Hi there,

I just hope that someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong here: I've got a client who shot stuff on a Panasonic HDC-SD700. It's the first time I'm dealing with AVCHD footage in my Avid. So I've purchased the Tanbee AVCHD Video Converter for Mac. Unfortunately there are not a lot of options for professional use.

First I tried converting a 64MB clip with the most straight forward option: HD Movie to Quicktime Movie, H264 codec, 12000 kbps, 25 frames, 1920x1080. The result was a 2.6MB clip of terrible quality. I tried all other options (mpg, mp4, wmv) and it seems AVI, 12000kbps, Xvid codec (whatever that is), 1920x1080 gives the best result. The clip has now 35MB. Only problem: the conversion takes literally F O R E V E R !!! 

So my question is: am I using the wrong tool? Is my version of MC too old? How do YOU get these MTS files into Avid at the highest quality?

Thanks so much

Specs: iMac, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2.8 GHz, 4GB Ram, Avid MC 3.5.9 

Don't convert into another complex codec. Won't it give you the option to convert to an Avid codec?

Basically you are currently converting from one highly compressed codec into another compressed codec and that's not even an Avid native one.

If you have Avid installed and the Avid codecs installed you should have the option to convert to a QT file and then chose the appropriate Avid codec for your job.

The resultant files will be large (I'd be looking at DNX185 for PAL land for HD or 1:1 or 2:1 for SD) So approx 1-2 minutes per GB of final footage.

But the Avid codec QT files can be AMA'd into Avid (edit: Not sure on that old version) or will be a fast import.

Hi Pat,

appreciate your answer! No, unfortunately there's only these options: DivxHD (avi), HDAVI, mov, mpg, mp4, wmv. No Avid codecs. How do you normally import MTS files? AMA works fine on my machine, I worked with EX and P2 footage - no problem. It's just this MTS stuff that's causing me headaches.... Any ideas?

Is that Aunsoft Converter any better?

It's pretty urgent so any help is highly appreciated!!!! Thanks heaps

I believe Panasonic has an MTS converter on their website. I used to use their MainConcept AVC-HD Transcoder 1.1 to convert my consumer AVCHD camera MTS files to DVCPro, which would then fast import to the Avid. I would be more than happy to share with you my workflow. In the meantime, though, you might want to check out Panasonic's website for their proprietary AVCHD transcoder. It should be free. It was when I got it a few years ago.

I don't use their transcoder any more because MC5 allows direct import of AVCHD files. You choose your resolution and Avid transcodes for you. Quite nice, especially if you want to do an offline and then later online, it remembers the file location. All you have to do is batch import and change resolution.

gregNZ:

Hi Pat,

appreciate your answer! No, unfortunately there's only these options: DivxHD (avi), HDAVI, mov, mpg, mp4, wmv. No Avid codecs. How do you normally import MTS files? AMA works fine on my machine, I worked with EX and P2 footage - no problem. It's just this MTS stuff that's causing me headaches.... Any ideas?

Is that Aunsoft Converter any better?

It's pretty urgent so any help is highly appreciated!!!! Thanks heaps

I have various "industrial" encoding tools at hand so can sort most things. But with the current version of MC it comes in fine.

If you have a spare (non Avid machine around) I'd download the free 30 day trial and make you media with that if it's urgent.

Then move the media back to your old machine. Take care you may start to like the V5.5 features and then have to upgrade!

Thanks! I had a look before but couldn't find the transcoder software. Maybe it's under a different name now?!? You don't have the link by any chance? Thanks

Pat, that's actually a brilliant idea - but no other non-Avid comp around at the moment. My iMac doesn't take MC 5.5 so I will have to get a new Mac first. But this will happen soon :)

I had a go with the Aunsoft Converter. I know, they got a lot of negative feedback for spamming etc. but at least it has an Avid codec (AvidDNxHD). The only problem there is that it blows a 140MB clip up to 1GB... This is getting ridiculous.

Source clips are currently small because they are masively compressed and that compression is hard work to undo.

Create for aqisition. Hopeless for editing.

Even if you had a new Avid you'd struggle to actually edit with them AMA'd in.

At best you'd be able to select sections and then consolidate of Transcode to Avid media.

But storage is cheap. a 1TB drive will hold 10 hours of HD DNX footage.