working with M2TS and XDCAM files

[Chip Curry]

Greetings All,
Have 2 hrs footage each of the following formats.
Are the indented notes the best way to prepare for edit in FCP 7. Or maybe there is a better way, I think the rendering is going to take a lifetime. I shot first footage with EX-1

XDCAM EX 720 60p
Leave as is in FCP 7 timeline

MT2S 1080i
Convert using ClipWrap utility to H.264
Allow to render to 720 60p in FCP 7 timeline

Thanks for any clues.

[Alister Chapman]

I would convert the MT2's to ProRes as FCP7 does not really like working with H264. Try Mpegstream clip (free) to convert.

[Chip Curry]

Thanks Alister,
I tried Mpeg Streamclip, could not get it to handle M2TS files
Finally settled on Clip Wrap utility, converted to Apple Intermediate Codec as a test. It lays into the timeline with XDCAM with green bar--no rendering required to view. After edit, there will be considerable rendering required. ClipWrap
However one of the transcoded files is 40 GB! I didn't think FCP7 could handle that size.
Chip

[Alister Chapman]

Only 40Gb! I've had files much bigger than that.

What are the M2TS files from? Did you try to use Log and Transfer to bring them in? The old Apple Intermediate codec was terrible when it came out as a way to handle HDV and it's not gotten any better over the years. I would not have used that. FCP 7 is designed to work well with ProRes and that's what you should be using IMHO.

[Chip Curry]

I can't remember the camera, think it was a Sony ---550 or something like that. The fellow came over and gave me his files and left with it. I have never used AIC or ProRes, but I tried a demo of the Aunsoft M2TS/MTS converter and the resulting ProRes watermarked file needed to be rendered in the timeline, and I mean long renders. (I am combining 1080i and 720p files in the timeline)

I tried Log and Capture and couldn't get it to recognize the M2TS files. Could be pilot error.

I've not started really editing yet, we'll see.

[Andy Wilkinson]

"Sony 550". That could (I stress COULD) be a Sony CX550 and those clips MAY be 1080p60 28Mbps (i.e. not AVCHD compliant). I'm led to understand that Clipwrap does not yet handle this format (from other recent posts I read somewhere here on DVinfo, nor does FCP7, FCP6 or indeed FCPX).

I'm looking for methods as I have an Sony EX3 and a Panasonic TM900 (shooting 1080p50) and mostly edit in FCS2 on a Mac Pro. At the moment I just edit the TM900 files in Vegas 9E on a PC - but that's a clunky workaround if I want to mix footage from both cams within Final Cut on a XDCAM 1080p timeline.

[Chip Curry]

Andy, I did find the camera model--Sony hdr-xr500. Formant on web says HD: MPEG4 AVC/H.264.
Clip Wrap allows you to download a trial for free--you can transcode a one minute segment to test. On my mac pro, 2008, it transcodes in about footage time or faster. I am getting into editing with AIC codec, still not needing to render in timeline. Not sure what will happen when I run through Compressor and dvd sp. Will report back.

[Alister Chapman]

Why are you using AIC? This is an old, very inefficient codec that was a stop-gap way of editing HDV when it first came out. AIC was replaced by ProRes several years ago and is a far better codec.

If the camera is AVC HD then you should use FCP's built in long and transfer tool to import the clips as ProRes, but you must have the original file structure off the SD/Memory Stick not just the M2TS files.

It can't be said enough times: Never, never, never remove clips from within the recorded file structure on the recording media. ALWAYS back up the entire contents of the recording media. All those extra folders and files contain valuable information that many NLE's require when decoding the clips and stop issues like this from occurring.