AVCHD and iMovie 09

Eric Noel wrote:

Since AVCHD is by nature MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, I always wonder why Apple did not add the codec to run natively in iMovie.

The AVCHD container format is mpeg2 though, however to answer your question, you are not able to edit AVCHD natively in IM09

I am fairly sure that AVCHD is MPEG4- variable bit rate as opposed to MPEG2s constant bit rate. In any event, any flavor of MPEG isn't suited for editing due to the compressed (GOP) format used. In order for any editor to edit these files it either needs to be transcoded (AIC) or frames created at the time of edit. Much easier to just transcode the material.

Mike

You must be thinking about HDV, which uses MPEG-2. AVCHD uses MPEG-4.

AVCHD is mpeg4/10 in an mpeg2 program stream, mpeg4 is the type of compression used, mpeg2 is the container it's in. It doesn't really matter though IM09 will not edit it natively.

What IM09 will do that IM08 wouldn't do is import AVCHD archives, which means that you can save the data from the camera to your hard drive in its native format and import it into imovie at will from the AVCHD archives.

I, too, wish iMovie '09 would allow native AVCHD editing.

iMovie '08 gave long import times, huge file sizes, and loss of quality...

http://www.alyudesign.com/sony_sr11.html

I hope iMovie '09 is different.

Winston Churchill wrote:


What IM09 will do that IM08 wouldn't do is import AVCHD archives, which means that you can save the data from the camera to your hard drive in its native format and import it into imovie at will from the AVCHD archives.

I have not been able to find any info on IM09 that pertains to being able to import AVCHD archives in its native format. Not doubting Mr Churchill, but I would like to see some info from Apple backing up this info before I make the jump. If so, that would be a nice feature.

YOU CAN'T NATIVELY EDIT AN MPEG STREAM.

Sorry for shouting but I see all the time that everyone wants to be able to natively edit an MPEG file. You need individual frames to do editing; MPEG (MPEG2, MPEG4, AVHCD and so on) does NOT have individual frames. Some programs may try to create frames on the fly, but this has it's own set of issues. iLife apps are for ease of use, hence transcoding a frameless, lossy compression scheme (MPEG) into something far more suitable for editing.

Mike

Yes, you can natively edit an MPEG stream, and there are plenty of products out there that do. You can extract individual frames just fine from an MPEG stream (else you wouldn't be able to watch it). You just cannot write those frames straight back into the stream, but rather you have to re-encode a whole sequence of frames around the frame you are editing. That is very complicated, and can be difficult to achieve in realtime. Apple's video editing products don't support this, and take the detour of transcoding the file for editing. In return, you get real-time editing with instant full-screen playback.

It's covered in iMovie '09 help under "Making a backup copy of the contents of your camcorder". iMovie '08 did not import AVCHD clips unless they were stored on the camcorder. iMovie '09 added an "Archive All" button in the camera dialog that copies the raw files from the camcorder into an archive file on your hard disk. Later, you can import from this archive into iMovie '09.

This does not mean that you can now edit AVCHD clips without transcoding. The transcoding will still happen, when you import from the archive. But it gives you the option to back up your AVCHD clips onto your hard disk, and still allow iMovie '09 to import them later.

tilman wrote:
iMovie '08 did not import AVCHD clips unless they were stored on the camcorder.

Hi,

Just for clarity, and while this may not be the case for the OP's Sony HDR-SR11, in the case of my Canon HF100 and the Canon FS100 it WILL import from a mounted image of the AVCHD folder saved to disk or DVD.

Cheers!

Glen

"Re: AVCHD and iMovie 09
Posted: Jan 27, 2009 1:51 PM

I, too, wish iMovie '09 would allow native AVCHD editing.

iMovie '08 gave long import times, huge file sizes, and loss of quality...

http://www.alyudesign.com/sony_sr11.html

I hope iMovie '09 is different."

The minimum computer for PLAYING native AVCHD is a 2.66GHz QUAD CPU. Those using iLife most likely do not have this computer power. Hence, the need to convert to AIC. And, there is minimal if any loss of quality.

PS: iM does natively edit H.264/AVC. It does not natively AVCHD.

Hey Mike.

You are incorrect.

Edius, and Adobe CS3/4 on both platforms facilitate native editing.

FCP is rumored to also have that available soon.

It takes some serious horsepower, but I believe you are incorrect with your shouting.

this has the potential to be very useful for me. final cut express will let me access directory drive copies of AVCHD from my HF100, and show me previews, but it will not let me manage/delete any of the clips.

does imovie 09 by any chance allow you to quickly preview and delete clips? I find doing that directly on the HF100 to be a tedious process because of all the button clicks and context switches for deleting a single clip.