Converting AVCHC with Mac

[jtnesbitt 0]

OK, if this is a repost I apologize. I have searched and searched but cant seem to find the answer I am looking for. I know the common fix to the AVCHD and mac issue can be solved by directly importing from the camera. The problem is i got some footage off a friends card and now I need to somehow convert those files. (They are the raw .mts files.) I tried handbrake, but the quality is absolutely awful. I tried FCP and iMovie09 but cant get it to recognize the files because they are already off the camera. Any third party software out there that maintains the original HD quality with converting to something Mac can edit with?

"If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero

[DSE 5]

You must have had a setting off in Handbrake, because it's pretty darn good.
Revolver is another tool that works well. So does Cineform.

[jtnesbitt 0]

I've messed with the settings in handbrake and i can clean some of it up but not all. It's coming out looking very grainy, and parts with a lot of action almost looks like it has stripes...like its only converting every other line.

I am downloading iskysoft right now. The free trail seemed to work a little better than handbrake, but the quality still wasnt there. I am hoping the full version will give me better quality. I'll report back once i try it out.

Thanks!

Edit to Add: Just tried full version of iSkySoft, same issue, crap quality. I have no idea what is going on

"If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero

[jtnesbitt 0]

Just a heads up if anyone else is having the same problem I tried using Toast Titanium and it converted beautifully.

"If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero

[mnskydiver688 0]

Adobe Premiere also works pretty well with the .mts files

Sky Canyon Wingsuiters

[DSE 5]

I'd forgotten that Howard was using Titanium for conversions. thanks for the reminder.

[jtnesbitt 0]

OK, I lied, sort of. Toast Titanium converted the files to HDV .mov files beautifully and my mac can play them no prob. Unfortunately iMovie09 refuses to recognize them. They are ghosted out when I go to import. I really dont get this as when I click "get info" on the file it has AIC listed as the codec.

"If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero

[DSE 5]

no, that doesn't make sense, AIC is what iMovie likes to eat.
Maybe Howard can shed some light on this convo, because he's using iMovie and Toast as part of his workflow.

[howardwhite 6]

Hmm.... I'm using Toast to convert (make sure you have the latest version) but I'm not using iMovie, I'm using FCP.
Of course I could ingest/convert directly to FCP, but Toast Convert allows me to make a quick look and I often use it just to create a .mov that I can make screen grabs from when the movie is not especially worth posting but some stills are.
I'll check it out again and try iMovie.

HW

[jtnesbitt 0]

I was actually getting ready to post my "go-around" solution when i saw your post.

I found that I can use toast to convert the .mts to HDV(.mov ext) just fine, however iMovie wont recognize it for some reason. I've got a few PMs indicating other jumpes are having this issue as well. I do have an old copy of FCP 5.1 and I found that FCP was able to import the HDV that toast exported. So once in FCP, i exported the HDV file to an AIC1080i60 and found that iMovie will in recognize and import this new file.

Life would be so much easier if I just taught myself FCP already

"If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero

[mnskydiver688 0]

Another option could be to transcode the .mts file into MPEG-2 and then edit in NLE. Also, with it in MPEG-2 then it should be quicker to DVD, but that I am not sure of.

That is of course if you are not burning to Blu-Ray or other HD delivery options. In that case H.264 might be an option.

Sky Canyon Wingsuiters

[PhreeZone 20]

No... Life would be so much easier if you used something other then that Mac software

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[DSE 5]

BD supports MPEG2 in the spec.
Problem is, iMovie doesn't like MPEG2 either.
and iMovie doesn't support BD nor 1080 export.
If there was no transcode, scaling, nor recompression, MPEG2 would be a good option, but in most cases a re-comp is required at low bitrates.
HDV is MPEG2, FWIW.

Revolver is a great tool, but it costs $$.
If you're gonna have to spend $$, then Cineform is the better answer, IMO.

[DSE 5]

Quote

No... Life would be so much easier if you used something other then that Mac software

Premiere on the Mac makes this so easy... It's all about Apple wanting the world their way.

[pope 0]

Yeah. I use Toast 10 and convert to ProRes422 for FCP. Works great for me. Most of my files come as plain .mts files NOT from the camera.

[howardwhite 6]

Update:
I have now tried using .mov files created by Toast from .mts files and they work fine in iMovie 09.

HW

[floatpave 0]

Quote

Update:
I have now tried using .mov files created by Toast from .mts files and they work fine in iMovie 09.

HW

You can refer this guide for mts into mov on your Mac.
http://www.ilikemall.com/how-to/convert-mts-to-mov-mac.html

I am using this video converter to convert my camera mts files, works well on my MacBook.

[DSE 5]

[email]

Quote

Quote

Update:
I have now tried using .mov files created by Toast from .mts files and they work fine in iMovie 09.

HW

You can refer this guide for mts into mov on your Mac.
http://www.ilikemall.com/how-to/convert-mts-to-mov-mac.html

I am using this video converter to convert my camera mts files, works well on my MacBook.

Bear in mind, you're losing a fair amount of quality (and time) in the transcode.

[mucks 0]

howardwhite

Hmm.... I'm using Toast to convert (make sure you have the latest version) but I'm not using iMovie, I'm using FCP.
Of course I could ingest/convert directly to FCP, but Toast Convert allows me to make a quick look and I often use it just to create a .mov that I can make screen grabs from when the movie is not especially worth posting but some stills are.
I'll check it out again and try iMovie.

HW

I think you can try this software, there is a detailed tutorial to solve these problems is not a problem, especially in the state has to ensure the quality is the best.
http://www.mtsfile.com

[DSE 5]

Bear in mind that the new Mac OS allows for native reading of mts files.