Simple AVCHD conversion for PPC Mac

Question

Hi,
I've got a Power PC Mac (dual 2.5) with Final Cut Studio (version 5.1.4) and want to do something really easy (at least easy in my mind this should be easy)--I want to purchase an HD camcorder, record a video and then edit that video in Final Cut Studio.
Here is the rub--for some unknown reason, apple does not have the technical ability to allow AVCHD to be edited in the older version of Final Cut and/or on a Power PC based Mac. So, what I need to do is convert the AVCHD to a format that my version of Final Cut can work with--any ideas on how to do this....as Quicktime can't seem to do it (and no, I refuse to spend $3,000 for a new computer and 500 for a software upgrade).
Right now, I'm being forced towards getting a JVC GZ-HD6 (instead of my favored Canon HF10) since it's file format can be converted in Quicktime for use in Final Cut. What gives...is AVCHD video conversion really that hard--if it is...why is AVCHD so popular when JVC puts out something that works--their version can be converted easily. And for that matter, why can't Final Cut simply just work with the JVC file version?
Another question I have...if someone can help me out.... why is there such a compelling drive to have final cut work with specific cameras? Why not just download the video to the hard drive and work from there?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Vic

Answer 1

Andy Mees wrote:
for some unknown reason, apple does not have the technical ability to allow AVCHD to be edited in the older version of Final Cut
Its not an unknown reason, Victor. Your older version of FCP was coded prior to the establishment of AVCHD as a mainstream consumer format that might reasonably be expected to be need to be supported. Just as my old 4:3 black and white TV can't display a color picture or an HD picture or a full frame 16:9 picture, because it was engineered prior to the establishment of such formats, I'd need to upgrade it (replace it with a newer set) to get support for such newfangled technology ... you need to upgrade your version of FCP if you want support for the latest video formats.
I would beg to differ here.....its not like we are changing from an analog signal to a digital one (fundamental hardware differences), we are talking just a data compression format--just a different way to visualize and store data--it shouldn't take a $500 upgrade to do that--and with the previous analogy, it would require an upgrade of my Macintosh...which it shouldn't require, because in the end, it is just 1's and 0's and how they are stored on a hard drive and manipulated by the CPU and video card. So I'm still having a difficult time understanding why AVCHD can't work on a Power PC based Mac other than someone just doesn't want to code it.
what I need to do is convert the AVCHD to a format that my version of Final Cut can work with--any ideas on how to do this
You can try VoltaicHD from ShedWorx, which can convert your source files to a format (Apple Intermediate Codec) which is supported by your hardware/software
http://www.shedworx.com/?q=volmac-home
Thanks!
What gives...is AVCHD video conversion really that hard
Yes actually it is very complicated. AVCHD is a highly compressed acquisition format and certainly not a post production format as the complexity of the compression algorithm does not lend itself to real time processing (at least not yet with the current state of technological advancement).
But doesn't the latest version of Final Cut (only on an Intel based Mac that is) work with AVCHD? If so, why can't it work on a Power PC?
why is there such a compelling drive to have final cut work with specific cameras?
As with any complex hardware/software setup. Some configurations will be known to be fully compatible and some less so. This is just the real world and the way it works. You can find a full list of directly and fully supported hardware on Apple's Final Cut Studio support site.
http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/resources/supportdevices.php
What I meant here is why is Final Cut wedded to specific camcorders rather than being an open system that is wedded to data formats--if it is tied to a data format, vice hardware, upgrades to different data formats should not be difficult--a SOA and open ended architecture should be standard in this day and age.
Again, thanks for all the help and information!
Vic