Mac Workflow?

F

Finster

Well-known member
Pardon my ignorance. I've read a lot of the threads here, but I still don't get it.

I've tried playing back my AVCHD files using VLC. They're very choppy.

I've tried bringing them into FCP. FCP doesn't recognize them.

I've tried bringing them into Compressor. Compressor doesn't recognize them.

Ultimately, I'd like to view native AVCHD files on my Mac, and I'd like to edit (transcoded?) AVCHD files on my Mac.
 
Final Cut doesn't yet support AVCHD (it can convert it, but not RT editing.) A general consensus here is to transcode to another codec i.e. Pro Res HQ, DVCHD-PRO. I use Toast 9 to convert the files for me, after that, it cuts like butter.
 
The sample clips I have tested in the Mac version of Premiere CS4 have worked well. Real time playback until of course you pile on the filters and things slow down considerably. You just drag the native MTS files directly onto the timeline and go. You still need a fast system. This AVCHD stuff will push hardware to the limit.
 
Finster, What version of FCP do you have? Intel Mac?
for best results you should be on an Intel mac running FCP 6.0.5 (make sure you have the updates)
Once FCP is loaded up go to "Log and Transfer" there you'll have an interface to do a batch transcode of the files...
You get 2 options for transcoding.
1) is AIC (apple intermediate codec)
2) ProRes422

As mention by nantnee, you could also use Toast 9 or 10 to transcode... a good option if you want to do different formats other than AIC or ProRess

Either way you go, make sure to do some testing first on a small clip, as AIC and ProRess do take alot of space... ProRes422 could be up to 1GB a minute (it truly is an awesome clip tho)

Anyway... let us know how you did, and any other questions you may have!!!
 
Thanks guys. I'm on the road right now, so I'm using my MacBook Pro. It's got FCP 6.0.5. The MBP has the 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo w/ 4GB of memory.

At home I have a Mac Pro Quad.

I'll try the FCP route. Perhaps I'll invest in Toast?

What about Neo Scene? I know nothing about it. Does it convert AVCHD? Anybody using it?

Thanks again.
 
There's no need for Toast if you have FCP6.0.5, even on a MacBook Pro. You need fast-ish hard drives, but cutting ProRes on these machines is no more taxing, comparatively, than cutting DV was in the early G4 era. Really, it's fine. Exports can be slow, especially if you have effects layers or colour renders, but hey, there's five times as much pixel data in 1080 HD as there is in DV-PAL, what do you expect?

I've even cut ProRes off a bus-powered USB2 drive, while on the train with my MBP. OK, so it dropped frames occasionally, but it was enough to get a rough assemble together. I'm currently cutting a three-camera multicam clip on my Pro, with all three shots living on the same (internal) drive. Again, it's not ideal, but it's working more than well enough for my needs on this particular project.

Note that with Log & Transfer you can carry on cutting while the transcoder drops converted clips into your logging bin. Well, that works on a Mac Pro - on a dual-core machine it's not really workable, but but you get the point.

The only things you have to be careful of are:

1. Back up the complete folder structure of your SDHC media. Don't just take the MTS streams. You are backing up your rushes, right?

2. Last time I tested, some of recording modes caused problems with Final Cut - I think 720p25 and p30? 1080p25 and 1080i50 are fine (along with their NTSC equivalents), and I think 720p60 is OK too. The others may have been fixed with 6.0.5, I haven't tested to see. As ever, check your workflow before shooting anything.
 
Finster said:
Thanks guys. I'm on the road right now, so I'm using my MacBook Pro. It's got FCP 6.0.5. The MBP has the 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo w/ 4GB of memory.

At home I have a Mac Pro Quad.

I'll try the FCP route. Perhaps I'll invest in Toast?

What about Neo Scene? I know nothing about it. Does it convert AVCHD? Anybody using it?

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

If you are using the HMC 150, then I'd recommend just transcoding to Apple Intermediate Codec, or Pro Res, in any case, once transcoded, editing should be ok. I did a project in Novemenber using FC Express which doesn't have Pro Res, but did convert my 24p to AIC format. I then edited using a PAL HD preset, since again FC Express does not have all the setup capability that FCP has... will the purists tear their hair out... sure... but it got the job done, and during editing play back was good enough... no jerks, no halts, no complete stalls of the OS, etc...

I did try Premiere CS4 which supposedly has 'native' AVCHD support... well, at the moment I'd wait on that 'native' support...
 
CS4 has excellent native support on Windows, with an nVidia graphics card. I've heard the Mac support isn't nearly so robust.
 
just try using intensity pro hdmi card to capture the footage into fcp.
1) able to down res to sd
2) no need to log and transfer

only problem is that its not real time as compare to using cs4
 
Hey Jonathan (or anyone) - When you say backup the entire file structure, are you saying drag all of the folders to your backup drive? I'm experimenting now with the workflow and everything looks excellent! I was able to get my footage via USB straight from the camera using Log and Transfer. Cut the clips up, exported using Compressor and burned a DVD then sat back and drooled at the new found quality! The only situation I don't understand is when I need to free up the cards, what on the card do I transfer to my hard drive? I assume when I'm ready to edit, I just Log and Transfer but point to where the files lie on the hard drive?
Thanks,
Scott
 
Craytopia, you have to drag the entire "private" folder to your hard drive (at least for FCP 6 you do)... if you don't then your FCP wont recognize the files...
You'll still be able to transcode but not with FCP, only with something like Toast 9 or 10
 
Yup, you drag across the whole 'Private' folder. I usually do this first, then point Log & Transfer to the backup folder. An easy way of checking that the data has copied across cleanly, without adding to the workflow time.
 
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