Z7E and M2T on FCE: possible?
 

hello, i've a Z7E arriving before xmas, but for a new mac i've to wait something more.
On the actual mac i've a Intel CPU with FCE. can i work directly with M2T files from Z7 or i need something else?
i've tried MPEG streamclip to convert files from a S270 before using in FCE without success because it says i haven't a MPEG codec or something similar.
On a imac 2008 i've been able to convert them and then work on FCE, but i'd prefer work them without a convesion...
If is possible... or if someone has already a solution...

Thanks.

You'd need to convert those first to something FCE handles I'd imagine.

Noah

if you've any change left over from your pre-Christmas purchasing then check out ClipWrap

That is a very good idea to re-wrap the m2t-files from your Z7 with Clipwrap into Quicktime HDV files and ingest them into FCE afterwards.
When importing them in FCE, choose "HDV - Apple Intermediate Codec 1080i50" in Easy Setup. Done.

FCE does require the transcoding (la conversione) into AIC, but the quality of the video remains practically the same.

I use clipwrap all the time and it is a great piece of software, it will be Ok for FCE too as it wraps the m2t files into .mov files. You may need the FCP codecs though.

"Why do I need to have FCP installed?
ClipWrap uses codecs only shipped with Final Cut Studio to convert the audio and tag the video contained within the HDV QuickTime. Without these codecs, ClipWrap cannot understand the data contained within the m2t file."

Above is a cut& paste form the ClipWrap website.
Has anyone used this for FCE? and is the quality better than letting FCE bring in the video with log and transfer?

thanks for any insight.
Tom

As clipwrap is just a wrapper you get no quality loss when transcoding the files from m2t to .mov.

Gary, this is not transcoding, but re-wrapping which is a different beast. The content remains identical.
I have no clue what the FCP codecs would be needed for. MPEG2 component perhaps or HDV codec? Anyone?

That is what Apple says concerning HDV and FCE4:

Easily capture DV and HDV
Capturing DV and HDV footage is as simple as connecting a camcorder to your Mac and keeping an eye on the Capture window to select what you’d like transferred. Preview it full screen on your primary or secondary display whenever you want. Final Cut Express supports both standard-definition DV and high-definition 1080i and 720p HDV.

Sorry I used the word transcoding by mistake you are right Peter.

No worries ;-)

Salvatore, two questions

Why do you not want to go via MPEGStreamClip? What you would need to go that route is the Apple MPEG2 component which costs something like 29 Euros (appr. what ClipWrap costs too) You can buy the component in the Apple Store via download. MPSC does a hell of a job in all things mpeg2.I am not quite sure but I strongly suppose that the same piece of software is also needed to work with Clipwrap.

Poi, San' Donna di Piave vicino di Venetia?

Hey all, Peter asked me to chime in on this thread... sorry it took a few days for me to show up.

ClipWrap needs FCP installed for two reasons:

One, quicktime doesn't support playback of mpeg layer 2 audio directly within a movie, so we transcode the audio to PCM 16 bit. This we do with the mpeg 2 audio decoder which apple only ships with FCP.

Two, once we rewrap these m2ts into a quicktime file, the video is still in HDV mpeg2 format, and apple does not come with such a decoder by default. Now we could conceivably write out a movie that could be played by machines with apple's mpeg component or perian installed, but due to the way that FCP handles media, these files wouldn't be recognized as HDV native movies in FCP and would need to be transcoded before using.

We are exploring ways to remove both of these requirements, so that eventually ClipWrap can be used on any mac. This is a month or more off though.

mike
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Mike Woodworth
CEO and Lead Developer
divergent media, inc.