I'm using Pavtube to convert the HD video taken from Sony Handycam. So far I like how the software has been performed. The user interface is friendly. I like it tells me how long it will take so I can walk away and come back later. Pavtube provides the capability to play the video and let user do the capture of a photo image.
http://www.pavtube.com/guide/avchd-import-edit-mts-with-windows-movie-maker.html