ALL: rename MTS files?

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ELN614

Well-known member
I am switching my client over from SD to HD ie avi to mts.
I know the AVCHD system likes to have all the folders/files copied over intact. However I will be shooting hundreds of small video clips and I historically rename my avi files to keep track of everything. Since I shoot real short clips and they won't span from file to file --- can I rename them and just keep the MTS file?

What is my solution to keep track of these clips? I know I am going to have dozens of the same file names (if left alone) and this will be confusing.
 
Depends on what you edit with, and whether you care about timecode.

If you're editing with an .mts-native editor, like Premiere or EDIUS, yes you can rename the files. You'll lose the metadata, the timecode, and the ability to play the footage back on a camcorder or blu-ray disc (unless re-rendered out, of course) but you will be able to name your files whatever.mts and edit them.

If you're editing with something like FCP, it can't use native .MTS files, it requires you to "log & transfer", which converts the files into prores. Or on iMovie, it converts them to AIC. Either way, you *must* have the original file names in the original file folder in order to import the footage, but during the import process I believe you can rename the converted files.
 
The following works for someone doing a small number of recordings.

I have a 3tb external hard disk dedicated to recordings.

Before I go out I create a new directory starting with yymmddjjj where "jjj" is a three letter code for the job.

Best to have year/month/day at the front end for easy sorting (do not use mmddyyjjj or jjjyymmdd/jjjmmddyy... as it makes sorting/finding more difficult).

After the job, copy the entire structure off the SD to this new, empty directory.

Here is my procedure . . . .

0) remove the SD, immediately write-protect the SD, put the SD in a reader.

1) open two instances of Windows Explorer (one at the SD card reader drive, the other at the new empty directory on your target hard driver) and just drag the entire structure off the SD to the empty directory.

2) if you see any prompts advising of duplicates during the copy, at the first of these prompts, exit and start all over again.

3) after the complete structure has been copied, go to the project directory on the hard drive and rename one by one all of the .mts files (e.g. 00000.mts becomes 120705HVT00.mts) where "HVT" is a meaningful 3-character identifier for all file names across your project AND where you have taken care to retain the last two digits of the original camera .mts. Do a copy of 120705HVT so that you can rename\paste and only append 00, 01, 02 etc during renaming.

4) Eject the SD reader drive, remove the SD, label it, then inventory it

OR

If you recycle your SDs, remove the write protect, put the SD back in the camera and leave it there until the day before your next outing at which time you will probably want to erase all of the clips (not re-format because you may have scene files on the SD that you do not want to lose)

5. If you have a 2nd 3tb external drive, start a copyover of your new directory to the 2nd external drive.

I do a lot of music recordings, one file per 3-4 minute song, so things can get confusing very quickly.
 
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The "renaming" step #3 could become problematic with an NLE that relies on information in the recording file structure. So, unless/until someone who has such an NLE and is able 1) to copy the entire file structure over and see no problems, then 2) repeat the process where the mts files have been renamed and see no problems, we cannot say what the outcome is going to be. My NLE is happy to read mts files alone. I will run a test with a friend who cannot directly read mts and see what happens.
 
I know everyone has gone home, but I just thought to mention that I put my job numbers as the first part of the directory name, so that I can sort by that.
 
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