M2TS or MTS

I am archiving vidoe files and want to know which is the best way to save them for later editing on Final Cut Pro--M2TS (AVC) or MTS? I have heard that Mac can't read AVC? Also what is the difference between M2TS and AVC? Is AVC just the codec that is carrying the M2TS file?

Are you archiving from a camcorder?

Actually from a Sony SDHC card reader. This is what I use to upload from my SDHC card to the computer. (I use the Panasonic HMC 150 HD camera.)

Ok, I have an HMC40 (uses the same folder structure)

First - DO NOT pull the stream files (or any other for that matter) out of the AVCHD folder structure. If you want to backup the card, copy the PRIVATE folder to where you need it.

Second - DO NOT attempt to import the stream files directly into FC - AVCHD spec is not edit friendly. If you are importing from PRIVATE folders that you've copied (for example, you may have a folder on an external drive called Archived Footage, then in there you'd have folders for each card you archived, like let's say May 13 - 2010 - Card 1, and in that folder would be the PRIVATE folder. Then in FCP if you need the footage, you use log and transfer, click the plus sign on the folder in the upper left corner of the L&T window and navigate to the May 13 - 2010 - Card 1 folder and let FCP parse the folder and offer the footage for importing into your project. At that point, FCP will transcode to ProRES for editing.

As long as you leave your footage in the AVCHD structure that is on the card (at least don't change/rename/modify the PRIVATE folder) FCP should be able to work with it without issues. You can test this by copying a card over to a hard drive then using the import instructions from "Second" above.

Hope that helps.

ps - that is how I archive my footage, I put the AVCHD folders only an external drive for long term storage.

I don't understand your second point. Could you dumb it down for me? What are stream files? What is AVCHD spec? What is L and T window?

I do keep my entire "Private" folder structure together. I think what your saying is when you upoad to Mac, upload the entire "Private" folder that contains the individual digitial movie clips?

That izzyvideo was an awesome recommendation. He assumes he is talking to the extremely technically challenged and really speaks in plain English.

Yes, the entire Private folder. The streams themselves are the actual MTS files themselves. You can read more about AVCHD here: AVCHD - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - basically AVCHD specifies what and the way HD footage is stored (it's not the only way HD footage can be handled, it's just one of the more common ways).

When using Final Cut Pro (I'm not at one of my edit stations right now), you don't just drag and drop footage from your camcorder into FCP to edit. You need to import it. To do that, when using a camcorder that records to a memory card (or hard disk), you need to use Log & Transfer - which is in the File menu. If you have a memory card in your card reader (or your camera connected to your computer via USB), FCP should auto-detect the footage and show it in a list to import. If you've copied the footage already (in the hierarchy, not the MTS files themselves) in the upper left corner of the L&T window, there is a folder icon with a plus sign on it, with that you can navigate to where the private folder is that contains the AVCHD structure with the footage you need...

Yeah, Izzy is a wonderful teacher - he really does bring it down to an easy to understand level - and does it well with some very difficult topics. He also has a full mini-course on FCP that may be of interest to you.

Thanks for reminding me about Izzyvideo. I lost that reference some time ago.