AVCHD Archive

Hi I would like to back up my AVCHD hard drive camcorder to discs where Final Cut Pro can then recognise them as a camera so I can re-import the files back into Final Cut Pro.
I know Toast 10 can do this but it simply WILL NOT work for me, I always just get a Mac OS error and thats that. I've contacted Roxio about it but they have no advice on the problem what so ever.

So are there any other programs which will do the dame thing? For Mac or Windows.

Cheers

Hi macfilm
I think 'log and transfer' is looking for a USB device. an internal dvd reader won't show up as an USB device.

You could experiment by moving your archive files off optical disc to a USB external hard drive or USB stick and see if 'log and Transfer' recognizes them- not ideal i know.

an external USB dvd/cd/bluray drive might also work- you would need to test before buying.

Alternatively you could side step 'log and transfer' transcode your files manually using compressor.

Hopefully someone can offer you a more ideal workflow.

Graeme

edited to say - i just re read your question and i may have gotten the wrong end of the stick- when do you get the error message- on burning the disc in toast or on re import into final cut pro?

I haven't shot the AVCHD cams but once a few weeks ago when I brought my laptop into a Best Buy, shot some 30 seconds in the store using one of their little Canons and then downloaded to FC. The log and transfer seemed easy enough and it automatically transcoded to Pro Res. I was surprised at how easy it was. Haven't had time to play with the little bit of footage I captured yet but what seems to be the problem with using it? I hear so many complaining about the difficulties archiving the captured footage to be seen on either a PC or Mac but don't know whether this is true or not. What else is there for me to learn about this?
Steve

Hi Steve,

Before FCP 7 this did not work right and you could not sucessfully bring AVCHD video into FCP and needed third party software.

Reports are that this has been fixed in FCP 7.

--ken

I may be missing something, but I will state a simbple obvious solution.
I archive AVCHD this way:
( Not to DVD disk, but inexpensive External Drives. )

I simply transfer the AVCHD into a project folder using "log and transfer" - complete with scratch disks and Project file.
Re name the clips if needed.

I archive the entire project folder, file, and scratch disks by copying to an external drive.
It remains a self contained project that I can move anywhere, take home, put on a server, archive,
or never look at it again, but I know the media is there, in tact.

When I need to look at it again, I simply dig out the external drive, and click the project file.

The downside is if you archive too long, FCP will change versions and after a few versions, you may
get some compatibility issues, but your AVCHD files will still be in the Scratch disks at least, ready to
re import into a new version, providing FCP continues to support AVCHD.

External Archive is the way.

PH

Hi thanks the responses guys. Yeah I'm really asking about the archiving process, with Toast it tells me my camcorder data will span 10 discs but when I hit burn it simply gives me an error and thats it, so I wondered if there were any other programs that do the same thing? Burn the AVCHD files to discs that FCP then recognises as a camera being connected.

PH, your idea is good if that works for you but I would much prefer to save my original data than transcoded footage in the capture scratch as that footage is a million times bigger in size, I also trust discs more than external drives generally.

Hi Macfilm
i see- so the error is with Toast- knew i had the wrong end of the stick.

Toast can be a bit odd sometimes I have a few questions:

1 do you have a note of the exact error msg
2 which OS are you using
3 what brand of media are you using
4 which camera model
5 does toast usually work for you doing other types of burn

Graeme

another note

Have you tried creating a disk image (using apple disc utility) of the camera hard drive and burning your 'AVCHD Archiving' discs from this?

Hi Graeme,

1. Could not record the disc because of a Mac OS Error
Result Code = -50

2. SL 10.6.2

3. Verbatim DVD+R

4. Sony HDR SR8

5. Yes

Hi

that -50 error is a kind of general communication error - could point to the media, the camera or the dvd burner-doesnt help much i know.

Verbatim is a good reliable media- the one i would choose for archiving- you could test another brand of media or even a DVD-R.

10.6 is not really mature enough yet espcially if you include 3rd part software hardware to the mix. if you have access to 10.5 i'd stick with that for a few more months- I have found toast to be unreliable in 10.6 even when just burning data disks. even with the 10.6.2 update 10.5.8 is still better for robustness and maturity. as an end user 10.6 doesn't offer us much yet apart from little problems.

1. I would try the simple and cheap option of trying some different media.

2. Trying to take the camera out of the mix by cloning or disk imaging its hard disk on to your mac and then try to burn a AVCHD Archive or data disc from this. (sometimes as long as the file structure on a dvd matches the cameras hard drive FCP can see the AVCHD clips in log and transfer)

3. as this is important to you- id get in touch with Roxio on the phone or send tech support an email- don't bother with their forum.

I cant think of any other applications that do what the AVCHD Archive option does in toast- but most of the people i know use disk imaging backing up processes with success.

If all else fails you could clone the Camera Hard drive to a external to a couple of USB hard drives- not ideal i know.

Graeme

Hi Graeme, thanks for your responses, your last post was spot on with what I'm trying to achieve!

I has used various media but so far no luck. Also I may try doing this round a friends house soon as he still runs of Leopard.
I have a disk image of my camera drive saved on an external drive but I do also like to archive to discs as extra back up too which is why i'm trying this Toast option.

Also I did contact Roxio customer support and they sent me back a lovely email explaining how to burn a disc and did not at all comment on the error message or actual reason for why I emailed them, it could not have been a more useless response, so much for customer support!

Anyway I will keep trying other ways to do this successfully, I'm optimistic that Leopard might be the way.

Cheers,
Ryan

your welcome Ryan
good luck- let us know how you get on.

Graeme

Graeme, Again, I don't use or have experience with AVCHD but I am certainly a bit confused by this thread. Once he imports his AVCHD footage and transcodes the clips to Pro Res, why can't he simply do a batch export to his 2nd external drive of all the clips, now in the QT format, for archiving. What am I missing here?
Steve

Hi Steve
He wants to back up the 'native' files produced by the camera- to keep as you would do with an dv, hdv tape etc.
He probably backs up the projects too but not the unused transcoded footage (I'm assuming this bit)

The native files are smaller and he will re-import and transcode if he wants to use them again in a new project.

This should be a simple thing but.. Log and Transfer will not always recognise the native clips, if they are not on an external USB device with a certain file structure.

The 'AVCHD Archive' tool in Toast 10 attempts to preserve the right file structure - i don't know if or how it does any USB 'fooling'.

I think it's good practice to back up native files from devices that have re-usable media before you wipe it. like you would keep a tape on the shelf. Some friends of mine who capture on to SDHC cards will keep a disc image of the card and burn this to disc in case they encounter a problem with the transcoded clips and need to go back to the originals. of course if you transcode with compressor its not an issue.

Graeme

So I'm adding to this thread 5 months later to let people know these are ongoing issues with Toast.

I'm using Toast 10.0.6
It will create a Spanned AVCHD Archive but the folder structure is apparently NOT VALID.
The single disc archives work but the spanned discs do not.
Neither iMovie 09 nor FCP 7 will recognize the spanned AVCHD archives.

In my case I'm using a Canon Vixia HF200.

When you open the Log and Transfer in FCP, near the top there is a Gear icon. Click on it and choose Prefs > ProRes.

--ken