Get .MTS or.mp4 movies to work in Aperture?

Question

Get .MTS or.mp4 movies to work in Aperture?

Hi guys,

My Panasonic camera was set to film in .mts format rather than .mp4. I am now looking for a way to import these movies into Aperture. I understand that Aperture doesn't support .mts, so I used Handbrake to convert it into .mp4, using settings that work for other movies that then play in iTunes. When I try to import them into Aperture, they show up in the import window but with a warning that they can't be played. I am using the latest version of Aperture.

I am looking for a way to get these .mts movies converted easily and with as little quality loss as possible so they play in Aperture. Many thanks,

Phil

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Jan 20, 2014 8:16 AM

Reply

Answer 1

haigon

Level 1

24 points

Feb 16, 2014 6:49 PM in response to phil-likes-this

See Aperture specifics from Apple:

Aperture 3: About video and audio formats in Aperture

I think you can find right format (not all QuickTime-compatible video formats are supported) to make your movies readable in Aperture.

AppGeeker video converter is what I use when I need to convert types of videos, with the associated quality loss and it won't take a long time.

Reply

Answer 2

Feb 17, 2014 5:09 AM in response to phil-likes-this

Phil...some questions...

What model Panasonic camera?

How are you importing the videos when it doesn't work?

What made you go to a Handbrake conversion?

Here's why I ask:

I am able to import videos from my Panasonic GH2 and play them in Aperture without issues. The videos are saved on the card in AVCHD format, i.e., the MTS files are buried within the AVCHD package file structure. To import, I simply pointed Aperture to the top level of the card. After a bit of processing, all of the videos showed up in the import grid. Once imported, they can be played normally within Aperture and edited using the video editing features in Aperture (albeit a limited set of features).

I've also seen other discussions indicating Aperture doesn't support AVCHD 2.0. Perhaps that's part of your problem.

Reply

Answer 3

Jul 9, 2014 2:50 AM in response to phosgraphis

Hi Phosgraphis,

sorry for the delay - I am still having the same issue.
I used a Panasonic DMC G3 camera.
I import the videos in the normal fashion through the import option in aperture; they then get imported into the designated folder but have a yellow warning triangle and dont play.
I went to Handbrake as I was hoping Aperture could deal with the .mp4 files Handbrake puts out as they work well elsewhere in teh Apple universe.

I only have the .mts files - I vaguely recall there were some other files that came with them (as AVCHD); however the .mts files play fine in VLC etc. Many thanks - am happy for any pointers to a solution.

Phil

Reply

Answer 4

léonie

Level 10

194,723 points

Jul 9, 2014 4:04 AM in response to phil-likes-this

I only have the .mts files - I vaguely recall there were some other files that came with them (as AVCHD);

See: Aperture 3.3: About AVCHD support

Aperture is restricted with regard to the pixel sizes and frame rates. Try to use Handbrake to convert the files to a pixel size that is supported in Aperture: As a guideline: Aperture 3: About Video and Audio formats in Aperture

I was hoping Aperture could deal with the .mp4 files Handbrake puts out

Does Handbrake set the extension to .MP4 or or .mp4? Make sure, it is lower case letters.

however the .mts files play fine in VLC

Have you tried to set VLC as external editor in the Aperture preferences? In the Aperture Preferences > Export > External Video Editor option? Then you might be able to open the video in VLC using Aperture. The only drawback - this will always make a copy, if it works, so you will have to delete the copy after viewing the video.

Reply

Answer 5

ButchM

Level 1

69 points

Jul 9, 2014 12:35 PM in response to phil-likes-this

I highly recommend using ClipWrap ... it's available in the Mac App Store ... it does have a hefty price tag ($49.99) but it is a very valuable tool.

ClipWrap takes your AVCHD clips and saves them in a QuickTime capable wrapper so any application that supports QT codecs can view the clips without issue.

The main problem with AVCHD, each camera maker seems to use their own flavor of dealing with the .MTS files and the supporting files. If you pull the .MTS clips out of those supporting folders, many apps can struggle applying the proper codec because the supporting data is no longer available to be used.

I hesitated spending $50 on CW ... but I have used it extensively and would now be lost without it. It really has saved me countless hours and avoided most, if not all associated issues encountered when working with and archiving .MTS files.

Reply