Best format for importing AVCHD (.mts) files?

After reading a lot of these archives and being a very new Mac user, I think I understand what I have to do here. I have an HD camcorder that records in .mts. I can either directly import from the camera to iMovie (which takes up far too much space) or I can convert the .mts to a different format that takes up lesser space while keeping the original files saved elsewhere.
What I haven't been able to figure out is, what format is going to be the most space efficient? While I would love to have super great HD quality, these are all home movies and primarily I want to be able to view them, edit/merge clips a little for storage, possibly burn to a DVD. Some quality lost in compression is ok with me. I have handbrake and converted to .mp4, but that still seemed to take up a lot of room...about 450 MB for maybe a 1-2 minute clip. There has got to be a better way, I would imagine, that would store better and also be acceptable to iMovie without translating into AIC codec (which I know takes a lot of room). Any thoughts? I am open to other third party conversion tools. I also can use Final Cut Pro if there is a compressed file FCP uses that will be smaller and better.
Thanks!!

So, I've been playing around with things. I used handbrake to convert the .m2ts into .m4v, and when I unclicked "optimize file", the file stayed at around 32 MB, and the original .m2ts was 27 MB. I also used a VoltaicHD trial to convert (it converted to .mov), and it was 107MB. The quality in iMovie was not too different to my eye, and it looks like the different is 1920x1080 vs 1440x816.
For home movie quality type stuff (and provided I keep original files in the event I ever want to use them), is the handbrake method going to be the smallest I can get? It seems pretty good to me, an extra few MB isn't a big deal...just not sure if I'm totally missing something here. It seems like the .m4v isn't being converted to the AIC, whereas the .mov is. Handbrake is a pain b/c it doesn't seem like I can click on multiple files at once to add to queue, but to save all that space it seems worth it. Tried MPEG streamclip and it doesn't convert .m2ts. Just want to make sure I'm not missing something, because that's a huge difference in storage space.

Similar Messages

Audio component not apearing when importing AVCHD .MTS files

When importing AVCHD .MTS files into Premiere Pro the Audio component is not available (also in After Effects and Media Encoder)
What am I doing wrong :/

You could most likely convert them using a program like 5DTORGB, and then pull them back into Premiere. Although there is a chance this won't work, however in most cases I find it usually does work. Just be prepared to lose your metadata.
If your on a PC I'd recommend downloading their beta version it will allow you to transcode your AVCHD to ProRes HQ.
http://rarevision.com/5dtorgb/
All you have to is provide them a correct email address and they'll send you a download link. When you transcode though keep in mind that it's going to make your file sizes much much larger, however this because ProRes is much less compressed than AVCHD video is. You do need to keep in mind though that ProRes HQ is visually lossless. If you chose to use another free converter program you'll most likely get stuck chosing a lossy format. Another nice thing though, is that it works on MAC too. Your shooter needs to know not to do this again though, because as you already know at this point. It can cause big issues...

Importing AVCHD .MTS Files - HELP

Since having kids, I have quickly become technologically-challenged and am looking for some help.
I have a Canon HG10 videocamera that is AVCHD and all the files are in .MTS format. I haven't been able to use this in years because the hard drive is full. Back in 2008, we were told that we could use FC Express to import the files, so we shelled out good money for it, but we quickly found out that we were given bad information. So since then, the camera has pretty much sat unused and is full of videos of my son as a baby. And now he's 6 and I have also had two baby girls since then. So I would LOVE to empty the camera and put it to some good use.
WHAT DO I DO FIRST???
I have a iMac running OS Lion 10.7.5 and iMovie '11. I'm trying to scour the forums for information, but since having kids I am completely ADD and don't have the patience for reading through outdated threads.
Questions:
1) Is iMovie '10 actually a newer version than iMovie '11?
2) Is it true that iMovie '10 will allow me to import the AVCHD/.MTS files directly off my camera?
3) If yes, is this the best way to retain the quality of the files? (Clearly I'm becoming computer illiterate, so I'm not trying to produce any award-winning documentaries, but I'd like to ensure the best quality possible.
4) I think I have external hard drives full of other .MTS files - not sure how I even got them on the external hard drives. I think I remember this being a problem before because I didn't keep the folder structure or something. Will I no longer have this problem?
THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!

since version 08, iMovie imports AVCHD
just select Import from Camera...
What's new in iMovie 13 aka v10 (which is newer than iMovie11, which was v09 ... no, this silly number scheme is not my fault!!!) is the ability to import mts without it's normal 'packing' as a AVCHD-structure.
It's no good idea to 'strip off' this AVCHD-structure - for future use, just copy the whole SDcard/cam hard-drive content into some folder onto some harddrive ...

HT3775 How do I import AVCHD (.mts) files to iphoto and quicktime

How do I import,save, and play AVCHD (.mts) files to iphoto '11 and/or Quicktime?

First thing I'd try is deleting the iMovie Preferences. In the Finder, hold down the Option key and select Library from the Go menu. Navigate to the Preferences folder and find the com.apple.imovie.plist file and delete it.
Try opening iMovie.
If that doesn't work, restart holding down the shift key. It will run some disk checks (progress bar displayed), and then boot to the login window. It will say it is in safe mode on the login screen. Log in and check if iMovie works in safe mode.
From there, I'm not sure. Maybe boot into recovery hd and repair the disk.

No sound when importing AVCHD MTS files into premiere cs5.5

Hello
I have footage that was shot with the sony nx sf-100 and it is ACVHD mts files.
when I import the files to the bin, it is being imported without sound (no sound track at all when dragged into the timeline).
The footage has sound - that has been confirmed.
I am working in an AVCHD sequence and I'm importing the files using the media browser.
There are many refrences to this problem online - but all give the solution of recompresing the videos in a new format, although every documentaion cliams that premiere is supposed to take AVCHD natively including sound.
Does anyone have a solution for this?
Thanks,
Oded

My apologies. I beleive I mixed up my versions for support. 5.5.x should support PCM audio. Thank you, Jeff.
I have confirmed that I am indeed getting audio with files from a Sony NEX FS-100 camera, with CS5.5.2 on my systems. Oded, would it be possible to send me a sample file that exhibits this issue for you?
Things to try are deleting your Media cache (Preferences > Media > Media Cache Database, click Clean button). Make certain that your copy of Premiere Pro is activated: check under Help menu you should see "Deactivate..." noted.
Thank you.

Best format for importing scanned photos into FCP in HDV?

Hi,
I'm importing a lot of scanned photos into FCP, for an HDV project. I will be zooming into these images, panning, and so on.
What is the consensus on the best format to use? I was thinking TIFF but then reading about PNG I am thinking this is perhaps better.
I am dealing with large (up to 1200 dpi) image files, so size is an issue.
Many thanks for your thoughts.

Right, use a PSD with photos on different layers, Import the one document into FCP, each photo is on a different layer in FCP and you can zoom in as you wish by using key frames, once you set all your photos (Layers) the way you want all the same or different etc... you copy and paste them into the time line. I do this all the time and add transitions or effects. works well even with company logos off of a web site. You can zoom in all you want. dude
from a link you provided
PSD
Increasingly then image editability is becoming important. The obvious way of maintaining maximum information and maximum editability is to stick with the native application-specific format. Of course it was to avoid this go-it-alone anarchy that file format standards had to be developed in the first place, but the situation with bitmap images is quite special. Currently the vast majority of designers are working on their images in Photoshop and then exporting them to TIFF to use in their DTP application. Why not just cut out the middleman and support the industry standard Photoshop’s PSD format directly?
After all the format is well known. The core format PSD 3.0 format is built on a short header specifying the image size and colour channels and then three information sections called the Colour Mode Data Block, Image Resources Block and Layer and Mask Information Block defining features such as duotone settings, channels and paths and layer opacity and blend mode respectively. After that comes the image data. Naturally the PSD format can support all the advanced features we’ve already looked at such as duotones, clipping paths and channels but it also offers one feature that no other file format does. While every other format must be flattened on export, PSD is the only format that supports layers. Any program that supports PSDs directly can then leverage this layer information as Adobe ImageReady and Deneba Canvas show. Currently the DTP support is fairly basic but the possibility of changing image blend modes or editing layer text or tweaking adjustment layers depending on the actual spread in which the image appears is creatively mouthwatering.

Importing AVCHD .mts files

I'm trying to import AVCHD video clips to iMovie from my Panasonic camera, via the SD card.
Had no success so far - what do I need to do?
Thanks

iMovie should see your SDHC card from a USB card reader, or from the built in card reader if you Mac has one.
It is important that your SDHC card be unmodified after removing it from the camera. In other words, it still contains all the folder structure that the camera put there, even the empty folders. iMovie needs all that to import.
In iMovie, click FILE/IMPORT/FROM CAMERA and see if it sees your card/camera.
If it does not, it is helpful to put your card in the camera and use the Camera's menu controls to initialize (or format) the card. Do not do this if you have any valuable clips on the card, however, because this will erase them. You may want to try this with a blank card (and then shoot some test clips) to see if it helps.
If that does not get you anywhere, post back and there are a couple of other steps you can take to rescue your footage.

Best Strategy for importing a WAR file

I would like to import a WAR file into JDeveloper and run it against the embedded OC4J app server. What is the best strategy (the approach which minimizes the amount of cutting and pasting)??
I tried to use the File/Import menu selection, but that didn't seem to operate the way that I expected. I also tried using the "Existing Source" from the same menu selection with "index.jsp", but JDeveloper didn't seem to like that either (it complained that it couldn't read "index.jsp" from within a zip file. So I had to resort to "New/Web Tier/JSP Page" and then cutting and pasting the source. After that JDeveloper was happy (no "not under the root server directory" errors). But I would like to have a more streamlined approach, because these WAR file has hundreds of files.
Thanks, Norman

Did you try creating
"Project from an Existing WAR file" option.
Create an emtpy workspace
File | New
Select General
Select Projects
Select "Project from an Existing WAR file" option
raghu
JDev Team

Best format for importing slides from InDesign

I have a slideshow presentation that I created with InDesign CS. I am now creating a project in iMovie using video taped footage of this presentation. At certain points, I would like to cut away to the slide which is being discussed. What is the best format/method to do this?
I tried exporting the slides as pdfs, but in addition to the slides being blurry (both on screen and after I burnt the presentation to DVD), I could not control how long the slide remained on screen, nor adjust its dimensions.
I also tried to convert the slides to jpg and tif and gif (even png) files and, no matter what the quality, they were also blurry.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
eMac Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Hi marmino:
Welcome to discussions!
You could try saving the slides as 640X480 and then as a .pict file.
Sue

Best method for importing AVCHD

Another AVCHD question. Which method would give the best quality?
1) Import AVCHD via FCP log and capture using Pro res.
2) Import via HDMI using Blackmagic Intenisty card.
Thanks in advance. I've found a lot of good info so far by reading older posts.

Much of a muchness really ... do you intend to work in ProRes?
Log and Transfer will access the RAW data, decompress it in software and the recompress to ProRes, whereas Log and Capture will access an the uncompressed data as provided from the camera via the Intensity card and then compress that to whatever you've chosen.
If you want to work in ProRes (or AIC) then you may see faster than realtime ingest using Log and Transfer, but if you want to work in DVCProHD or other then you'd want to use Log and Capture.

Best camera for importing HD video files native to FCP?

I am researching what type of HD video camera to buy. The goal is to have video material captured to a memory card or stick and have the resultant video files available for direct import into FCP. I have used rented cameras in the past where I had to go through a convoluted process of importing the video material into iMovie, and then exporting the material from that application, so that the video files were usable by FCP.
Any info on how to judge whether a camera will create files that can be imported directly would be very helpful. I have read, for example, that if the camera creates AVCHD files, you can't edit natively in FCP. I am looking for a camera that is relatively portable, and has image quality one notch below pro standards (to keep cost under $1,500 I hope.) Thank you in advance.

Hi again, Guys.
In this discussion, the consensus was that the Panasonic HMC-40 was a good choice at a modest price for shooting HD material that would be cut on FCP 7. Sadly, I neglected to say, when I started the discussion, that ideally I need to shoot both in the US and the UK. i.e. at 60 Hz and at 50 Hz respectively. When I researched the Panasonic HMC-40 I was told that it could not switch between 60 and 50 Hz. But that the next camera up COULD switch. That camera is the AG HMC 151 E. I was told this by a Panasonic rep in the UK. But the problem is that I would like to puchase the camera in the US. The US model is the AG HMC 150. And that model it seems DOESN'T switch between 60 and 50 Hz. It only shoots 60. (Why Panasonic has done this is a mystery to me.)
On a tech discussion group about HD shooting, one person said that the problem with shooting 60 Hz in the UK is mainly lighting, e.g. if you are shooting with florescent light in the UK, you might get flicker if you use a 60Hz camera in the UK. So my questions are:
1) If I am shooting in the UK with a 60 Hz camera (i.e. a camera I have purchsed in the US that is not switchable) what are the biggest problems?
Is it only if I were shooting in florescent light, or is the quality overall a big problem.
2) If I shoot 60 Hz but am shooting in the UK, can I use FCP to convert the 60 Hz materail to 50 Hz and will that solve any image problems?
3) Now that I have mentioned that I would like to be able to shoot in the UK and US with the same camera, but that I want to buy the camera in the US, does anyone have another recommendation of a camera that is in the $2,000. range that would serve this purpose and still create files that would work well in FCP 7?
Do Sony or Canon address this switchable 60/50 Hz issue more effectively than Panasonic? In the earlier discussion, it was noted that Panasonic cameras created files that were easiest to use with FCP.
I am sure I have said things here that reveal how unknowledgeable I am about shooting HD. But this will be my first camera purchase after having been an editor for over 10 years. Any advice most welcome, and thanks in advance.

Best format for Importing video?

When I create a new event in Imovie and import video it will give me two options, "Large 960x540" (which says it will "reduce image size with little quality loss") or "Full" (which says "selecting full on this computer may result in degraged video playback").
Here is my dilemma.
I would think Full would give me the best image quality when I create a "project" and export it. So I tested it. I imported the same 15 sec clip with both options. The clips were shot from my Iphone 4s. I put both clips in the same "project". So my project is 15 seconds of "Full" video followed by 15 seconds of the same footage in "large" format. I "finalized" the project and then exported it to my desktop. I actually did it two ways, one was at 720p and one was at 1080p.
When I watch the video, it actually looks like the second half of the "project" is slightly crisper/clearer which is the part of the "project" that came from the "Large" import not the "Full" import.
Is that possible or are my eyes playing tricks on me? I am viewing it with QTplayer and utilizing my full screen of my computer which is a 13" MBP. Should the section of the video from the "Large" import look better than the "full" or vice versa?
Thanks,
Ehren

QuickTimeKirk,
We posted our responses about the same time.
I agree with what you're saying but he did ask for the best possible quality.
I imagine with all the reencoding between the formats the video isn't going to look that great.
As a side note, given the above scenario I've seen better quality video acquired, when the DVD Players output is connected straight to a mini DV camcorder and imported into iMovie.
That's just my experience when converting video of questionable quality to begin with.
I don't know how important it is to get the best quality but, there is a program called Cinematize that guarantes no loss in quality during the conversion process (never used it though).
Cinematize 2 for Macintosh $60.00
Cinematize 2 Pro for Macintosh $130.00
15 day free trail
http://www.miraizon.com/index.html

The best format for import to AE?

I am working on a music video shot in AVCHD (60i). I need to export some shots to AE for compositing. In the old SD days, I would export as Quicktime using the Animation codec. But nowadays, with HD, these files are 6GB or more in size when rendered, and they are hard to work with on my system.
I am wondering what would be a good format/codec to use to export clips from Premiere for use in AE. Keep in mind, I want to retain as much quality as possible, but still be able to work with the files comfortably.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks all.

I find the Dynamic Link option to be slow on my system
You can always render inside of PP to get smoother playback during editing.
what other format might you recommend to get that combination of immaculate compression and reasonable size
On the PC, both Lagarith and UT codecs are free and lossless*. Both work inside of PP. As you're using these only for previewing purposes, a codecs status as an "industry standard" is irrelevant.
*Take note than neither ProRes nor DNxHD are lossless.

Projects settings for AVCHD MTS files in Adobe Premiere Elements 8

Hello,
I have read several discussions already, about importing AVCHD MTS file in Adobe Elements (version 8), but I'm also confused a littlebit, so I would like to confirm if I'm correct.
FYI, I have a Canon Legria HFR26 camera and am using Adobe Premiere Elements 8 (with the latest updates installed).
According to the specs in the Canon instruction manual:
Videos are recorded in high definition using AVCHD specifications
(MPEG-4/H.264 compression).
Audio compression: Dolby Digital 2ch
The camera supports making video's in different format, but I have done it in the default SP format, which results in a resolution of 1440x1080 (50 fields per second, interlaced).
I have copied the video from the camera to my harddisk, and Windows also mentions the video's as AVCHD of 1440x1080 (Bitrate 7672kbps).
The frame rate is 25 frames/second. I assume this is correct for 50i?
So, when I import my video's into Adobe Elements 8, I select the following projects settings:
PAL, AVCHD, HD 1080i 25
Because the description matches my video files:
- For editing with 1440x1080i AVCHD camcorders.
- 16:9 interlaced HD video at 25 frames per second.
- 48kHz audio.
The video's are imported correctly and I can play them. However, as soon as I drop a video on the timeline, Adobe immediately starts background rendering the video (a red line appears on the timeline).
What I understand from some discussions, is that this shouldn't happen, because the video format doesn't match the project settings. On the other hand, I have also read that for Adobe Elements 8 this is normal behaviour and it always start background rendering AVCHD video's.
Is this expected behaviour or should I chance my projects settings or maybe even convert my video files to a different format?
Thanks,
Michiel

The ability to work natively with AVCHD files was not added until version 10, Michiel. So you'll still have to render while you work in version 8.

FAQ: AVCHD MTS files

We have heard from a number of users who have reported an inability to apply markers to AVCHD MTS files because the .mts files were moved out of the folder structure created by the camera.
For example in this screenshot I demonstrate an MTS file that has been moved out of its original folder. Prelude can ingest this file and play it, however the Marker buttons are disabled because XMP cannot write markers for MTS files that are separated like this.
Instead it is important that the folder structure created by your AVCHD camera be maintained in its entirety. You can either copy the entire card to your computer then ingest from that, or ingest directly from the camera card and use Prelude to transfer the contents to a location on your computer.
When the entire folder structure is maintained you are able to add markers to the AVCHD clips.
If the original folder structure for your AVCHD MTS files is gone and your only option is to ingest raw MTS files you can transcode the clips using Prelude and Adobe Media Encoder by enabling the Transcode option in the Transfer Options. And if you create your own preset in AME it will appear as on option in Prelude.
The transcoded file is ingested into Prelude and you can add markers to it.

When attempting to play the .MTS files in import I'm getting the 'dropped frames' error message:
"Issues that may affect playback include available memory, disk speed, graphics performance, and processor performance.
You may be able to get better performance by doing the following:
- Use proxy playback by changing the Media setting to 'Proxy' in the Viewer Options pop-up menu. (Requires proxy media.)
- Optimize your source clip media."
Could the lack of RAM in this iMac actually cause the video to speed up in FCPX? (weird)

Best format for importing AVCHD (.mts) files?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for