iMovie 08 - only one Sound-channel with Panasonic hdc-sd1

I'm stunned that the camera that I got based on Steve's recommendation as well as the fact that it is listed as supported on Apple.com (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306171) does not fully function. The 5.1 channel to 1 channel is not a feature, it is a BUG! Jeez and please and NO thank you. I can not get the method where I import and then open each and every single fargin clip in quicktime and fiddle with settings to work.

I do all the work in iMovie, then export. Open the export in QT Pro and set it to mono on each channel. It stinks, but it works for now.

Hey guys, I've made a new discovery.

I was writing the AVCHD files to a DVD with the supplied HDWriter (I was using 2.0E).
The audio was playing back normally in my desktop computer running windows Vista.

However when I place the disc into my macbook, the problem of unbalanced audio appears again.
I was wondering whether it is the problem of macintosh OS, which cause problem while down-mixing 5 to 2 channels. So I boot up my windows Vista with bootcamp, and suprisingly, same situation repeated under windows Vista with WMP!

*I believe this behaviour is related to the audio chipset*. Do anyone know if it can be fixed by software updates?

***** Apple has not fixed this yet?? I am still using Voltaic but it would be nice not to have to do that.

That is interesting... I hope an update can fix it... I guess we just have to wait and see. I know they have seen this thread, cuz they deleted my last post due to me saying this was BS.

thanks for your info.
they'd better be,
I've hours of AVCHD clips from a trip waiting to be edited.. 😟

yeah i purchased the quicktime pro to test out the result, i agree with you that "left" and "centre" setting could balance the audio, the centre audio probably compensate for the reduced amplitude of left channel.

but I don't have any method to calibrate the audio to see if it balance perfectly at the centre, so can anyone please correct me if I was wrong? 🙂

In Final Cut Express 4.0 you can choose to transcode AC-3 to "Matrix stereo" or "Plain stereo".

Just what I needed to know, thanks!

I had FCE4 in my hands in the Apple Store last night but since no-one could tell me if FCE would solve the audio problem that exists with iMovie 08 and the AVCHD SD1, and the Apple store said I would be unable to return FCE if it didn't work for me as they don't accept software returns, I didn't but it.

Just found that setting the two audio channels to Left Center and Right Center also seems to work (in QT Pro). Didn't do this before, but now at least you can go iMovie -> QT Pro -> correct audio output.

It seems that the problem is finally SOLVED with iMovie update.

I've just updated my system software, and the included iMovie updates seemed solving this sound channel problem while importing AVCHD videos.

I'm doing some more tests to verify this, but AFAICS, AVCHD works with iMovie FINALLY. Congratulations!

:-D

-----updates

OK, I've imported a few videos from my SD1, and those imported videos 'sound great'! (Thank you apple.)

However, the audio turned to mono (on right channel) while previewing on the import selection page. (But that should be no big deal)

Message was edited by: burnduck

Message was edited by: burnduck

Nice... it took awhile, but I concur - the problem is fixed!

Can someone clarify what exactly has been fixed? I have the most current version of iMovie; I've done all the updates. When importing from my HDR-SR1 camera I am still getting 2.0 audio and not the 5.1 in which the video is recorded. Was the fix that the 2.0 levels are working properly for L and R, or was the fix that it correctly dealing with 5.1 now? If its the former and not the latter, can someone also explain why both iMovie or FCP import video that is created with a 5.1 audio track as 2.0? And if there is no hope in sight for iMovie or FCP to import in 5.1, does anyone have ways in which to maintain the 5.1 audio when converting it from AVCHD to a useable format?

BTW, just found this thread. It was a great read from top to bottom. I was happy to know I wasn't the only one out there pulling out my hair over audio.

I havbe a similar issue with stero as mono. The camera is not 5.1. Just High definition. I recorded with an external stero mic and the audio shows up as mono.

if I record with the built in mic ok. yet listening on the camcorder, it seems to be stero.

A bug in IMOVIE?


Should I invest in the money for QT Pro to change the sound?

Do I do it AFTER saving (exporting the movie) or for the project?

Thanks

if you would like to change the sound settings, i found it no difference making the change BEFORE or AFTER the project. (And making the change AFTER the editing save you lots of time clicking video after videos.)

btw, to me personally, QT pro is great, not only it can alter those audio channel allocation, but also do codec conversion to nearly all type, with just the QT pro. I think QT pro is of great value.


If your recorded sound is not working properly with external mic, just as curiosity, did you use a compatible mic with SD1?