Converting to SD Video in Panasonic MovieStage

First, I must warn you that MovieStage has significant privileges on your computer. If you delete a file in MovieStage, it will delete the file from your computer. So beware! This is why you should have created a dedicated MovieStage folder earlier.

Note: Before following this guide, you will need to have installed the Registry edits available for download in Getting Started.

§ Connect your SD Card Reader to your PC and insert your SD Card.

§ Run the program.

On the top left, there should be a picture of a Hard Drive and the words InnerHDD.

§ Below this image, (if you have indeed connected your SD Card to your PC) there should be another image of an SD Card.

Note: You may also click Media Scan on the left at any time to refresh your available drives.

If there isn’t an image (and you have connected your SD Card to the PC) then you potentially have a problem… Try clicking MediaScan to refresh your drives – otherwise, check your connections)

§ Continuing on, click the little spanner next to HDD.

§ A settings dialog box should appear. Select the existing folder, which should originally be you’re My Documents folder, and click Delete Folder. Now click Add Folder and find your MovieStage Encoding folder, where your created AVI or WMV should be stored. Once it appears as a folder, click OK. The program should now update itself and find your new file.

Note: You can click update at the bottom at any time to refresh the list of files.

§ Click on the file, then click on convert on the right.

§ A Conversion Settings dialog box should appear. Select the Output Format as Sharp 902SH. Set the Quality to High.

Note: the After predicted file size is not always correct. When encoding an 84 minute file, the predicted filesize of 350MB turned out to be just 210MB.

§ Click the OK to begin the encoding.

§ On completing, the dialog box should disappear, and you will now see that there are two files in your MovieStage folder. The way of knowing your newly encoded file (as well as being after the original, and having a rainbow coloured NEW label) is that it should have [ASF] after the title.

Note: If this file extension does not appear, go to Settings and select Extension Display.

§ Now drag your ASF file onto the SD Memory Card logo. It will find the directory on the SD Card and copy your file there, renaming it appropriately.

Note: The SD Video Standard requires that files be named MOL###.ASF, where the ### represents any combination of numbers (0-9) and letters (A-F).

§ When this is complete, you may close the program.

§ Ensuring that no data is being transferred to/from your card, remove it from the reader and insert it into your Sharp 902.

§ Enter the Media Player. Go to Options>Open Video>SD Video. Let it refresh. The bottom file should be your encoded video.

Note: Unfortunately, there is no way to set names to differentiate between the files (except the 3 available characters), so you’ll have to use the file length (or first frame picture if your movie has this) to help yourself. Also note that the files transferred in MovieStage will appear in chronological order, so your newest encoded file will always be the bottom. Files taken by the 902’s Camera will appear in alphabetical order, nearer the top of the list.

§ Select your encoded file, and enjoy.

Note: This method, although I’m not going to guarantee this 100%, does seem to allow the usage of the 902’s fast-forwarding and rewinding feature. I have tried this on several clips that I have created, and I haven’t had any negative results – so it may be of use to some to know that this feature is now operational! (although quite slow.)