Help on .mts files

Hi guys,

Since last year, my client is giving me this footage in form of mts files, I believe he is using NEX-VG10. The problem of course how to get this files on FCP without problems.

I've update FCP to 10.1 so it can recognize mts files, the result is this files keep making FCP crash or slow the process on editing, even moving a mouse become a slow process.

So I turn to iSkysoft iMedia Converter, but the quality is very far from the original files, although I already use the highest format available (.mov H264 1920*1080)

than I use HandBrake 2, still, the result is very far from the original.

My question is :

1. Why is when I import directly to FCP X it works, but it make FCP very slow on process time.
2. From a ton of converter out there, which one is really good for converting mts files.

Thanks

I'm not the best when it comes to avchd but doesn't the footage come in avchd wrappers? The .mts would have been extracted from that. I may be wrong but it would be best if the client gave you either the sd cards or at least images of them. Fcpx may well need others info from the avchd wrappers

Thank for the input, for now it seems impossible for me to get a hold of the sd cards.

Did you optimize the media? You really need to do that with MPEG media.

I posted yesterday but something must have gone wrong. Try lightroom for .mts . It can export to h.264 and you can get a 30 day demo on the adobe website.

FCPX should support it natively, but how fast is your computer and how much memory do you have? You seem to have trouble processing the files, so I would let FCPX optimize them to ProRes. Converting them to a format like H.264 will result in more quality loss, and in general it will take a good amount of processing power. You say you have trouble with the native format already, which leads me to believe you might be better off with ProRes.

I use "Clip Wrapper" when I receive mts files that have been stripped of their home.

www.divergentmedia.com/clipwrap

It's quick and easy. All it does is rewrap the file into a .mov. (which is what Final cut does anyways)
You can also buy it from the app store.
(I can't remember if some meta data is lost in the move, forgive me if so.)


Full disclosure, I do not work for divergent media, but I do enjoy the mustachio'd logo of their product.

The process is very easy, and you don't need any external tools:

Select your mts file in the Import window and import the files. FCP X rewraps the mts files to .mov, which is a fast and completely lossless process.

But the rewrapped files remain in their original codec, which in the case of the NEX is AVCHD. This is a lousy format for editing. If your system cannot handle AVCHD natively you have two options:

1. Optimize the AVCHD files and work with the optimized video. This will edit much better but of course the optimized ProRes files will take up a considerable amount of drive space. If you don't need to work with very long clips this should not be a problem.

2. Create proxy files and work with the proxies. Proxies will edit even faster and they don't take up much drive space. Many times you don't even notice the difference between the proxy video and the original video in the Viewer. When the edit is finished just switch back to your original AVCHD files for high-quality exporting. This is a one-click seamless operation that is unique to FCP X.

Working with MTS is really simple in FCP X, no need for complex workarounds at all.


-Ronny