Does Final Cut Pro X import AC3 sound from an SONY AVCHD Camera?

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Does Final Cut Pro X import AC3 sound from an SONY AVCHD Camera?

Hi

I have a Sony AVCHD camera HDR-XR200.

I have been using Vegas Platinum in a PC. Surround sound 5.1 is supported.

I purchased FCPX for its "64 bit processing. better use of cores and threads, and 5.1 sound (which iMovie does not support).

However, when I use FCPX to import from the camera, i only get stereo channels.

I have set the properties to 5.1 sound.

Can anyone shed light on why this does not work?

Thanks

Barry

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7), Final Cut Pro

Posted on Jun 25, 2011 1:03 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 25, 2011 2:43 PM in response to bholtzkener

Hi Barry,

I have the same problem with a HDR-XR500VE - it looks like FCP X shows the same behaviour as FCE 4 or iMovie, when it comes to importing AVCHD.

There seems to be a workaround that involves VLC and ffmpegX (importing via VLC, transcoding via ffmpegX), but I have not tried it yet.

Regards,

Dirk

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Answer 2

auplaza

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Jun 26, 2011 5:14 AM in response to Dirk Vollmerhaus

up !

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Answer 3

bholtzkener Author

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52 points

Jun 26, 2011 7:49 AM in response to Dirk Vollmerhaus

Dirk

Do you agree that FCPX is supposed to import AC3 with avchd?

I've tried the "geniuses" who have no training on this at "my" store.

Do you have a link to Apple where I can request that this function be made to work as advertised?

Have you done this?

Thanks for you're comment .

Barry

PS not interested at this time in using a workaround. grrr

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Answer 4

LP44

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Jun 26, 2011 8:54 AM in response to bholtzkener

I assume its the same as with the AVCHD-Import. My Sony A-55's .MTS Video can't be imported without the original SD Card even its "natively supported".

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Answer 5

bholtzkener Author

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52 points

Jun 26, 2011 9:41 AM in response to LP44

I understand the need for the other avchd files. It's the AC3 surround that gets lost that I need to resolve.

Thanks

Barry

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Answer 6

Jun 26, 2011 2:02 PM in response to bholtzkener

I love the new FCP X but I do have the same problem too. I have the Sony TG 3 and want to import 5.1 surround sound which FCP downmixes to stereo. I have been waiting for this since FCP 6.

The only good solution I found is to convert my AVCHD video/audio with Adobe Media Encoder CS5 instead into Apple Res442 and surround sound audio track. This file I can drop back into Final Cut Pro X. Yet it would be much more handy if FCP X would just import all the audio tracks by itself.

Hope for an update and try to request it here:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/finalcutpro.html

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Answer 7

bholtzkener Author

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52 points

Jun 26, 2011 6:40 PM in response to bholtzkener

Thanks Daniel for the reply and the URL.

I have sent the following to the Apple Feedback site.

"I have FCPX which claims to support AVCHD and Surround Sound AC3.

When I import toFCPX from my HDR-XR200 handicam, the audio is down mixed to stereo. I cannot get the 5.1 sound recorded in the camera to accompany the video.

Is this advertised feature missing, is this a bug or should I be doing something that is not immediately apparent to the application."

It seems that many of us who have great expectations for FCPX whould like some feedback from Apple.

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Answer 8

auplaza

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Jun 30, 2011 11:57 AM in response to bholtzkener

up

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Answer 9

Tom Wolsky

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152,816 points

Jun 30, 2011 12:01 PM in response to auplaza

down

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Answer 10

Krakatos

Level 1

39 points

Aug 4, 2011 5:55 PM in response to Daniel Drogies

I'm curious. What steps did you follow exactly to use Adobe Media Encoder to create a Res422 file with AC3 sound that'll work in FCP X? I've got a Panasonic TM900 that shoots with surround sound, but when I re-wrap the MTS file (with Rewrap2M4V) and import into FCP X, it shows only stereo. And I'm not sure which preset in Media Encoder to use, instead...

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Answer 11

Aug 5, 2011 2:24 AM in response to Krakatos

Hi Krakatos,

I created a custom setting within Adobe Media Encoder for that. Format is Quicktime, video codec beeing Apple ProRes 442 (in my case with interlaced bottom first), quality 100%, 25 fps while keeping the audio uncompressed with 48khz, 16 bit and 5.1 channels.

I hope that helps :-)

**

Daniel

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