AVCHD video from Canon C100 stuttering in FCPX 10.4

Work around! The trick is to get the files extracted from the folder and file structure they come in.

Load canon AVCHD Package to Hard Drive.

Right Click "Show package contents"

Search folders for BDMV package and open with "Show package contents"

You should see the clips as .MTS files**

Select the files and Option/drag the files to a new folder.

From FCPX, Import the copied files from the new folder . Use Import/media command.

Select "leave files in place" in the import window. Voila!

** If the files did not appear as .MTS, try opening the BDMV package with VLC media player.

If you don't have it, it's free online.

Once you've opened it. Quit VLC and close the package.

Start over opening the AVCHD package and follow the steps above from there.

Let me know if this works for you.

I've done it twice and it worked.

I can't speak for Brett, but I did some tests under those scenario/s, Tom.

In my first test, I imported an entire wedding shoot and did not transcode the media like I typically do (left the 'Create optimized media' button unchecked). Besides the checkboxes 'Add to existing event' and 'Close window after starting import' the only box checked was 'Copy to library' from that popup menu. After FCP was 100% done ingesting the footage, I still had artifacts.

I did a second import test in a fresh library, this time only checking the 'Leave files in place' (on a dedicated hard drive for all of my master video files straight from the cameras). I was hoping this would ditch the artifact problem, but I had no luck. I still had artifacts, at different points in the footage too. So it's completely random.

I also looked at the master video files directly from the AVCHD source, but they play back fine in Quicktime without any artifacts. It's clearly an issue importing into final cut 10.4 or later.

My solution, for others that might be reading about this problem for the first time, is to continue using 10.3.4 or earlier, if you still have it (fortunately I had 10.3.4 on one of my workstations and now solely use that workstation for importing footage).

Having the same problem with both my Canon video cameras. I had thought the cameras were damaged or perhaps the card but turns out it's this problem.
Apple really need top get on top of this **** quickly but so far it's we've heard nothing.
The only work

around is to use something like EditReady or ClipWrap to transcode before import or some people say you can import into iMovie then open that project in FCP X.
Either way a massive annoyance and not good enough.

Exactly the same issue. I've imported into library as optimised media, proxy media and original media, I've left files in place, doesn't matter what I do the issue is still there and totally random. If I delete the original and relink in the storyline the issue sometimes disappears but either comes back or moves to another part of the clip.
The only solution so far is to transcode into ProRes outside of Final Cut, then import.
I've had FCP X pretty much since its release and use AVCHD footage every day and the issue only appeared in 10.4. Sadly I don't have 10.3.4 and all my libraries have been converted to 10.4

I have shelled out the $70 AUD for EditReady which solves the problem to an extent. It adds another step to my workflow and adds about 2-4 hours to each cut but at this stage it seems there is nothing else to do other than leave FCP X completely and go back to Adobe.
Apple have shown nothing but total contempt to their users on this matter with no feedback at all let alone a fix.
A simple, "we acknowledge the issue and are working on a solution" would go a long way but instead a wall of silence.

It would seem to have been put into the too hard basket. I have now bought EditReady which is allowing me to continuing using FCP X but it's really annoying.
I wonder if Apple will give me a refund on the $70AUD it cost me so their software works again after their "upgrade"

High Sierra 10.13.4 has come out.

Since it was mentioned that these problems with AVCHD might have been resolved in one of the betas, it may be worth trying this update.

Welcome to the club, everyone!

Re: FCP X 10.4 still glitchy with Sierra and High Sierra 10.13.2

This happens only in 10.4, and only with AVCHD files. The OS has nothing to do with it. If you still have 10.3, you're in business. The problem does not happen within FCPX 10.3. There is no fix at this time in 10.4, not that I nor a lot of other pro's know of. Fortunately, I still had 10.3 installed on one of my machines so I'm still able to import AVCHD.

It's been over three months and Apple has not acknowledged this problem. I truly hope they're working on a fix. I can only imagine how difficult this has made many professional's workflow.

Please submit a report to Apple. The more they hear about it, the better the chance this will be addressed.

Feedback - Final Cut Pro - Apple

Looks like this might be fixed in the macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 update.

The fix for me is keeping 10.3 on one of my workstations. I have three, and I only do imports on the computer running 10.3. Then I open the project in 10.4 on one of my other computers, update the file for 10.4, and everything works fine.

Fortunately, I still had 10.3 when I realized this problem. I understand not everyone is as lucky as I was. If it could be suggested, it would be nice if Apple would make 10.3 available again for download form the app store until this AVCHD problem in 10.4 can be resolved.

There is a free trail of EditReady but unfortunately it only works on the first minute of each clip, so owing to the random nature of the problem it's hard to prove if it solves the issue.
It does seem easy to use and has some other handy features but yes it is a pain having to add that transcoding step to your workflow and negates a lot of the speed advantages of FCP.I have used a trail of Kyno and it's working fine but it's expensive so when the trail finishes I really have no other alternative than to get EditReady.
Unless of course Apple pulls their finger out and somehow solves this mess, but I'm starting to fear they are just going to ignore AVCHD and let third party apps solve the problem.

For me on Panasonic AVCHD, same problem.

I downgraded OS to 10.12.6

There I can work with FCP X 10.4 without hiccups.

Did you send feedback?

I have a Canon AX10 camera

After importing the AVCHD files into FCPX they stutter. The stuttering looks the same at the exact place in a clip everytime I play it, so it"s not playback.

Then I tried copying the AVCHD files from the camera onto the HD. Quicktime plays them perfectly.

I imported the files from the HD. The same stutters appeared again in the same places.So it appears that something is happening during import

In FCPX, I checked the original imported files, same problem.

I checked the High Quality optimized files, same problem.

I checked the proxy files, they display the "file modified" warning !!

I did a factory reset on my iMac and installed a fresh version of FCPX 10.4 on OS Sierra 10.12.6

I have removed all third party software or devices on my system. Stripped down to iMac only

It didn't fix the problem.

Canon XA10. Firmware is up to date v1.0.1.0

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014)

4 GHz Intel Core i7

32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

AMD Radeon R9 M295X 4096 MB

OS Sierra 10.12.6

FCP X 10.4

OWC Thunderbay 9TB RAID 5

Agreed. In all the tests I did, the problem is only within FCPX 10.4. I installed Sierra on one of my machines, and then 10.4. That had problems. I'm 99% confident it's a problem with FCPX or a video codec of some sort (as I believe the problem exists even in Quicktime and iMovie).