Basic AVCHD question

Sometimes I'd like to go back and clean up archives of AVCHD files, like when there's a ton of useless footage in between the stuff I'd like to keep. Normally, I put the files back on a media card, put that into the camera, then delete the unwanted footage inside the camera and back up again.

It's slow, I know, but I'm not sure if I can just delete the mts files on my hard disk, because I don't understand the directory structure. I'm worried that there are thumbnail images or whatever else I don't know about which will make it impossible to use the data later on.

So long story, can I just delete mts files on backup disks or should I better go through the long process?

By the same token, could I move mts files around between disk copies so that stuff would be organized better (observing the limit of the media card, of course).

Thanks,
Stefan

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macpro 2x3 ghz dual core intel, 10.6.8, FCS 2

I use ClipWrap to convert .mts files to .mov. (I must because I shoot AVCHD 1920x1080 50p which Final Cut 7's Log&Transfer doesn't recognize.)

It is sufficient to feed ClipWrap the individual .mts files, with no need for the AVCHD file structure, except when a clip spans multiple .mts files. Spanning occurs when a memory card is formatted FAT32 so .mts files have 4 GiB limits. See relevant earlier strands: [www.lafcpug.org] and [www.lafcpug.org]. There is risk, without the AVCHD file structure, that ClipWrap's conversions of the separate .mts files spanning a clip will yield imperfect "crash edits" between them.

When I transfer the card-based AVCHD to hard drive I look at the .mts file sizes. If none reach the 4 GiB limit I discard the AVCHD file structure and just keep the .mts files. But otherwise I keep the whole AVCHD file structure.

Dennis Couzin
Berlin, Germany

Great suggestions, Dennis!

Thanks,
Stefan

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macpro 2x3 ghz dual core intel, 10.6.8, FCS 2