Importing AVCHD Lite into FCE

[Andrew Reinstein]

Mirco,
thanks again for your advice, and running thru it again. I think I may need to
RTFM a bit more, as I think you’ve given me what I need to set it up, but I still need to learn the program more in order to use it properly.

thanks
andy

[John Clark]

For some reason, even though I do a log and transfer and can see the clips, they don’t import to FCE 🙁

I don’t like using handbrake/mpeg streamclip for the very reason that every conversion is lossy

[Andrew Reinstein]

That’s exactly what’s happening for me. I can see it, play it, but thats it. I’m a noob at FCE, so I’m hoping that it’s something in the manual regarding preferences that I’m missing.

My other question concerns comments I’ve read that say that after using Apple Intermediate Codec to convert AVCHD for use in FCE, that the file size multiplies greatly.
If the reason to use AVCHD is for smaller file sizes, than why convert to make it bigger ?

andy

[Peter Glossop]

I had problems importing AVCHD Lite files from my Lumix camera and was using Voltaic to convert the files and then import to FCE. The files looked fine and worked OK in the timeline and Canvas window, but when I exported to a quicktime file, wherever there was a transition the movie would be very jerky. I tried the same timeline export without transitions and the QT ran OK on the edits.
After reading previous posts on this thread I replaced the AVCHD folder in my FCE application (Ver 4.0.1) with the one from IMovie Ver 8.0.6 821 (as detailed earlier in this thread). I chose Easy Setup in FCE with the following details: Format: HD, Use: AVCHD Apple Codec 1440x1080i/50

From the Log & Transfer window all the clips showed up clearly from my attached Lumix memory card and they all imported (loaded) OK.

The only slight problem I had was when I dragged the clips to the Canvas window, at which point the message ‘Sequence & External video should be set to the format of the clips you are editing. Change sequence settings to match the clip settings? Options: change or not change’ appeared. I chose ‘Change’ and everything worked OK from thereon. (I tried a second time and chose ‘Don’t Change’ at this error message. Editing was OK and the project ran OK from the timeline but when I exported to a QT movie the process took 20 times longer. I can only think the files had to be converted to another setting during this process. I’ll stick with ‘Change’ in future).

I’m sorry this explanation is so long but I sometimes think details are important with these complicated setup problems. This worked for me – it may not work for you. Good luck.

[John Clark]

when you start a new project, you want the sequence settings in FCE to match the settings of the clips you want to edit. If they’re different, it gives you the option to change, which you have.

[Peter Glossop]

yes thanks John I’m sure you are correct. As I don’t know exactly which settings are different I think the best way is to let FCE make the changes for me.

[Mike Mcsweeney]

Last night I imported a queue of 600 1920×1080/50i clips into FCE (Panasonic TM700, iMac, Snow Leopard and FCE – both latest versions) directly from TM700’s internal memory. 8% of the queued clips had the error “no data” . All clips played in the preview window.
This is the third set of clips imported from this camera – the previous two gave no problem. I tried to import a selection of the “no data” clips into a new FCE project after re-booting with the same result.
I get the impression from the previous posts in this thread that people were either completely successful or unsuccessful in importing clips.
The only oddity I noted in the preview window: top right “time” showed 01 as a suffix on clips from the queue which imported ok. on “no data” clips the suffix was 00.
The only difference between this and the previous imports was that prior to this import, I trimmed a considerable number of clips on board the Panasonic, but as the trims were not limited to the “no data” clips, I cannot see that this contributed.

[Mike Mcsweeney]

Update on “8% no data error message”:
The 00:00:00:00 (top right of clip viewer) is on all the clips with the “no data” status. As this has only occurred on import sessions AFTER I have trimmed some clips on board the TM700, I can only assume that something required by “log and transfer” is being stripped from certain clips (I definitely trimmed more than 8% of clips in the batch).

This is what I did to import the “no data” clips.
Move all the imported clips into a bin in the FCE project.
Queue each “no data” clip via the preview window in “log and transfer”, putting a “mark in” point at 00:00:00:04. Anything less than this will result in the “no data” message.
Move the clip to the queue and it should import ok.
For whatever reason the name of the clip will change on import – not sure what the rational is on this. So, on import, rename the clip to its original identity.
The reason for moving all the original clips into a bin prior to dealing with the “no data” clips is that the unwanted name change will inevitably be the same as a clip already imported, and so the new import will replace it. So put the original clips (in my case over 550) in a bin to keep them safe. Once the new clips have been imported and their names corrected, they can take up their correct positions in the clip stream.

If it is of any consequence, the iMAC is 3.06GH Intel Core2Duo, 4GB ram, Snow Leopard 10.6.4, FCE 4.0.1. All clips were imported to the partioned hard disc in the iMAC.

The moral of all this is – don’t muck about with clips in the camera’s memory until they have been imported into FCE – especially when they are family holiday stock. Once imported, trim off all the rubbish on the in-camera originals so immediate large sreen HD playback via HDMI can keep domsetic bliss, allowing proper editing on FCE to be done at ease.

[Oudin Melanie]

The main differences between AVCHD Lite and the regular AVCHD: a maximum resolution of 1280 x 720p in AVCHD Lite compared to 1920 x 1080p in regular AVCHD and a less-intensive compression method – both of which make the format more suitable for less powerful camera hardware.

Some video editing software does not allow AVCHD Lite to be imported and edited, including FCE. so you have to choose another program to make your Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT1 AVCHD Lite files ediatble in FCE

The following is the recommended AVCHD Lite Converter for Mac which can transcode AVCHD Lite video to other common video format for easily importing and editing, like AVI or MOV for FCE, Adobe Premiere. I have tested it and the output video files come out with high quality.

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%61%75%6E%73%6F%66%74-mts-converter-mac&btnI

Hope it helps you

Oudinmel

[Sney Noorani]

yeah this worked well for me, thanks for posting.

As of July 2011, I’m running FCP 7 and importing AVCHD, had that error and until I read your post, I didn;t even realise I could click on my AVCHD source clips and alter their transcode settings.

Cheers!