How to import MTS files in Final Cut Pro 6?

[Benhermies]

Hello we captured footage with the Canon HF20 Hi-Def Camcorder, transfered the video files onto an external drive. We're now trying to import those MTS files into Final Cut Pro 6.0.5 but it seems they are not supported... how do you import them?

[aedipuss]

this might be better in the mac forum. i don't have fcp but isn't there a log and transfer option?

i don't know what you used to capture them, but they are supposed to be .m2t files. 1440x1080.

[Herve]

Apple softwares use your card structure to convert videos
but you…

transfered the video files onto an external drive.

So you lose the volume structure

Next time: if you want to transfer on HardDisk, make a disk image of you card (utilities > DiskUtility) to be allowed to convert videos fom your Apple software.

For the moment, use the "HD Module" inside the app in my sign (it's slower than Apple's conversion, but it does the job and you don't need to register the app to do it )

bye

[Benhermies]

Just a minor correction: The camera used was actually a Canon HF100, not HF20.

And the video file did come out as .MTS. When I copied them off the camcorder's memory card, I preserved the folder structure. Is there any way to make an image of it from the hard drive?

What I want to do is mix this with video taken from a Sony hard drive based non-HD camcorder (which coincidentally made .MPG's, but Final Cut Pro doesn't register the audio from them. They playback fine in VLC. Go figure) and create a standard DVD. If there's a way to convert them to something more standard, like .MOV or DV .AVI files, that would be great.

The other obstacle I'm facing is since the videos are so long, the cameras automatically chop them up into separate files when they hit 2GB. I want to join them SEAMLESSLY so there's no hiccups in the flow.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Herve]

I preserved the folder structure.

But you didn't preserve the volume structure (needed by Apple softwares)

bye

[joshcali]

You need the whole BDVM folder

use log and transfer from the file menu
bring in the whole folder, and you can chose the clips to convert

hope this helps
-Josh

[Freky]

Sorry my English but..
i resolve the problem using the ILife 09 pack

First, all the time i copy all the files. The entire HDD files from the camcorder.
(files and folders)
Because, in the future if i will import this files again, the system will automatically identify the log and import the files. Like importing direct from the camcorder.

after install IMovie (ilife pack 09),
reboot the system, open Finalcut Pro
Open "Log and transfer" menu and open the Root Hdd camera, or your backup folder.
the system will automatically identify the files, putting on the list.
Now, u can chose the files u want to use in your project.
select then
and the Final cut will convert to QuickTime H.264 MOV Files

[Mangoj]

The best method of doing this is to use the Log and Transfer window found in the File menu of Final Cut Pro.


In the settings menu ensure that Final Cut will convert AVCHD footage to ProRes.

Apple have designed the ProRes codec to work quickly and easily with Final Cut.

When your camera or card is connected you select it in the Log and Transfer window and it will display the files present. You can then select and transfer the shots you want to use. This method is pretty quick and also allows for renaming clips, adding meta data and placing In and Out points to select ranges for import.

FCP even remembers the footage that you have transferred for reference later.

[MayaYohko]

Thanks Mangoj,
7 months after you placed your post it helped me get it right

[Epoch]

Mangoj,

Thanks so much! Your help has been so invaluable to me. It was this post that made me decide to register with VideoHelp.com!

[PineFreshMedia]

I found the easiest way for me was to convert all my .mts files to ProRes using ClipWrap. Especially useful if you end up with .mts archived and not in the camera file structure.

[JCammon]

Okay, I think this thread got a bit off topic. Mangoj, was talking about connecting camera's and cards. The guy doesn't have either. All he has are video files. So, I guess the question is still, how do you convert having files ONLY.

[PineFreshMedia]

I found the easiest way for me was to convert all my .mts files to ProRes using ClipWrap. Especially useful if you end up with .mts archived and not in the camera file structure.

For files only.

[incagraphy]

As far as I know, if somehow you lose your converted file, FCP has the ability to recapture all the files the way you capture them in the first time, without needing to select in/outs or specifying files again.

Do the above mentioned systems allow that? Or do we end up losing that property, especially if we do not have the folder structure in our archive?
If keeping the folder structure helps, do you then import all folder structure from each card every time you fill the card up? How do you differentiate the names of one folder structure of one card and of another folder structure of another card?

I hope I make more sense than I think I do.

So far the way I have been doing, which might not work in case of a external hard disc failure:
- Import only .mts files to external drive.
- Batch rename files to roughly match what is inside them as well as giving sequence numbers to make each file unique.
- use Clipwrap to convert those files that I need, into .mov with ProRes 422 LT.
- import those files to FCP.

I realize FCP can do the same job of ProRes conversion without needing Clipwrap, ONLY if I work through the SD card directly, before I save the .mts files to my backup archive.

[ramkuma]

How do I get to the "settings menu" that mangoj mentions in his post above?

[matty71]

Perhaps you have found a solution. I had also encountered similar problems, and finally, I just through ProRes AIC Converter to convert MTS to prores, Do not think too much, very simple operation. Happy working, Happy life.

Hello..Wouldyou mind telling me which converter you use to convert MTS files?? Thankyou!

[Ai Haibara]

Handbrake, maybe?

[matty71]

Handbrake, maybe?

cool..will have a look..isky seems to work well..I thin I've downloaded BOUT 7 TRIAL VERSION SO FAR !! ::

[rumplestiltskin]

Almost nothing affordable ingests 1080 60/50p. A pro videographer here (one of my clients) couldn't work with any 60p files from his Panasonic TM700. He dropped the setting down to 30p and all was well. ClipWrap was also used to convert the container to .mov and then we converted the footage to ProRes for use in FCP.

[Herve]

I hesitated to post, but (sorry, it's an advertising, if a moderator does not like this post, delete it)…

Almost nothing affordable ingests 1080 60/50p.

I made a cheap soft some times ago to handle 50/60p easily:
http://movie50p60p.movieconverter-studio.com
- made quicktime compliant (usefull for FCPX that handles editing with h264 video format)
- convert to safe editing formats (AIC or ProRes) while preserving or not fps
- slow motion

So I'm not agree, 50p/60p is not a pain anymore:
- if you hack iMovie's plist you can work with "high frames videos" (I don't remember how, search the internet, I just tried). PS: it's not a convenient solution, but it works.
- FCP accepts 50/60p (better in ProRes)
- FCPX accepts everything (even 50/60p in h264)
- last, use a third software

The only one concern I still have with these videos, it's not for editing but for broadcasting.
I don't have a bluRay burner (but a DVD one). And it's difficult to obtain a good "HD disk on DVD for BluRay Player" with all these fps (too much informations per second to deliver, and a DVD-R allows a far more limited bitrate than a BluRay-R )

bye

(once again: sorry, it's an advertising, if a moderator does not like this post, delete it)