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110 Chapter 6 Working with AVCHD
Working with AVCHD in Final Cut Pro
AVCHD footage can be transferred using the Log and Transfer window in Final Cut Pro.
Once you have transferred your footage, you can edit using an appropriate Apple
Intermediate Codec or Apple ProRes 422 codec Easy Setup.
Transferring AVCHD Footage
You can transfer AVCHD footage to your scratch disk using the Log and Transfer
window in Final Cut Pro. During transfer, you can choose whether the Log and
Transfer window transcodes your footage to the Apple Intermediate Codec or the
Apple ProRes 422 codec. For more information about using the Log and Transfer
window, see “Sample File-Based Media Workflow” on page 76.
Important: Although it is possible to copy AVCHD files directly to your scratch disk,
Final Cut Pro won’t recognize these files. You must use the Log and Transfer window
to transfer and transcode AVCHD footage.
Restrictions When Working with AVCHD
The following restrictions apply when working with AVCHD footage:
 AVCHD camcorders typically connect to computers via USB 2.0, not FireWire.
 AVCHD support is available only on Intel-based Mac computers.
 DVD-based AVCHD camcorders are not supported in Mac OS X Server v10.4 or earlier.
 SD video recorded with AVCHD camcorders can’t be accessed in the Log and
Transfer window.
 AVCHD footage is not captured natively but is transcoded to the Apple ProRes 422
codec or the Apple Intermediate Codec. You can choose the destination codec in the
Log and Transfer window preferences. For more information, see “Choosing an
AVCHD Destination Codec” on page 111.
 When you choose to transfer AVCHD audio in the Logging area, audio is
automatically mixed down to stereo.
 It is not possible to delete clips on an AVCHD volume, even if read-and-write
permissions on the volume are set to allow file deletion. This behavior is different
from that of P2 volumes, where clip deletion is allowed when proper read-and-write
permissions are set.
 The Log and Transfer window shows only an average duration for AVCHD clips,
especially clips longer than 1 minute. After clips are ingested, the correct duration is
displayed in the Final Cut Pro Browser.