.5GB as the size. Will re-encode to that.
How does Ulead DVD MovieFactory 6+ w/HD pack compare to Vegas and/or Pinnacle?

Oh, I just found another one: Corel Ulead VideoStudio 11.5 Plus

Haven't used Vegas or Pinnacle yet. Corel Ulead VideoStudio 11.5+ is similar to their own DVD MF6+. I've found the DVD quality spit out by these tools and NeroVision to be similar when set to the best quality.