Importing AVCHD files to Macbook Pro / FCPX for archiving

Question

I recently bought the Sony HDR-cx570e videocamera and was quite upset when I found out how difficult the relation between the camera and my macbook pro was. (mid 2010 - running ML).
When the sd card reaches maximum capacity, I usually (with other cameras) just plug the camera or the card itself into my computer and "dump" the video or picture files in a selected folder for archiving.
I realized that this was not as easy with my new Sony camera. First of all, it stores all video files in one large "Private" file - which i know you can open up to find several MTS files, but I was hoping for separate mov files. Although this is obviously not the case with AVCHD cameras.
So, if I "dump" the whole Private file over to my macbook, I am able to open the whole file in quicktime  which then allows me to select which clip to view.t However, this results in a pretty messy archive system. With several "PRIVATE" files stored in one folder - not being able to catalogue the actual video files in any way. If i extract the MTS files from the folder, then suddenly quicktime cannot play them at all.
What is even more frustrating is how it works with Final Cut Pro X (FCPX).  I am able to open the "import from camera" function in FCPX, and import them as mov files (though losing my 5.1 sound to stereo). This works, in a way. I am able to get mov files from the material. But it is not a very archive friendly solution. (since i would wither have to move the material from the "original media" folders, or create an archive system within FCPX itself.)
Furthermore, FCPX is NOT able to import the "Private" folder itself. It needs to have the physical camera or SD card connected. In other words, I am not able to use any of my video files in FCPX if i have previously just copied the private folder from the card and on to the hard drive. Which puzzles me….
IN SHORT: I want to be able to just do a quick copy/backup of my video files that can be placed in a folder archive (like "vacations", "holidays", etc.) and at the same time be used with FCPX for future editing of the material. As I see it now.. this just won’t work.
So… any thoughts, ideas or help on this issue??

Answer 1

MacOS 10.8x shows the complex AVCHD structure, which includes the mts, as a single 'file'.
Which is a pkg - ctrl-click/'Show package content' and then dig deeper thru 3 other pkgs ....
To backup your recordings, just drag the whole card into any choosen location/folder on any of your harddrives - that simple.
For Archving in terms of data-base (what, where, when, who), select 'Import from Camera' and select any of your backups/'archives'.
In the following Preview, select the clips you like to file (all, few, one)
now, look at FCPX as any data-base: FCPX will automatically sort by date (Event) and pick up the basic 'exifs' (date, time, length, format, …). with a click, you can add place and 'face'/person/name. you can add your personal key-words (family, fish, fumbles) to tag any clip or part of clip for easier finding. finally, you can judge clips, put them in other Events, folding Events. To find clips, search for date or 'group name' (Events) or search for tags (birth, wedding, funeral/ma, pa, son/Ford, Ferrari, Bentley/winter, summer, spring/ … or whatever your sorting concept/keywords is.
a manual sorting of single mov/mts/… on Finder-level is
a) obsolete, and
b) old fashioned.
Tagging is much faster and more flexible ('find Grandma in all Events <2002')