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GH2 and FCP7 import problem
  • Hi!

    After 3years I finally took my GH2 back in use and shot some video. Everything worked just fine, but when I tried to import to FCP7 I had "no data".error? This happened to half of my material? Others imported just fine. Any ideas what has gone wrong? GH2 is hacked with (maybe Flowmotion hack? no quite sure…) i tried google for answers, but none of them worked for me… Anyone got some ideas what should I do?

  • 5 Replies sorted by
  • try transcode gh2 video files to .mov files via 5DtoRGB (google it)

  • Anyone got some ideas what should I do?

    get FCPX

  • Or re-wrap the .MTS files to .MOV with EditReady.

  • I've had that problem with hacked footage, especially with spanned files that FCP doesn't recognize. I agree - transcode using a different program.

  • @klausvonperkele you're santa's grandson, aren't you?

    I guess there's no just one single solution, evermore when we don't exactly know what the problem is - we need a microscope 4 souls - its variables and their bastard children. Depending if you're in a hurry (deadline), your style of editing, the amount of footage, if you're gonna (heavy) grade, the machine specs, how lazy you are, etc. etc. you can make an informed choice for the "best" (less painful) way of dying a little.

    Like they say my two cents learned the hard way, 4 OSX

     
    REWRAPING (condoms)
    It's been centuries since I used FC7 but I remember a time when rewraping was mandatory for a smooth experinece. Back then I used clipwrap, but also back then I didnt know about ffmpeg. Today there are free GUIs as Free AVCHD to Mov; other than most common formats, the app lets you rewrap or reencode with all QT codecs plus x264, DNxHD and so on. It is also very fast.

    If you feel a little more adventurous (uuuuhhh), have ffmpeg (unix exec file 02-2016 DL link, 11MB) installed in root directory (yyyeahhh) and ur OSX is recent enough (pfh), you could open a terminal window and type (there's a space after "cd")
    cd

    drop the folder where you keep stored the .MTS and THE .MTS ONLY
    Hit return, then run

    perl -e 'my @files=ls; foreach (@files){ print chomp($_); ffmpeg -i "$_" -map_metadata -1 -vcodec copy -acodec pcm_s16le "$_.mov"}'; find . -name '*.MTS.mov' -exec sh -c 'mv "$0" "${0%.MTS.mov}.mov"' {} \;

    This is fast and the same rewrapping Free AVCHD to Mov does being the only palpable difference that's little instead of Big endian audio. Compared to clipwrap, no thumbnail, no TC (which is very good) or color priaries/ matrix coefficients, signed, MPEG-4 instead of QT, propper duration. You could add a bash in automator and try to make out of this a service or even an application where you'll just drop the files. Weekend project =)

    A couple three more useful thingies, cd into directory, then

    • Batch remove audio from video files
      perl -e 'my @files=ls; foreach (@files){ print chomp($_); ffmpeg -i "$_" -an -vcodec copy "noAU_$_"}'

    • Batch remove metadata (TC) from video files

      perl -e 'my @files=ls; foreach (@files){ print chomp($_); ffmpeg -i "$_" -map_metadata -1 -vcodec copy -acodec copy "noMD_$_"}'

    • Batch split video files in 10 seconds sections

      perl -e 'my @files=ls; foreach (@files){ print chomp($_); ffmpeg -i "$_" -acodec copy -f segment -segment_time 10 -vcodec copy -reset_timestamps 1 -map 0 -an "SP__0%d_$_"}'

     
    TRANSCODING (the real pros need a whore-house)
    This is slower, duhhhhh says the duck; and depending on method used may need previous rewrapping or not. In my experience (read tests and not ayahuasca trips) 5DtoRGB is the way to go if you're planing to grade. BUT, not only you can trim your project (of unused footage) and transcode later, also the newer (faster) versions of 5DtoRGB deal badly with GH2 original patched audio streams (sometimes even TC) - at least with the patches I've used. Not a problem IF your footage's rewraped with either FAtoM or ffmpeg. Older (free) version of 5DtoRGB doesn't seem to have such a delicate stomach and someone implemented a command line for batch - attached below - on the other hand is way slower.

    Rocky mountain converter is free, very fast and quality of conversion is pretty damn good, interface's simple, transcode options include QT 422HQ and 444; it also has the ability of transcoding with a LUT of your choice baked-in, neat! The only con is that you'll need to rewrap first.

    You also have Hybrid Selur just released rev 2016.04.09.1 direct DL link; it's what I personally use; with a myriad tweaking possibilities as lanczos upscale, crop, in and out trim points, audio remux, avisynth for the maniacs :P, etc. It has a robust batch and console feedback (you'll get the ffmpeg command used and all =), some filtering options and a pretty decent 422HQ. It's also from the transcoders mentioned the only that meets higher 444 bitrate (+270Mbps), true 444 chroma subsampling and right format profile altogether.

    Finally you can also use FAtoM or ffmpeg (better) to transcode, if you do a search you'll easily find the arguments to do so. Meself - again much depends on circumstances - tend to use Hybrid, sentimental reasons and 'cause I'm able to dither footage enough to get away with most grades without crying. You don't need to spend any money on software, instead maybe on this

     
    Please klausvonperkele tell your grandpa I don't need anymore coal.
    We shall end in style, don't ya think?

    image

    old_5DtoRGB_BATCH.zip
    1015K