How can I "Import" .MTS (AVCHD) files without loosing "quality"?

[Sharonen]

In the future, you can remove the SDHC card from the camera and put it in a USB card reader. Then use iMovie to FILE/IMPORT FROM CAMERA. Actually, iMovie should automatically detect the card and bring up the import screen. iMovie needs the whole card to import, not just the .mts files. While you can import directly from the card, I prefer to first make an archive copy of the card, so I can erase the card and shoot some more. On the iMovie import screen, if you scroll down, you should see an option to "Create Camera Archive.". This will make an exact copy of all the files and folders on your card, so you always have what was on your camera.


However, you still have the problem of doing something with the .mts files that you currently have. If you used the Finder to make a copy of the entire SD card, you may get lucky. In iMovie, you can click FILE/IMPORT FROM CAMERA ARCHIVE and navigate to the Folder that contains the camera files and folders.

If however, you extracted the .mts files, and have nothing else, you will need a third party app.
There are two that I can recommend. I have not used them myself, but I have heard enough positive feedback from others in these discussions that they seem to be safe. Pick one. You don't need both.

1) ClipWrap http://www.divergentmedia.com/clipwrap
2) Voltaic HD http://www.shedworx.com/voltaichd

 

[floh]

AVCHD video is stored in a folder structure, not a single file. The .MTS files hidden within said structure are merely the raw video and audio streams, that's why they are usually not supported as import format, only the whole folder structure (and this is what is called AVCHD!) is importable. It's a terrible container, yes, but really: The .MTS files are not all of it, there is stuff missing! The prime example would be a 1 hour video recording. It will be split into several .MTS files but really is only one recording. On import, it will look very different (several clips vs. one big clip) depending on whether you imported the whole AVCHD structure or just the .MTS files.

Why, oh why do people keep spreading that AVCHD=.MTS???

 

[janedesting]

first, this source video files came from your camera is MTS, which may not be inputted into your iMovie or watch directly. You should convert them first to a normal format like MP4,MOV etc.
About not losing quality, if you want to convert them into another format, there must be some quality loss more or less . You can just try to adjust the Frame rate and Bitrate to keep the quality.
I suggest you pavtube mts/m2ts converter for mac , you can google it and have a try. It's simple use and the output quality is good.
Hope this can help you.

 

[AVCHD Guy]

Great thread, thanks floh for the excellent video tutorial on containers and files.

I have an older Quad Xenon Mac Pro, a few Windows XP computers and an AVCHD Sony camera. I have been editing in Native AVCHD with Premier Elements in Windows but as is pointed out here it's a messy structure and when timelines get complicated and long, it gets painful. I would like to convert (container and/or codec/files) and edit on my older Mac. Operating system is 10.4.8. I have Final Cut Studio 5.1 and iMovie 6. My research shows so many restrictions because of my older rig but I need to get a few more miles out of this old girl.

What are my workflow options to get my ACVHD footage converted and into iMovie 6 and/or FCP 5.1 (with 10.4.8 Tiger) and start editing with the lowest practical quality loss. I am willing to use my Windows computers if needed and to buy conversion software if I have to (although free is better).

I have upgrade options, do any of these help?:

OS to 10.6 or 10.7
FCP to 6 or 7
iMovie to 8,9, or 11

Thanks,

George

 

[Dave Braine]

iMovie to 8,9, or 11

I don't know if any of those are still available, but forget about 8 and 9. They are nowhere as good as iMovie6HD in terms of what you can do with them. iMovie11 is good. You could class it as a modern iMovie6.

Once you've imported your AVCHD files, change the container(remember floh's tutorial on containers)to m4v(mp4) using RewrapAVCHD. This doesn't convert, so there's no loss of quality.
http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/39800/rewrapavchd

 

[AppleHater]

AVCHD maybe awesome in quality but I don't like the headache that comes with it. I'll stay away with cameras that support it after my own experience with a Panasonic camera. They should fix the format or come up with a better one.

 

[Netherscourge]

AVCHD video is stored in a folder structure, not a single file. The .MTS files hidden within said structure are merely the raw video and audio streams, that's why they are usually not supported as import format, only the whole folder structure (and this is what is called AVCHD!) is importable. It's a terrible container, yes, but really: The .MTS files are not all of it, there is stuff missing! The prime example would be a 1 hour video recording. It will be split into several .MTS files but really is only one recording. On import, it will look very different (several clips vs. one big clip) depending on whether you imported the whole AVCHD structure or just the .MTS files.

Why, oh why do people keep spreading that AVCHD=.MTS???

Seems the problem is with Macs and Macs alone.

On a Windows PC, you can pull JUST the .MTS video files from the PRIVATE\AVCHD\BDMV\STREAM folder on most Sony and JVC camera memory cards and not only have the full, original, lossless video & audio in it, but also the Metadata embedded right inside the same MTS file that stores the Time and Date of the video (assuming you set the clock and date on your camera correctly). You do NOT need to attach any additional text or data files with the .MTS videos to get them to work as normal, standalone video files - on a Windows PC anyway.

Some Sony cameras, for example, record BOTH .MP4 and AVCHD(.mts) videos at the same time, but they are stored in different parts of the memory card folder. The .MTS videos have time/date metadata included with them, which is why many people prefer those, especially for archiving the video for legal purposes. (surveillance & security cameras, for example)

I've been using ONLY .MTS files (and now .MT2S files too), by themselves, for over a year now on both Windows XP and Windows 7 PCs and I've had ZERO problems reprocessing them and stamping them them the time/date information.

Programs like Sony Vegas, Adobe Premier Pro, even plain old Windows Media Player and many, many others can work perfectly fine with a single .MTS video file and does not require any conversion or transcoding, which creates quality loss and loses metadata.

Macs confound me, honestly. I don't know if it's Apple trying to force everyone to their Quicktime formats/devices or what. But it completely unnecessary.

One Mac workaround for backing up or archiving original .MTS video without any file conversion (and quality loss) is to drag the entire memory card folder (the ROOT folder and everything in it - the MTS files ARE there in a sub-folder, but Macs choose to set them as hidden files) is to drag that entire root or drive folder DIRECTLY to a cloud site, like Dropbox or Google Drive. You don't put them on the Mac first. You plug in the USB, and then drag the memory card folder directly from the Camera to the cloud site's Upload window. DO NOT DRAG IT TO THE MAC DESKTOP FIRST - DRAG IT STRAIGHT TO THE CLOUD SITE'S UPLOAD WINDOW IN YOUR WEB BROWSER! Once it's on one of those sites, you'll be able to see all the hidden files and folders, including the STREAM folder which usually has the .MTS video files in it. The cloud site's browser will show you the contents of the memory card in it's entirety, unlike the browser in Apple's Macs. From the cloud site, you may or may not be able to drag the files directly onto a DVD-R for burning purposes. Or some other media. Depends on the site and how "flexible" it is with files. But Apple's Macs want to auto-convert everything to Quicktime formats, so try to avoid putting them directly on a mac at all costs. If need be, you can log into the cloud site on a Windows PC and and then do whatever you want with them from there. Whatever works.

Good luck. Hope this helps!

 

[ColdCase]

I've had nothing but glitches trying to use window 7 on these .mts and AVCHD, and windows 8 just laughs at me.... maybe other have better luck. .wtv files work nicely but the media center is no longer free

BTW, you can configure the mac os to show hidden files. It doesn't by default.

 

[joema2]

Seems the problem is with Macs and Macs alone...On a Windows PC, you can pull JUST the .MTS video files from the PRIVATE\AVCHD\BDMV\STREAM folder on most Sony and JVC camera
I've been using ONLY .MTS files...on both Windows XP and Windows 7 PCs and I've had ZERO problems reprocessing them...
Programs like Sony Vegas, Adobe Premier Pro, even plain old Windows Media Player and many, many others can work perfectly fine with a single .MTS video file...Macs confound me, honestly. I don't know if it's Apple trying to force everyone to their Quicktime formats/devices or what. But it completely unnecessary...

AVCHD is a folder-oriented storage format and is designed to stay together. It is true you can pull the individual .MTS files out -- on either Mac or PC -- and often get away with it, but it can also cause problems.

For that reason OS X tries to help users by keeping the entire AVCHD folder tree in a monolithic file package so the subcomponents stay together. You can still open the package (CTRL-click, "show package contents"), drill into the structure and copy the individual files out just like on Windows. With VLC you can play the individual .MTS files inside the package. You can import individual .MTS files into FCP X and they play OK in camera native format -- without requiring transcoding or conversion to any Apple format.

Since AVCHD folder trees are designed to stay together, certain features may only work with the entire tree. E.g, spanned clips which are too long for one file. Given the entire folder, edit software will generally automatically span these with no glitches. With the individual files you're on your own.

If SMPTE timecode is used, this may be recorded elsewhere in the folder tree, likewise sometimes GPS location info. Part of this is up to the individual camera maker and how they use the structure.

The risk is you could look at the individual .MTS files, think they play OK, then deliver those to someone else who needed that metadata and find it's not there. Or later projects could re-use that material in a more elaborate way, using that metadata. If those people then track you down and want the metadata, you look bad because it's gone and didn't understand the importance to save it.

For all those reasons OS X tries to keep the AVCHD folder together as designed. FCP X will show the individual files within the package and they can be selectively imported. You can also convert the AVCHD material to .MP4 using ClipWrap, which extracts and re-embeds the metadata and even spans long multi-clips by parsing the AVCHD metadata.

 

[bingeciren]

I always make a complete disk image of the memory card of a camera before erasing the card.

OS X Disk Utility is perfect to make a ".dmg" file to store it on an external hard disk as archive. This method preserves the entire folder structure and the resulting file is no bigger than the amount of data it contains.

Double clicking on these dmg files mounts them and the result is equal to connecting a memory card to the computer.

iMovie or any similar program will see these mounted disks as a real memory card and treat it as such.

This method works for any type of camera and it is not limited to only those with AVCHD folder structure.

 

[MacOSphere]

Free AVCHD to Mov (App) Error

On the basis of the good info found in this thread I downloaded the Free AVCHD to Mov app from he App Store on my MBP. I'm desperately trying to losslessly convert this AVCHD.iso wrapped file (that holds a BDMV file container) to m4v/mov/mp4...something I can use within iTunes.

I'm importing the BDMV container into the App and as shown in the screen shot below, it recognizes the file fine. But when I hit the Convert button, it immediately errors out. I'm also attaching the Error Log export from the session. Same thing every time.

I'm hoping someone here can help me interpret what I'm doing incorrectly and get me going in the right direction.

Error Log:

Preset: 01-Mov video Rewrap.preset.plist
Description : Rewrap Mov

Workind dir : /Users/Library/Containers/com.geranium-soft.avchdtomov/Data/Movies/Free AVCHD to Mov
Command : /Applications/Free AVCHD to Mov.app/Contents/Resources/bin/com.geranium-soft.convert -i /Users/Desktop/BDMV/STREAM/00000.m2ts -map 0 -c:a copy -vol 256 -c:v copy -movflags faststart -threads 0 -pix_fmt yuv420p -y /Users/Library/Containers/com.geranium-soft.avchdtomov/Data/Movies/Free AVCHD to Mov/20140504_170412_00000.mov

Task 1 log bellow:
ffmpeg version 2.1.1 Copyright (c) 2000-2013 the FFmpeg developers
built on Jan 3 2014 15:17:41 with llvm-gcc 4.2.1 (LLVM build 2336.9.00)
configuration: --prefix=/Volumes/Geranium/usr/local --extra-ldflags='-liconv -lxml2 -lass -lfontconfig -lfribidi -lfreetype' --disable-shared --enable-static --enable-libass --enable-libfreetype --enable-gpl --enable-pthreads --enable-version3 --enable-libspeex --enable-libopus --enable-libvpx --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libfaac --enable-nonfree --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-libx264 --enable-libxvid --enable-avfilter --enable-libopencore_amrwb --enable-libopencore_amrnb --enable-filters --enable-libgsm --enable-libfdk-aac --arch=x86_64 --enable-runtime-cpudetect

libavutil 52. 48.101 / 52. 48.101
libavcodec 55. 39.101 / 55. 39.101
libavformat 55. 19.104 / 55. 19.104
libavdevice 55. 5.100 / 55. 5.100
libavfilter 3. 90.100 / 3. 90.100
libswscale 2. 5.101 / 2. 5.101
libswresample 0. 17.104 / 0. 17.104
libpostproc 52. 3.100 / 52. 3.100

[NULL @ 0x7ff3fa841e00] start time is not set in estimate_timings_from_pts
[NULL @ 0x7ff3fa842400] start time is not set in estimate_timings_from_pts
[NULL @ 0x7ff3fa842a00] start time is not set in estimate_timings_from_pts
[NULL @ 0x7ff3fa843000] start time is not set in estimate_timings_from_pts
[NULL @ 0x7ff3fa843600] start time is not set in estimate_timings_from_pts

[mpegts @ 0x7ff3fa801000] Could not find codec parameters for stream 9 (Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle ([144][0][0][0] / 0x0090)): unspecified size
Consider increasing the value for the 'analyzeduration' and 'probesize' options
[mpegts @ 0x7ff3fa801000] Could not find codec parameters for stream 10 (Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle ([144][0][0][0] / 0x0090)): unspecified size
Consider increasing the value for the 'analyzeduration' and 'probesize' options
[mpegts @ 0x7ff3fa801000] Could not find codec parameters for stream 11 (Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle ([144][0][0][0] / 0x0090)): unspecified size
Consider increasing the value for the 'analyzeduration' and 'probesize' options
[mpegts @ 0x7ff3fa801000] Could not find codec parameters for stream 12 (Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle ([144][0][0][0] / 0x0090)): unspecified size
Consider increasing the value for the 'analyzeduration' and 'probesize' options
[mpegts @ 0x7ff3fa801000] Could not find codec parameters for stream 13 (Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle ([144][0][0][0] / 0x0090)): unspecified size
Consider increasing the value for the 'analyzeduration' and 'probesize' options

Input #0, mpegts, from '/Users/Desktop/BDMV/STREAM/00000.m2ts':
Duration: 02:01:45.34, start: 4200.000000, bitrate: 9290 kb/s
Program 1
Stream #0:0[0x1011]: Video: h264 (High) (HDMV / 0x564D4448), yuv420p(tv, bt709), 1280x720 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 90k tbn, 47.95 tbc
Stream #0:1[0x1100]: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), fltp, 640 kb/s
Stream #0:2[0x1101]: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 224 kb/s
Stream #0:3[0x1102]: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, mono, fltp, 128 kb/s
Stream #0:4[0x1103]: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 224 kb/s
Stream #0:5[0x1104]: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 192 kb/s
Stream #0:6[0x1105]: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 192 kb/s
Stream #0:7[0x1106]: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 192 kb/s
Stream #0:8[0x1107]: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 192 kb/s
Stream #0:9[0x1200]: Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle ([144][0][0][0] / 0x0090)
Stream #0:10[0x1201]: Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle ([144][0][0][0] / 0x0090)
Stream #0:11[0x1202]: Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle ([144][0][0][0] / 0x0090)
Stream #0:12[0x1203]: Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle ([144][0][0][0] / 0x0090)
Stream #0:13[0x1204]: Subtitle: hdmv_pgs_subtitle ([144][0][0][0] / 0x0090)

Output #0, mov, to '/Users/Library/Containers/com.geranium-soft.avchdtomov/Data/Movies/Free AVCHD to Mov/20140504_170412_00000.mov':
Stream #0:0: Video: h264, yuv420p, 1280x720 [SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], q=2-31, 23.98 fps, 90k tbn, 90k tbc
Stream #0:1: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), 640 kb/s
Stream #0:2: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, 224 kb/s
Stream #0:3
: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, mono, 128 kb/s
Stream #0:4: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, 224 kb/s
Stream #0:5: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, 192 kb/s
Stream #0:6: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, 192 kb/s
Stream #0:7: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, 192 kb/s
Stream #0:8: Audio: ac3 (AC-3 / 0x332D4341), 48000 Hz, stereo, 192 kb/s
Stream #0:9: Subtitle: none, 128 kb/s
Stream #0:10: Subtitle: none, 128 kb/s
Stream #0:11: Subtitle: none, 128 kb/s
Stream #0:12: Subtitle: none, 128 kb/s
Stream #0:13: Subtitle: none, 128 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (copy)
Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (copy)
Stream #0:2 -> #0:2 (copy)
Stream #0:3 -> #0:3 (copy)
Stream #0:4 -> #0:4 (copy)
Stream #0:5 -> #0:5 (copy)
Stream #0:6 -> #0:6 (copy)
Stream #0:7 -> #0:7 (copy)
Stream #0:8 -> #0:8 (copy)
Stream #0:9 -> #0:9 (pgssub -> ?)
Stream #0:10 -> #0:10 (pgssub -> ?)
Stream #0:11 -> #0:11 (pgssub -> ?)
Stream #0:12 -> #0:12 (pgssub -> ?)
Stream #0:13 -> #0:13 (pgssub -> ?)
Encoder (codec none) not found for output stream #0:9

2015/05/15 18:18:27 End of task

 

[Unami]

mp4tools might work for clip-rewrapping (at least it works for .mkv to .mp4 rewrapping). there's a free, fully functional trial (with a nag-screen - full version is only about $5) .

FCPX should now work with .mts files too. it's still preferable to keep the whole avchd folder, but if you want to get straight to the .mts files (and possibly lose some metadata), you have to right-click->"show package contents" a few times.

 

[Dave Braine]

Try using RewrapAVCHD. This doesn't convert, so there's no loss of quality.
http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/39800/rewrapavchd

 

[DSpud]

I want to clearly state: An ".MTS" file is not a complete video, it is just a very raw stream! Tons of information is missing. You could compare it to a bunch of wood from IKEA without any screws or instructions how to assemble it. Sure you can write clever programs that try to guess how it works, but this is not the purpose. Anyone who gets their eyes on such a file has been digging withing the AVCHD folder structure, which you just shouldn't do and which is much harder to do since Mountain Lion.

I just tried dragging an MTS file into iMovie and, as expected, it doesn't work at all and shouldn't. Whatever files you had must have been strange and very specific.

Everyone who reads this: .MTS files are not video files! They are raw stream data! AVCHD is complicated! Watch the video I posted above!

So any software that allows to just drag and drop such an .MTS file onto the timeline is cheating you into thinking that this is the way it is supposed to work. No professional software will do this. The hope is that the mess that is AVCHD will go away in the near future, when the upcoming high bitrates and resolutions will not fit into the container specifications anymore. Then all camcorders will record into an easier container. But until then: Just use AVCHD the way it is supposed to be used: Import from the card/backup into your editing software! It's actually quite simple if you don't think "file based" but "clip based".

I have a Sony camcorder that records in several formats. I have if Saving clips in AVCHD and MP4. But the AVCHD clips are much higher quality. So what you are saying I need to do is import them through the camcorder software or iMovie, do any editing I want to with them, and export the final project in h.254 format? I believe that's what i need to do but wanted clarification before I start this. I have about a years worth of home video to go through.

 

[phrehdd]

While it appears that Windows users have a much easier time of it, you can get a free program called TSmuxer from Doom9 site (don't let the name scare you as its been around a long time and has entire sections devoted to av media
stuff.

With TSmuxer, you can take those MTS files and simply add them together. There are choices of output for Blue Ray ISO, m2ts, ts, AVCHD folder, Blue Ray folder etc. While it may look complicated, once you see what is going on with the tabs, you can do some edits as well by start time and cut at end time and more.

After that, you can consider "TOAST" your friend for creating your own DVDs or Blue Rays.

Btw, mts file IS a media file and the rest of the AVCHD info is in a sense a table of contents and other information about the media file(s) to be played. I am unsure why someone else would say it is not other than not understanding that mts (m2ts as well) are merely wrappers for the media streams so that both audio and video (as well as subtitles etc.) are put together into one file.

I have used TSmuxer mostly on the Windows side along with other free apps and my patience has been well rewarded.

 

[agarciatv]

Learned a lot about AVCHD reading this thread. Right now, I'm batch converting the .mts files to .mp4 with HandBrake while attempting to create a .dmg of the original folder structure. One way or another, I'm going to get this video into Final Cut Pro X. I used File Rename Pro to rename the individual streams Clip 001, Clip 002 and so on based on the date they were created originally. I still haven't given up on importing AVCHD the proper way, but it's been giving me grief. This is the first time I've worked with this container and I can see why most try to avoid it.

 

[joema2]

Learned a lot about AVCHD reading this thread. Right now, I'm batch converting the .mts files to .mp4 with HandBrake while attempting to create a .dmg of the original folder structure. One way or another, I'm going to get this video into Final Cut Pro X. I used File Rename Pro to rename the individual streams Clip 001, Clip 002 and so on based on the date they were created originally. I still haven't given up on importing AVCHD the proper way, but it's been giving me grief. This is the first time I've worked with this container and I can see why most try to avoid it.

You generally should not need to convert AVCHD to anything prior to importing to FCPX. You just hit the import button in FCXP, navigate to your AVCHD file bundle and import the clips. FCPX will copy a version of your media to the library which you then edit from. You can keep your original AVCHD content as backup on some kind of external media.

 

[agarciatv]

You generally should not need to convert AVCHD to anything prior to importing to FCPX. You just hit the import button in FCXP, navigate to your AVCHD file bundle and import the clips. FCPX will copy a version of your media to the library which you then edit from. You can keep your original AVCHD content as backup on some kind of external media.

These files were given to me on a flash drive, FCP X doesn't want to import it. Granted the file is 40 GBs. It could just be that the SD card was copied and then placed inside another folder on a flash drive. I've never had this much trouble importing video before.

 

[joema2]

These files were given to me on a flash drive, FCP X doesn't want to import it....

Can the files be directly played by VLC? Can you try using ReWrapAVHCD? http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/39800/rewrapavchd

Even though you are never supposed to remove .MTS files from within the AVCHD package, normally they will still play and import into FCPX. However each camera implements that differently. It could be the missing AVCHD metadata is needed to rejoin split files or something else.