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07-29-2007, 09:47 AM
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Archiving AVCHD on disc
The CX7 "microsite" section of SONY website quotes:
"Archiving your original HD or SD footage is extremely easy when using One Touch Disc Burn. To quickly burn discs on a PC connected by USB cable to your HDR-CX7, simply press the button on the bundled Handycam Station. Disc burning is also possible by direct insertion of Memory Stick.... This intelligent function only burns.... If you choose to record discs in the AVCHD format, you can play back HD-quality movies on PLAYSTATION3 as well as Blu-ray players and recorders".
First, I assume the Blu-ray player has to be AVCHD compatible, meaning a SONY ( I have a LG Super Multi Blue HD-DVD / Blu-ray combo).
Second, does this imply the need for a Blu-ray burner? Or are regular DVD burners and discs compatible with Blu-ray players to display in HD as long as AVCHD format is used? (SONY words and connection diagram makes no mention of the need of a Blu-ray burner for this purpose).
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07-29-2007, 12:41 PM
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Senior Member
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Location: Oregon, USA
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by lat
The CX7 "microsite" section of SONY website quotes:
"Archiving your original HD or SD footage is extremely easy when using One Touch Disc Burn. To quickly burn discs on a PC connected by USB cable to your HDR-CX7, simply press the button on the bundled Handycam Station. Disc burning is also possible by direct insertion of Memory Stick.... This intelligent function only burns.... If you choose to record discs in the AVCHD format, you can play back HD-quality movies on PLAYSTATION3 as well as Blu-ray players and recorders".
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Louis,
The "One Touch Disc Burn" button is the easiest way to make HD discs that are playable on a PS3 or AVCHD compatible Blu-Ray players. I didn't realize the CX7 had the one touch button when I wrote the previous post to you. I looked at the photo's in the review on CCI but didn't see the button on the camcorder so I assumed it didn't have one, which is why I suggested using the PMB software. But I forgot about the dock.  So that's where they put it. Using the OTB button will copy the .m2ts files (AVCHD) as well as the .jpg files (stills) that you may have taken and burn them to the same disc. Using the "AVCHD Creation" program in PMB will only copy the .m2ts files to the disc and will not allow you to add the .jpg's. So the OTB button is the best and easiest way to go for archiving because it also backs up your .jpg's as well as your .m2ts files and makes a disc that you can also play in a PS3 or compatible BDP (Blu-Ray player).
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First, I assume the Blu-ray player has to be AVCHD compatible, meaning a SONY ( I have a LG Super Multi Blue HD-DVD / Blu-ray combo).
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The BDP must be AVCHD compatible. The latest Sony BDP's are AVCHD compatible and I think there may be a Panasonic or Samsung that may be too, but I don't know for sure. I don't believe your LG is though.  But you can find out easy enough. Just burn a disc using the OTB and try to play it. Worst case scenario is that it won't play. Another option is just to play the files directly from your laptop. Just use the "AVCHD Player" software that came with your camcorder to play the discs you burn, or use the slideshow feature on PMB to play them directly from the hard drive. If your Sony Vaio has HDMI out, just plug it into your HDMI input on your HDTV and push function + f4 a couple of times on your laptop to get it to display on your HDTV. Each push cycles you through different display options.
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Second, does this imply the need for a Blu-ray burner? Or are regular DVD burners and discs compatible with Blu-ray players to display in HD as long as AVCHD format is used? (SONY words and connection diagram makes no mention of the need of a Blu-ray burner for this purpose).
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You do not need a Blu-Ray burner to play AVCHD files. Just a standard DVD burner does the job. But you do need a AVCHD compatible player to play them in.
This is just one of the many ways Sony is using to help Blu-Ray win the HD battle. If they can get enough of these AVC HD camcorders in the hands of consumers, PS3's and new BDP's will become the HD players of choice. It worked on me. 
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Ernie
Sony HDR-SR1 AVCHD HDD User
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07-29-2007, 07:26 PM
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Ernie, great news amd again thorough and clear answer. Much appreciated, thanks.
Louis
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07-30-2007, 05:36 PM
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question
so the SR8 will record HD and SD so if i record using SD (not sure what format SD is) will i be able to burn those files to a dvd using a regular dvd burner and will i be able to play it on a regular non-blu-ray non-HD DVDplayer? the reason i am asking this is because i know i dont have money to afford a blu-ray or HD-DVD or a PS3 anytime soon. and plus the SR8 is much cheaper than SR300c which is SD and 100gb. btw i have a 2.4 ghz P4 with 1.5gig RAM and 1.ghz6 centrino with 1.25RAM i understand that is not fast enuff for any editing. thank you so much for any advice.
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07-30-2007, 09:38 PM
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by johnnycaox
so the SR8 will record HD and SD so if i record using SD (not sure what format SD is) will i be able to burn those files to a dvd using a regular dvd burner and will i be able to play it on a regular non-blu-ray non-HD DVDplayer? btw i have a 2.4 ghz P4 with 1.5gig RAM and 1.ghz6 centrino with 1.25RAM i understand that is not fast enuff for any editing. thank you so much for any advice.
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You can record in SD if you like. That would give you mpeg2 files that either of your computers could edit. Or you could record in HD and archive your HD files to disc for later editing. Then download the same files to your computer and convert them to SD (mpeg2) that you can edit and play on any DVD player. But that would be a very slow process considering your current computers. So my question to you is this. How important is editing to you? I mean other than cutting out unwanted scenes, because that's easy to do. If editing is not real high on your list and can be put off for the future, here is what I would do if I had your situation. I would get either a SR7 (60 gig HDD) or a SR1 (30 gig HDD, but discontinued and should be able to be found cheaper before they are all gone) and I would record everything in the best HD mode, archive them to DVD's for later use, and then simply record my videos in real time using the supplied cables to either a VHS recorder or a DVD recorder, whichever you have or can afford to buy. That way you would have something of very good quality that you can share with friends and family now, and you would be ready for the future when you can afford to buy that PS3 or Blu-Ray player because your archived AVCHD recorded DVD's can just be popped into them, and then you'll have all of your current memory's available to you in stunning HD quality.
If you're sold on the HDD format and can afford a AVCHD camcorder right now, don't waste your money on a SD HDD camcorder that you will regret buying. Because you can:
A. Record in SD now with a AVCHD camcorder if editing is really that important, and then be ready for HD when you can afford the peripherals that go along with it. Or,...
B. Record in AVCHD now, archive to standard DVD's for later use, and then copy the footage on the camcorder to a VHS or DVD recorder for use now. Your P4 should be fast enough to make archive discs.
When you get a faster computer some day, you will be able to record in AVCHD, burn a archive disc for later, and then edit it in a program like Vegas Movie Studio Platinum. This will render a DVD that is playable in any DVD player, that will rival the output of just about any consumer level SD camcorder out there. SD editing issue solved and no need to convert the files to mpeg2 first. And I am confident that SOME DAY they will come out with a REAL AVCHD editing program that will retain the true AVC HD .m2ts output that can be burned on a standard DVD and played in a PS3 or AVCHD compatible Blu-Ray player in true HD. That way we can "have our cake, and eat it too".  (why would we want cake if we couldn't eat it? 
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the reason i am asking this is because i know i dont have money to afford a blu-ray or HD-DVD or a PS3 anytime soon. and plus the SR8 is much cheaper than SR300c which is SD and 100gb.
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Where did you find a SR8 cheaper than a SR300c? SR8's are a "Sony Style exclusive" item in the US and are only available for sale on the Sony Style web site for $1599.99. If you found it in the US anywhere else for less, it's either a scam or it's a non US PAL version. SR300c's sell for $1199.99, and that's waaaay too much money to spend on a SD camcorder IMO, even if it does have a 100 gig HDD.
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Ernie
Sony HDR-SR1 AVCHD HDD User
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07-30-2007, 10:29 PM
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Banned
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by EScheidl
You do not need a Blu-Ray burner to play AVCHD files. Just a standard DVD burner does the job.
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To burn or to read? You can burn with any DVD or CD burner, a file is a file, it just has to fit on the disk. Playback is another matter. There are only few players that play AVCHD files or any hi-def MPEG4 files. But playing back on a powerful computer with appropriate codec is possible. |
07-30-2007, 11:37 PM
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Originally Posted by jockey
To burn or to read? You can burn with any DVD or CD burner, a file is a file, it just has to fit on the disk. Playback is another matter. There are only few players that play AVCHD files or any hi-def MPEG4 files. But playing back on a powerful computer with appropriate codec is possible.
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My point was that it is not necessary to purchase a Blu-Ray burner to burn the AVCHD files to to make them playable in full HD on a PS3 or AVCHD compatible Blu-Ray player. It is not necessary to purchase any HD media, nor an HD burner to create a disc that plays in full HD when played on the appropriate HD player. Just a simple inexpensive standard recordable DVD and a DVD burner will do the trick. This seems to be a common misconception when new buyers start thinking about purchasing a AVCHD camcorder. They think they have to factor in the price of a Blu-Ray burner and BD recording media into the picture, and it all starts to get pretty overwhelming. My statement was to try to correct this misconception. All HD video requires a HD player and a HD monitor to view it in true HD. That is just a given. But AVC HD does away with the HD burner and HD media requirement, ultimately saving money to the end user.
With AVC HD the only reason to buy a Blu-Ray burner and BD media is to get more storage capacity and longer play times.
__________________
Ernie
Sony HDR-SR1 AVCHD HDD User
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07-31-2007, 02:11 AM
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2007
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Thank you!
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Originally Posted by EScheidl
You can record in SD if you like. That would give you mpeg2 files that either of your computers could edit. Or you could record in HD and archive your HD files to disc for later editing. Then download the same files to your computer and convert them to SD (mpeg2) that you can edit and play on any DVD player. But that would be a very slow process considering your current computers. So my question to you is this. How important is editing to you? I mean other than cutting out unwanted scenes, because that's easy to do. If editing is not real high on your list and can be put off for the future, here is what I would do if I had your situation. I would get either a SR7 (60 gig HDD) or a SR1 (30 gig HDD, but discontinued and should be able to be found cheaper before they are all gone) and I would record everything in the best HD mode, archive them to DVD's for later use, and then simply record my videos in real time using the supplied cables to either a VHS recorder or a DVD recorder, whichever you have or can afford to buy. That way you would have something of very good quality that you can share with friends and family now, and you would be ready for the future when you can afford to buy that PS3 or Blu-Ray player because your archived AVCHD recorded DVD's can just be popped into them, and then you'll have all of your current memory's available to you in stunning HD quality.
If you're sold on the HDD format and can afford a AVCHD camcorder right now, don't waste your money on a SD HDD camcorder that you will regret buying. Because you can:
A. Record in SD now with a AVCHD camcorder if editing is really that important, and then be ready for HD when you can afford the peripherals that go along with it. Or,...
B. Record in AVCHD now, archive to standard DVD's for later use, and then copy the footage on the camcorder to a VHS or DVD recorder for use now. Your P4 should be fast enough to make archive discs.
When you get a faster computer some day, you will be able to record in AVCHD, burn a archive disc for later, and then edit it in a program like Vegas Movie Studio Platinum. This will render a DVD that is playable in any DVD player, that will rival the output of just about any consumer level SD camcorder out there. SD editing issue solved and no need to convert the files to mpeg2 first. And I am confident that SOME DAY they will come out with a REAL AVCHD editing program that will retain the true AVC HD .m2ts output that can be burned on a standard DVD and played in a PS3 or AVCHD compatible Blu-Ray player in true HD. That way we can "have our cake, and eat it too". (why would we want cake if we couldn't eat it?
Where did you find a SR8 cheaper than a SR300c? SR8's are a "Sony Style exclusive" item in the US and are only available for sale on the Sony Style web site for $1599.99. If you found it in the US anywhere else for less, it's either a scam or it's a non US PAL version. SR300c's sell for $1199.99, and that's waaaay too much money to spend on a SD camcorder IMO, even if it does have a 100 gig HDD. |
I very appreciate your response, i can rest now worrying about the thought that i cant play any of my files in dvd player. u make alot of sense and thank you. o and i found the SR8 at http://thecameraprofessionals.com/p...p?prodid=136469 for $799 haha good thing i didnt have the money for it but i read on resellerratings.com and that is such a scam. http://www.butterflyphoto.com/1/HDR...cam_Camcor der sells it for $1299 and pretty good reviews on RR.com but i am still paranoid. Do u know of any trust worthy stores with good prices? anyway again thank you for ur response. much appreciated
EDIT: Editing is not on the top of my list i dont think i'd have the time to edit. if i do most likely its on my 1.6 centrino because i am always on it.
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07-31-2007, 11:10 PM
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Senior Member
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by johnnycaox
I very appreciate your response, i can rest now worrying about the thought that i cant play any of my files in dvd player. u make alot of sense and thank you. o and i found the SR8 at http://thecameraprofessionals.com/p...p?prodid=136469 for $799 haha good thing i didnt have the money for it but i read on resellerratings.com and that is such a scam. http://www.butterflyphoto.com/1/HDR...cam_Camcor der sells it for $1299 and pretty good reviews on RR.com but i am still paranoid.
EDIT: Editing is not on the top of my list i dont think i'd have the time to edit. if i do most likely its on my 1.6 centrino because i am always on it. |
Johnnycaox,
Thank you for the kind words. I’m glad you didn’t try to purchase the cheap SR8. That was definitely a scam to either steal your money, or sell your information to thieves. The one at butterflyphoto.com is very tempting because it is much more in line with what a SR8 would cost if it was available at a retail store. The only problem is that according to Sony, this camcorder is not supposed to be for sale here in the US through “third party retailers”. It is supposed to be an exclusive, custom-to-order offer through Sony Style only. But these sort of things are always subject to change, so more research is definitely in order.
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Do u know of any trust worthy stores with good prices? anyway again thank you for ur response. much appreciated
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As far as trust worthy stores with good prices, there are two very good choices that it would be hard to go wrong with IMO as far as online stores go. The first and best is B&H Photo and Video, and the second best is Amazon.com. B&H has the fastest standard shipping, usually 2 to 3 days. But Amazon usually has better prices and free shipping, but the free shipping is pretty slow, usually 7-10 days. Amazon also partners with several other trust worthy retailers which gives you more purchasing options. One thing is for sure though. When you start to see the US version of the SR8 (not the PAL or grey market versions) available at B&H or Amazon, you can be sure that Sony has released it for sale in the US to third party retailers. No scams going on at those two retailers. And of course you’ll find it at Best Buy, Circuit City, etc. when it’s released to the US retail market. But expect to pay full retail for quite a while at those places.
BTW, the SR7 is available at Amazon.com for $1126.74 with free shipping or $1129.95 at B&H plus shipping. ($12.95 to my door.) That’s the exact same camcorder as the SR8, but with 40 less GB. Just something to consider.
__________________
Ernie
Sony HDR-SR1 AVCHD HDD User
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08-01-2007, 12:40 AM
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Thanks again
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Originally Posted by EScheidl
BTW, the SR7 is available at Amazon.com for $1126.74 with free shipping or $1129.95 at B&H plus shipping. ($12.95 to my door.) That’s the exact same camcorder as the SR8, but with 40 less GB. Just something to consider.
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Thanks again. Much appreciated. |
08-01-2007, 02:34 PM
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2007
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Good Deals?
i was checking on ebay for the SR7 raging around $1300 shipped with alot of other stuff i'd need. Ex. extra 4hr batter, tripod, lens, case etc. heres one of them http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-HDR-SR7-HD...1QQcmdZViewItem i think i get a better deal on ebay than on websites after adding all the accessories. What do u guys think? Thanks for the help
EDIT:After all i think i'll stick to the 60gb but 40gb more is alot! ill just have to deal with it. btw, does anybody know how big a AVCHD file is for about 5min of best quility? thanks |
12-26-2007, 05:58 PM
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just purchased SR8
this is copy and paste from another thread, thought i'd share this info with u guys too: i received my SR8 about 2 weeks ago, i got it from sonystyle because i wanted the accidental/extended warranty they offer. So i got this camcorder and full price. anyways im loving it, i took some still pictures and some turn out really nice but most turn out really noisey (all the pic i took was indoor and flash was on). i haven't figure out the problem yet, but i will take alot of test pic to analyze the problem. I have one question, and honestly i haven't mess with the picture motion program it came with. but are there a program out there that will let me convert my avchd files to regular dvd files so my relatives can play it in there dvd player? thanks for the help! if u guys have any question about this camcorder or would like me to experiment something just let me know and i will try my best to give u an answer. thanks again``
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04-03-2008, 08:39 AM
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New Member
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Great forum, I've learned a ton of info from reading these. But another question. I have the CX7 and love it, and am also playing around with which way to archive footage and photos.
Does the "One Touch Burn" (OTB) button burn a clean, "gap-free" movie? Unlike the Sony PMB that has the 1 second gaps between clips? Also, what does it do with the photos? Do they show up on the AVCHD disc somewhere as a slide show?
How about the MC5? Can that put video clips and photos on the same DVD burned as AVCHD?
Lately, I've been burning the clips with Nero 8 and it works great (I think). I still don't have a blu-ray player or a PS3 to play the discs back on. If only the PS3 could play back the audio in 5.1, instead of stereo, from the memory stick or from the hard drive. How sweet would that be if we could just stick the memory stick in the PS3 and see and hear the movies in all of their 5.1 glory.
Thanks in advance.
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04-03-2008, 01:35 PM
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Active Member
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 101
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Timbo
Great forum, I've learned a ton of info from reading these. But another question. I have the CX7 and love it, and am also playing around with which way to archive footage and photos.
Does the "One Touch Burn" (OTB) button burn a clean, "gap-free" movie? Unlike the Sony PMB that has the 1 second gaps between clips? Also, what does it do with the photos? Do they show up on the AVCHD disc somewhere as a slide show?
How about the MC5? Can that put video clips and photos on the same DVD burned as AVCHD?
Lately, I've been burning the clips with Nero 8 and it works great (I think). I still don't have a blu-ray player or a PS3 to play the discs back on. If only the PS3 could play back the audio in 5.1, instead of stereo, from the memory stick or from the hard drive. How sweet would that be if we could just stick the memory stick in the PS3 and see and hear the movies in all of their 5.1 glory.
Thanks in advance.
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Timbo, I believe it was the Canon HG10 software that had those 1 second gaps, not the Sony.
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09-04-2008, 06:25 PM
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New Member
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by EScheidl
You can record in SD if you like. That would give you mpeg2 files that either of your computers could edit. Or you could record in HD and archive your HD files to disc for later editing. Then download the same files to your computer and convert them to SD (mpeg2) that you can edit and play on any DVD player. But that would be a very slow process considering your current computers. So my question to you is this. How important is editing to you? I mean other than cutting out unwanted scenes, because that's easy to do. If editing is not real high on your list and can be put off for the future, here is what I would do if I had your situation. I would get either a SR7 (60 gig HDD) or a SR1 (30 gig HDD, but discontinued and should be able to be found cheaper before they are all gone) and I would record everything in the best HD mode, archive them to DVD's for later use, and then simply record my videos in real time using the supplied cables to either a VHS recorder or a DVD recorder, whichever you have or can afford to buy. That way you would have something of very good quality that you can share with friends and family now, and you would be ready for the future when you can afford to buy that PS3 or Blu-Ray player because your archived AVCHD recorded DVD's can just be popped into them, and then you'll have all of your current memory's available to you in stunning HD quality.
If you're sold on the HDD format and can afford a AVCHD camcorder right now, don't waste your money on a SD HDD camcorder that you will regret buying. Because you can:
A. Record in SD now with a AVCHD camcorder if editing is really that important, and then be ready for HD when you can afford the peripherals that go along with it. Or,...
B. Record in AVCHD now, archive to standard DVD's for later use, and then copy the footage on the camcorder to a VHS or DVD recorder for use now. Your P4 should be fast enough to make archive discs.
When you get a faster computer some day, you will be able to record in AVCHD, burn a archive disc for later, and then edit it in a program like Vegas Movie Studio Platinum. This will render a DVD that is playable in any DVD player, that will rival the output of just about any consumer level SD camcorder out there. SD editing issue solved and no need to convert the files to mpeg2 first. And I am confident that SOME DAY they will come out with a REAL AVCHD editing program that will retain the true AVC HD .m2ts output that can be burned on a standard DVD and played in a PS3 or AVCHD compatible Blu-Ray player in true HD. That way we can "have our cake, and eat it too". (why would we want cake if we couldn't eat it?
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Hi Ernie:
Thanks for the great info on this thread. I have a few questions as I just bought a SR11.
1) Can you please verify if what the salesperson at BestBuy said is true? He told me that I needed extra software to archive AVCHD from my camcorder to my PC HDD without losing the HD quality (something about lossy translation between camcorder to PC HDD) in the AVCHD - he suggested getting Pinnacle or Vegas Platinum to preserve the HD quality of AVCHD. I want to get your confirmation, per your quote above, that I can archive my AVCHD from my camcorder (HDR-SR11) directly to the external HDD connected to my PC w/o additional software while preserving AVCHD HD qualities.
2) From the AVCHD archive on my PC HDD, can I generate a regular DVD with the Out-of-The-Box software? I have a DVD burner on my PC so burning it won't be an issue. What additional software do I need? I just want to be able to view the video from a DVD player now.
3) In a couple of years from now, I plan to buy a new PC to edit my AVCHD content and create HD content (playable on a BlueRay machine) - do I need to ensure that my new PC is equipped with a BlueRay burner or a regular DVD burner would suffice? Also do I need a BlueRay disk for HD content or can I stick to regular DVDs (noted that it has a shorter duration for playback)?
Thanks in advance.
khoous
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