cannot figure out how to open, edit and encode my m2t files from Sony HDR-HC3

[RF]

I have a Sony HDR-HC3 HDV 1080i/MiniDV HD video camera.

I capture files from the miniDV tape to m2t files using HDVSplit. From there, I'm pretty much lost.

It doesn't seem to matter what program I load my m2t files in, I can't really seem to edit them, and trying to output them always results in absolute junk.

What I would like to do is edit together pieces from various m2t files and ultimately output a file in either h.264 (which I think is what they use for the HD apple movie trailers, but I may be wrong), HD-WMV, or the MKV files that I see lots of HD television shows are being encoded to.

Can anybody walk me through this process? I have minimal experience with avisynth, if that program is required, but I'm a pretty quick study with most things.

I'd really like to get this going. I bought my HD camera for a trip to Australia and New Zealand that I took last December with my wife. I've been trying to figure out how to do this on my own since then. I figured it was time I ask for some help from people who actually know what they're doing.

Thanks in advance.

[RF]

By the way, I've been trying to use a program called Avid Xpress, which is supposed to handle m2t files works perfectly with HD. I must be the exception, cause if I load one of m2t files, put it on the time line, then try to export my timeline as, for example, a wmv file, I get a horrible result. The video dimensions are wrong, the plays choppy and only about 4 frames of the 10 second video actually show on screen ... like it will open displaying the 1st frame, then jump to a frame at about 2.5 seconds, another at 5 seconds, another at 7.5 seconds, then the black on the end ... and the file size is only something like 104kb while my m2t file is 16mb.

I really have no idea what I'm doing here.

[buzzqw]

could you post a fragment of these m2t.. just for analysis

BHH

[RF]

buzzqw:

Do you mean you just want me to upload one of the m2t files?

How would I cut out a piece to send that's below the max filesize of 200kb for uploading here?

[buzzqw]

i never seen those file, and others too
so a sample for analysis is more then welcome

use something like mediafire,rapidshare.. and upload at least 30 seconds


BHH

[RF]

Here is the link to one of my m2t files

http://rapidshare.com/files/44382437/HDVOutput-12_04_2006---22_26_48.m2t

[buzzqw]

your file is a "simple" mpeg2 video + mpeg2 audio file

you can process it with megui or automkv, if you want an avi or mp4/mkv

for editing pourpose (trim...) you can use AviDemux http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=126164 (downlodable from here http://mulder.dummwiedeutsch.de/home/?page=guestbook&app=avidemux&file=preview2&mirror=brhack )

With AviDemux you can even encode to xvid/x264/mpeg2/dvd... try it!

BHH

[RF]

Hi Buzzqw,

Thanks for the info.

Is there any way I can do my editing in Adobe Premiere? I have a little bit of experience in using that software and the editing I would like to do would go beyond just trimming the files.

Thanks.

[smok3]

RF: use either adobe HDV preset or buy additional plugins (cineform for example)

[RF]

smok3:

Any idea how much the cineform plugin costs ... or a link where I could check it out.

Also, how is it exporting to your final format from Premiere? Does the plugin handle that or do you just have to work with premiere's built in export options? I tried exporting a wmv file last night but not sure what settings I should use. I got pretty good compression, but I don't see any deinterlacing options anywhere. I wouldn't mind outputting to 720p ... unless there's some reason why that would be really stupid.

Thanks

[smok3]

http://www.cineform.com/products/Aspect-Prospect.htm (aspect hd is $500)

what i do is export to cineform or uncompressed (huff) and do final format encoding outside of premiere (usually thats x.264, flash and/or mpeg2 for dvd - hcenc)

[Mateo227]

Is there any way to convert these M2T files on a Mac?

[Blue_MiSfit]

MPEG Streamclip should be able to handle it.

~MiSfit

[bah147]

Hi Buzzqw,

Thanks for the info.

Is there any way I can do my editing in Adobe Premiere? I have a little bit of experience in using that software and the editing I would like to do would go beyond just trimming the files.

Thanks.

RF,

i have the exact same cam. CCE-basic( $58 ) (http://www.cinemacraft.com/eng/basic.html) comes with a Premiere plugin-in. Its a MPEG-2 encoder.
I have used Studio 10 in the past. Studio captures HDV: .m2v + .wav, or SD DV(.avi). Never had any sync issues. I just captured video (Nagasaki :cool: ), using HDVSplit. I will use TsRemux and Nero Recode2 to make an AVCHD dvd.

[mdw]

BTW, m2t stands for MPEG-2 Transport Stream. It's just MPEG-2 file with MPEG-2 video and MPEG-2 audio. You can use number of tools to work with them (in fact the same tools you would use for working with DVDs...). For AviSynth you use DGDecode. Also many players (mplayer, VLC...) can play these files out of box.

-mdw