Mts files and fcpx. Help

[mcphee7]

Hi. I am soon going to buy a mbp and fcpx. I have a lot of mts files on my external hdd, and they are also still on my camera (which stores it's files on a hdd too). However, I have read that fcpx does not like mts files and won't import them. If this is true, then it properly sucks and I simply won't buy it.

I'm new to all this and need some advice. I have done a search but nothing specific to my needs came up.

Thanks in advance.

 

[cgbier]

Of course, there's a lot for your needs: Copy the complete file structure from your cards, and no Apple program will have a problem using the embedded .mts

 

[mcphee7]

Of course, there's a lot for your needs: Copy the complete file structure from your cards, and no Apple program will have a problem using the embedded .mts

Thank you for your reply. Reading between the lines of your post, does that mean that fcpx will read and import directly from my camera? I still have all the files stored on the cameras own HDD.

 

[treestar]

Thank you for your reply. Reading between the lines of your post, does that mean that fcpx will read and import directly from my camera? I still have all the files stored on the cameras own HDD.

Yes. In fact it will be easiest to import direct from the camera.

 

[mBox]

ProRes

Id keep them in ProRes as back-up and as working files.
Also use the proxies.
Some MTS code tends to chunk out here and there during playback.

 

[xizar]

The above about "no Apple program will have a problem using the embedded .mts" is not true. I refer you to iPhoto and Aperture (I find this very irritating as my videos are geo-tagged.)

However, FCPX will grudgingly import your .MTS files. My camera records avchd video, and I've successfully imported recent and old video directly.

Depending on your system's horsepower, you shouldn't need to convert them to ProRes; I haven't had any issues on a late 2009 27" imac.
Why convert to another format for the backup?

 

[treestar]

Why convert to another format for the backup?

The way .mts stores information in the folder directory makes it a terrible format to save as a backup.

 

[xizar]

... oh wow.

Am I doing something wrong, then? I've just been dragging and dropping the .MTS file by itself.

Am I losing stuff?

 

[treestar]

It could depend on your camcorder. I believe information like the length of the clip is stored in the file directory. With that information the video editor automatically rejoins the broken .mts files. Some programs will not import .mts files but will import if the entire file structure from a camera is intact.

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Maybe you can see why it's just better to store them in ProRes. Who knows what kind of support will be there 2 years from now. I'd choose to pick something less finicky.

 

[mBox]

... oh wow.

Am I doing something wrong, then? I've just been dragging and dropping the .MTS file by itself.

Am I losing stuff?

Just a workflow issue. I would always ingest using whatever the host app is good at and with FCPX the Import from Camera option is best.
Just check your Prefs for format and where it imports too.
I would suggest proxies.

 

[iHateMacs]

I asked a similar question and someone here pointed me in the direction of Clipwrap. It wraps the mts files so they look like mov files. No transcoding is done so the quality it kept and it works as quickly as copying the files.

I use it all the time and I can edit these files without the need to make proxies.

In my case I had a lot of old MTS files without the rest of the directory structure so Clipwrap was a godsend.

 

[xizar]

Do you know if Clipwrap preserves GPS information?

I need to go into FCPX when I get home and look to see if that's in the video info. I never bothered to check after import. Fortunately I still have a bunch of recent stuff on the camera; FCPX does not offer to automatically delete stuff, the way that iphoto and aperture do.

 

[mutantteenager]

.mts files are generated on AVCHD cameras and in FCP 7 you'd use 'Log and Transfer' to bring these into FCP. I would assume it's the same on FCP X.

I've worked directly off the card and from a Hard Drive and as long as the folder structure is the same as it was when recorded, you should have no problems getting the clips in. I would agree that converting to ProRES is a good option. AVCHD in a workflow stinks.

My suggestion is to take your drive/footage into your local Applestore and have them demonstrate the import of your clips - and if possible on the laptop you're looking at. You can then judge the overhead involved in your workflow, and you might find a better processor/GFX combo might suit you better.

Either way good luck.

 

[cgbier]

.mts files are generated on AVCHD cameras and in FCP 7 you'd use 'Log and Transfer' to bring these into FCP. I would assume it's the same on FCP X.

It looks a bit different, smells a bit different, has a different name, but it is still about the same. What you're missing is the transcoding while FCP imports the stuff. Until the background render/transcoding is done, you are working with the "native" camera files.

GPS? FCP X is very strong with meta data, so I'd assume it reads out your GPS data. As long as you copy the whole file structure from your card to keep them meta data intact ....