http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/FCP6_HD_and_Broadcast_Formats.pdf

http://www.apple.com/support/releasenotes/en/Final_Cut_Pro_6.0_rn/

Should make some happy

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

Yeah, but it does kinda nullify some of the main selling points of AVCHD...

When ingesting AVCHD files in the Log and Transfer window, video is transcoded to either the Apple ProRes 422 codec or the Apple Intermediate Codec. AVCHD has a much higher compression ratio than the Apple ProRes 422 codec, so the ingested files are significantly larger than the original files. For example, a 2-minute native AVCHD file is about 200 MB. After transcoding to the Apple ProRes 422 codec, the file size can be as large as 2 GB.

Final Cut Pro does not estimate the size of a transcoded AVCHD file before ingesting, so it is possible to exceed the available space on your capture disk during transfer. Before ingesting AVCHD footage, keep in mind that the disk space required is about ten times greater than the size of the native AVCHD file. To create smaller files during transfer, you can transcode AVCHD files to the Apple Intermediate Codec.

But still, a step in the right direction..

For those who are interested, Edius supports conversion of AVCHD source footage to the Canopus HQ intermediate editing format, using a utility downloadable from their support site. (Requires an Edius 4 dongle to run.)

Looks like AVCHD is too difficult to edit effectively in its native format on today's computers, which makes sense given that it's more compressed than HDV and that's barely manageable. This leaves HDV as perhaps the only digital video format which can be effectively used from camera to editing to consumer delivery - something we didn't even have with DV.

AVCHD is not supported on PowerPC hardware.

Looks like AVCHD is too difficult to edit effectively in its native format on today's computers,

I wish they'd leave that up for us to decide. I recall the days of editing HDV on an old machine that couldn't handle it. Pressing play was practically like starting a slideshow. It was a fun experience though, and I still got quite a bit of work done that way. I'd at least like the choice of editing in native AVC, regardless of reduced quality compared to editing in an intermediary codec, or regardless of how slow it may be. When the day comes that FCP supports native AVCHD editing, I'll rush to pick up one of those cameras for small personal projects or home movies.

This format should work fine for home movies with Final Cut Pro 2. I would NOT use this format in any professional capacity due to its lack of frame by frame time code accurate abilities. This is essentially an Mpeg 4 part 10 or H264 as its called. It should be a simple USB file transfer via the Final Cut Pro "Log and Transfer" window. Forget setting in and out points on import that wont work.

That having been said Im very excited about tapeless acquisition myself and look forward to being able to at least emulate my Canon HV20 quality and editing accurate abilities in any formate that can give it to me. Im talking image quality and price point and the ability to accurately edit a format without time to either transcode or digitize it to conform to something that works. If I could afford P2 this would not be an issue for me but ... well ... there you go :-)

Correction ... Final Cut Pro 6 / Final Cut Studio 2 ........ sorry

That having been said Im very excited about tapeless acquisition myself and look forward to being able to at least emulate my Canon HV20 quality and editing accurate abilities in any formate that can give it to me. Im talking image quality and price point and the ability to accurately edit a format without time to either transcode or digitize it to conform to something that works. If I could afford P2 this would not be an issue for me but ... well ... there you go :-)

I think it's called an HR10:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=177&modelid=15264

-gl

Remember everybody if you try and put those "compact" - "non standard" sized discs in any slot loading (non tray) style optical drive you'll be getting your --device, player/drive, computer-- serviced just to get the disc out. LOL !!!

I'd bet that Canon will be the 1st to deliver truly acceptable quality in this format.

I take it there's still no Blu-ray/AVCHD authoring support in DVD Studio Pro?