Posted on by Why Not

Panasonic HDC-SD9 and Final Cut Pro: Perian to The Rescue

UPDATE 2008.06.11:

QuickTime 7.5 adds support for Panasonic HDC-SD9 and other newer AVCHD camcorders.

Hans Eklundh left a comment and confirmed that the 25p PAL version (Europe) also works with QuickTime 7.5

“Good news, everyone! We finally can use Panasonic HDC-SD9 and Final Cut Pro.”

AVCHD Final Cut Pro Icon

UPDATE:
So far, I have not been able to import 1080p/24p clip from HDC-SD9 into iMovie correctly. I’m still looking into it. I don’t have Final Cut Express 4 to test the import.

Good news, indeed. After 6 weeks, I finally get to import 1080p/24p clip from Panasonic HDC-SD9 correctly. The audio and video are in complete sync. The remedy is none other than Perian 1.1. Previously, Perian QuickTime Component was conflicting with Final Cut Pro.

Numbers of people raised the concern regarding Panasonic HDC-SD9 compatibility with Mac OS X applications (iMovie ’08, Final Cut Pro 6, and Final Cut Express 4). I was exploring this issue because I want to use my Panasonic HDC-SD9 in 1080p/24 mode.

Panasonic HDC-SD9 AVCHD Camcorder

I asked some Apple employees regarding this problem, and the non-answer I got is that Apple is working on camera compatibility issues. I’m hoping that Apple would update their applications to support Panasonic HDC-SD9 in particular and newer 1080p/24p camcorders in general.

On Thursday (2008.04.10), Apple released Pro Applications Update 2008-001 and brought Final Cut Pro to version 6.0.3. I was hoping that Apple would have resolved the issues with HDC-SD9 camcorder. Unfortunately, the issue persisted.

I decided to spend some times for trial-and-error in making Final Cut Pro playing nice with HDC-SD9. It was 03:00 hour, and I had an epiphany. Previously, some people were recommending ShedWorx’s VoltaicHD Converter to import AVCHD clip in Mac OS X. I went to ShedWorx’s site and read the System Requirements for the VoltaicHD Converter:

System Requirements for the VoltaicHD Converter:

  1. OSX 10.4 or 10.5 (Intel and PowerPC)
  2. QuickTime 7.3
  3. Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC)
  4. iMovie (HD or 08) or Final Cut Express/Pro
  5. Perian if you are using Final Cut

VoltaicHD requires Perian QuickTime Component!

I checked Perian site, and compared the version I previously had installed on my MacBook Pro. The current version 1.1 and I had version 1.0 installed on my MacBook Pro. I downloaded the latest version and installed it. This time Final Cut Pro converts the 1080p/24p clip from HDC-SD9 correctly.

I will test if I could import HDC-SD9 1080p/24p video using iMovie ’08 and Final Cut express with Perian 1.1 installed.

NEXT:
Video sample from Panasonic HDC-SD9, 1080p/24p, audio and video in complete sync.

Note:

  • 15-inch MacBook Pro Core Duo 2.0GHz 2GB RAM
  • Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.2
  • Final Cut Pro 6.0.3 (with Pro Applications Update 2008-001)
90403

19 Replies to “Panasonic HDC-SD9 and Final Cut Pro: Perian to The Rescue”

  1. It didn’t work for me….

    Are you really installed Perian 1.1 only?
    Any setting changed in FCP?

    As far as I know, there’s no special settings on FCP. Make sure you have all the latest updates on QuickTime and FCP. I’ll post more in near future.

  2. I am using this same camera with iMovie – it no longer crashes, but my audio speeds are way off. We’re getting there!

  3. Thanks for all useful tips and trix in your blog. I have a HDC-SD9 and try to make it work in Final Cut Studio 6.0-3 and Perian 1.1.
    When I log and transfer from the SDHC card the video runs much faster then the audio. How did you get that to work?

    Unfortunately it’d only works with the 24p mode. Not the 25p versions.

  4. I can’t even get the log and transfer window to take any footage, in any way shape or form, from my HDC-SD9…

    I have a scandisk card reader for the sd card (lost my firewire cable) and I see the reader (NO NAME, it shows up as)…but after opening final cut pro 6.0, I try to get any of the files into log and capture, and nothing works. what am I doing wrong?

    help me, oh wise one!

    Hope this short movie would help. I’m making a better one, but this one I recorded in a short amount of time.

    Screencast: Final Cut Pro – Log and Transfer

    Use the add folder feature on the “Log and Transfer” window.

  6. Hi, I am looking to buy the SD9. Can anyone else confirm that quicktime 7.5 fixes the issues?

    As far as I know, QuickTime 7.5 fixes the issue with HDC-SD9.
    Read more here and here.

    I know first hand that it works with iMovie 7.1.2 and Final Cut Pro 6.0.3 after installing QuickTime 7.5

  7. Confirmed, the bus is fixed in the update of Quicktime 7.5 and iMovie !!!

    …and the HDC-SD9 crowd went wild!

  9. what about panasonic PH rec mode on camcorder Ag-Hmc150/151 (new avccam)?
    Is it true that is editable as panasonic sd9

  11. Very good, it’s working for me too.
    But: I can only transfer when I have the card connected with the default directory structure-> I have transfered already quite a bit of files (the .mts-files) manually, since I didn’t really know how to do this. How can I import those now?

  12. Guys – I’m using the SD9 and moving content into FCP 6 over log and transfer. However, although I hear the audio while importing, it has vanished once i have the clip in the browser. Can anyone help!?!?!

  14. I got it to recognize in FCP 6.0.5 using a USB card reader, still no luck in iMovie09. It doesn’t seems to like USB PC Mode in either though.

  15. I’ve been able to import into iMovie08 from a usb card reader. I’m close to upgrading to iMovie09 but I don’t want to lose this functionality.

    Has anyone been able to import from a usb card reader in both iMovie08 and 09?

    Thanks

    1. That’s how I always import AVCHD videos from any SDHC based camcorders. iMovie ’09 works just the same, BUT it does not support 24p videos.

  16. Thanks for your reply. I’ve only had my SD9 for 2 days and footage I’ve shot wasn’t in 24p but was in the highest res. Have you done a side by side with 24p turned on and off? Is it really worth having it on?

    I’ve got Final Cut Express 4.01 working with my SD9 footage but again it’s not in 24p, anyone had any luck with FCE and 24p videos? I’m short on time to test all of this out. Thanks.

  17. I’m working with a Panasonic SD9, iMovie’08 and Voltaic HD Convertor and that works for me. A couple steps more then i expected but it does the trick. Now i would do more with my movies then i can in iMovie so i’m thinking about buying Final Cut Express 4. On the net i found a couple problems between FCE4 and the SD9 and i would like to know if it’s going to work and if it will be worth the buy. Thanks!

  18. I too have an SD9 and am having issues with iMovie 09, which crashes on me right away when I plug in the SD9 via USB. Not sure what to do to debug this… I have a european SD9 so I using 25p and not 24p.

    Any way I can try to understand why iMovie 09 crashes on me?

Comments are closed.