OT MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 vs AVCHD What's the difference & how to edit in FCE

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Level 1

9 points

OT MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 vs AVCHD What's the difference & how to edit in FCE

Thought I had an AVCHD camera with this Sanyo Xacti 1010 but it actually says Full HD MPEG-4 AVC/H.264. So what's the difference, and how do I edit this. No wonder there's no M2T files for FCE's Log and Transfer window to see.

I'm trying to make some SD DVD's from it.

Can someone explain please?
Thanks
Allen

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.5), FCE 4.0.1

Posted on Feb 10, 2009 8:31 PM

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Answer 1

accarda

Level 3

555 points

Feb 10, 2009 9:12 PM in response to allenz

Hi,
you can use Mpegstreamclip (www.squared5.com) to convert your HD clips into a quicktime movie in the Apple Intermediate Codec, audio uncompressed.
Then you will be able to import that material into FCE4.

Regards,
Armando.

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Answer 2

allenz Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 11, 2009 3:57 AM in response to accarda

Hi Armando

Thanks. That's what I've been using so I just continue to do the ame thing. I had another thread a while back when I thought it was AVCHD stuff and was told not to use Streamclip. But possibly that was for AVCHD stuff.

I just bought Studio 2. Do you know if the process is the same for Final Cut Pro as FCE then?

Regards
Allen

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Answer 3

accarda

Level 3

555 points

Feb 11, 2009 4:55 AM in response to allenz

Hi,
I'm not very familiar with FCP, but you have more codecs available and supported video formats.
Now AVCHD is supported on Intel machines similarly to FCE4; however there is also native support for HDV, XDCAM formats.

I would reccomend to read this document that explains about the different formats and codecs available:
http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/FCP6_HD_and_BroadcastFormats.pdf

Regards,
Armando.

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Answer 4

allenz Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 11, 2009 8:12 AM in response to accarda

Hi Armando

Wow! Thanks for that link. Streamclip is great. Now if I could only batch capture with it because I got about 80 short clips! I sent them an email.

Regards
Allen

Message was edited by: allenz

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Answer 5

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,064 points

Feb 11, 2009 8:15 AM in response to allenz

There is a batch function in Streamclip. It's in one of the menus.

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Answer 6

allenz Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 11, 2009 9:13 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Hi Tom

Oh My G! Thanks so much. I completely missed that.

By the way, I bought Studio 2 and your 2 DVD's from COD.

You've been a great help.
Allen

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Answer 7

Feb 11, 2009 8:13 PM in response to allenz

MPEG Streamclip cannot handle .m2t files from AVCHD cameras but as you know by know, it can handle h.264 content in other containers.

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Answer 8

allenz Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 12, 2009 4:56 AM in response to wallybarthman

Hi Walley
Thanks. Yea, I found out that the Sanyo isn't an AVCHD camera. Yes, Steamclip does a great job with these MP4 AVC/H264 files.

If they were AVCHD M2T files, then FCE's log and transfer window would have seen them. but it took me a while to understand the differences.

Problem solved; questions answered. Thanks again to all of you.
Allen

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