Voltaic is Necessary

[harddriveowner]

I have been playing with AVCHD and FCP is supposed to be able to be able to import it with no problem. Wrong. Unfortunately importing AVCHD into FCP gives choppy video. Converting the video to .mov via Voltaic and then importing to FCP gives a normal smooth video. When will Apple figure out that most new camcorders don't have firewire any more. They need to either update FCP or add the conversion software themselves.

 

[Courtaj]

When will Apple figure out that most new camcorders don't have firewire any more?

I feel a brawl coming on . . .

 

[NeoMayhem]

I have never had a problem importing AVCHD into FCP. Since it is faster to import then DV/HDV with firewire, I dont see what the problem is.

What resolution are your files? Are you transcoding to AIC or ProRes?

 

[LethalWolfe]

I have been playing with AVCHD and FCP is supposed to be able to be able to import it with no problem. Wrong. Unfortunately importing AVCHD into FCP gives choppy video. Converting the video to .mov via Voltaic and then importing to FCP gives a normal smooth video. When will Apple figure out that most new camcorders don't have firewire any more. They need to either update FCP or add the conversion software themselves.

What camera are you using? What settings are you using? What does FW have to do w/FCP's ability to convert AVCHD?


Lethal

 

[kaidomac]

I have been playing with AVCHD and FCP is supposed to be able to be able to import it with no problem. Wrong. Unfortunately importing AVCHD into FCP gives choppy video. Converting the video to .mov via Voltaic and then importing to FCP gives a normal smooth video. When will Apple figure out that most new camcorders don't have firewire any more. They need to either update FCP or add the conversion software themselves.

Here's an interesting article for you to read:

http://blog.threeweekhobby.com/2008/08/new-hd-camcorder-data-rates.html

Basically the author says that AVCHD is a "non-editable" format and you HAVE to convert it into something like ProRes if you want to add effects or anything other than basic in/out edits. It's simply too processor intensive for current computers. So despite it being digital, you're still stuck with a conversion requirement to use it in the Apple ecosystem. Luckily VoltaicHD is very, very good and can batch-convert for you, so you can get home and import & transcode your footage, then have it ready for you to edit natively within FCP or whatever you use.