Extracting Files from the AVCHD

I have about 4 files that are HVCHD files that I need to import into final cut pro 10.1. All original cards have been formatted and I only have the HVCHD archive files left that plays back beautifully except I can not place it into final cu pro in order to edit it. I need to edit it and burn copies of this project, since it was a one time only play were we collected :blush: money for the DVDs prior to having the DVDs ready. If I can not edit this I am screwed please help! :pinch:

Do you mean AVCHD? What do you actually have? Post screenshots.

If you find the AVHCD "container" in the PRIVATE folder, right click on it and select "show package contents". Then you'll see another container called BDMV. Show package contents again. Open the STREAM folder, you'll see your videos as .mts files. I just convert them with Handbrake (free - it's a great tool) to mp4 as a matter of routine. No problem importing into FCPX at that point.

Myles

Why don't you import the right way so the application can rewrap it properly for FCP?

Tom Wolsky wrote: Why don't you import the right way so the application can rewrap it properly for FCP?

Could you tell me what that is? Like a lot of stuff when I'm learning, I tend to grab something that works and move on to the next 13,459 things I don't know.

I'd really like to know.

Thanks,

Myles

mylescdavis wrote: ....Open the STREAM folder, you'll see your videos as .mts files. I just convert them with Handbrake (free - it's a great tool) to mp4 as a matter of routine. No problem importing into FCPX at that point....

In this case the OP does not have the original AVCHD bundle -- apparently just the .mts files.

Why not import the .mts files directly? Why externally transcode first? I have imported many .mts files from a wide range of cameras to FCPX, and so far I haven't found anything it won't handle.

As Tom said the ideal workflow is import directly from the AVCHD bundle so FCPX will re-wrap that for you, and there's no issue with missing metadata files.

In some cases I will externally re-wrap AVCHD using ClipWrap or other tools, but this is to facilitate external, Finder-level browsing of the clips. However I rarely do that anymore because (1) we have mostly eliminated AVCHD in my group and (2) FCPX is so fast it's easier to just import everything from AVCHD and not try to examine and tag it externally.

However the OP may have a case where she has a flavor of .mts that will not import. In that specific situation then transcoding or re-wrapping might be needed.

Thanks, that's very helpful. I went down the wrong path because I was having problems seeing the AVCHD files in Quicktime. I haven't done much importing directly into FCPX from my cameras, as I had gotten used to putting everything onto my Mac first. The AVCHD file structure also confused me, and I was trying to grab the individual files.

They do import fine into FCPX (as you know, but I didn't ), either as a package through the Import Media dialogue, or by dragging and dropping the mts files.

File handling is one of the major brain adjustments I'm encountering coming from Pro Tools.

Myles