.MTS files - playback & editing. Is my computer too slow?
Discussion
Hi chaps,
I have recently acquired a Sony NEX5N camera, which is marvellous, however I can't get to grips with these .MTS video files. I know it also shoots in .mp4 but I'm not interested in this as the file size is limited and the quality not as good - I believe that I am shooting in the highest quality setting - 50P 28M (PS) whatever that means! It's for aerial videography so I need the best possible results.
So, when I try and play the .MTS files (using VLC player on an IMac) the playback is very stuttery and choppy. I haven't got any other program that will recognise the .MTS files, so not sure how I can view them properly. I downloaded a converter to turn .MTS into .AVI files, but the results are terrible quality wise.
Also, when I try to import the files into Final Cut it's having none of it. I know people use the work around of 'importing from camera' but some of the files i want to edit are on an external hard drive and it won't recognise them. All the .MTS files are greyed out. It won't even import the .AVI file that I converted from the .MTS. Argh.
The mac I'm using is 5/6 years old now, and the graphics card is a RadeonHD 2600 according to the specs. I know nothing about this, so is this enough to handle these video files? I also have 4Gig of Ram if that makes any difference.
Any advice would be great, as I feel like I'm going nuts trying to work with these files, and I'm not the most technically minded either!!
I have recently acquired a Sony NEX5N camera, which is marvellous, however I can't get to grips with these .MTS video files. I know it also shoots in .mp4 but I'm not interested in this as the file size is limited and the quality not as good - I believe that I am shooting in the highest quality setting - 50P 28M (PS) whatever that means! It's for aerial videography so I need the best possible results.
So, when I try and play the .MTS files (using VLC player on an IMac) the playback is very stuttery and choppy. I haven't got any other program that will recognise the .MTS files, so not sure how I can view them properly. I downloaded a converter to turn .MTS into .AVI files, but the results are terrible quality wise.
Also, when I try to import the files into Final Cut it's having none of it. I know people use the work around of 'importing from camera' but some of the files i want to edit are on an external hard drive and it won't recognise them. All the .MTS files are greyed out. It won't even import the .AVI file that I converted from the .MTS. Argh.
The mac I'm using is 5/6 years old now, and the graphics card is a RadeonHD 2600 according to the specs. I know nothing about this, so is this enough to handle these video files? I also have 4Gig of Ram if that makes any difference.
Any advice would be great, as I feel like I'm going nuts trying to work with these files, and I'm not the most technically minded either!!
You should be able to losslessly remux the mts file to a more friendly format like mp4 using ffmpeg and a command something like:
ffmpeg -i input.mts -vcodec copy -acodec copy output.mp4
Don't think the HD2600 provides hardware h264 video accelaration on mac os so the cpu will be doing the work and struggling with 1080p video.
ffmpeg -i input.mts -vcodec copy -acodec copy output.mp4
Don't think the HD2600 provides hardware h264 video accelaration on mac os so the cpu will be doing the work and struggling with 1080p video.
Edited by cw2k on Monday 27th August 09:21
Edited by cw2k on Monday 27th August 09:21
ol said:
Hi chaps,
I have recently acquired a Sony NEX5N camera, which is marvellous, however I can't get to grips with these .MTS video files. I know it also shoots in .mp4 but I'm not interested in this as the file size is limited and the quality not as good - I believe that I am shooting in the highest quality setting - 50P 28M (PS) whatever that means! It's for aerial videography so I need the best possible results.
So, when I try and play the .MTS files (using VLC player on an IMac) the playback is very stuttery and choppy. I haven't got any other program that will recognise the .MTS files, so not sure how I can view them properly. I downloaded a converter to turn .MTS into .AVI files, but the results are terrible quality wise.
Also, when I try to import the files into Final Cut it's having none of it. I know people use the work around of 'importing from camera' but some of the files i want to edit are on an external hard drive and it won't recognise them. All the .MTS files are greyed out. It won't even import the .AVI file that I converted from the .MTS. Argh.
The mac I'm using is 5/6 years old now, and the graphics card is a RadeonHD 2600 according to the specs. I know nothing about this, so is this enough to handle these video files? I also have 4Gig of Ram if that makes any difference.
Any advice would be great, as I feel like I'm going nuts trying to work with these files, and I'm not the most technically minded either!!
I have just upgraded from a 6 year old Mac G5 which also had 4 gb Ram. Vids would stutter on that. They fly on the new Mac Pro with 32 gb RamI have recently acquired a Sony NEX5N camera, which is marvellous, however I can't get to grips with these .MTS video files. I know it also shoots in .mp4 but I'm not interested in this as the file size is limited and the quality not as good - I believe that I am shooting in the highest quality setting - 50P 28M (PS) whatever that means! It's for aerial videography so I need the best possible results.
So, when I try and play the .MTS files (using VLC player on an IMac) the playback is very stuttery and choppy. I haven't got any other program that will recognise the .MTS files, so not sure how I can view them properly. I downloaded a converter to turn .MTS into .AVI files, but the results are terrible quality wise.
Also, when I try to import the files into Final Cut it's having none of it. I know people use the work around of 'importing from camera' but some of the files i want to edit are on an external hard drive and it won't recognise them. All the .MTS files are greyed out. It won't even import the .AVI file that I converted from the .MTS. Argh.
The mac I'm using is 5/6 years old now, and the graphics card is a RadeonHD 2600 according to the specs. I know nothing about this, so is this enough to handle these video files? I also have 4Gig of Ram if that makes any difference.
Any advice would be great, as I feel like I'm going nuts trying to work with these files, and I'm not the most technically minded either!!
OK thanks for the advice.
At least I know it's probably my computer being useless, so looks like I'm going to have to upgrade it.
It's an IMac 24 - bought circa 2007, originally had 1GB ram (but I upgraded to 4 as they told me this was the most my machine could accept).
So I can't upgrade the RAM anymore, so would a better graphic card help me to play the files smoothy? I have little knowledge when it comes to computers, so if anyone could send me in the right direction it would be much appreciated.
Thanks
At least I know it's probably my computer being useless, so looks like I'm going to have to upgrade it.
It's an IMac 24 - bought circa 2007, originally had 1GB ram (but I upgraded to 4 as they told me this was the most my machine could accept).
So I can't upgrade the RAM anymore, so would a better graphic card help me to play the files smoothy? I have little knowledge when it comes to computers, so if anyone could send me in the right direction it would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Had a similar problem:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I think it was down to my mate's computer being of too low a spec or not being able to play or handle the files - Either way, I used Handbrake to convert it.
He now has a new laptop which works with them just fine...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I think it was down to my mate's computer being of too low a spec or not being able to play or handle the files - Either way, I used Handbrake to convert it.
He now has a new laptop which works with them just fine...
Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff