Handling AVCHD video formats

Sridhar_Rao · 21-11-2010, 09:19 PM

My Sony Handycam is capable of recording HD video, but in AVCHD format. This is a waste (to me) because it doesn't play well on my Dell laptop (Windows media player / Media player classic). I don't have software to edit the video either. The professional softwares are extremely expensive to buy. The files can't be burned & played on regular DVD players and require only blueray burner/player. I don't want to transcode them to any other format because it will defeat the original purpose of HD recording.
So, what is the problem?
Are there any AVCHD software players (freewares) that play flawlessly on my XP machine?
Are there any media-players (harware) that can play AVCHD content on my TV?

Tech.Masti · 22-11-2010, 01:21 AM

Try kmplayer/ vlc

arpanmukherjee1 · 22-11-2010, 10:42 AM

first :: full 1080p res need good cpu+gpu to render to screen at good frame rate. if u do not have the processing power you cannot play them using any player.

convert them MKV format (better for HD than AVI) using Avidemux - Main Page

for AVCD > standard dvd
How to convert AVCHD to a playable DVD on normal DVD player

for hardware try BDP-S370 : Blu-ray Disc Players : Home Video : Sony India

Sridhar_Rao · 24-11-2010, 01:23 PM

Thank you arpan for the reply. I am upgrading my system hardware; as you said my laptop is not equipped to play AVCHD videos. But then there are also issues of interlaced video, which is a nuisance. In classic media player, there is an option to de-interlace the video.

I was against the option of video conversion, but since you say mkv format is good enough, I will try that. I have avidemux installed on my system.

Investing on a blue ray player doesn't appear sound since rapidly advancing technologies make present standards obsolete. By the time I get used it there'd be another standard/format to take its place. I was preferring a media player (non blue-ray disc based) that could read data from flash memories and connect directly to TV. Are there any in the market something like this one Amkette Introduces Flash TV Media player > News on Video Players HiFi & TV > Tech2.com India from Amkette that plays AVCHD too?

Thanks for the link showing conversion to playable DVD, is the software safe to download and install? Is it a freeware?

Sridhar_Rao · 03-12-2010, 01:48 PM

Despite hardware upgrade (3GHz Athlon II X4, 4GB DDR3), the AVCHD files still don't play smoothly. The motherboard supports HD movies, but the onboard graphics is still not good enough and I might need a dedicated graphics card.

Following chat with technical support, I was able to download a new version (5.1) for PIB software, which lets me edit AVCHD and to convert them to MPG files.

yao847zi · 29-12-2010, 05:56 PM

Another way u can try. I always use this Video Converter to help me convert AVCHD video files to other proper formats so that i can play AVCHD files on WMP and edit them with WMM. It works for me great.