Why Is 'Clip Wrap' Neccessary?

Clipwrap converts or re-wraps some Long GOP MPEG formats into usable I Frame formats like ProRes so that you can edit with them in FCP7.

AVCHD is supposed to be a standard, but camera makers add their own little tweaks - as they know infinitely better than their users. So you end up with cam files that just work like my Panny or your Canon... or you get wierdness like my mate Dee's Canon 650 DSLR that absolutely refuses to have anything to do with FCP7's Log and Transfer. He gets along just fine after running his files through MPEG Streamclip.

Dee has given up completely and moved wholesale to FCPX (don't do this if you are still working on your doc about your dad's adventures in WW2).

His cam is recognised and he just gets on with editing.

Except he has bought a $1000 DJI helicopter with a camera on and now I'm expected to sort it all out.

Good times. I am absolutely clueless about helicopters. He shoots wedding videos. I suppose it might get some funny shots chasing the bride through a muddy field of farmyard animals or something. Cam is nice though, it has a gyroscope and everything.

Because in the many iterations of this discussion that you have posted you originally were trying to ingest and edit AVCHD material on a non-intel (power PC) Mac.

The only solution to that original post is to convert the file format of the source files into a codec that would indeed be supported on a non-Intel (Power PC) Mac, and that would need to be done with ClipWrap.

If you are now using a computer that does indeed support AVCHD (has Intel processors),, then yes, you can achieve the same AVCHD to ProRes conversion ClipWrap does by using Log and Transfer within FCP - with one major exception: ClipWrap supports conversion of AVCHD material shot at 60p, which Log and Transfer will not (FCP was abandoned prior to 60p becoming a standard).

Also, ClipWrap allows you to transcode your footage in the background, while you are still editing in FCP - which may or may not be important to you.

MtD

One other area where clipwrap is necessary is on some material shot with sony cameras, fcp7 is unable to log and transfer spanned clips (clips that are of a greater length and are comprised of more than one file on the card).