Import 1080 60p AVCHD to iMovie!

The latest iMovie`11 (version 9.0.4) will not import 1080 60p AVCHD 2 videos directly from my Sony NEX-5N camera. The easy workaround is to copy the video files to the hard drive (best done with BootCamp Sony Picture Motion Browser) and then rewrap the 1080 60p (.mts and .m2ts) videos into QuickTime (.mov) movies, using either ClipWrap or Media Converter. Rewrapping AVCHD 2 video also avoids the time-consuming transcoding into Apple Intermediate Codec, which can quadruple the video file size and cause slight IQ loss.
I did some tests, trying to decide between ClipWrap and Media Converter with AVCHD Plugin:
- iMovie`11 will import, display, and render ClipWrap and Media Converter rewrapped videos without problem.
- During importing, iMovie`11 will transcode ClipWrap videos even if the "Optimize video" is unchecked unless a Hidden Function is activated in the Terminal, on the other hand, iMovie won't transcode Media Converter files if the "Optimize video" is unchecked.
- ClipWrap and Media Converter rewrapped videos appear pretty much identical to the source; HOWEVER...
- Export using QuickTime to Apple Intermediate Codec: ClipWrap file produces a more contrasty image with shadow areas appear less blotchy than Media Converter.
- Export using QT to H.264: ClipWrap file also produces a more contrasty image with shadow areas appear noticeably less blotchy than Media Converter.
Somehow ClipWrap rewrapping method makes a noticeable difference in the export qualities so I'll be using ClipWrap instead of the Media Converter!
To export edited 1080 60p videos from iMovie, go to "Share / Export using QuickTime... / Options / Video" and make sure "Size / Dimensions" is set to 1920X1080 and "Settings / Frame Rate" is set to 59.94. Despite the fact that iMovie`11 "File / Project Properties..." show "30fps - NTSC", 1080 60p video can be exported and will play smoothly on Macs fast enough to handle the format.
Here are some samples showing the differences in export image qualities.

Hi jonpais,
The best codec is Apple ProRes for FCP. Due to the difference in the compresstion standard of AVCHD and ProRes 422, the converted files are significantly larger than the original ones. If you prefer smaller file size, please choose “Apple ProRes 422 (LT) (*.mov)” instead.
ProRes 422 (HQ): offers the utmost possible quality for 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 sources and provides target data rate of approximately 220 Mbps and higher quality than Apple ProRes 422;
ProRes 422: provides target data rate of approximately 145 Mbps and higher quality than Apple ProRes 422 (LT);
ProRes 422 (LT): provides roughly 70 percent of the data rate of Apple ProRes 422 (thus, smaller file sizes than Apple ProRes 422) and higher quality than ProRes 422 (Proxy);
ProRes 422 (Proxy): provides roughly 30 percent of the data rate of Apple ProRes 422 and high-quality offline editing at the original frame size, frame rate, and aspect ratio;
ProRes 4444: offers the utmost possible quality for 4:4:4 sources and roughly 50 percent higher than the data rate of Apple ProRes 422 (HQ).
If you want to know more, there is a prores link, maybehelp you: http://mts-to-aic-converter.com/transcode-sony-cx360v-1080-50p-60p-mts-to-prores -422-hq-for-final-cut-pro-on-mac/
Good Luck!

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These discussions show that the same video-playback problems started with Lion even on 2011 i7 27" iMac and continues to ML:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/16160679#16160679
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3204054?start=0&tstart=0
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Many questions. 1080/60p AVCHD. Gamma issues?

Question #1. Does it support 1080/60p AVCHD files?
Question #2. Are the colors all off on editing and export like imovie and quicktime?
Question #3. Is it better than Premiere Pro CS5.5?

See this: http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/specs/
mish

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Welcome to the forum.
As Jim points out, the DD 5.1 SS SurCode Encoder is available from Minnetonka Audio HERE.
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Anyone who knows cannot say, or risk spending the rest of their life in court.

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Why is there an incompatibility between imovie video input and Panasonics HDC TM900K video output of 1080/60P? Is it likely that iMovie will be upgraded in the future to accomodate the higher resolution video?

Here are some things that may be helpful.
1) FCPX will import 60P and edit it.
2) iMovie 9.04 will take the 60P AVCHD footage that I have converted to .mov through the free mediaconverter, and let me edit it, though it downgrades it to 29.94fps. So one can convert and use 60P footage, though it gets cut in half.
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I think Apple is slow to adopt the AVCHD2 standard with 60P because most of the users of iMovie are using older computers that would really struggle with the huge files that 60P creates.
But FCPX finally got 60P editing...so who knows about iMovie.
What gets downconverted in iMovie might be 120mb in 1080, and so useable in iMovie and YouTube, but a full 1 GB in 60P ProRes.
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Hello Forum,
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I don't know about Final Mate, I have read about Voltaic HD and ClickWrap though.
http://www.divergentmedia.com/clipwrap
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Re: Can you import 1080 60P material in Elements 11, as an example from a Panasonic HDC-TM900 camcorder?

It is not about a slow computer (míne is new and fast) or an apple computer (I use windows 8) but it's about video quality and editing usability. Down under are the specifications of my camera, you can see the panasonic has different options and the MOV 50p had better quality (because of the higher bitrate), it is easier to use then the highly compressed AVCHD with video editing and I can use it also on a MAC (if I would like to). That is because I use MOV (and professionals like it too). So I need a MOV 50P setting and nog the AVCHD setting (I already installed the AVCHD setting as described above). It is true the panasocic is new and it is not very common in the consumer market to use MOV (most camcorders use AVCHD indead) and most DSLR don't have the 50p resolution yet it is still rare these days.
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these are the video specifications of the Panasonic GH3
MOV (H.264) resolution, frame and bit rates
• 1920x1080 (60p/50p): 50Mbps
• 1920x1080 (30p/25p): 50Mbps (IPB), 72Mbps (All-I)
• 1920x1080 (24p): 50Mbps (IPB), 72Mbps (All-I)
• 1280x720 (60p/50p): 50Mbps (IPB), 72Mbps (All-I)
• 640x480 (24p): 10Mbps
MP4 (H.264) resolution, frame and bit rates
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• 1920x1080 (30p/25p): 20Mbps
• 1280x720 (30p/25p): 10Mbps
• 640x480 (30p/25p): 4Mbps
AVCHD resolution, frame and bit rates
• 1920x1080 (60p/50p): 28Mbps
• 1920x1080 (60i/50i): 24/17/13Mbps
• 1920x1080 (24p): 24/17Mbps
• 1280x720 (60p/50p): 17/13Mbps
Audio
44.1kHz Mono (Internal Mic), Linear PCM
File Formats
MOV, MP4, AVCHD
I will continue at a new discussions (because originally it's about panasonic 60p and that is indeed AVCHD like most camcorders and that solutions works):
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1169776

One of the beauties of Non Linear Editors is that at final output rendering, it goes to the source. It is not rendered twice.
The single most confusing subject I've run into trying to learn editing is how this works. Here is what I think happens.
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Is Panasonic developing a plugin for FCP X that allows you to import Panasonic HDC-TM700 1080/60p footage straight into it without transcoding?

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Hey guys!
I just downloaded Clipwrap to import my 60p footage into FCPX. I downloaded the demo and realize it will only convert up to a 1min file.
When I re-wrap and nativate to my re-wrapped file, I can see (and hear) that it preserves my 5.1. When I play it back, the audio stops about half way (odd). When I import it into FCPX, there is no audio at all. Will FCPX not edit AC-3?
If I keep the LPCM boxed checked on Clipwrap, I get a mono audio file.
Can someone step out a workflow for me that gets me re-wrapping in Clipwrap, retaining 5.1 and editing in FCPX?
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That's interesting...it only converted it at 59.94, it looks like it optimized it as H.264. Am I reading that wrong? Are you sure there is no way to choose settings when optimizing?
Regardless, this makes sense as to why I'm seeing stuttering.

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I'm guessing you've found ClipWrap2 to be better than competing products [such as AVCHD Converter for Mac, Toast Titanium, or Voltaic].
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Hi
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Import 1080 60p AVCHD to iMovie!

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