Import of AVCHD .MTS files

When I hooked my HF100 up, it was pretty slow in gathering the clips into the Import Window to show me what I could import, but I did try importing a short clip and it was fine. I also have an HF20, and the performance was much faster with that camera, no sluggishness.

Several people keeps saying that you can't import mts files because the other data on the card is 'necessary', and to 'read the instructions' before you delete anything. Seems we are stupid or incompentent for not knowing ahead of time that Apple would put an artifical restrictionon these types of files.

I can tell that all of the other editing software I have used could handle the individual .mts files just fine. Some of us saved the individual .mts files without retaining all of the other folder data, even renaming the files to have descriptive file names before ever using any of Apple's software, since all that was needed to edit/use the files was the individual .mts files.

Dissapointed to see the FCPX STILL can't handle opening stand alone files when even the lowly Adobe Premier Elements can.

I have same issue... have a Panny 700. I shoot in 1080p 60fps. Can't import in any of the suggested methods... direct connect (camera doesn't show up on list); archive; or file based. It doesn't matter if I try and import from any of the directories, or specific MTS files... they are greyed out. very dissapointing.

I used Aunsoft to convert to prores first, then it was fine. But that's a lot of extra hassle considering the FCP spec sheet says it supports Panny AVCHD. Bottom line, I don't believe it does.

The rewrap features in Aunsoft or the other home grown ulility that lots of people use with iMovie to rewrap don't work either. Once you rewrap an MTS FCP sees a green frame at least once per second (probably every 60th frame if I bothered to figure that out).

This looks like a bug to me.

I hope Apple will add the ability to grab any MTS file from your HDD. My four-year-old copy of Sony Vegas (not pro) can do it.

Bart Pfeffer wrote:

Several people keeps saying that you can't import mts files because the other data on the card is 'necessary', and to 'read the instructions' before you delete anything. Seems we are stupid or incompentent for not knowing ahead of time that Apple would put an artifical restrictionon these types of files.

While I completely agree that the restriction is artificial, you need the index files that come with the .mts files to tell a separate clip from a spanned clip that takes several .mts files. Not that you cannot merge them in the software, but just the matter of convenience. Supporting all kinds of index file formats from all kinds of manufacturers could be a nightmare though, so I also think FCP should be able to import .mts files directly.

Importing 50 fps from the Sony HDR-CX360 doesn't work either, the clips don't show up on the list when importing from the camera or from an archive (the 25 fps clips do). iMovie shows the clips, but won't import them.

I hear you, but let's not forget that Final Cut still is, and always was, a Quicktime based editor. Quicktime hasn't changed, it still can't support raw MTS files, so therefore Final Cut won't. It has more to do with QT than FCP.

But at least the new FCP rewraps MTS files on the camera media into MOV files that are basically the same size. I can easily work with this. My previously saved MTS files I will have to convert with ClipWrap first.

I can live with the requirement that I have to stream from the card or camera, but I hope they fix the issue I mention above, where FCPX crashes when there are too many files on the card, or they're too big.

Here is the link to drop box.

There are two things in this archive.

#1 the file encoded using Premiere Elements 9 as a 60p MP4 (no edits, just dropped in timeline and encoded).

#2 The archive of the camcorder file.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33209268/Archive.zip

kevinfromnorthborough wrote:

I have same issue... have a Panny 700. I shoot in 1080p 60fps. Can't import in any of the suggested methods... direct connect (camera doesn't show up on list); archive; or file based. It doesn't matter if I try and import from any of the directories, or specific MTS files... they are greyed out. very dissapointing.

I used Aunsoft to convert to prores first, then it was fine. But that's a lot of extra hassle considering the FCP spec sheet says it supports Panny AVCHD. Bottom line, I don't believe it does.

The rewrap features in Aunsoft or the other home grown ulility that lots of people use with iMovie to rewrap don't work either. Once you rewrap an MTS FCP sees a green frame at least once per second (probably every 60th frame if I bothered to figure that out).

This looks like a bug to me.

Thanks for this - I have the TM700, as well, and suspected that it might not work since it goes beyond the AVCHD spec at 1080 60p mode. I haven't been able to find any evidence that this mode is in fact the "Panasonic AVCCAM" mentioned in the specs w/rt AVCHD, though I've seen a few people suggest that it is.

Did you try clipwrap (there's a restricted demo) to see if it has the same issue as aunsoft? I wouldn't necessarily think it would make a difference, but it's one of the few variables you have control over to try at this point...

The good news is that it works after converting to prores, I suppose.

quicktime changed for the worse from 7 to X imo.

Would you please try the files I posted above?

Sorry, TPN, I can't. Someone else will have to do it. I held off on purchasing FCPX until the air clears a bit, especially around this particular topic.

Me too... Anyone else?

I downloaded it from your link and tried it.

First the bad news: so far I haven't had luck with the archive. FCPX's Import window does see the archive when I click "Open Archive" and navigate to it, and even 'mounts' it as a camera under the camera list, and even has the "Import All" button lit, and will go thru the motions of an import, but it never let me see the contents, so nothing got imported. Tried 3 or 4 different times, and tried renaming the archive back to "NO NAME" like on the card, and even tried using FCPX to create it's own archive of it, which it seemed to do, but again, nothing would import from it.

The good news is, the MP4 you had in there imported into the media browser perfectly, and plays in the timeline just fine, with the audio. Reports it as a 59.94fps clip. If I apply an effect to it, it has an orange bar over it, plays in realtime while the effect renders in the background, then the bar goes away. So the MP4 file works like a charm.

I'd be happy if someone else tries the archive though, just to be sure.

FYI, I'm on a late 2010 iMac i7, OX 10.6.7.