Help!! AVCHD footage glitching when copied from card
 

Hello all,

I'm working on a documentary and shooting footage on the Panasonic HMC150. Shooting on SDHC class 4 cards.

I'm encountering a problem with some of the footage. It shoots to the cards fine, but when I copy the cards to the hard drive - EITHER via FCP 'Archive to Folder' in the Log & Transfer window OR at finder level - the footage on some (not all) of the cards gets all kinds of bad video glitches.

My workflow is: shoot, copy to field drive, re-copy to RAID 1 archive drive, transcode to ProRes 4:2:2. I'm working on an Intel MacBook Pro, 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM, OS 10.5.6, FCP 6.0.5.

Luckily, the key footage for which this happened yesterday had not been deleted from the cards when I discovered the copy glitches, and I was able to transcode successfully directly from the cards. But now I have no backup files (except on the cards, which I'm not going to re-use until/if I solve this problem).

Also, I have encountered one situation in which the copied file wouldn't transcode fully from the copied files - though it could read the file fine - but would from the card.

I'm using a variety of class 4 SDHC cards - PNY, Kingston, Dane - have noticed problems with the 16 GB cards much more than the 8 GB cards. The card reader is a Dynex USB card reader.

What do you think could be is the problem? The cards, the card reader - ?? I have never had a problem with copying files before... Has anyone else encountered a problem like this?

I am planning to replace the cards and reader and would appreciate any input as to which are best...and what differences may be... Thanks!!

Dylan,

As a wedding videographer this kind of issue really scares me.

I would definitely try a different card reader and see if that fixes the problem.

Best,

Jordan

Did you shoot in 720 or 1080?

I had a similar situation with HMC 70. I use Panasonic 16g class 6 card. I found glitching in my footage after importing. Playback of the footage in the camera was perfect. I examed my footage frame by frame and found that glitches are sometimes caused by an extra frame. On two occasion removing a frame cleared my glitches. I reformat all my card in the camera. I try not to mix card brand when shooting.

Sorry - I was shooting 720/24p at 1/50 shutter speed.

Does it really help to keep brands consistent?

I bought a new, Sony card reader and will get a Sandisk one if this one doesn't work -- it's a bit shocking that in LA so few retailers carry Sandisk or Transcend readers or cards (at least classes 4 or 6)...

Will keep you posted!

If the footage is good on playback in the camera, then that's proof positive that the footage is good on the card.

What you have here is a computer issue, not a camera or SD card issue. Try using a different SDHC card reader or something? If it's a USB reader, make sure it's not on a hub, or ... well, I don't know, there's any number of potential computer issues. But if the footage is good on the card, the camera and the card are not to blame.

Didn't work
 

New card reader didn't work, just glitched the footage in a different place. UGH!!

Yeah it's not the camera or card then.

Are you trying to edit off the card or copying it to your hard drive first?

Hi Dylan,

Just for grins, try converting the .mts files that are on your computer with either Toast 9/10 or MPEG Streamclip.

I often have situations like this where for some reason, the file structure in the folders get corrupted, and causes issues in FCP

I have always been successful with simply grabbing the .mts files, dropping them into a folder, and batch convert with Toast to whatever codec I prefer.

The beauty of this method, is that Toast doesn't give a squat about the folder structure, just feed it the .mts files, and boogie on. :)

Hope this helps.