This is just a consumer AVCHD camcorder, which is a fairly common format to edit. Current versions of iMovie certainly will edit it. Particularly if you use iMovie to get the video from the camcorder to your computer (as opposed to just pulling the SD card from the camcorder or using Finder to copy the files from the camcorder).

Here are some particulars about the Mac. It is older and low spec, but my friend is happy with it for now.

Model Name: MacBook
Model Identifier: MacBook3,1
Processor Speed: 2GHz
Processor Name: Intel Core Duo
Boot ROM Version: MB31.008EB02
Serial Number (system): W8751CExxxx (last digits hidden)

I think this is the iMovie version:

7.1.4, Copyright 2007, 2008 Version

Does any of this make sense in terms of which versions are suitable for AVCHD video?

We have tried importing footage from within iMovie as well as putting the files on the computer. iMovie recognizes that the HD is a file, but cannot open it. SD footage works either way.

Regards,

Kimberly

Support for AVCHD was added in iMovie 2008. So, if that's the version he has and he uses iMovie to get the video from the camcorder to his computer, he should be able to edit it.

here's a silly little movie on how to import from this camera into imovie. seems like it should be easier but maybe not.

I'm just now revisiting this. I'm going overseas in about 6 weeks so trying to find a solution for my friend.

[I]here's a silly little movie on how to import from this camera into imovie. seems like it should be easier but maybe not. [/I]

Nice tutorial! I'm pretty sure this is how we've been doing this. The SD works fine. The iMovie recognizes the AVCHD file but cannot work with it.

[I]Support for AVCHD was added in iMovie 2008. So, if that's the version he has and he uses iMovie to get the video from the camcorder to his computer, he should be able to edit it.[/I]

I've been reading up on how some older versions of iMovie do not recognize the *.MTS wrapper on AVCHD files. Inside it's an H.264 file, but the *.MTS wrapper confuses the software? I've read that you can transcode using Handbrake (and other tools), but when I try this, I get a file with a *.MP4 or *.MKV file. Are these wrappers still compatible with *.MOV? I'm going to put a sort transcoded file on DropBox for my friend, but our challenge is that he doesn't have fast Internet access so not sure how long it will take him to download.

Thanks for any ideas you all may have.

Regards,

Kimberly

I've read that you can transcode using Handbrake (and other tools), but when I try this, I get a file with a *.MP4 or *.MKV file. Are these wrappers still compatible with *.MOV? -Kimberley

HandBrake is your friend
http://handbrake.fr/

i can't speak to iMovie, but whenever i can't import a video file to Vegas, Premiere or After Effects, i throw it into HandBrake and it has never failed me so far... the file will come out as MP4 or M4V; never had a problem importing to any NLE i've tried.

the only setting i fuss over is under the Video tab, where you choose between Constant Framerate and Variable Framerate... pick CONSTANT.

"he doesn't have fast Internet"

Even a clip as short as one second should be enough to see if it works or not. Handbreak can let you set in/out points for the transcode. A one second clip should be a pretty small file in any format.

AVCHD is not a 'friendly' format for Apple's editor.

Trying FCPX short time in 2011, and I need to transcode them with Clipwrap
Although just rewrap or change the container work where FCPX can finally accept them, they were still transcoded in background to Prores codec.

I saw Clipwrap offered as a possible solution on another website.

I looked briefly at the website but couldn't figure out how it works. Do you drag your clips to it, or drag it to your clips? My friend is not a computer super-user and we both struggle with his Mac as I am PC and this is the only computer he has used.