How to Upload HD videos on YouTube- with Canon Vixia HG20 HD camcorder in 10 STEPS

When I finished writing this Hub I realized that the process was completed in 10 STEPS. So just follow the steps below and you could have be the next viral video sensation in HD! Woohoo!

These are my personal steps to post my videos from my Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom on to YOUTUBE and not meant to be a review for the Canon HG20.

Yeah...ill try to keep it straight to the point.

Hours of research led me to the Canon HG20 for an HD camcorder with internal harddrive. Great quality images. But one of my big complaints is that you cant really hold the camera in your hand when you set it to night mode...otherwise your screen will look like a spinning fan. Its a shame since my use for the camera is at my bands shows and they are all mostly at night or at not at very bright settings.

I thought I would be able to connect my camcorder via usb to my laptop (Compaq Presario C700T , Pentium(R) Dual-Core Mobile Processor T2390 (1.86 GHz) , 15.4) and upload the videos to YOUTUBE. WRONG!

Most of the new HD camcorders' native video files are M2TS files and not MPG or AVI. Why you ask? Well, that would be too easy and convenient.

While YOUTUBE now says it accepts M2ts files...it only works when it wants to. I spent 2 days trying to upload M2ts video files and the only results I got was error messages. Feel free to try upload your M2ts files straight to YOUTUBE but dont say I didnt warn you.(My prediction is Youtube will have it down by a year from now)

The Canon Vixia HG20 comes with a video program ImageMixer 3 Se. If you did your research I am sure you have heard or read its not the greatest program. Many people out there advice to not waste time and computer hard drive space installing ImageMixer.

Well naysayers...I installed it and I use it to import my videos(M2TS files) on to my computer.

Dont bother with ImageMixer 3 if you have programs such as:

• Avid Media Composer
• Sony Vegas Pro 9
• Adobe Premiere Pro CS4
• Final Cut Studio

Here is what I do:

1. Import the M2ts files into your computer. I use the ImageMixer 3 Se.
2. Once inside ImageMixer 3 S3, I usually adjust the volume on the editing screen in the program (If you closed the program, when you re-open choose the Browsing & Authoring option). Choose the video you want to edit from your Imagemixer library and click on Movie Edit. When you see your selected video file in the VideoEditor's Storyboard or timeline right click and choose adjust the volume.(note: You can save the edited file in the editors format .Es3 files but who wants that?!) Make sure you save as M2ts file.
   
3. Now to Convert the M2Ts file into a more acceptable YOUTUBE format like Avi:
   Now open Free HD Converter V1.2( if you dont have this you can download it for free anywhere online) Here is the CNET link to a free download
   http://download.cnet.com/Free-HD-Converter/3000-2194_4-10916061.html
   Please note: I am not affiliated with any of these programs or companies...just trying to give back to the community.
   
4. Open your M2ts video folder and drag the file onto the Free HD Converter. Choose where you want the converted file to be saved. You can choose to preview while its being converted but I think this makes the process lag a bit.
5. Output Format settings on the right side of the Free HD Converter- Choose Avi.
6. Size- Choose 1280x720
7. FPS=Frames Per Second- Choose 29.97
8. Video Bit Rate- Choose 9000
9. Audio Bit Rate- Choose 256
10. Click Convert= Ta da...When its done processing you will have a AVI files you can upload on youtube. Just go to Youtube.com, log into your account and upload your video.
    
    And this is how I upload HD videos on to YouTube with my Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom.
    
    

    Please be aware that there is a 120gb version of this camera and I think Amazon messed up...BECAUSE for some weird twilight zone reason its CHEAPER: Canon VIXIA HG21 AVCHD 120 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom