Play AVCHD files

Is there a way to play AVCHD files fluently without transcoding them. I have no problem having to transcode to edit, but I would like to preview them first. I tried both VLC and Toast, but neither works. They start playing, but stutter like **** after a second or so.

Might be some settings in VLC, but I already tried to increase cache size and disable filters, but this didn't change a thing.

You didn't specify your Macs specifications, depending on the age and configuration of your Mac, it may be struggling to play it.

I'm using a late 2008 unibody Macbook Pro, 2.4ghz - 2gb ram - latest updates installed. I don't think my hardware is too low to play avchd files. Must be a software issue.

Have you tried playing them with Plex? Plex Media Center for OS X It tends to play some files better then vlc - personally I never tried using toast to play video files. You could also try mplayer for mac Download MPlayer for Mac - Movie player supports most video formats. MacUpdate Mac Video Software Downloads

I don't really watch avchd format videos on my mac; usually I just am converting within Final Cut, which will show my preview of the video from my camcorder. The only files i watch that are encoded similarly to AVCHD are files that I've taken via my HDPVR but those files aren't in the correct hierarchy of AVCHD - those files (.ts and .m2ts) tend to play best for me in plex.

Tried plex, works but a little stuttery there too. Didn't try mplayer. I also convert them for FCE but it's sometimes nice to be able to just preview the clips without any work.

Just use nightly built VLC to play AVCHD .mts or .m2ts files. And a fast mac is recommended, cause an old mac always has troubles to work.

I guess you didn't quite read all the posts Nichhit25 - in Lapinos reply (post #3) he specified the Mac he is using - a 2.4GHz MB Unibody which is quite a recent, and relatively fast Mac. Plus in his first post, he was talking about using VLC and experiencing problems with playback quality.

Lapino: Do you know the bitrate of the AVCHD files you're trying to play?

i mean to download nightly build , but i cannot ensure if it is stable. sorry

Sorry guys but same problem with the nightly builds. The .Mts files play fine for about 3 seconds and then start stuttering.

What are the .mts files from exactly? Also you never mentioned the bitrate of the encoding of those files...

i guess the .mts files are from a certain AVCHD camcorder. lapino, if you just need to view the clips in a hurry, you can playback the clips in iMovie's capture window. maybe it is an avialable way.

nichhit25 said:

i guess the .mts files are from a certain AVCHD camcorder. lapino, if you just need to view the clips in a hurry, you can playback the clips in iMovie's capture window. maybe it is an avialable way.

Click to expand...

That's what I'm assuming too (camcorder) - he's using FCE, which has a preview window for AVCHD files as well prior to import. I'm just wonder what the camera is and what bitrate it is - it's possible that if he has a new camera with a high bitrate, that maybe the software can't decompress and display at the recorded bitrate.