New HV20 Owner/ video editing rookie would like some pointers

[Alemiser]

This is my first post in the forum, please take it easy on me if I ask stupid questions.:hv20-smilie15

My video editing experience only consist of running Ulead dvdfactory wizard, using default template to create menu, add pictures to include on the dvd.
(True rookie here!)
My rig for video editing
I am using Vista x64 with 4gig ram.
Intel E6450 dual core processor

I recently took some footages using HV20 of a company picnic.
I was able to successfully transfer the footage from the camcorder to hard drive using HVDsplit. (I followed the instruction from 24p work flow). I now have 29 m2t files.

I would like to (batch) convert the m2ts into lossless format like huffyuv so I can experiment with them without losing quality.

-I first installed huffyuv 2.1.1 and Lagarith 1314 using "rundll32.exe setupapi.dll,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 0 c:\example_path\lagarith.inf" from readme file include with Lagarith. I don't know how to verify if they install correctly.

- I have the used HV20Pulldown tool from SSzudzik from the 24p forum.
All files processed without any errors but the resulting avi just contains garbled mosaic like images and broken audio.
Is this because my footages were shot using auto mode instead of 24p mode?
Or is this because I didn't install the codec correctly in Vista x64?
Is there an another/easier way to batch convert m2t to avi using lossless codec?
Are those good codecs to use for my master copies of my videos?

- Should I try the various filters/effects in virtualdub? Or am I just wasting time and should get professional NLE like Sony Vegas/Premiere?
I am hoping to go cheap first and spend the money later after I have some clue on what I am doing. :hv20-smilie87

- My video just seem too bright and looks a little grainy when shot under the hot sun. Is there a good filter to pre-process the video to increase the contras?(if that's what I am suppose to be doing to make it look "clean")

- Can someone point me to a good introductory to video editing book/guide so I can learn some of the common techniques? I find it overwhelming to have a lot of video and don't quite know what to do with them.

I am sure I will have a lot more rookie questions as I go through my first real video editing project.

Thanks so much for the help!

[ZarbK]

I'm not exactly sure how the pulldown will work if the footage wasn't shot in 24p, but I don't think you'd get really mosaic'd .avis...hmm...

Auto shouldn't be a problem as long as you set the Camera to HDV PF24 or whatever the setting is in the Menu under Recording Options...I always have it set on P so check if your system was set to 24p.

I use Lagarith myself for the HV20Pulldown.exe, and I havn't ever had anything like what you describe, but it could be an error in VirtualDub because of your Vista x64 setup..I run normal windows XP as I think lots of people do using the tool.

If you have access to an XP computer I would try doing pulldown on an .m2t on there. It could also be a codec problem, altho I think if you can select the codec in HV20Pulldown then you have it installed, if it wasn't then I don't think you could select it.

VirtualDub is not really expansive enough to be an NLE, I would strongly suggest getting Sony Vegas. :]

Vegas has tons of extremely customizable video FX (that you can use keyframes for too!) and that includes lots of color curves / darken/ contrast etc, with lots of good presets, but you can always change all the variables that go into it, helped alot in toning down the grain and brightness I get filming outside sometimes.

Not sure about books or guides, hopefully someone else has a good one. :<

Hope that helped somewhat!

[Alemiser]

That was quick response!
Thank you for the suggestion, I am downing Vegas right now to try it.

When I replay the m2ts in Media Play Classic it shows the fps fluctuates from 55-60 fps. I am not sure if scripts used by hv20pulldown is expecting a 24p pull down or not.
I guess I could use the XP machine at work (after hour) to test this out.
If someone is using vista 64 and have gotten conversion to work I would really like to hear about how the system is setup.
That would save me so much time...

[ZarbK]

That was quick response!
Thank you for the suggestion, I am downing Vegas right now to try it.

When I replay the m2ts in Media Play Classic it shows the fps fluctuates from 55-60 fps. I am not sure if scripts used by hv20pulldown is expecting a 24p pull down or not.
I guess I could use the XP machine at work (after hour) to test this out.
If someone is using vista 64 and have gotten conversion to work I would really like to hear about how the system is setup.
That would save me so much time...

Sure thing. :]

Yeah, regardless of whether you film at 60i or 24p, you will have that FPS when you play the .m2t, as the HV20 has to record a certain number of frames to tape per second. Thing is with 24p, when you record you get junk frames that need to be taken out (with the pulldown exe process) so you have no interlaced/junk/copied frames left in your .avi afterwards, but the actual .m2t will stay as it is.

So don't worry abut that. :) Maybe try rendering with the pulldown exe as uncompressed or with a different codec and see what kind of artifacts or mosiacs you get, or perhaps there is a VDubMod or AviSynth program that is a special Vista x64 version that would solve your problem.

Hope this helped! :)

[Alemiser]

Thanks for the hints provided above, it seems like virtualdub was not able to decode the video.
During hv20pulldown->virtualdub portion I pull up the log from virtualdub. It shows "Couldn't locate decompressor for format "YV12"(unknown). Virtualdub requires a Video for Window (VFW) compatible codec to decompress video. Directshow codecs. Such as those used by Windows Media Player. Are not suitable......"

This first prompted me to check my xvid codec. I un-installed then reinstalled the latest xvid code.
Still no dice.
Did some more googling, found this article related to "YV12" codec.
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56972

I then installed the Helix YV12 / I420 VFW Codecs.
Bingo!
That seems to solved my problem with virtualdub not able to decode my video.
Ran through a couple of clips that I pulldown using HDVSplit and they all seems to have worked. I was able to verify video re-encode worked when playing back with WMC player, filter->codec = huffyuv.

Just wanted to post this back in case if someone runs into the same problem.

[ZarbK]

Glad you got it working! :D