batch importing from a SD card – AVCHD files

[Amy Murray]

So here is the work around I found. I go into the SD drive and click on the “private” file and “Show Package” until I see the .MTS files. I then copy the .MTS files to my desktop. Then when I go into batch import in Avid I can select them from my desktop.

I can’t seem to “show package” from the Batch import menu.

Am I correct in assuming this is what I have to do?

Thanks for your help,
Amy

[Amy Murray]

Well, seems like this work around doesn’t work. Maybe be cause it is trying to import the AVCHD file instead of converting/transcoding it? I spent about 3 hours on the phone with Avid tec. support and this is the work around they suggested but now it doesn’t look like it is working. The file looks like it is there at first, but then goes off line. When I look in the Avid Media Tool, there is not a master clip for it, even though it goes through the import steps.

Beginning to think you can’t batch import transcoded AVCHD files?

By the way I transcoded them to DNxHD 145

best,
amy

[Shane Ross]

AVCHD is a strange beast…always a pain to work with. I use ClipWrap2 to convert to DNxHD Quicktimes, and then import. If I’m doing an offline/online workflow, I’ll convert the footage with ClipWrap at full res onto an archive drive, and then AMA and transcode to low res in Avid, then relink when it’s time to online.

But mainly we avoid AVCHD cameras when cutting on Avid. Their low cost isn’t worth the cost it takes in effort to get it working properly. And OS updates that make some folders invisible on AVCHD media doesn’t help at all. That’s one of the issues you are facing.

Shane
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[Amy Murray]

Unfortunately where I work has two SonyNX5U cameras that shoot in AVCHD so I am stuck with that format.

Hi,

So if I understand correctly, the benefit of using ClipWrap to convert to DNxHD QT’s is so I can batch import if the media gets deleted accidentaly? Are there any other benefits?

Right now I am transcoding and it seems to work with editing. I didn’t run into any problems until now when trying to batch import something that was deleted. Over the years I will accumulate a lot of footage that I need to keep, so having double the files will take up a lot of drive space, which if I understand is what this process would do? (although I am setting up a back up drive for each drive, which I guess in this case would have helped.)

Thanks for your advice,

Amy

[Glenn Sakatch]

can you not transcode and then relink your sequence to the new media?

Relink your original offline clips to the new media?

Glenn

[Ben Whitehead]

I know this is very old news, but this worked for me:

In finder navigate to and select the files from the AVCHS stream you wan’t to batch import, right click and select ‘make alias’. Then drag these alias to folder you can navigate to with Avid and set those as the file location.

The advantage of doing this means the source file information will be correct, so if you need to do any conforming at a later stage, it should be pretty smooth (at least as far conforming can be).