MTS files darn it
 

I have a client with a bunch of .MTS files he or someone copied to his drive. They are not contained in folders with the original file structure.

I've read through various posts on this subject without finding what I understood to be a definitive answer - is there a way to import those into FCP 7? Is there a way to convert these into something importable?

Heading out on a shoot, so I'll be back later today, but would appreciate any help.

Thanks.

Cineform Neoscene can do it but it's not free.

You should start by seeing if MpegStreamclip can open them. Squared 5 - MPEG Streamclip video converter for Mac and Windows
If so you can export to Quicktime.

I had a similar issue when I provided 4 DVDs full of MTS last year. It was hit and miss but Mpegstreamclip saved the day for most files. VLC also has an export module.

Free is best but cheap is good and whatever it takes is necessary. I tried MPEG Streamclip and it wouldn't see the video,only the audio.

Cineform Neoscene looks promising. What is VLC?

Thanks...

John

John,

By chance was the camera a Sony? If so you could possibly download the converter that makes the files transferable via Log & Transfer or, convert them to an appropriate QT codec.

VLC is the movie player that every computer everywhere should have installed!
It can pretty well play anything.

VideoLAN, Free streaming and multimedia solutions for all OS!

Robert,

I have no idea what camera it was. I'll ask my client, but I'll probably get back a blank look. I think he got the footage from his client who got it from some shooter in India. Seriously.

Tim,

I'll download and try VLC later today, and see. Thanks for the suggestion.

Tim, you may have just saved my bacon; I've been fussing with how to play files from a Windows-based desktop capture program (FRAPS) which nothing outside of Windows could play. VLC was not only able to play it but transcode it into H.264. The encode isn't pretty but considering what I need the files for (something non-client related) it's better than NOT having these files!

Robert,

What settings did you use? I've been trying on my mac, but while I can play the file, the transcoding combo has eluded me....

William,

Are you sure Cineform Neoscene can do the conversions? It appears I need to get the done today.

John,

If you're needing conversions done for client work then use Cineform; the VLC conversions are not up to pro standards by any means and they even warn you of that fact in documentation.

I had to convert such a file recently, and had no previous experience with MTS. Evidently, it is a type of AVCHD format that "should have been" compatible with my version of FCP. Someone sent me the MTS file via ftp, and nothing I tried seemed to work. Reading up on it, I discovered that FCP should have been able to log and import the file, but only if the computer was physically connected to the source camera on with the MTS file was shot. Evidently there is necessary file log information that FCP and other apps rely on to handle such an import, but that aren't transferred with the MTS if it is moved to another file storage medium. (I may be wrong about that, but that is what it seemed to translate to for me.)

After some looking around and a bunch of trial and error, I found Voltaic

VoltaicHD | HD converter, AVCHD converter, AVCHD, video converter, Mac, PC, Software | ShedWorx

I purchased it ($35) and it worked like a charm. A perfect transcode with no hassles at all.

-Jon

Thanks to everyone. I can now batch preview the clips in VLC and then batch convert them in VoltaicHD. Everything works great for only $35 bucks. Thanks all for the help.

I found this thread by searching for MTS files as I have a Canon HF100 HD camera and I have been frustrated with fooling with these files.

Are the software links in this thread still the way to go?

My problem is that Using Corel VideoStudio Pro X2, the playback within the program is choppy. And I have a fairly strong computer that I built myself.

I've seen to solve this problem to convert it to mpeg and it will make editing much smoother.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks so much!

Rick