Can my Macbook Pro edit HD?

[dban23]

Got a new camcorder and think my laptop will struggle...

The camera is the Panasonic HDC-TM300 which shoots full HD in the AVCHD codec in .mts files.

My specs are below, any suggestions on how to improve the ability to edit in HD is much appreciated...

• MacBook Pro with Mac OS X 10.4.11
• 2.16 Ghz Intel Core Duo
• 1 GB 667 Mhz RAM (have already ordered an extra 1gb from mrmemory.com)
• 150GB Lacie Firewire External Drive
• 500GB Freecom USB2 External Drive
  [8]Final Cut Pro 5 (getting Final Cut Pro 7 soon)

Thanks!

 

[spice weasel]

You should be able to edit okay. Your footage is going to be imported as AIC or ProRes, which will take a while because it is processor dependent. But after that you'll be fine as long as you use your firewire disk as a scratch disk. Exporting to a delivery codec will take a while.

I don't use Final Cut Studio, so I don't know what its specific hardware requirements are, though. You should be fine, but others here can give you better information.

And upgrade your OS!

 

[FSMBP]

I would also say "yes" but I would try to bump the RAM to 3 GB (I think that's the max in a Core Duo 2.16GHZ).

Oh Final Cut Pro 7 (Final Cut Studio 3) requires Leopard/Snow Leopard, so make sure you get that too!

 

[dban23]

cool, thanks guys.
Im getting Snow Leopard so that should help.
But 2GB of RAM is the max unfortunately.

I do have an express card slot, anything i can put in there to help?

 

[acearchie]

I have the same camera and have had no problems with my Mac.

The lowlight shooting is absolutely fantastic and I would be interested to see any videos you make!

 

[tdogg0413]

Hi,

I just got this camera as well. I have a windows computer, and tried to use the supplied software. They warned that it was terrible, but wow.

I also have a mac, and I am trying to use imovie 06 to import the files to edit. Does anyone know how to do that with the TM300? I can see the .mts files on the HD, but they are greyed out.

Any help would be awesome. Thanks.

 

[notjustjay]

I also have a mac, and I am trying to use imovie 06 to import the files to edit. Does anyone know how to do that with the TM300? I can see the .mts files on the HD, but they are greyed out.

iMovie HD (06) can't handle AVCHD files. You'll need to import the files using iMovie '08 or '09. They will import the files and transcode them to Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC), which will eat up a LOT of hard drive space. However, once transcoded, you should be able to import the files into iMovie '06 and edit.

If you don't have an intel Mac (required for iMovie '08 and '09) there are third party utilities that will convert .mts files to other formats for editing.

I really, really don't like the editing capability of iMovie '08. It's brilliant for very simple trivial tasks like chopping off the beginning and end of one clip, adding a title, and throwing it onto YouTube. But beyond that -- ugh.

 

[tdogg0413]

I had a feeling that would be the case. Any ideas on those utilities? I am pretty new at the mac stuff! Thanks

 

[matteusclement]

MPEG streamclip

doesnt this software work to do this?
couldn't handbrake or visual hub OR toast?

 

[tdogg0413]

doesnt this software work to do this?
couldn't handbrake or visual hub OR toast?

I'm pretty sure MPEG Streamclip will work, I just don't have anything that will take it off the camera first. I can convert the file using MPEG Streamclip once that's been done.

 

[notjustjay]

I'm pretty sure MPEG Streamclip will work, I just don't have anything that will take it off the camera first. I can convert the file using MPEG Streamclip once that's been done.

You should be able to just pop the memory card into your Mac using a USB card reader, and copy the files to your hard drive. If you recorded onto internal memory, you should similarly be able to just plug in the USB cable and it should pop up as a drive. If it doesn't, check to see if there is a menu setting in the camera for how to behave when plugged in via USB.

 

[matteusclement]

ya

yeah, what he said.
then convert