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why can't FCPX able to import AVCHD (MTS) files from my Panasonic camcorder?

I have just changed over to a MAC system from a PC Windows 7 pro system and although I had no problems in downloading the AVCHD files into the PC Windows 7, using my iMac and fcp X the system just does not recognise anything but still images off my SDHC card. I would like to know whether it's the OS X 10.68 or fcpX that is responsible for this non recognithion of the AVCHD (MTS) files produced by the Panasonic HDC-SD900 model.

Final Cut Pro X, Mac OS X (10.6.8), iMac, processor 3.4 GHz Intel i7

Posted on Jul 28, 2011 3:12 PM

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48 replies

Jul 28, 2011 8:10 PM in response to lorenzo f.

lorenzo,


Do you happen to have card reader such as express card as it is capable of reading SDHC memory card? Since you use iMac, I believe you can use a card reader with USB capacity, insert SDHC memory card on that reader, put it on iMac. Mount it on desktop.


Once it is mounted on desktop. Open Final Cut Pro X and see what happens next. It should work.


Does this work for you?


Brian

Aug 18, 2011 2:52 PM in response to lorenzo f.

Hi Tom and Brian, thanks for your responses to my mts/FCPX problem.


I went to the Panasonic site to obtain an OS 10x version of their HD writer software that came with my camcorder and found out that they simply do not support the Mac system (yet). so I reverted to my PC 'Windows 7' version where I extract the full metadata files, copied them into the Mac folder. Both FCPx and iMovie refused to recognise or import any of the files there.


However, whilst browsing the App store, I found two video converters - "SmartConverter" and "AVCHD Converter". Both of which successfully convert the mts files into Mac friendly files - 'xxx.mp4' and 'xxx.mov'. The result as seen on FCPx was poor. I then tried the AVCHD Converter to a H.264 file. the result was better... but still with a reduced resolution. (not clean AVCHD images).


I can't understand why is it that other editing programs such as Adobe's Premiere Elements and Sony's Vegas Pro 10 have no problems reading mts files whereas Apple Mac does not support them... so far, I really love my Mac and I don't want to be forced into intalling Windows 7 on my Mac simply to be able to edit my videos. That would defeat my whole purpose of Moving from PC to MAC


Lorenzo

Aug 18, 2011 3:54 PM in response to lorenzo f.

hi Tom,


Perhaps FCP(7) can import .mts media but I am very very sure that FCPX or iMovie 11 (on this iMac) cannot do so. Not directly from the camcorder using the USB connector, the SDHD card nor from an external HDD.


Incidently, whilst browsing through the Communities Forum at the various problems other people are experiencing with .mts file importation, I came across one person who was able to import mts/m2ts files off his SONY camcorder into iMovie 9 but after upgrading to iMovie 11 was then experiencing this annoyance.


What does that say? I think we are to expect a fix from Mac for this problem fairly soon (no pun intended).

Aug 18, 2011 5:00 PM in response to lorenzo f.

No, Final Cut Pro X currently cannot import ALL AVCHD footage. It definitely cannot import AVCHD footage from specific Panasonic camcorders. Larry Jordan has put in a request to Panasonic so that they can release a fix for this, but they have not done this yet. I recommend you use a program (ClipWrap, for example) to transcode the footage to ProRes 422 and then import it into FCP X. This way you can put your media wherever you like. If you use FCP X to import and transcode your AVCHD footage (when this is possible) it will always put the media in the Final Cut Events folder, which may or may not be where you want the media to go.

Aug 18, 2011 5:16 PM in response to lorenzo f.

This is wrong. You are wrong. This is the list fo AVCHD cameras supported in the current version of FCP. This is the list of cameras that have been tested and certified. They are subtsantially more that will work. If your camera does not work I would suggest the onus is not on Apple but on Panasonic.



Canon HF100E AVCHD Memory
Canon HF11 AVCHD Memory
Canon HF11E AVCHD Memory
Canon HFS10 AVCHD Memory
Canon HG10 AVCHD HDD / Memory
Canon HG10E AVCHD HDD / Memory
Canon iVIS HF R21 AVCHD HDD / Memory
Canon LEGRIA HF G10 E AVCHD HDD / Memory
Canon LEGRIA HF M31 E AVCHD HDD / Memory
Canon Legria HF R28 E AVCHD HDD / Memory
Canon LEGRIA HF S200 AVCHD Memory
Canon VIXIA HF G10 AVCHD HDD / Memory
Canon VIXIA HF M31 AVCHD HDD / Memory
Canon VIXIA HF S200 AVCHD Memory
Canon XA10 A AVCHD HDD / Memory
Canon XA10 E AVCHD HDD / Memory
JVC GZ-HM300S AVCHD Memory
Panasonic AG-AF100P AVCHD Memory
Panasonic AG-HMC150P AVCHD Memory
Panasonic AG-HMC151E AVCHD Memory
Panasonic AG-HMC70P AVCHD Memory
Panasonic AG-HMC72EN AVCHD Memory
Panasonic AG-HMC80P AVCHD Memory
Panasonic DMC-FT2 AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-FT2 E AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-FX700 AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-FX700 E AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-G3 E AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-GH2 AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-GH2 E AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-LX5 AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-LX5 E AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-TS3 AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-TS3 E AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-ZS10 AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic DMC-ZS10E AVCHD / MJPEG Memory
Panasonic HDC-HS900 AVCHD / iFrame HDD / Memory FCPX does not support footage recorded in 1080-60p from this Camcorder
Panasonic HDC-SD9P AVCHD Memory
Panasonic HDC-TM40 AVCHD / iFrame HDD / Memory Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Panasonic HDC-TM40EB AVCHD / iFrame HDD / Memory Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Panasonic HDC-TM60 E AVCHD HDD / Memory
Panasonic HDC-TM700 E AVCHD HDD / Memory FCPX does not support footage recorded in 1080-50p from this Camcorder
Panasonic HDC-TM90 AVCHD / iFrame HDD / Memory
Panasonic HDC-TM900 EG AVCHD / iFrame HDD / Memory FCPX does not support footage recorded in 1080-50p from this Camcorder
Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Panasonic HDC-TM900 K AVCHD / iFrame HDD / Memory FCPX does not support footage recorded in 1080-60p from this Camcorder
Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Sony Alpha SLT-A33 AVCHD / H.264 Memory Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Sony Alpha SLT-A55V AVCHD / H.264 Memory Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Sony DSC-TX10 AVCHD / MPEG-4 Memory Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Sony DSC-TX100V AVCHD / MPEG-4 Memory FCPX does not support footage recorded in 1080-60p from this Camcorder
Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Sony DSC-TX100VE AVCHD / MPEG-4 Memory FCPX does not support footage recorded in 1080-50p from this Camcorder
Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Sony DSC-TX10E AVCHD / MPEG-4 Memory Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Sony DSC-TX9 AVCHD / MPEG-4 Memory
Sony DSC-WX10 AVCHD / MPEG-4 Memory Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Sony DSC-WX10E AVCHD / MPEG-4 Memory Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Sony HDR-CX12 AVCHD / MPEG-2 Memory
Sony HDR-CX12E AVCHD / MPEG-2 Memory
Sony HDR-CX150E AVCHD HDD / Memory
Sony HDR-CX170 AVCHD Memory
Sony HDR-CX350VE AVCHD Memory
Sony HDR-CX7 AVCHD / MPEG-2 Memory
Sony HDR-CX7EK AVCHD / MPEG-2 Memory
Sony HDR-PJ30VE AVCHD / MPEG-2 HDD / Memory FCPX does not support footage recorded in 1080-50p from this Camcorder
Sony HDR-SR10 AVCHD HDD / Memory
Sony HDR-SR12 AVCHD HDD / Memory
Sony HDR-SR12E AVCHD HDD
Sony HDR-XR520V AVCHD / MPEG-2 HDD / Memory
Sony HDR-XR550V AVCHD / MPEG-2 HDD
Sony HDR-XR550VE AVCHD / MPEG-2 HDD
Sony HXR-NX5U AVCHD Memory
Sony HXR-NX70E AVCHD / MPEG-2 HDD / Memory
Sony HXR-NX70U AVCHD / MPEG-2 HDD / Memory
Sony NEX-5 AVCHD / H.264 Memory Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Sony NEX-5 E AVCHD / H.264 Memory Final Cut Pro X: Importing a range selection of iPod or MP4 video media plays back as a still frame more...
Sony NEX-VG10 AVCHD Memory
Sony NEX-VG10E AVCHD Memory

Aug 18, 2011 5:39 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

Please --PLEASE-- read these posts BEFORE responding to them, especially if you're going to do so with such a condescending, know-it-all attitude. It makes you look arrogant and stupid.


I am NOT wrong. I did not say anything about "more" or "less" camcorders working with Final Cut Pro X. I said that "specific" camcorders do not (currently) work; I said that it currently cannot import "ALL AVCHD" footage, meaning that it CAN import some. I also did not put any blame on Apple; in fact I said that this is something Panasonic is said (by a well-known industry professional) to be working on.


I gave my advice to the original poster because I also have a Panasonic camcorder with AVCHD footage that FCP X cannot import and edit natively at this time. I can identify with this person. What I offered was a solution. That's all.


The original poster's camcorder is NOT on your list, which means the list itself is useless to him. At least I offered something useful, and I did it politely.

Aug 18, 2011 6:06 PM in response to ACE001

I'm really confused. I didn't say anything to you. I didn't say you were wrong, or are you lorzeno f with a different user name. If so, then:


"I think we are to expect a fix from Mac" "I can't understand why is it that other editing programs such as Adobe's Premiere Elements and Sony's Vegas Pro 10 have no problems reading mts files whereas Apple Mac does not support them"


"I also did not put any blame on Apple;"


That seems contradictory to me. If you're not lorenzo f, then I'm at a lost as to why you think I said you were wrong..


There is a specific frame rate this camera shoots that doesn't work with FCP. If the original poster is shooting a format that isn't supported, the AVCHD media does not need to be converted. It only needs to be rewrapped to QuickTime. There are applications that do that. The rewrapped media will work in FCP.


If you are indeed lorenzo f, and you feel you need to go back to Windows, go ahead. I don't think that's necessary.


" I recommend you use a program (ClipWrap, for example) to transcode the footage to ProRes 422 and then import it into FCP X.'


You don't need to convert to ProRes. You simply need to rewrap to QuickTime and edit H.264 QT. Unless you need ProRes for performance issues on your system.

Aug 18, 2011 6:27 PM in response to Tom Wolsky

I am not lorenzo f. His posts have his name under them. I am someone else, and I have my own name.


Immediately following my first post on this thread you wrote: "This is wrong. You are wrong", and then proceeded to detail your own version of exactly what I posted about. Thus, it appeared to be a response to me. However, I would have defended another poster in the same way if it was they who had gotten your response.


Lorenzo f was asking questions about how to solve a particular problem. Telling them they are "wrong" is not helpful to them; clearly they are "wrong" in the sense that they don't have all of the information they need to solve their problem --this is why they are on this site.


Either way, they do not have a camera that Panasonic allows them to import and edit natively in FCP X. They can, like you said, rewrap to Quicktime, or, like I said, convert to ProRes. I have been doing this since day one of FCP X and it has worked wonderfully. Or they can do nothing and just wait for Panasonic to catch up.


(My Panasonic camcorder shoots 1080 60p which is likely why FCP X cannot import yet. I've been on dozens of threads dealing with this exact issue, and I have this exact same issue, so I am not answering this blindly.)


I do not suggest they go back to Windows, though. I agree with you there. And I've read many of your posts that have been very helpful, and polite. So please know that I do not think you are "arrogant" or "stupid" --you just came across that way (to me) in your last post.

Aug 18, 2011 6:56 PM in response to ACE001

I was responding to a specific post. I didn't think the information in the post was correct. He also asked me what I had to say about what he said. I responded.


FCP works with AVCHD by rewrapping it. There's nothing wrong with that. It doesn't effect the media at all. I don't understand why people say FCP doesnt edit .mts files natively like that's so important. The media is not changed at all by format rewrapping, just as DV was not effected when it was captured from tape and rewrapped into QuickTime. Nobody said Premiere and FCP were wrong to rewrap DV and only iMovie, using native DV Stream, was doing it right.


Anyway, that's an aside. FCP rewraps .mts. It can't rewrap some files from some cameras, specifically at some frame rates. This camera's been discussed a lot.

Aug 18, 2011 7:05 PM in response to ACE001

@ACE001,

ACE001 wrote:


No, Final Cut Pro X currently cannot import ALL AVCHD footage. It definitely cannot import AVCHD footage from specific Panasonic camcorders. Larry Jordan has put in a request to Panasonic so that they can release a fix for this, but they have not done this yet. I recommend you use a program (ClipWrap, for example) to transcode the footage to ProRes 422 and then import it into FCP X. This way you can put your media wherever you like. If you use FCP X to import and transcode your AVCHD footage (when this is possible) it will always put the media in the Final Cut Events folder, which may or may not be where you want the media to go.


When you said "Final Cut Pro X currently cannot import ALL AVCHD footage...," it is very untrue. It is, in fact, simply untrue.


It all depends on HOW an individual understand how to import these files from which media source as to where coming from, and how they import these media files and which media device. Understand that not all camcorders are able to import AVCHD files using USB cable. There IS alternate workaround by MOUNTING the SDHD card with special card reader (and it depends which computer the FCP X user use with their computer whehter it is a MacBook Pro or iMac or something like that) If someone has the access to MacBook Pro and if that specific MacBook Pro has express card reader slot, and if someone has express card reader, all someone have to do is insert the SDHD card into express card reader, insert the express card reader into MacBook Pro. Or with similar alterate card reader connects with iMac or Mac Pro, then MOUNT it on Desktop. Then run Final Cut Pro X and it automatically detects the card reader on Desktop.


I am signing off from this particular forum discussion as it continue to confuse other participants with wrong info. Please believe Tom or myself, I know this works for me. I know it works for Tom. If someone follow what Tom is asking specific question as to where, how and why right on the spot earlier... just in as in some other forum discussions related to similar issues with import problem.


Have a good one and good luck!

Ciao bello,

Brian

Aug 18, 2011 7:12 PM in response to lorenzo f.

@Lorzeno F.,

lorenzo f. wrote:


Hi Tom and Brian, thanks for your responses to my mts/FCPX problem.


I went to the Panasonic site to obtain an OS 10x version of their HD writer software that came with my camcorder and found out that they simply do not support the Mac system (yet). so I reverted to my PC 'Windows 7' version where I extract the full metadata files, copied them into the Mac folder. Both FCPx and iMovie refused to recognise or import any of the files there.


However, whilst browsing the App store, I found two video converters - "SmartConverter" and "AVCHD Converter". Both of which successfully convert the mts files into Mac friendly files - 'xxx.mp4' and 'xxx.mov'. The result as seen on FCPx was poor. I then tried the AVCHD Converter to a H.264 file. the result was better... but still with a reduced resolution. (not clean AVCHD images).


I can't understand why is it that other editing programs such as Adobe's Premiere Elements and Sony's Vegas Pro 10 have no problems reading mts files whereas Apple Mac does not support them... so far, I really love my Mac and I don't want to be forced into intalling Windows 7 on my Mac simply to be able to edit my videos. That would defeat my whole purpose of Moving from PC to MAC


Lorenzo


Don't get me wrong, but I am afraid that you approach the wrong approach about working with Windows 7. It is nothing wrong with Mac per se. While it is true that mts files can be read in Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 (while I don't use declasse version of Premeire Element, I use the higher end professional editing app as I own Adobe Creative Suite CS5.5 Master Collection).


Please tell us, including Tom and myself, as how you tried to import your files? Mind if I ask you by steps by steps... so hopefully that you can tell us, I trust and believe that Tom would be happy to guide you better than I do. While I am using American Sign Lanaguage as my native language, and English is my second language, I try my best to provide you the correct info. So I'd better leave that alone with Tom and go from there. If needed to, I'd be happy to chime in. As for other participants chime in and offer wrong info, I am afraid they offer you wrong info, and continue to confuse you. But it is UP to you to decide.


Best,

Brian

Aug 27, 2011 10:16 AM in response to lorenzo f.

FCP X doesn't seem to like either the new Sony F3 or the Pegasus system. FCP plays the Mpeg4 clips as just green with no sound or picture. When I go to start a new project and it asks me were to save it, Pegasus doesn not even show. If I try to run FCP X off teh Pegasus, it says no memery can be allocated even though I have Max ram on the brand new MacBook pro and 5 GB on the Pegasus. Nightmare!

why can't FCPX able to import AVCHD (MTS) files from my Panasonic camcorder?

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