FCPX 10.4 Import AVCHD video distortion problems

I'm a full time videographer and have been struggling with this for the last few months since I made the latest upgrade on my FCPX. I've called Apple and was on the phone for almost 2 hours being passed around. I use Canon XA10 cameras, so I've attempted to record everything to SD Cards, convert the AVCHD to mp4 using Handbrake. And nothing seems to work.

The Apple customer service basically told me that Apple to trying to move away from AVCHD in FCPX. So to me it didn't seem like they were attempting to fix the issue...and recommended I use different cameras. Jerks.

Prism will convert MTS files into mov - but there is a fraction of a second silence at the end of each clip.

If you can edit round that (external audio recorder) then you can at least limp along until a fix.

I use a c100 and 3 G25s for multiple angles so am not about to replace my full kit. Will chase up my Apple support contact.

I had Mac Media downgrade my 27" IMac to Sierra OS and downgraded FCPX to 10.3.2. Now all my imports a clean and the machine is compressing my footage 4 -5 times faster than before. (I bought that IMac in 2012). I was importing on my 2010 21" IMac which has El Capitan. No import issues.

Reminder that any projects made in 10.4 or 10.4.1 CAN NOT be viewed or edited on the older OS and older FCPX.

Which is causing a bit of an issue storing. I have two computers one with the old OS/FCPX and one with the latest updates.

I have been reading about this issue in multiple forums since I first noticed it about a month ago. I had imported dozens upon dozens of hours of b-roll footage over a couple months from XA-10 cameras for a film I am producing and hadn't noticed the problem until a glitch caught my eye. The cards are formatted and there is no opportunity to reimport. I will just have to try to work around it and chalk it up as lost footage.

How can Apple take a piece of working software that we all rely on to get our job done and cripple it so badly for so many of us and then roll out two minor update releases that don't address the issue we are all having? If they are not going to support AVCHD, remove it. The false sense of confidence given when the import completed has left a bad taste in my mouth (kind of like a rotten apple).

Going forward, I took the recommendation of one of the forums to use EditReady. It was $50 but takes the AVCHD files and turns them into any of the flavors of ProRes for easy (and not distorted) consumption into FCPX. The downside is that it does a pretty good job of stripping out some of the MetaData that you have to manually re-enter. It also took my import process from a fairly simple couple quick steps to 3 times the steps and about 10 times the wait.

Apple - Please fix this! You have broken the workflow and ruined footage for many of us loyal Apple editors. We all love FCPX and just want it fixed.

Originally video artifacts were noticed on FCPX 10.4 and MacOS Sierra (and High Sierra), pls see the post from SlobberdogKisses. I didn't know anything about FCPX 11...is it a beta release?

Anyway, I'm glad my problem is gone now...

Unfortunately I still see artifacts - in my case, what I call "pixelation" - in AVCHD clips from a Canon C100 Mark II. These clips were originally imported into FCPX 10.3, which perhaps is a factor. I'm running FCPX 10.4.2 on macOS 10.13.5 on a iMac Pro, 10 core, 64GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Raedon Pro Vega 64 16GB. I am disappointed as some have reported a fix of the issue (if it's the same one) with macOS 10.13.5.

Right. New updates
High Sierra 10.13.5

FCPX 10.4.3

Just imported some test footage and there was no stuttering with pixelation / artefacts.

I think we are clear. Can anyone reproduce the problem running the latest spec?

going to try test footage with all the new updates! This problem was driving me insane. It is good to know others have been dealing with it as well. Cannot understand how Apple could mess with compatibilities with Canon pro level cameras.

Here you go Tom, you legend!

Yeah, same problem here...Canon XA10 and FCPX 10.4. Hope they will fix asap.

Workaround: importing dragging files directly from SD card (private > AVCHD > BDMV > STREAM)

How did you downgrade ?

Had to go to youtube and download it from someone...How to get Final Cut Pro X 10.3.4 for Free on Mac 2017 (Full Version) - YouTube

Uninstalled 10.4. Installed this with no problem. Works great.

Is 10.3.4 able to open a 10.4 mediathek?

@Fab Mad

How to you import it? Fcpx will not import single mts-files.

No. You would need to reimport the files into a new library in 10.3.4. They are stored in the contents of the 10.4 library if you don't have your originals.