Importing from a Panasonic HDC TM700

I'm not sure what's going on. Is the folder you're dragging from writable? Also, what version of OS X are you running?

I've uploaded a debug version of the workflow. If you double-click on it, it will open up in Automator. Add the file you're trying to convert in the Get Specified Finder Items action, run the workflow, and see what errors you see.

Hi Alen,
Problem solved!

i was too much dragging and dropping around with the two programs i think.
I have removed all, and installed again.
Now it is working fine..

Thanks a lot for your support.

I too am actually getting a similar problem. After weeks of successful rewrapping, suddenly found that trying to drop files onto the Automator icon was having no effect.

Discovered that moving mts files first to another partition on the same drive seemed to solve the problem - Haven't really gotten to the bottom of it yet, but if I do, I will let you know.

In summary, MTS files on one partition of a Firewire external drive
Initially would not convert - Without any error message or signs of life. Thought SOftware Update had killed the Rewrap2M4V
Dragged files to desktop and converted without a problem.
Dragged files to another partition on same FW Drive, and again, no problem.

Quite probably a system problem rather than Rewrap2M4V, but it may be the same issue others are getting.

Alan, as suggested, downloaded your debug workflow. Processed 2 MTS files, located in my documents folder. Workflow shows no errors. All is green and ok. But still I cannot trace where the files are located? Scanned my mac from top to bottom and I cannot find the converted files anywhere.

The output files should go into the same folder as the source files.

Alan, that's where it goes sour. It does not show up in the folder where the original MTS file is located. It is nowhere on the Mac.

I just wanted to thank Alan. Worked like a charm. Thanks for all your help.

Thank you, I just purchased a Panasonic HDC TM700, like an idiot I looked at the reviews of the camcorder, and purchased then looked to see if it would work with iMovie 11. Thankfuly I found this thread. So far the files have worked like a champ, but have not tried anything larger than a few seconds.

Great script. Lets's me play my TM700 video, but I can't edit in Final Cut Pro. I get a General Error message.

Another poster had luck changing it to .avi extension, but that didn't work for me either.

Any idea how to get this to work in Final Cut Pro?

Alan. If you are using macports, my apologies. If you are not, just download macports and follow the instructions here to build ffmpeg.
http://ffmpeg.darwinports.com/

Also, the newer version of ClipGrab has a newer version of ffmpeg with the dreaded "non monotone timestamp ffmpeg >=" error.
For many files this will prevent the rewrapping. Just paste the ffmpeg portion of the script to the terminal (if you find this workflow to not work) and you will see this error.

One option it to extract the version of ffmpeg that works (I cannot find the older version of ClipGrab that I used).
Another version is to use VLC for decoding and ffmpeg for encoding. I could not find an option for this.

And here is the link for using MacPorts.
I linked with Darwin ports in the previous build suggestion.
The Macports build does work. Make sure you have Xcode installed from the DVD.

Many thanks Alan. I was able to use the automator workflow to get it converted with no problems. However, I ran into issues when trying to L&T, getting an invalid directory structure error. I did copy the files from the HDC-HS700 to an external drive, taking care to keep the same file structure as on the camera's HD. Any thoughts on what might be going on? Thanks for the help.

Oh, using FCP 7

Message was edited by: Jabulani Jonny

Sorry for the long delay!

When I use ClipWrap to make a MOV file from my Original
MTS file and then import it into iMovie '11, it looks fine.
When I use your Automator-Script to make a M4V file and
import this into iMovie it is 1 s longer, looks darker and
there are distortions in certain frames.
Why? I thought it does the same?

Thanks.

The MOV conversion in ClipWrap may do some luminance adjustments. The conversion from my Automator script doesn't do any adjustments. You can actually brighten the video exposure in iMovie if need be.