Log & Transfer AVCHD file structure, FCP7, 10.8.2

Question

Log & Transfer AVCHD file structure, FCP7, 10.8.2

I've been looking around for a definitive solution to this problem and have yet to find one.

As has already been discussed in this forum and others, ML now treats AVCHD folders as packages, hiding the folder structure. I'm aware of the 'Show Package Contents' solution to drilling down through the packages to access the MTS files. However, that doesn't allow me to Log and Transfer the footage into FCP7, which is what I need to do, since the folder structure and names have to remain intact. I would prefer to avoid using any third-party converter.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Final Cut Studio '09, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Dec 13, 2012 2:11 PM

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Answer 1

Dec 14, 2012 9:15 AM in response to clafleche1987

Update: I caved and purchased ClipWrap in order to transcode the MTS files over to Quicktime. However, because the transcoding brings the MTS files in individually, and doesn't merge any clips that would otherwise be merged during the Log & Transfer process, the transition points are imperfect. I'm ingesting long, unbroken clips (~3 hours long each), so the lost frames between each MTS file are frustrating.

If anyone has other ideas, I'm all ears.

Thanks.

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Answer 2

Meg The Dog

Level 6

13,561 points

Dec 14, 2012 10:06 AM in response to clafleche1987

What camera shot these 3 hour files? Was it a Sony NX5?

Is FCP7 updated to 7.0.3?

I am running FCP7.0.3 on 10.8.2 and not experiencing your problem (but I am also not dealing with 3 hour clips).

If I plug in my camera, it mounts to the desktop:

with the new "bundled" content:

which Log and Transfer finds automatically when I open Log and Transfer:

If I use Disk Utility to make a copy of the Camera Card and put it on a hard disk:

Then un-mount the camera card, double click on the .dmg to open the copy, and open Log and Transfer, it finds my copied clips:

from the copied folder. No need to do any drill down.

MtD

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Answer 3

Dec 14, 2012 10:17 AM in response to clafleche1987

Hi,

I am using 10.8.2 with FCP 7.0.3 and I am able to log and transfer MTS files without problems. The folders show up as normal ie the root folder followed by the Private folder and the BDMV and Stream folders.

But, like you, I am unable to navigate to the MTS files from finder unless I use the "show package contents" method.

DM

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Answer 4

Dec 14, 2012 11:04 AM in response to Meg The Dog

I'm on 7.0.3 in FCP.

I'm actually not sure which camera was used. I should have mentioned this before--the AVCHD folder (four folders total, in fact) was supplied to me on a hard drive from the videographer, so I'm trying to capture from the copied folder itself, and don't have access to the original cards or camera. I've been able to do this successfully in the past, using files from a HVX200 and from an EX3. I'm still able to do it with EX3 files and folder structure. We haven't received footage in AVCHD format in quite some time, so I hadn't been aware of the issue until just a few days ago.

On a whim, I created a new folder, named it PRIVATE, and dropped AVCHD into that folder. PRIVATE in turn became a new package--but again, I couldn't get FCP to log the clips.

When I attempt to add the entire AVCHD folder to the Log & Transfer window, it indicates that it's attempting to add the material, but then FCP crashes.

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Answer 5

Dec 14, 2012 11:09 AM in response to David Mclaine

Is there anything in particular you're doing to bring the folder/drive into Log & Transfer, or are you following the standard procedure of either dragging the folder into the window, or adding it via the button and prompt?

I wonder if there's a simple step that I've skipped somehow.

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Answer 6

Meg The Dog

Level 6

13,561 points

Dec 14, 2012 12:17 PM in response to clafleche1987

And the folders that you have received, when you use "Show Package Contents" contain all the pertinent metadata, as generated and in the same structure as created by the camera?

MtD

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Answer 7

Dec 14, 2012 12:44 PM in response to Meg The Dog

Indeed, at least as far as I can tell.

Four folders containing the raw AVCHD content, as received:

Show Package Contents on AVCHD package reveals AVCHDTN and the BDMV package:

Show Package Contents on BDMV reveals CLIPINF, INDEX.BDM, MOVIEOBJ.BDM, PLAYLIST, and STREAM:

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Answer 8

Dec 21, 2012 8:47 AM in response to clafleche1987

Bumping to see if anyone has other thoughts on what might be done.

Thanks!

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Answer 9

Dec 21, 2012 8:59 AM in response to clafleche1987

Do these clips, by any chance, have a non standard frame rate, such as 60fps or 50fps? that could explain why L&T isn't working for you. Although usually you would get a message saying invalid folder structure or something like that.

DM

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Answer 10

Dec 21, 2012 9:07 AM in response to David Mclaine

As far as I can tell, no. When the MTS clips are transcoded by ClipWrap (and simply re-wrapped, I'm not encoding them to ProRes or anything else), they end up as 29.97fps mov files.

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Answer 11

Jun 13, 2013 8:02 AM in response to clafleche1987

Bumping this to see if anyone has any thoughts... thanks!

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Answer 12

Jul 29, 2013 8:24 AM in response to clafleche1987

In Log and Transfer simply add the folder above the package that mountain lion created. So in your example just add the 11-15-12 #1 folder in Log and Transfer instead of trying to select the AVCHD package. Problem solved.

add the

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