How to import AVCHD from Panasonic DMC-FT1?

Question

Hello everybody,
I just tried to import AVCHD Lite media files from a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT1 (also known as DMC-TS1) using an USB card reader and the log and transfer function.
A preview of the media files works, even the sound is ok.
When I mark the video for import it tries to import it, but if I click on the clip its status becomes a red {!}. An offered retry gives the same result.
Sometimes, especially after a preview of the media file, the log and transfer function crashes the whole FCE application.
Thank you for your help!
Best regards,
Florian

Answer 1

Tom Wolsky wrote:
If you've tried different ones then trash your preferences, you've probably corrupted them.
OK, I tried tried this. No direct success but after changing settings I will try again.
I don't know your camera nor its terminology, what's the frame size and frame rate and audio format and sample rate?
Sorry - the technical documentation is not very good. Here is what I found out:
1,280 x 720 pixels, AVCHD Lite (SH: 17 Mbps / H: 13 Mbps / L: 9 Mbps):
[NTSC] 60p *CCD output is 30p (fps).
[PAL] 50p *CCD output is 25p (fps).
Since I live in Germany I've got a PAL model.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9110880&#9110880
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8888041&#8888041
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9039721&#9039721
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9140255&#9140255
Thanks for the links!
(None was about Panasonic, but lots about import problems like mine.)
Is the audio set to plain stereo in log and transfer?
Yes, I chose "simple stereo" instead of "matrix stereo".
Maybe this is important: The camera has only one microphone. And it has a feature called "Dolby Digital Creator".
Did you empty the cache?
I remember something like that. I'll try again.
What drive are you ingesting to? How is it formatted?
It's an external USB 2.0 hard drive. It's formatted with Mac OS Extended (Case senstive and journaled)
Do you have Perian installed?
No.
It's very possible this doesn't work with FCE, but it might, so if you give us as much information as you can maybe we can see something that can be adjusted to make this work.
Thanks a lot for your effort!
I see you're using a Mac mini. What are the full specs of that? It's going to be very borderline for editing video and some things in the application will not work.
2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4 GB RAM (3 GB usable)
Intel GMA 950 graphics using 64 MB RAM
200 GB 7200rpm hard drive
1 TB USB 2.0 external hard drive
Looking at the simple configuration of FCE, none seems to really fit:
We have "AVCHD-Apple Intermediate Codec" but not with 1280x720.
We have "HDV-Apple Intermediate Codec 720p25" but not with AVCHD.
And, of course, lots more. Which one should I choose?
Thank you, again!
Best regards,
Florian