Avchd Conversion to iMovie '11?

I am getting a Panasonic 700 camcorder, and it seems like I would have to convert the avchd files to use them in iMovie. There are many companies that advertise this, but which is the best, and are any free? I don't want to have two copies of the same footage taking up space either (the original and converted files) and,to spend lots of extra time on it. Any suggestions?

iMovie supports your camera selection and it can convert its AVCHD (not 60p) format. The camera can also record using iFrame which is supported by iMovie.

Similar Messages

AVCHD 60 Conversion to iMovie 11 help and suggestions (again).

Hi all,
I have a Panasonic HC-V720 and I'd like to be able to work with the videos in iMovie and I've read so much online my head is spinning. The camera shoots in shoots full HD in AVCHD 60, so iMovie won't import, but it will archive the footage. When I try to import from archive, it doesn't find an appropriate folder. None of this is unexpected, though there has been conflicting comments in the discussions and online that state iMovie should be able to import AVCHD 60 from archive and convert automatically to AIC.
The camera also shoots in iFrame which it will import, but not at the highest resolution the camera can provide.
All of this is as expected, but I first of all, I want to make sure I'm not missing something along the way.
Now, as for conversion. I want to convert the AVCHD 60 to something iMovie can use but I want to maintain the resolution. Brorsoft and iSkysoft seem to have products that can do it, but I want to make sure I don't lose resolution. Any suggestions on the best software and/or workflow to make the conversion?
Thanks!
Steve

A quick update--iMovie is loading directly AVCHD 1080i from the camera, just not the 1080p. I don't understand why, but I'm not complaining, especially as the 1080i is alledgely also at 60fps. Great news for me. . . .

How can I import an AVCHD file to iMovie 11?

How can I import an AVCHD file to iMovie 11?

Support for eps was removed from Elements 11:
Supported file formats

You can import video in AVCHD (MTS) on iMovie for iPad2?

You can import video in AVCHD (MTS) on iMovie for iPad2?

Pad2, the new iPad Supported Video Formats & Movie Formats
    •    H.264 video up to 1080p, 30 frames per second, High Profile level 4.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats;
    •    MPEG-4 video up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats;
    •    Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format
 Cheers, Tom

AVCHD Conversion

I am currently shooting SD, but am researching moving to HD.
So far, my research has concentrated on HDV, since that seems to be PRE7's preferred HD format. But truth be told, I'd rather use flash or HDD storage than the miniDV tapes that HDV requires.
So let's say I went with AVCHD. Not being a masochist, I don't want to edit AVCHD directly, so I started investigating AVCHD conversion programs. Based on 2 options presented by Steve in a January post:
AVCHD Upshift. If I understand correctly, this will
Transfer my AVCHD footage from my camera to my computer
Optionally de-interlace 1080i footage
Create a MPEG .m2t file for editing
Voltaic HD. Again, it seems like it:
Doesn't actually do a transfer from camcorder to harddrive
(Optionally?) de-interlaces 1080i footage
Creates an AVI file for editing
Dang. As usual, I ended up with more questions that when I started. And here's where I need help...
Is MPEG .m2t the same thing as HDV?
If a converter (e.g. Voltaic) doesn't actually transfer the files from camcorder to hard drive, how would I do that? PRE?
What's the best way to split the AVCHD files by timecode? Would I use HDVSplit on the .m2t files created by AVCHD Upshift? What about the AVI files created by Voltaic HD... would I just run Scenealyzer against the huge AVI file?
Is de-interlacing required/desired? Is the conversion tool the best place to do this, or should I leave it interlaced and let PRE handle it upon output? I'm assuming my final output would be BluRay, but so far nobody in my family has BluRay so I might be forced to (temporarily) create SD DVDs somehow...
Given a choice between converting AVCHD to HDV(?) or AVI, which would PRE7 be happier with?
What about quality? It seems like HDV is king. Some people say AVCHD is equivalent (or close or better), but it seems like AVCHD quality can vary more widely than HDV based on what camcorder you're using. Also, would converting AVCHD to HDV (or AVI) result in quality issues?
I've also seen several interwebs posts saying AVCHD is more the consumer-targeted format, while HDV is more pro/prosumer-oriented. I don't care about that so much, but I would like to create the best videos I can with the least problems.
Whew! Sorry for so many questions, but they all seem related. Let me know if you think they should be separate posts???

Thanks, Paul.
I'm sorry if I'm being dense, but I still don't get what happens if I define the project as AVCHD > 1920x1080 and then try to add AVCHD assets that have been "Upshifted". An Upshifted video will be 1920x1080 m2t file (correct?), so...
It seems like an AVCHD PRE project would have the right pixel dimensions (1920x1080) but be expecting the wrong file format (m2ts AVCHD).
While a HDV PRE project would have the wrong pixel dimensions (1440x1080) but be expecting the right file type (m2t).
So... what would happen if I defined a AVCHD project and added a correct dimension / wrong format Upshift file?
And what would happen if I defined a HDV project and added an incorrect dimension / correct format Upshift file?
If I understand correctly, and HDV project would accept the file, but constantly have to render it (red line over clips) due to the incorrect dimensions? Would that rendered file end up "stretched" (or compressed, not sure), or would it be OK?
Still not sure what an AVCHD project would do. Would it constantly have to render due to the incorrect format?
And what would be a better rendering... the HDV converting the pixel dimensions, or the AVCHD project converting the file type?
Your trial idea is good, but the problem is that if I get an AVCHD camcorder, and can't find a suitable conversion/workflow, I'd be stuck trying to natively edit AVCHD - which would not be good! I'd have to return the camcorder. I know an HDV camcorder would work. But I like the idea of the AVCHD workflow, so I'm leaning that way but definitely nervous
Thanks so much for your patience!!

How can you import AVCHD movies using iMovie '11?

How can you import AVCHD movies using iMovie '11?

H264 is one example of a codec used in MPEG-4 video encoding. Windows Media is a codec. Sorenson is a codec. DVPRO is ...etc....
Play a source video file and do a get info on it and tell me what the audio and video details are.

MTS File Conversion for iMovie

Dear Apple Support Community,
I am struggling with movie file conversions, and getting the optimum results from such a process before starting my editing work in iMovie.
I have a Canon HD camcorder which records movies according to AVCHD standards. Before using iMovie, I need to convert the .MTS files to a format which is compatible with iMovie, and I have tried the following:
Copy the files from the SD card on to my HDD.
Using Toast 11 (Titanum), I have selected different profiles to convert the file to formats such as MOV, M4V, MP4 etc.
The converted files yields a size that does not match the original one i.e. a 300 MB file after being converted, is now either 791 MB, or 96 MB in this case.
When importing the converted file into iMovie, iMovie still wants to optimize the file for some reason (I believe using APPLE INTERMEDIATE CODEC resolves the optimization issue)
Import the files directly from the SD card into iMovie, provided I have not altered the original file structure i.e. when inserting the SD card, iMovie recognizes the SD card the same way it would for connecting the Camera.When I select the videos to be imported, iMovie does so without hassles, but the files again turn out to be bigger than the original file by a factor of between 2 and 3, depending on the original file.
What is the best way to convert files to preserve the quality as close as possible to the original?
Is it normal for coverted files to be larger than the original file after being converted (smaller makes sense, but bigger just baffles me)
Thanks for any feedback!

Thanks for the great feedback.
I do have struggles though in general, part of which originates from my camera itself.
My camera still has a tendency to record an interlaced effect even though my settings are confidently selected to progressive (I have 50i and 25p to choose from - 25p is my selection).
However, when I use Toast Titanium, I have an option to select the source video to be deinterlaced, but Toast does not do a good job at deinterlacing, compared to Handbrake. The benefit of my Toast Preset is that I can covert the video to an Apple Intermediate Codec, which means that when the files are imported into iMovie, the process is rather quick.
When I convert using Handbrake, the software does a pretty **** good job at deinterlaing, but the downside is that I cannot find a preset that makes import into iMovie satisfactory.
So, in light of all this long discussion I gave, my question is really, what is the best file converter for iMovie to convert MTS files that need to be deinterlaced.
Thanks for any help!
Adios

A way to avoid a lenghty conversion in iMovie & then another in iDVD?

When creating a DVD from iMovie, it takes a long time (converting from DV to Apple Intermediate Codec ?); later, before burning, iDVD takes another long time to convert to MPEG2. Is there a way to perform just one lengthy conversion instead of 2? May be using a Reference Movie instead of a Self-contained one?

Welcome to Apple discussions!
Is there a way to perform just one lengthy conversion instead of 2?
For DV I use iMovie 06 with iDVD 11. There is no conversion.
Your workflow is editing DV clips and making DVDs, iMovie '06 is better suited. Your movie will arrive at iDVD already in DV format, which is an ideal match for making a DVD: same resolution, same pixels, aspect ratio, and original quality.

Simple AVCHD conversion for PPC Mac

Hi,
I've got a Power PC Mac (dual 2.5) with Final Cut Studio (version 5.1.4) and want to do something really easy (at least easy in my mind this should be easy)--I want to purchase an HD camcorder, record a video and then edit that video in Final Cut Studio.
Here is the rub--for some unknown reason, apple does not have the technical ability to allow AVCHD to be edited in the older version of Final Cut and/or on a Power PC based Mac. So, what I need to do is convert the AVCHD to a format that my version of Final Cut can work with--any ideas on how to do this....as Quicktime can't seem to do it (and no, I refuse to spend $3,000 for a new computer and 500 for a software upgrade).
Right now, I'm being forced towards getting a JVC GZ-HD6 (instead of my favored Canon HF10) since it's file format can be converted in Quicktime for use in Final Cut. What gives...is AVCHD video conversion really that hard--if it is...why is AVCHD so popular when JVC puts out something that works--their version can be converted easily. And for that matter, why can't Final Cut simply just work with the JVC file version?
Another question I have...if someone can help me out.... why is there such a compelling drive to have final cut work with specific cameras? Why not just download the video to the hard drive and work from there?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Vic

Andy Mees wrote:
for some unknown reason, apple does not have the technical ability to allow AVCHD to be edited in the older version of Final Cut
Its not an unknown reason, Victor. Your older version of FCP was coded prior to the establishment of AVCHD as a mainstream consumer format that might reasonably be expected to be need to be supported. Just as my old 4:3 black and white TV can't display a color picture or an HD picture or a full frame 16:9 picture, because it was engineered prior to the establishment of such formats, I'd need to upgrade it (replace it with a newer set) to get support for such newfangled technology ... you need to upgrade your version of FCP if you want support for the latest video formats.
I would beg to differ here.....its not like we are changing from an analog signal to a digital one (fundamental hardware differences), we are talking just a data compression format--just a different way to visualize and store data--it shouldn't take a $500 upgrade to do that--and with the previous analogy, it would require an upgrade of my Macintosh...which it shouldn't require, because in the end, it is just 1's and 0's and how they are stored on a hard drive and manipulated by the CPU and video card. So I'm still having a difficult time understanding why AVCHD can't work on a Power PC based Mac other than someone just doesn't want to code it.
what I need to do is convert the AVCHD to a format that my version of Final Cut can work with--any ideas on how to do this
You can try VoltaicHD from ShedWorx, which can convert your source files to a format (Apple Intermediate Codec) which is supported by your hardware/software
http://www.shedworx.com/?q=volmac-home
Thanks!
What gives...is AVCHD video conversion really that hard
Yes actually it is very complicated. AVCHD is a highly compressed acquisition format and certainly not a post production format as the complexity of the compression algorithm does not lend itself to real time processing (at least not yet with the current state of technological advancement).
But doesn't the latest version of Final Cut (only on an Intel based Mac that is) work with AVCHD? If so, why can't it work on a Power PC?
why is there such a compelling drive to have final cut work with specific cameras?
As with any complex hardware/software setup. Some configurations will be known to be fully compatible and some less so. This is just the real world and the way it works. You can find a full list of directly and fully supported hardware on Apple's Final Cut Studio support site.
http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/resources/supportdevices.php
What I meant here is why is Final Cut wedded to specific camcorders rather than being an open system that is wedded to data formats--if it is tied to a data format, vice hardware, upgrades to different data formats should not be difficult--a SOA and open ended architecture should be standard in this day and age.
Again, thanks for all the help and information!
Vic

AVCHD support for iMovie yet?

I posted this in an old thread but not sure if anyone is looking there anymore so have re-done it here.
ok, now it's mid March. Any more news on whether there will be a software update that will let iMovie support AVCHD?
I've got footage here I can do nothing with.
I can't believe the Sony HDR-SR1 doesn't have a firewire port and only comes with Windoze software. I know the Mac market is small but surely there's still a huge number of people who bought the cam and now can't edit their footage?!
Sony, Apple, get it sorted! grrr.
PPC G5 Dual 1.8 Mac OS X (10.4.8) 2 GB Ram ATI Radeon X800 XT

This hard drive camera records using MPEG-2. That is the same as most all of the new DVD cameras.
This format is for playback and is not intended to be used as an editing format.
You will need to convert that format into a DV format that imovie can use.
MPEG Streamclip http://www.alfanet.it/squared5/mpegstreamclip.html is free and Apple's QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component http://www.apple.com/quicktime/mpeg2/
is about $20.00. They are the tools that you need to download to convert these files.
Once you do that...these are the steps I once copied from a DCR-SR100 user...(I have not done this myself, but I assume it is similar)
To transfer the data to the Mac:
1- Plug the USB cable, once detected , press HDD on the touch screen panel
2- Go to Finder (on the Mac) then open the videos folder /MP_ROOT/100PNV01/M2U0001.MPG for example
3- Drag the .MPG file to the mac
4- Start Streamclip (see message further up the discussion)
Export using for example .DV format, readable by iMovie.
5-Import the new file in imovie
Sue

Trouble using AVCHD-Lite with iMovie '08

I am using a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS1 to import AVCHD-Lite video into iMovie'08. Having trouble with playback running faster than normal. I've heard from another post that iMovie '09 will solve the problem, is this true? Also, am using Final Cut Express 4, this too is running the import faster than normal, any recommendations?

Understand your problem. It is said that iMovie 8 can import Avchd video, but still will bring problem. To save time and in order to get good quality I now still always convert the AVCHD file to DV, MOV formats and then import to iMovie for editing. The converter i used is Moyea HD video converter for Mac, can download free for trial.
Good Luck!

How to Import AVCHD Lite From iMoves to Aperture

I am very new at this, but I have found that I can import my AVCHD Lite movies from my Panasonic camera into iMoves with no problem. Just plug in the camera card in the card reader and off we go. This is great, now I would like to move the AVCHD Lite movies from iMove to Aperture, please tell me in very simple terms how I can do this or if it is impossible

You can't import AVCHD to Aperture.
Think of it this way: Video files are huge and so folks who work with Video talk of Production Formats and Deliver Formats. So, they shoot in Production formats because they contain the most data, are less compressed and survive the editing process with minimal quality loss. They then export the finished product to Delivery formats. These are heavily compressed and not suited for further editing. But the smaller file size is ideal for delivering to the viewer.
AVCHD is a Production Format (not a pro-level one, obviously) and is designed for processing and exporting to a smaller sized deliver format. That's what Movie is for.
It's broadly analogous to shooting Raw and processing into a Jpeg.
Regards
TD

How to import AVCHD files to imovie

Hi Apple community, I just got a Cannon Vixia R300 and I can't import AVCHD to iMovie. Any suggestions. Thank you.

This camera should work easily by taking the SD card and putting it in a USB (or built-in) card reader.
Open iMovie and it should recognize the card. If it does not after a minute or so, try FILE/IMPORT FROM CAMERA.
If you import by hooking a USB cable to the camera, make sure that the camera is plugged into AC power, not batteries only.
What have you tried?

Video from JVC HD camcorder (AVCHD) jerky in iMovie

I have just purchased a JVC GZ-HM445 camcorder which records in AVCHD, the video plays perfectly from the camera to the TV when directly connected. It also plays perfecting in VLC when I drag and drop from the camcorder, but when exporting from iMovie the video is jerky!
Why does iMovie not like the AVCHD video from my new camcorder?
Intel Core 2 Duo 4MB Ram 2.4 GHz

Hi Holger
I have the same problem with Sony HDR-SR11. Takes about 5 minutes for iMovie to recognize the files.
Did you ever find a solution?
mfG,
Benny

Avchd compatible with imovie 11?

is imovie 9.0.4 compatible with avchd?

Yes, it works fine with 25 or 30 fps media provided you input direct from camera, memory card or a hard disk copy of the complete AVCHD file system.
You cannot import individual .MTS files taken from the STREAM folder unless you transcode them first.
To import 50 or 60 fps media the only way is to transcode individual .MTS files first
Geoff.

Avchd Conversion to iMovie '11?

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