Split MTS from Panasonic Z10000

[Tony Reidsma]

I've read everywhere and can't seem to find a way to split the files:

I'm on a MAC
I've used the MVCtoAVI (files are huge - 53 MB converts to 3 GB x 2)

Please help, I have a shoot coming up.

Thanks,

Tony

[Wolfgang Schmid]

I am not aware of a splitting tool for the Z10K. Maybe there is mvctoavi only, beside the converter below.

For the size - seems to be that you work uncompressed. Maybe it would be possible to use other codecs? Maybe the now free Canopus HQ codec - now also available for the Mac?

You need to generate a free account, to get the codec package there:

Login | Grass Valley


If you would have at least an older version of Grass Valleys Edius or Neo, you could also use the AVCHD file conversion utility of Grass Valley - but that needs one of the versions in your system (Edius v3 or Neo v1). This utility can converge s3D files to L and R, both to mpeg but also the Canopus HQ and HQX codec.

[Neil Richards]

There's no real workflow for the Z10000 natively on the Mac (or any camera using MVC) at the moment.

Choices for handling MVC are basically Sony Vegas or Edius 6.5 both of which are Windows 7.

I use Edius 6.5, running Win 7 under Parallels 7 on an iMac and it's excellent. Edius is a wonderful editor, fast and stable with great native stereo editing capabilities. I went with it originally just to be able to split my Z10000 footage for use in FCP7 but after 5-6 months I have to say I don't use FCP anymore except for legacy projects, I do everything in Edius. I'm just discovering it's colour grading capabilities at the moment, which approach DaVinci resolve in some respects. Superb software and it's not expensive.

Hope that helps

Neil

[Tony Reidsma]

Guys, thank you very much for your feedback!

People keep mentioning the files as MVC, but mine are MTS.... am I doing something wrong?

Thanks

Tony

[David M. Cole]

There is another option... GoPro Studio Pro or Premium ($299) will transcode the MVC files into Cineform.

Cineform opens up a world of options, such as:

1. You can move to a deeper color space (http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/cineform...-cineform.html) for color grading without the level crushing that typically happens w/ 4.2.0 color.

2. You can work with the muxed 3D files in any 2D workflow

[Tony Reidsma]

Are you saying that the GoPro Studio will take my MTS files, then I can export the Left and Right eye files?

I've tried the trial version and I have not been able to get it to take my MTS files.

Thanks

Tony

[David M. Cole]

Originally Posted by Tony Reidsma

Are you saying that the GoPro Studio will take my MTS files, then I can export the Left and Right eye files?

I've tried the trial version and I have not been able to get it to take my MTS files.

Thanks

Tony

Requires the Pro or Premier version of GoPro Studio to read MVC files. You can get 30 trial versions of either one @ cineform.com. I'm not suggesting that you transcode yet again, however. I'm suggesting that you stay in Cineform 3D muxed format for your entire workflow, until final render.

[Tony Reidsma]

I just tried several times to import and it quits every time.

I open the app
Click add files
Locate my AVCHD folder with my files
Click open
Then it quits each time

Help?

Tony

[Matt Faw]

Originally Posted by Tony Reidsma

Guys, thank you very much for your feedback!
People keep mentioning the files as MVC, but mine are MTS.... am I doing something wrong?
Tony

Nothing wrong, Tony. It's just a combination of overlapping terms. Had me confused for awhile, too.

MVC is the Multi-View Codec, which allows L/R views to be muxed into one stream.

The stream itself is an MPEG Transport Stream, or .mts for short. Some cameras also use .m2ts, which is an MPEG-2 Transport Stream. But they're still MVC.

[Matt Faw]

Originally Posted by Tony Reidsma

Are you saying that the GoPro Studio will take my MTS files, then I can export the Left and Right eye files?

I've tried the trial version and I have not been able to get it to take my MTS files.

Thanks

Tony

The nice thing about Cineform is that it has a muxed L/R schema, as well. You don't need to do the splitting stage, at all, but rather just go from one muxed stereo file to another one, the latter which can be edited in FCP and elsewhere. This can help in terms of avoiding the eyes getting out of sync with each other, which is probably the single most painful stereo error.

The normal GoPro studio is only designed to work with files from the GoPro cameras. As David pointed out, you have to go with the Pro and Premiere suites to work with MVC files.

[Tony Reidsma]

I can't thank all of you enough for all your help.

After discussing this with a Cineform rep, here is my workflow for using the files on a MAC:

1: Capture
2: Put card in SD slot
3: Open Cineform Studio PREMIUM
4: Click import new files
5: Locate the FOLDER on the card - AVCHD
6: Click open
- Cineform will add all 3D footage -
7: Click "add clip to conversion list"
8: Click "convert"
9: Click on File, Export to .mov - There you can select Current Eye (Right Eye)
10: Transcode all exported files with MPEG Streamclip to prores 422
11: Open FCPX and drag all those transcoded files to the event
12: Start editing with Dashwood's LE plugin

I tested this and it works perfectly, and I can work solely on my iMac

Cheers,

Tony

[Neil Richards]

Or you can drag it all into Edius on an iMac and do it in one step with no transcoding ;)

Just kidding. Glad you got a flow sorted, it is useful to know you can do that with Cineform Studio, which I have anyway for the GoPro3D. And it's free of course...

Cheers

Neil

[Matt Faw]

Originally Posted by Tony Reidsma

After discussing this with a Cineform rep, here is my workflow for using the files on a MAC:
10: Transcode all exported files with MPEG Streamclip to prores 422

I was following your workflow up until this point, but there you lost me. As I understand it, one advantage of Cineform 3D is that you don't have to transcode. Cineform is a wrapper for containing the original file, and making it editable as an .mov (or .avi, if you prefer).

But if you transcode at this point, with MPEG Streamclip, then you lose all metadata, and you lose the advantage of a muxed file. Whereas, if you remain in Cineform, you should still have all camera metadata, keep L/R views muxed, and lose no quality to transcode. And, you should be able to edit the Cineform files in FCP, without any problem.

David Cole works in Cineform a lot; hopefully he can weigh in.

[Matt Faw]

Originally Posted by Neil Richards

it is useful to know you can do that with Cineform Studio, which I have anyway for the GoPro3D. And it's free of course...

Unfortunately, I don't think it is free. The free software, as I understand it, only works with original GoPro footage. You have to spend a cool $1G to get the Cineform Premiere, which is the software that will do all the above with MVC footage.

[Jim Michael]

Premium is $299 Cineform