Mts To Prores Mov Conversion Dies At Dropout

[Bradamante]

Hi,

 

for quite a while now I'm using Toast to convert .mts files (Canon HF100, Canon HG20) to ProRes .mov files. Until now, it has always worked. Now I've got a clip from a longer session where the conversion dies at a "drop out". Now, the terminology does not really apply here since it's tape-less media, but that's how it looks. The stream breaks for a second. The overall length of the clip is approx. 22m:30s, the file size is the usual 2.05 GB.

 

When I convert the clip (with the same settings I've used a million times before) the export dies prematurely at the 2m:32s mark, where the drop-out happens. The file is approx. 800 MB large, where others of the same length ar 12+ GB.

 

When I preview the clip in Toast or QuichTime Player, the drop-out is visible, but the player survives - the video continues.

 

Is this a bug in Toast? Is there a "skip drop-outs" or "repair drop-outs" option (similar to MPEG Streamclip)?

 

I would use MPEG Streamclip, but that doesn't handle AVCHD streams.

 

Toast Ti 11.0.4

Mac OS X.8.2

[tsantee]

Toast doesn't handle breaks well and does not have a repair function. Have you tried using the Toast editor to select the part after the break as a separate file? It probably won't get past the break either. I think separating it into two files before and after the break is your best workaround.

[Bradamante]

Yes, that was my workaround. However, it's a tedious process: In the first 4 minutes of my footage I've got maybe 5 dropouts. I can use the Toast Editor to set the In behind a break, but I don't know precisely where the next one happens. I could set an In at the first frame that looks alright to me after a drop, but Toast might still fail to convert since for Toast the frame I set seems garbled. Same goes for a Out point. I might set an Out at the first frame before a drop-out that seems OK to me, but Toast might think differently.

 

I can watch the MTS footage in let's say VLC and note down the timecodes of those breaks. But that doesn't tell me how Toast sees those drop-outs and what timecode sections it will die on. You can imagine that in order to salvage as much footage as possible one has to go through an insane trial & error process.

 

Toast should either 1) handle drop-outs in a way MPEG Streamclip does or 2) ignore drop-outs and export the footage around them as seperate clips.

 

Yes, this issue is a minor one. Yet notice how it happened to me: I was using a new memory card on a borrowed camcorder and the cam not recognize the speed of the card properly. The Canon HF100 I used had four quality settings: 5, 7, 12 and 17 Mb/s (approx.). The cam did not let me start recording at 17 Mb/s claiming that the card wasn't fast enough (which it was). At 12 it made that claim too, but still let me record.

Beyond the first four minutes there are no dropouts anymore expect one. Overall length of the footage is 80+ min.

 

So, it's not a wide-spread problem, but it might not only happen to me. Notice that on a lot of prosumer/pro video production forums Toast is recommended as a insider tip MTS converter.

 

The only alternative I know is using iMovie for import. FCP7 or FCPX might work too, but I've never used them for that purpose, since I usually work with ProRes assets. I don't want to use iMovie because I don't know what quality iMovie transcodes to. I tried the trial of iSkysoft's Video Converter, too. While it recognizes my MTS streams the only export codec is a MOV container with x264 codec - what a letdown.

[tsantee]

I've had similar problems using memory cards in my newest camera. I've needed to format cards in that camera to prevent the problem.

 

I can see that this is extremely time consuming and difficult. Toast just isn't good with this sort of problem. If you can find a way to import to iMovie with Apple Intermediate Codec there shouldn't be any loss. My understanding is AIC is lossless. My brother who has a camcorder that records in hdv really likes using ElGato's Turbo.264 which he uses without its hardware device. You might look at that because it has an editing window that is superior to Toast's. Go to the Aquafadas site and try out Videopier or iDive. One of them might be what you need.

[PaulDouglas]

I would use MPEG Streamclip, but that doesn't handle AVCHD streams.

 

I think you may try with Handbrake, a free tool that can convert AVCHD files.

Personally, I keep Handbreak, AppGeeker and MPEG Streamclip installed to cover all bases and maximize my options when more than one converter can handle the job.

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