AVCHD audio support for Premiere Elements in Windows 7

[Ian007a]

I just updated to 2019 and found that imported AVCHD video loses its audio component.  Some digging on the forums showed that Premiere now relies on OS codecs for Dolby, which works on Windows 8+, but I use Windows 7.  Does Adobe have plans to fix this?  Alternately, are there any workarounds that do not rely on doing file conversions before importing?

Adobe's official answer in the threads I saw was to upgrade my OS.  I happen to really dislike Windows 8 and 10, so that's not going to happen.  I'll find another video editor first.  I'm pretty angry that I bought a product purportedly compatible with my OS, only to find that critical functionality is missing.

[Steve Grisetti]

Adobe intentionally left support for AC3/Dolby audio to the operating system with version 2018 -- so they will definitely not 'fix' it.

If updating your OS is not an option, you can downgrade to version 15 of Premiere Elements or earlier.

Or, if that's a dealbreaker, I guess your only other option is to find another video editor.

[Bill Sprague]

If you bought direct from Adobe, you can get a refund if you act quickly after the purchase:

Return or exchange a non-subscription product

[Ian007a]

Thanks to the posters above for the information.  I suppose I can go back to PE 9, which is what I was using before.  PE 2019 doesn't seem to have much in the way of feature improvements, but it does seem to be less resource intensive, which is nice.  The ideal solution would be if someone shows up here who know how to install Dolby codecs on Win7 such that PE can use it.

[Ann Bens]

The ideal solution would be if someone shows up here who know how to install Dolby codecs on Win7 such that PE can use it.

Not going to happen.

BTW its not a Adobe issue but a Dolby issue.

You will have to upgrade Windows sooner or later as there will be no support after jan. 2020.

[Bill Sprague]

Sony and Panasonic share some of the blame for establishing and promoting "AVCHD".  MP4 containers have no trouble with HD or UHD and two track audio. 

[Ann Bens]

Has nothing to do with avchd. There are other formats that carry ac3.

Just upgrade OS (they offer Dolby natively) and problem is gone.

[Bill Sprague]

Ann,

Yes, you are correct.  Putting Windows 10 on provides the necessary codec.  I've done it.  I have lots of AVCHD files.  It all works fine.

What other formats/containers in this consumer level besides AVCHD/.mts files are frequent at showing up in this forum?  I'm sure your right at the higher levels,  but I've not seen a single post in this Elements forum of any other format/container causing AC-3 issues.

[Ann Bens]

DVD?

[Bill Sprague]

I gave up on DVDs so long ago I forgot what they are made of.  I switched to Blu-Rays and AVCHD Discs for awhile, but that's in the past too.  Vimeo is just too useful in comparison.  If absolutely necessary I would put a family video on a USB stick.

For anyone reading besides Ann, Premiere Elements 2019 on Windows 10 has no trouble accepting the 5 channel audio AVCHD/.mts files from Panasonic and Sony cameras.  Output is seamless to MP4 with conventional 2 channel audio.