AVCHD to DVD via FCP 5.1 (and multi export format query)

[Travis Wheaton]

G'day,

I used FCP (5 and 6) at university for editing short films, with a set export format in mind, but haven't previously worked with the concept of editing the footage, to then be used on multiple formats - ie the same edit on DVD and HD.

I have 50 or so AVCHD files (1080p50 on a Panasonic TM900), and about 60 minutes of SD video (Canon MVX430) that I am going to edit and export to DVD now, and either now or later, also as a HD video file. (I realise there will be a quality difference when cutting between the HD and SD footage; am hoping it wont be too bad - the SD footage was a master shot of the wedding)

I have a MacBook Pro 13" 2.26 Core2 Duo, and G5 PowerMac dual 1.8GHz...

I can't import the SD footage using the MacBook Pro, as I don't have a 4-9pin firewire cable, so this will be done on the G5. I have used ClipWrap to convert the AVCHD files, and currently have them located on both machines.

As the G5 couldn't play back the 1080p50 files (dropped frames galore, then just stopping after about 20 seconds), I was going to do the editing on the MacBook Pro. However, I just tried to play one on the MBP, and it couldn't handle the file either... (much better, but still dropping frames)

What is the best approach from here?

I recall the concept of using "preview" files in Final Cut (instead of the full HD files), but we didn't ultimately use that method at uni... (We used a Sony XD-CAM; have a feeling the import software created the smaller files?)

Thanks very much for any assistance you can offer.


Travis

[William Hohauser]

What hard drives are you using?

[Travis Wheaton]

In the G5, I have 2x 1TB WD Green drives... 400GB available on 1, 250GB available on the other.

In the MacBook Pro, a stock 160GB Hitachi, with about 50GB free.

I also have:
G5's stock 160GB drive (Maxtor 5400rpm)
300GB ATA in a M9 Pod firewire/USB enclosure (full)
2TB WD USB2 (MyBook or something) with about 1.5T free.

The AVCHD files total about 23GB.

[William Hohauser]

AVCHD is too much for the G5 computer and at 50p possibly a heavy load for a CoreDuo laptop. The best solution for editing with these files is to convert them to ProRes (or AIC) which will reduce the processor load on both computers. Expect the file size to triple.

[Travis Wheaton]

Thanks for the advice, William.

Looks like I'll need to sort out one of the external HDDs for the project, or free up a lot of room on the MacBook Pro.

Would the G5 handle ProRes?

[William Hohauser]

ProRes works just fine on a G5.

[Travis Wheaton]

Hello again,

I've just been looking into ProRes, trying to do a test run with a small file (154MB "unwrapped").

There were no "ProRes" labelled codecs listed in MPEG Streamclip... so I did some research, (saw all the queries about this subject) and found I need FCP 6 or 7 to instal these codecs (?). (The file on Apple's servers wont instal as I don't have one of those 2 apps (or FCP X)

I have FCP5.

What is listed in MPEG Streamclip are 3 other options I thought may be along the right track... There are 2 "FCP 422" codecs (8 and 10bit), and (only on my G5) an "Apple Intermediary Codec".

The 8bit FCP 422 codec produced an 8GB file (!) after about 10 minutes on the MacBook Pro... which still wouldn't play nicely.

The AIC codec produced a file that is 850MB, and plays very nicely in Quicktime 7.7.

[William Hohauser]

That's what you'll have to use until you update your program and OS. AIC works fine although ProRes is qualitatively better.