Mts files into Imovie

I have a brand new camera and of course file formats are mts cannot figure out AT ALL how to put them in Imovie. Seems like I am chasing the wind as I have spent countless hours on My Mac surfing many converting softwares trying out trial versions trying to find something that works. I am willing to purchase something however I dont want to waste my money if it wont be what I need.

I am still unsuccessful and very frustrated. Someone just told me recently that the new version of Imovie excepts mts files. However it would appear I think that I do have the new version and it does not accept mts files. I have Imovie 11 9.0.4


PLEASE HELP ME!!!

iMovie '11, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on May 13, 2012 9:23 PM

Reply
43 replies

Mar 26, 2013 10:55 AM in response to MistyStreet

With cameras such as the Sony HDR-CX250 you have to record in 50i. If you have already made recordings in 50p, save the recordings to harddisk, and reformat the card in the camera. iMovie won't recognize the camera if there are 50p recordings on it - I don't know why. Once the SD-card is reformatted and the camera is configured to use 50i for recording, iMovie finds and imports the files in the usual way.

Oct 28, 2013 12:11 PM in response to enkash

Hi All,...


Good news to everybody, ...


I've just downloaded the latest Apple's (OSX Mavrics), with that comes the latest version of iMovie (not sure if it comes with Lion too), but the good news is that it does have native support for MTS vidoe (i.e. AVCHD media).


After upgrade, I copied one of my MTS's that didn't work before, and now just used it, it really rocks !.


I hope this helps...


Regards

Heider Sati

Nov 13, 2013 1:34 AM in response to MistyStreet

I've moved my MTS files from my sony handycam to my MBP's harddisk and deleted all the files from the handycam menu.

And Yes when I wanted to edit those files in the iMovie, ......it won't import anything.

I tried all the suggestions above and didn't work.

How I could possibily import them to imovie? If I need to use any software, please inform me which free converter software that are good? 😟

Thanks.

Nov 13, 2013 2:11 AM in response to thekezia

Did you try Tim's suggestion? It worked for me.

Although I'm not sure if you can now copy the files back from your MBP to the Sony camera.



tluns23


Re: Mts files into Imovie


Dec 5, 2012 9:21 AM (in response to MistyStreet)


You may have already resolved this issue, but I found out some great information today from Sony directly. I was having the same problem, and I was convinced iMovie (i'm using iMovie 09) couldn't import MTS files. I was wrong iMovie does it very easily. The problem iMovie has is when you connect your camera, most people click the "video camera" icon so they can see the videos on their camera they wish to import. What I found is that if you haven't cleared off your video camera in some time, and have over 10 gigs of video on the camera, iMovie has a real hard time, because it has to search the camera and bring up the clips in that lower window pane and often times it will basically time-out, and if you click that camera again the iSight camera launches.


What I did was go thru the clips on my video camera that I could delete (actually watched them on the camera itself), this can be time consuming. But, once I cleared down the content on my camera under 10 gigs, iMovie saw the information quickly. Here's another thing I did, that also may help...instead of clicking on that little camcorder icon, use FILE, Import from Camera at the top menu bar instead. When I did this, it started looking for my attached video camera. From now on I will clear off my video camera more frequently so that iMovie doesn't bog down looking for possible imporatable videos on the camera. Recommendation from Sony was keep it under 10 gigs.


Hope this helps.


Tim


P.S. There is no truth to the idea that iMovie does not import MTS files. My Sony HD Handycam takes all MTS files and iMovie has no problem with them at all.


Nov 13, 2013 3:03 AM in response to pejobri

Yes the files couldn't be copied back into the internal memory. I tried to copy to an SD-card though, but it won't be detected --as I guess those files need to be placed into some specifics folders (with some specific extra-properties that might have been deleted when I deleted the files in the handycam)


BUT ANYWAY, I tried to download HandBrake AND IT WORKED OUT! I am ready to edit all the videos with mp4 format in iMovie 🙂


Thanks!!

May 21, 2014 9:38 AM in response to MistyStreet

You need to develop a work flow that you like. My canon HD camcorder has the option to record mp4 format video that quicktime can directly work with. But when I do record in AVCHD I use some software called "clicpwrap" that can rewrap the video without transcoding. there is no quality loss. http://www.divergentmedia.com/clipwrap
You can also use "handbrake" but I'm pretty sue handbook will transcode the video. Clipwrape is as fast as a "copy" and I use it rathe than drag an drop to get video off the SD card.


You do have to decide at which point you do the archive. Some people do a rough edit just to cull out the total junk that is out of focus and whatever. I like to archive the video at this point, avetr it is converted to something quicktime can use.


Next I import it to FCP X. This can have the 5x effect you describe but those prores files are the best format for editing. the import/transcode process goes very slow. In FCP X I can turn that off and edit with the original .MOV files if I like. I FCP X I can at any time trash the large prores files. Does iMovie allow this?


OK so then I have an edited vedio based on the ProRes files. The next step is to export it to some usable format for my Apple TV or iPod.


After the video is exported there is no need to keep the large ProRes files around unless I think I might re-edit. Periodically I clear out those large files.


Backup is an issue. Time Machine picks up the .mov files from the camera but I also use other redundant backups and always have at leas one off site backup.

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Mts files into Imovie

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