AVCHD Workflow help

[Prof-McAlexander]

Hello all,

I will be migrating to Premiere Pro CS6 from FInal Cut Pro 7 starting this fall for all of my video production classes.  I need some guidance on workflow. 

We currently shoot on Sony NX70u which uses the AVCHD codec producing .MTS files.  I've been working with the native AVCHD files on PP CS6 for a few days now to get acquainted with the workflow and performance on our Macs (some iMacs and some Mac Pro towers) and so far so good.  My question:

I know PP CS6 will work with the native AVCHD files, but I'm worried about performace issues with my Macs.  Is there any reason to transcode the AVCHD files to another codec before editing in PP?  I guess I'm still in the Final Cut Pro-Log and Transfer mode of thinking about files

Cheers,

Micheal

[dsfsdsdfsdffdsf]

GAPmedia wrote:

David McGavran's exact words were as follows. 

Thanks for the request.  We are aware of the issue and investigating how to address it for CS 6 customers.   It is fixed in Premiere Pro CC which is available on June 17th.

Implying that there will be a solution forth comming for CS6.  Since Adobe CC is a version upgrade, I might suggest that you advocate for a further discount for people suffering from this problem to simply transfer to Creative Cloud.  It is clear that Adobe hopes to migrate all of it's users to CC membership aneway. 

From my patchy following of this very lengthy thread the problem is deep within the architecture of Premiere. Premiere CC is supposed to be a rewrite, so I assume that that was required to deal with the AVCHD bugs. It sounds like a mammoth, lengthy, (and expensive) procedure. My guess, knowing absolutely zero about the day to day business of software development, is that it has been all hands on deck at Adobe getting Premiere CC ship shape for release next week, so I don't think it's surprising that the bugs haven't been patched yet in CS6 given the (alleged) complexity of the fix. I remain hopeful that after the dev team hopefully have a well-earned rest they'll revisit the CS6 issues with a final patch before it gets put out to pasture.

I have tried to keep up with the thread, but specifically what issues are AVCHD files causing in CS6? I only ask because we've been using AVCHD .MTS files from Sony FS100 and FS700 cameras for a while now with no significant dramas. Spanned clips show up as duplicates in the bins, which is a very minor annoyance at best, but I'm assuming the bugs are hitting others in much more crippling ways..

[ExactImage]

GAPmedia wrote:

Implying that there will be a solution forth comming for CS6.  Since Adobe CC is a version upgrade, I might suggest that you advocate for a further discount for people suffering from this problem to simply transfer to Creative Cloud.  It is clear that Adobe hopes to migrate all of it's users to CC membership aneway.

Dicount on a rental version is not the same as a discount on a perpetual licenses.  Offering me a discount so that I have to continue paying forever (rental) for something I already paid for (AVCHD was supposed to work in CS6) is not an acceptable solution.

Unless Adobe fix the CS6 problems I will never move to CC for Premiere Pro. 

[excited_Genie16B8]

specifically what issues are AVCHD files causing in CS6?

The specific bug is that spanned clips will send the hard drive into overdrive when moving the CTI around or scrubbing.  Instead of the nominal 5MB/s read you'd expect, you can see reads up to 50 MB/s, ten times what it should be for AVCHD media.  This causes drastic slow downs to the work flow as you wait for Premiere Pro to 'catch up', making CS6 essentially unusable with such media.

we've been using AVCHD .MTS files from Sony FS100 and FS700 cameras for a while now with no significant dramas.

Not all cameras are affected.

Spanned clips show up as duplicates in the bins

Then you're not doing it right.  If you copy the entire card to the hard drive and use the Media Browser in PP to import, spanned files will come in as one clip.

[LanceTJ53]

PaulM-Aus wrote:

I have tried to keep up with the thread, but specifically what issues are AVCHD files causing in CS6? I only ask because we've been using AVCHD .MTS files from Sony FS100 and FS700 cameras for a while now with no significant dramas. Spanned clips show up as duplicates in the bins, which is a very minor annoyance at best, but I'm assuming the bugs are hitting others in much more crippling ways..

Spanned clips should always just show up as a single clip in the media browser or project bin.  It would thus seem to me that you are clearly not properly importing spanned clips, and that would then explain why you are not seeing the crippling effects of this bug.

If you are first copying your files off your media to a hard drive, make sure that you copy over the \PRIVATE folder and everything under it.  And then use the media browser to import the clips into Premiere Pro 6..

If you follow those steps, you will then experience the severity of the bug.

[joe_bloe_premiere]

It would thus seem to me that you are clearly not properly importing spanned clips, and that would then explain why you are not seeing the crippling effects of this bug.

Not exactly true.

See post #48 in this thread:

CS6 AVCHD Spanned Clip Bug

What Cameras And Media Types Are Affected
http://forums.adobe.com/message/5339343#5339343

Jason Van Patten:

"I can confirm that, with my source footage, the problem

exists with individual MTS files or the entire directory structure.

It doesn't appear to matter."

Cameras:

- Sony Handycam HDRCX300

- Sony Handycam HDRCX130

[LanceTJ53]

Jim Simon wrote:

Not all cameras are affected.

What evidence do you have to back up such a claim?   AVCHD is a format that has been adopted by a number of vendors.

You are claiming that the data format varies depending on vendor and camera model?   That sounds like nonsense to me.

When one goes to create a new sequence in Premiere Pro, one just selects one of the appropriate AVCHD options that matches the recoding option you used to create your footage.   One does not select AVCHD, and then choose a brand, or a camera model in addition to that selection.

[LanceTJ53]

joe bloe premiere wrote:

It would thus seem to me that you are clearly not properly importing spanned clips, and that would then explain why you are not seeing the crippling effects of this bug.

Not exactly true.

I don't see anything there to support such a conclusion.   Exactly what are you trying to say??   Please explain yourself.

[joe_bloe_premiere]

Did you read the quoted text?

Did you click on the links?

Did you read the above linked thread... entirely?

You are free to remain uninformed, but a bit of reading would

help you understand what Jim and I have posted.

[LanceTJ53]

joe bloe premiere wrote:

Did you read the quoted text?

Did you click on the links?

Did you read the above linked thread... entirely?

You are free to remain uninformed, but a bit of reading would

help you understand what Jim and I have posted.

So your response to my asking for an explanation is to treat me in this totally condescending manner?   I've been posting in that other thread, and you very well know it.

Forget you dude.

[joe_bloe_premiere]

I've been posting in that other thread

But you don't seem to have read (or comprehended)

anything aside from your own posts.

Forget you dude.

[NR23Derek]

I'm still very much following this thread, waiting for the fix.

But I see mention above of duplicate files showing in the bin when AVCHD files are imported, this is also happening to me and I am importing them correctly - ie copying the avchd folder to my HD then importing the folder via media browser.

I do wonder if this is another manifestation of the problem?

[joe_bloe_premiere]

I do wonder if this is another manifestation of the problem?

Possibly... but that symptom is not listed

in the official acknowledgement of the bug:

Audio and Video glitches | AVCHD footage

http://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/kb/audio-video-glitches-avchd.html

[Stan Jones]

Jim Simon wrote:

Not all cameras are affected.

What evidence do you have to back up such a claim?

It seems very odd, but users have demonstrated that not all cameras are affected. There is a specification for the format, but that does not mean that all manufacturers implement it the same way, or even the same manufacturer over different models at different points in time.

[GAPmedia]

NR23Derek wrote:

I'm still very much following this thread, waiting for the fix.

I was anxiously awaiting the updates to show up on my Application manager but I just heard that the CC actually rolls out tonight around 8 p.m.

[dsfsdsdfsdffdsf]

LanceTJ53 wrote:

PaulM-Aus wrote:

I have tried to keep up with the thread, but specifically what issues are AVCHD files causing in CS6? I only ask because we've been using AVCHD .MTS files from Sony FS100 and FS700 cameras for a while now with no significant dramas. Spanned clips show up as duplicates in the bins, which is a very minor annoyance at best, but I'm assuming the bugs are hitting others in much more crippling ways..

Spanned clips should always just show up as a single clip in the media browser or project bin.  It would thus seem to me that you are clearly not properly importing spanned clips, and that would then explain why you are not seeing the crippling effects of this bug.

If you are first copying your files off your media to a hard drive, make sure that you copy over the \PRIVATE folder and everything under it.  And then use the media browser to import the clips into Premiere Pro 6..

If you follow those steps, you will then experience the severity of the bug.

Interesting.. thanks for the correct import tip Jim and Lance, I had no idea - I've just been dropping and dragging the whole \PRIVATE folder as per the workflow on a few other NLEs. Although if I'm trading a few seconds of duplicate clip trimming for something more serious, as you suggest Lance, then I might just stick to my improper method! I'm loathe to break something working 99% well for something far worse.

Anyway, T minus 3 hours to Premiere CC so hopefully it'll address the issues.

[excited_Genie16B8]

What evidence do you have to back up such a claim?

I own one.  The spanned AVCHD media from the Panasonic GH2 does not exhibit the bug.

Other have also reported cameras whose media works fine (though model numbers escape me at the moment).

[HeatherJSheard]

I also have access to a GH2 but have only used short clips, never spanned footage on this.device so can't comment. However I have used longer footage from both a Panasonic AG-AC130 and an AG-AC160 (as well as several Sony cameras) and can confirm they all most definitely do suffer from this issue. I don't have any other issues other than the spanned-clip one and the identical Panasonic footage works fine is CS5. I therefore do not think it is safe to assume any manufacurer or model is immune.

[excited_Genie16B8]

Perhaps not manufacturer, but the GH2 media is fine. Try it.  You'll see.

[Rishaar]

Now that Premiere Pro CC is released, can anyone confirm if they fix the AVCHD spanned clips bug or not ?

[ZachRosing]

I don't have any footage on hand right now that I know for certain exhibits problems in CS6 (because I can't use CS6 unless I'm just working with DV), but I have an almost 90 minute spanned AVCHD file that appears to be working just fine in CC.

[Rishaar]

Thanks! That's a start

Anybody else noticed any difference? 

[gidphoto]

I played a few clips today and noticed a HUGE difference. Clips played smoothly and I was able to scrub flawlessly with Premiere Pro CC.

Kind of ridiculous and just makes it look like Adobe was sitting on this fix and letting everyone suffer. Makes my blood boil.

Mike Gallagher '06

Saint Joseph's University

Video Production Director

Media Services

m: 610-246-9528

Sent from my iPhone

[Steve_Hoeg]

A trial of CC is available if you want to try it out yourself, please let us know. As mentioned we're still looking into options for CS6 users.

[jasonvp]

Rishaar wrote:

Anybody else noticed any difference? 

I'm playing with the trial and the AVCHD scrubbing works fine with footage I know trips up CS6.  So it looks to be addressed, as reported.

However, when the 30-day times out, I'll remove CC from my Mac.

[DSavage]

Are you playing long clips?  Because I have some longer interview footage that is playing back as badly as it was on CS6.  The problem never occured on shorter clips.

From the testing I've done, playback of long clips is just as bad on CC as it was on CS6.  I don't think they've fixed it.