HDStorm and AVCHD

[Renevk]

I'm just starting my first HD (and Edius 4.6 trail. ) project. (i came from PPro) My source is AVCHD from a Sony camera.
After some trying i will buy Edius but now i'm wondering if HDStorm is a good choice for me. I would like to work with HQ codec because of better performance. I now converted all the files, but that takes a lot of time. I have a few questions:
Will HDStorm help in this in combination with avchd2HQ?
Or does i have to capture from the camera via HDMI and let the HDStorm do the conversion?
If i capture with HDMI, do i have scene detection?
Are there quality difference between converting with avchd2HQ or using HDStorm ?
Will there be a beter performance in Edius 5 in combination with avchd?
Can someone tell me what kind or modules can be added to the HDStorm connectors on board?

[SoundFreak]

What I can share with you is that the hardware codec embeded in the HDStorm card is very useful for systems who have not enough power to encode to HQ format in realtime via OCHI capture, most other cases you are better of software codec, because you are more flexible in quality & format settings.

Through the hardware codec you are not able to capture uncompressed etc.

Even using the trail version of Edius, it allows you to capture HQ codec realtime through OHCI port, 1 hour footage takes 1 hour to capture to HQ codec (any quality settings, providing your system can handle it)

If you copy the raw footage from the cam it will be fast, but then in the conversion to HQ you will spend much more time.
Unless you have a super fast high end rig capturing like old fashioned tape is the way to go, so at the moment all these AVC format cam's are not really a step forward, but 2 steps back.

Until gazillion qore :) processors are a reality that's the way it is.

edit : As Edius is more and more relying on processor horse power and Graphic card performance there will only little advantage you'll get from the card beside realtime preview (conversion / connection) of video towards your TV monitor.
Are you using a HD / component / HDMI ... monitor / planning to use ?

It depends a lot what you want to do and what your future needs are / will be, if you only be using your AVCHD Handycam I would look around in the choices what GV / Canopus has to offer before splashing a bundle.
If money is no object then go for it, no point in investing in the past,... right.

What system spec's are you running now ?

[Renevk]

My system configuration is:
Asus P5W DH deluxe, Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 2.13 Ghz, 2 MB RAM, 1 TB system/data disk and 2 TB raid0 (striping) video disk (all SATA II), Nvidia Geforce 7600GT. 2 19" LCD monitors. Im running XP SP3.

Im using a Sony HDR-SR12 which is AVCHD and has a HDMI and USB connection. I now use the USB disk to transfer the data and convert it to HQ with avchd2HQ.

Plans for the future? Go futher with HD.
I have little plans to replace the monitors. Maybe the previewing will be done on a big 42" screen with a long HDMI cable.

I think i will replace the CPU and graphic adapter. I also know for sure that i buy Edius 5. But i have to make a choice of going for a bundle or not. I think if i have bought Edius, it is not economic to buy a HDStorm afterwards.
So i have to think about before.

About the money: it is a hobby and that cost money (and it keep me from the street)

[SoundFreak]

System spec is pretty o.k., raid is always welcome.
Then I would advise to go go for the HDStorm Bundle, as the analog NX will be the wrong way to go.
I my self use the HC9 as hobby cam (like the idea of a Hard Drive, but went for Tape, easier back up etc.) but was under the impression that the SR12 had Firewire ?

Please remember that if you upgrade your graphic card that a minimum of 512 Mb is they way to go for the GPU effects in Edius 5.

I'm a Edius user for many years now, you will love the real time power and speed, but miss certain bits and parts from ppr.

Sucses and groetjes.