AVCHD editing in Final Cut Studio 2 vs. HDV? Which workflow is smoother?

How is AVCHD editing in Final Cut Studio 2 compared to HDV?
I am in the process of buying a new camcorder.
Thinking about the Canon HV30, but I am considering AVCHD and the HG 10 or HF 10.
I just heard that AVCHD is tough to edit... Is this true?
I have a 24" iMac 2.8GHz Extreme Core 2 Duo with 4 Gb RAM, and I wonder if that would be enough horsepower to edit AVCHD. I also have a 1 terabyte Raid for storage.
I love the idea of being able to just transfer over clips rather than Log and Capturing through an entire dv tape, but is the workflow of AVCHD more work in the long run.
I am more concerned with workflow than even picture quality.
I have so far only worked in SD... so any thoughts from people with hands on experience and can give a good comparison of the two workflows would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

AVCHD isnt any harder to edit then HDV. We are running the SONY EX1 which is Sold State Camera. You have to use Sony XDCam Transfer software to get it into FCP.
Here is what we found.
AVCHD is a lot faster to ingest (ive found 4x realtime) and because you have to use the Sony XDcam Software for transfers you end up with better Loggin metadata (mostly because its easier at the time of transfer)
AVCHD is more expensive to run currently. With 16GB cards giving you 57 minutes of video they cost about 400 Pounds a card (im in the UK). On the plus side is you can view your footage instantly with a MacBooK Pro using the ExpressCard slot to plugin your solid state card and XDcam Viewer software.
Backup can be done in one of to ways. Use a SONY XDCam deck and store the footage on their XDCam Cartridges (way too expensive option). or use external Hardisk (we use 2 one for storage on location and second for Backup and later on for long term Storage in our Library).
When it comes to HDV we use the HDV-Z1 cameras and the process with the Z1 is just the same as with a consumer Level DV camera. It takes longer to ingest video because its realtime. But once in it runs fine. For backup its already done by the tape and again we store all Footage on Harddisk for long term storage once the project is done with the Tapes as backups. Oh.. and also the tapes are really cheap compared to the Solid state cards.
I have to say i was happy with AVCHD at first because the initial setup was very expensive. BUt once setup the workflow is smoother and faster the HDV tape based system. I do find the quality to be better as well on AVCHD.
I hope that helps

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Save your pennies and look for a refurbished or used MacPro. Early 2008 or newer 8 core machines w/8GB of RAM running 4 instances in QMaster will chew through material.
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Help please importing mpeg files to be edited with Final Cut Studio

Hey everyone, new to the video editing thing. I have a JVC GY-HM100U Pro HD camcorder and a MacBook Pro 5,1 with 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4 GB 1067 MHz DPR3, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M & NVIDIA GeForce 9600MGT running OSX 10.5.8. Have recorded footage in mpeg4 and want to now edit using Final Cut Pro 7. Have downloaded Quicktime Pro and am still getting a "the movie could not be opened when trying to import the mp4 file. The movie contains some invalid data" window when trying to open the mpeg4 file. I have also downloaded DivX, FF Player, & Handbrake if these help convert to another supported file format. Please help!

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Have you tried to import the clips via Log & Transfer?
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Have downloaded Quicktime Pro....
QuickTime Pro is installed automaticallly with Final Cut Studio. No need to buy it again.
I have also downloaded DivX, FF Player, & Handbrake...
That software is all pretty much useless for working with Final Cut Studio.
MPEG Streamclip is free and much better.
Tutorials and download links:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2059475&tstart=0
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2070861&tstart=0

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Greetings,
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You may want to also post here:
Final Cut Studio forum:
http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=123
Content creation with Final Cut Studio
http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1137
I see you have the GT120, not a very nice card really but maybe it is 'enough.' I'd upgrade. To ATI Radeon 4870, once you get it stable and working.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10251193&tstart=0
I see your crash is kernel panic actually.
Exception Type: EXCBADACCESS (SIGBUS)
Exception Codes: KERNPROTECTIONFAILURE at 0x0000000000000000
Crashed Thread: 194
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Watch System Profile - Memory tab
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Disabled ALL USB and Firewire devices?
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Getting RAM replaced, advanced exchange, or go out and getting some Kingston or Crucial etc for your system, and swapping, really is one good method, trial and error, to find the cultprit or rule out RAM.
Errors like this can mean flushing your caches is a must, and possibly due to errors and crashes, clean system install, checking data (both time consuming) and being careful to recheck your drives with Disk Warrior and/or TechTool Pro 5 to insure there are not any corrupt files (not perfect either which is why restore the system from known good backup image can be a must).

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Well, you can't use the file he sent unless you upgrade. But if you get the card dumps back, you should be able to LOG AND TRANSFER to ProRes on your system fine. Or was that the issue? They had garbage at the end?
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Did you uninstall the 1st version with AppZapper? Gotta be some registry type files still lingering around.
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Trying to install Final Cut Studio on my Lion Notebook

Hey guys,
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> Will I run into any issues if I install Final Cut Studio 3 to run in conjunction with Final Cut X?<
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bogiesan

How many disks come with Final Cut Studio?

Sounds like a funny question, but somebody gave me these disks and I just want to know if I have them all before I install, and is there any sequence to the installation?
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It is indeed a strange question and you were extremely lucky to be given $1,000 worth of DVDs.
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Final Cut Studio 2 and Sony SR1e | AVCHD Format

Hi,
I'am new to this forum and can't find any useful information regarding the support of the AVCHD-Format used by Sony's SR1e.
So does the latest Final Cut Studio 2 support the .mts AVCHD Format by the SR1E?
I see Sony in the partner list, but the cam is not on the device list.
I found some scripting and complicated ways to convert the .mts to mpeg, but maybe there is a smarter solution out there?
Or is it really true, that I have to use the Nero Burning Application on Windows to convert the AVCHD's instead of the latest Final Cut Studio editing software?
btw: Squared 5's Streamclip Software is not able to convert the .mts files.
Kind Regards, Carlo

Hi,
I'am new to this forum and can't find any useful
information regarding the support of the AVCHD-Format
used by Sony's SR1e.
So does the latest Final Cut Studio 2 support the
.mts AVCHD Format by the SR1E?
I see Sony in the partner list, but the cam is not on
the device list.
I found some scripting and complicated ways to
convert the .mts to mpeg, but maybe there is a
smarter solution out there?
Or is it really true, that I have to use the Nero
Burning Application on Windows to convert the AVCHD's
instead of the latest Final Cut Studio editing
software?
btw: Squared 5's Streamclip Software is not able to
convert the .mts files.
Kind Regards, Carlo
Not sure about FCS2 but you do have options with a capture card and bring in to FC in many different codecs. Depending on your computer you could use a Black Magic Intensity card for the all digital HDMI port on this camera and bring it in as DVC PRO HD and edit in an all digital all I frame codec. Even if Apple comes out with support for this AVCHD you may still want to avoid it as most HDV shooter/editors do.
Good Luck
Z1&V1user

Which codec to use for editing AND motion graphics (ala Final Cut Studio)?

I have a prosumer-level AVCHD camcorder (Panasonic HDC-TM700) and am working with Final Cut Studio. After doing a great deal of research it appears that there is NO real benefit to using any codec other than ProRes 422 for straight editing (a camera at this price point doesn't shoot images of a high enough quality to warrant using 422 HQ, which also requires more processor power, and not only does 4444 require rendering it also takes up a ton of space). However, I have read (many times) that there may be some benefit to using 422 HQ if I am doing motion graphics work (ala Motion 4). Can anyone verify this? Would it make any discernible difference when shooting with a camera like this? Even though it is a prosumer camcorder I am trying to squeeze as much value as I can out of the entire production.
Any input or advice?
Thanks!

Please don't double post.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=13122088#13122088
x

I'm a bit confused. Since my original camera format was 720/60p, and I converted the footage to Pro Res422 in order to edit in Final Cut Pro 7, should I convert back to a higher quality format before sending the file to DVD Studio Pro?

I'm a bit confused. Since my original camera format was 720/60p, and I converted the footage to Pro Res422 in order to edit in Final Cut Pro 7, should I convert back to a higher quality format before sending the file to DVD Studio Pro? If so, which Compressor codec is best to use in order to preserve the original 720/60p? How do I maintain the highest quality?

No...ProRes is a high quality format. Finishing format. Many TV networks take that as a final deliverable.
BUT...DVDs aren't high definition...they are SD. You cannot make a 720p60 DVD with DVD Studio Pro. Any DVD you make will be SD...720x480. The only HD DVD format out there is BluRay, and for that you need a BluRay burner.
As for making a high quality DVD...using the BEST QUALITY settings in Compressor will work:
#42 - Quick and dirty way to author a DVD
Shane's Stock Answer #42 - David Roth Weiss' Secret Quick and Dirty Way to Author a DVD:
The absolute simplest way to make a DVD using FCP and DVDSP is as follows:
1. Export a QT movie, either a reference file or self contained using current settings.
2. Open DVDSP, select the "graphical" tab and you will see two little monitors, one blue, one green.
3. Select the left blue one and hit delete.
4. Now, select the green one, right click on it and select the top option "first play".
5. Now drag your QT from the browser and drop it on top of the green monitor.
6. Now, for a DVD from an HD source, look to the right side and select the "general tab" in the track editor, and see the Display Mode, and select "16:9 pan-scan."
7. Hit the little black and yellow burn icon at the top of the page and put a a DVD in when prompted. DVDSP will encode and burn your new DVD.
THATS ALL!!!
NOW...if you want a GOOD LOOKING DVD, instead of taking your REF movie into DVD SP, instead take it into Compressor and choose the BEST QUALITY ENCODE (2 pass VBR) that matches your show timing. Then take THAT result into DVD SP and follow the rest of the steps. Except you can choose "16:9 LETTERBOX" instead of PAN & SCAN if you want to see the entire image.

AVCHD editing in Final Cut Studio 2 vs. HDV? Which workflow is smoother?

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