Best way to import FS100 MTS files into AVID

R

Rayburn

Member
So I just imported my first FS100 footage into Media Composer 6, and I found some aliasing problems. I checked the original footage, and the aliasing seemed to be at a minimum (barely noticeable). However, in Media Composer you can clearly see steps in certain areas. When importing, I am simply using the import function on the Avid and going directly to the MTS files. The avid transcodes the files to MXF (using the Avid DNXHD 115 codec), and I get a bin full of clips. Is there something I am doing wrong here? Is there a setting or intermediate step I am forgetting? My goal is to be able to output from the Avid as my master since I don't plan on going to anything higher than an HDTV.
 
I just tried importing using the DNXHD 175, 175X, and the AVC Intra codecs but got the same results. I seem to recall Avid doing the same with 7D footage except the aliasing looked a lot worse. Is there a way to import the footage without introducing these unwanted side effects?
 
In Final Cut & Premiere you have to tell the program that the FS100 is progressive, otherwise they will deinterlace the footage causing aliasing and stairstepping. Avid should have a similar system in place, haven't used it much so can't tell. But the reason is probably because those AVCHD files are flagged as interlaced.
 
I am not sure if there is a setting in the Avid to tell it that the footage is progressive. When I look in the import settings, I only see options for stills, sound, shot logs, etc. Does avid treat FS100 footage as interlaced when importing?
 
Hmm I dont think I have noticed this yet, but I transcode to DNxHD with clipwrap and then import that into Avid. Ill check it out when I get home to see if I have aliasing problems that I just did not notice.
 
The aliasing does not happen on every clip. It is definitely less than the Canon 7D stuff I used to import. I have seen examples of it however. I guess it is to be expected, but I was hoping for alias free images. I did notice some major problems when I shot a reflective metal bar. There was some weird almost zebra pattern like ugliness in the highlights that were magenta colored. This became more pronounced after I brought the footage into the Avid. I'm beginning to wonder if what I am seeing is aliasing or some other highlight clipping problem.
 
might be clipping.. i use ClipWrap to re-wrap into h.264 then link directly in my DS, this does keep all the camera's data intact, if i'm working in MC, i have been useing MetaFuze to create MXF @ 175/8bit - there's no advantage to transcode an 8 bit source into a 10 bit codec, esp when the data rate remains the same with 8bit, end game = less compression with the same storage space used.

There is advantages to be working in 10 bit for sure, esp with gradeing, but transcodeing, not worth the tradeoff
 
I've been using Adobe's Media Encoder, as well as After Effects, to transcode the mts file into DNxHD. Adobe products all incorrectky identify the footage as interlaced and I need to manually go into the "Interpret File" command to change the default value to Progressive.

Avid is unusual because they "bundle" 1080i and 1080p into the same project type and call it 1080i. Once you import the file into a bin, you can change the file type from Interlaced to progressive in the Bin file type column.
 
I am working on a feature doc right now and our main camera is the FS100. The workflow is very functional and relatively headache free.

From the sound of things, your are importing the media and creating new master files. If this is the case, your workflow will be easier than mine as I am working offline and will be relinking at a later time. This is what I think you should do:

1. Make sure that you have the AVCHD AMA plugin for MC 6 installed.

2. Link to the FS100 through AMA. (Production is creating disk images of the FS100 cards for me. You might need to alter the way in which you AMA link if this is not what you are doing.) It will make things easier if your FS100 master files reside on a separate drive than your AvidMediaFolder.

3. Select all of the clips in the populated folder, right-click and select Consolodate/Transcode. On the popup, select transcode, select the drive you want the files to transcode to, select the DNX codec you want and select the proper audio choices for your project.

4. Transcode! Then "Save."

THEN...

5. After transcode, delete all of the ".new" clips. Right click all of the original files and select "Relink." Select the drive on which your AvidMediaFolder resides. Make these selections on the relink:

select Master Clips
deselect "only media files within the project"
select Allow relink to AMA files by name
deselect match case
select Any Resolution of media file

Click "OK".


That should do it. Encoding on my 2.8 Quad-Core MacPro runs twice as fast as real time.

Hope this helps.

Zack
 
I would second the earlier suggestion about ClipWrap. I've used it on several projects and haven't had any issues at all. It also seems to be slightly faster than just directly ingesting into the Avid but that could just be my perception. I've never broken out the ol' stopwatch or anything.
 
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