Transferring videos

[Beddgeler1]

When I transfer the videos I have recorded on my FDR-AX53 to Play memories, they are, automatically, in MP4 ? Why do I not have a choice ? How then do I convert them to MPEG-2 to play them on my Sony DVP-SR760H (DVD player) so that I can watch them on my KD-43XE8396 (TV) ?

[darkframe]

Hi @Beddgeler1,

well, let me at first clarify that a DVD player can only play back videos with no more than 720x576 pixels (in countries using PAL TV norm). That's a video resolution which the AX53 does not support at all (see here, under "Recording").

The lowest resolution which your camera supports is 1280x720. That's called HD (high definition). The next steps would be FullHD (1920x1080 pixels) and 4K (3840x2160 pixels). Those three resolutions are supported by the camera. Additionally the camera is capable of storing movies in different video formats (like AVCHD, XAVC S and XAVC 4K).

Whatsoever, the adequate file format used in most cases is MP4 (which is MPEG-4). MTS or M2TS is common as well. MTS/M2TS are "MPEG-2 Transport Stream containers" and have been developed for Blu-Ray. They've got the name "MPEG-2" in common with the MPEG-2 format of DVD files but are set up completely different. The outdated DVD MPEG-2 is in no way appropriate for any of those HD/FullHD/4K videos.

In case you insist on using your DVD player you'd need to convert all HD files to SD (standard resolution) losing detail and massively deteriorating quality. You'd need another programme for this most likely. As there are several around I'm not advertising a certain one now. Maybe you've got one already?

Finally: Your TV is able to display 4K so why on earth would you want to scale your HD videos down to DVD resolution anyhow?

Cheers

darkframe

[Joe_Dohn]

Why not just have the videos copied over to a USB and connect it directly to the TV? That'd be way easier and you wouldn't need to actually do anything to the video files at all.

[Beddgeler1]

Thank you Joe Dohn, but I need to edit the videos. That's why I'm trying to do it via Play Memories.

[Beddgeler1]

Thank you darkframe for your reply, but please bear with me. Last November I had my 77th birthday, so I'm not, in any way very good with this technology. I need to edit my holiday videos and I thought that Play Memories Home would be the simplest being Sony compatible with the camera. I do have another programme, Corel Video Studio Ultimate 2019, but when I connect the camera, I get a message on screen "Check if video capture driver is connected" I'm using the supplied USB cable with. both programmes

My old camera is the DCR-TRV30E which works fine with the Play Memories and the Video Studio Programmes. I am beginning to think I've made a big mistake in buying the AX53 because it's too technical for me, but the picture quality is fantastic.

Thank you again for your time in replying to me.

[Joe_Dohn]

If you do want to edit the videos, I'd definitely recommend ANY purpose-made software for it (like Corel Video Studio).

It's easiest to think of PlayMemories as compatible with the camera to facilitate the link between it and your PC/laptop, but I wouldn't use it for anything more, based on nothing but the fact that an app made specifically for video editing would be better than one that merely supports it.

Hope this helps!

- JD

[darkframe]

Hi @Beddgeler1,

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@Beddgeler1  schrieb:

Thank you darkframe for your reply, but please bear with me. Last November I had my 77th birthday,

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Oh, that's "only" 13 years more than me 😉

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@Beddgeler1  schrieb:

I do have another programme, Corel Video Studio Ultimate 2019, but when I connect the camera, I get a message on screen "Check if video capture driver is connected" I'm using the supplied USB cable

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Great! That should be able to read your video files. The easiest way for transferring your video files to your PC would be to take the memory card out of the camera (memory stick or SD-card) and to plug it into a card reader which can be connected to the PC via USB. There are many card readers available for all kinds of memory cards so you only need to make sure that you buy one which can take your cards. They're rather cheap and have got one major advantage: The transfer speed is much much higher than when trying to copy from the camera directly.

There's only one "problem" left once you've got a card reader and that is to find the video files. Each camera sets up its own folder structure so sometimes people find it hard to locate the relevant files. Anyhow, all relevant video files should have MP4 and/or MTS/M2TS as suffix. You'll find a lot more files on the card and lots of nested folders but that should not bother you. If you post your structure here I'll be explaining it to you as far as I can.

Here's a quick summary on where to find the relevant files on my A6500 camera (it won't bee too different on yours):

• AVCHD (MTS or M2TS) files are located in PRIVATE \ AVCHD \ BDMV \ STREAM (this folder structure is similar to that of a Blu-Ray disk)
• MP4 files are located in PRIVATE \ M4ROOT \ CLIP
• Stills are located in DCIM (which stands for Digital Camera IMage)

Important: You should not delete any picture/movie from the card by means of your PC. It's better to do that using the camera instead. Otherwise the data base which the camera is using and invisibly storing on the card is being messed up. There's an option to repair the data base in one of the camera menus (installation menu I believe) though so that finally it wouldn't be a great deal.

Once you've got your files saved to hard disk you should be able to load them into your Corel Video Studio and start editing. The 2019 version should be able to cope with the video formats which your camera offers. However, I suggest to store your final videos in MP4 format and to play them back from e.g. a portable hard disk in case your TV allows to do so. Shrinking them to DVD format will be a disappointing experience.  

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@Beddgeler1  wrote:

I am beginning to think I've made a big mistake in buying the AX53 because it's too technical for me, but the picture quality is fantastic.

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Try doing it as I suggested and I'm sure that you'll change your opinion.

Cheers

darkframe

[Beddgeler1]

Morning darkframe.

I have followed your advice and purchased a card reader which accepts my SD card. I then opened my Video Studio programme and connected the reader, with the card installed, to a USB port and then I proceeded as follows.

Clicked on - Import from Digital Media

                      Removable disc (F)

                             PRIVATE

                                 AVCHD

                                      BDMY

                                            CLIP

                                            PLAYLIST 

                                            STREAM

                                 M4ROOT

                                            CLIP

                                            GENERAL

                                            SUB

                                            THMBNL

I have left clicked, right clicked and double clicked on everything above but nothing happens ?

Regards,

Beddgelert

[darkframe]

Hi @Beddgeler1,

well, I don't possess your programme so cannot help you directly.

However, you should find the video files in either "PRIVATE -> AVCHD -> BDMV -> STREAM" (AVCHD files) or in "PRIVATE -> M4ROOT -> CLIP" (MP4 files).

Maybe your programme cannot find your videos due to the staggered folder structure? You can however copy your original files from the card to any desired position on the hard disk of your PC manually by means of Windows Explorer.

You'll only need files with a *.MTS (or M2TS) and/or *.MP4 suffix.

Oh yes, in case you've taken stills as well you'll find them in the DCIM folder (top level folder, so F:\DCIM in your case).

Curious about your progress!

Take care

darkframe