Importing MTS/AVCHD files from Memory Card

hi:

i just got the new sony hxr-nx30u camera and am trying to figure out how to import my test files into FCP X. i captured on an SD Memory Card. when i try to import the MTS files right from the card, they were greyed out (along with the other folders in the card). So, I got a Youtube tutorial that said you create a folder on your computer and drag all the contents of the card (not just the MTS files) over to it--then import into FCP X. didn't work. next i tried the tutorial of clipwrap, which did work. is this what i'm going to have to do all the time? i thought AVCHD was native to FCP X?

please help! thanks!

nicolle

also, is there some way to just play the files on my computer from the memory card? do i always have to import everything to see it?

and what about file storage for AVCHD files--and then transcoded files? do i have to store both sets--the raw AVCHD and the transcoded one?

new to AVCHD but am very excited about it. have been working mostly in H.264 since i moved to FCP X.

Cafe LA-X is the place to ask FCPX questions. I've moved the topic.


www.derekmok.com

ok. it doesn't seem like this forum gets that much action. why the move? isn't cafe la for all things FCP--including X?

anyways, i figured out that i can playback and import right from the camera--from the memory card. i can view the clips in the camera import window and then select the clips i want to import. cool!

but still...is there a way to view and also save files right off the card itself? i'm imagining that it might be an awkward work-flow to always have to preview/save right off camera.

nicolle

You will get a reply. Hang in there.

Michael Horton
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ok! thanks for checking in!

You use the camera import function and select the top level that contains the folder structure from the card. Do not go into the folder structure.

There are free MTS players. Mountain Lion can play MTS files in QuickLook.

All the best,

Tom

thanks for being in touch, tom.

i'm not sure what you mean by the selecting the top level. when i connect the camera to my MAC and then select import from camera in FC, it just opens a viewer where i can see all the clips--minus stills i've shot. i don't see where you can select folders, etc.

i have lion--quicklook is part of the mountain lion upgrade?

ok, i upgraded to mountain lion but don't see any application called "quick look"--can you please tell me how to find this?

QuickLook is what pops up when you select a file in Finder and press Space.

My software:
Pro Maintenance Tools - Tools to keep Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro running smoothly and fix problems when they arise
Pro Media Tools - Edit QuickTime chapters and metadata, detect gamma shifts, edit markers, watch renders and more
More tools...

actually, with mountain lion i just found out you can view clips off the card with preview--which made me really excited to think i could just then save those onto a drive and then import into FCP from that location. wrong. the clips are stored under one avchd file and this is again greyed out--not importable.

so, i imported directly off the card into X but now the transcoding is taking forever! is there a better way to do this? should i be going with a file converter, something like clipwrap or the like to convert the avchd files to apple pro res first--then import these into X? i really would like to be able to preview, weed and save these to a drive before i import them into X.

any other tips would be most appreciated!

thanks!

nicolle

had to stop transcoding after import into X because it was taking FOREVER. still am seeking guidance on importing/transcoding workflow and solutions. is it best to save files off memory card onto ext. harddrive first, then use a third-party converter and then bring import into X? or is there some better way here? i'm wondering if i use the converter, do i also need to create proxy media that way, too?

any additional input would be most appreciated! thanks!

nicolle

> is it best to save files off memory card onto ext. harddrive first

It's not just "best", it's an essential step. You don't ever hook up a memory card to an editing application and start working away. If anything happens to the computer, card reader or card while you work, you're messing with your camera masters.


www.derekmok.com

This is absolutely correct, however FCPX has a feature that will let you edit off the card and then it will replace it with the local media once the transfer is complete, so it would seem as if Apple advocates this type of workflow even if it's not recommended.

My software:
Pro Maintenance Tools - Tools to keep Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro running smoothly and fix problems when they arise
Pro Media Tools - Edit QuickTime chapters and metadata, detect gamma shifts, edit markers, watch renders and more
More tools...

> so it would seem as if Apple advocates this type of workflow even if it's not recommended.

There are certain insane shows where the demanded turnaround is so fast that you might have to do this. Just know that it's like riding a horse bareback...on a wire. There's a reason there's a guy on professional shoots who does nothing but copy and verify data, usually to at least three different copies that are handed to three different people. Tapeless can be really fragile. The minute you ingest, the media is changed and your backups become outdated, and you have to make copies again.


www.derekmok.com

ok...so any meaningful recommendations about workflow with previewing, transcoding (3rd party of via FCP) and importing into X? getting ready to work with this footage in the next few days...

Yea This feature is new in ML and really cool glad you found it I was just emailing M Horton to see if I could show it at LAFCPUG this next meeting

------------------------
Dean

"When I see you floating down the gutter I'll give you a bottle of wine."
Captain Beefheart, Trout Mask Replica.

I normally use Shot Put Pro to move my data to a hard drive first but you can in FCPX make a Archive then import from that archive. You can work while the import and encode happens.

------------------------
Dean

"When I see you floating down the gutter I'll give you a bottle of wine."
Captain Beefheart, Trout Mask Replica.

Auto Transfer in Pro Media Tools does this too.

My software:
Pro Maintenance Tools - Tools to keep Final Cut Studio, Final Cut Pro X, Avid Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro running smoothly and fix problems when they arise
Pro Media Tools - Edit QuickTime chapters and metadata, detect gamma shifts, edit markers, watch renders and more
More tools...

thanks dean and jon. initially i tried importing off the card/camera and the transcode took forever--i mean forever--for like 20GB of data. it seemed like something was wrong...i did remove the card while the trancoding was happening (properly ejecting it) and i'm wondering if that was the problem. the transcode in X doesn't seem like the most efficient way to do it.

how does shot put pro work?