Media Browser cannot find renamed .MTS files

[VEM2012]

Hello, does anyone have advice on this issue please:

I shoot on Panasonic (mostly 1080p) and capture on Mac (OS Big Sur 11.5.2 and recently on macOS sonoma 14.5). As I capture from SDcards to mac the files automatically appear as .MTS files that I can then edit with Premiere (Pro 22.0.0 on the older mac and 24.6.0 on the newer). I have only recently started to use Media Browser when importing files, before I would just use the Import-command. I am working on super large art projects (shot over 20 years so maybe you can imagine) and a few times I've had an issue with audio files getting messed up in big projects (as I have hundreds of files with same .0000 names etc). I am careful with my folders so most of the time it's been okay. I've considered starting to rename my files after capturing them to avoid these syncing problems, but I'm only starting to take that step now. I got an impression from some discussions that it would be better to use the Media Browser rather than the Import-command when imprting footage into the project (does it make a difference, and if so, why?). I also read somewhere here that, it would be good to capture all the stuff from the SDcard, but I have always only captured the PRIVATE-folder (that's what I learned 20+ years ago - so I understand that things might have changed). Sorry about the long backstory, I'm an artist and not so tech-minded.

So here are the questions:

Why media browser does not recognise those .MTS files I have renamed? Maybe my settings are not correct.

If this is just the way it is, what would then be a better way of working: Renaming files after I have captured them on my mac and then using Import-command in Premiere; or not renaming and using Media Browser? (both of the macs and their Media Browser seem to behave the same way)

If I decide take the big step and start renaming all of my new files, can I then continue using the Import-command and forget Media Browser?

Am I losing some information (as I suspect) by renaming .MTS files? Am I losing any footage quality?

Yes, life was simpler before I decided to start mixing footage from so many old folders - but at least this keeps my brain ticking!

Have a lovely day folks, and thanks for any advice you might be able to share. BW, Elisa

[R Neil Haugen]

Hoo boy, you have all my sympathies over this! Why on earth the camera makers did this to us, I don't know. But having the camera automatically break shots into say five minute sections, each named "000000.mts", with the audio in a separate folder!!!!!!!! ... wow, that's dumb.

Some mts at least has the audio in the same folder or so, don't know which you've got.

A lot of production companies now require the DIT to rename all such camera files as they log the cards in on-set. And at times even push the audio clip into the same folder with the video clips. As this is a nightmare both in storage and in editing/post workflows.

As to working with this stuff ... 

1) New files ... yes, highly recommended that you create and test a rock-solid protocol for renaming/storing the camera originals. Did I mention test?

2) Old files ... after you have used in a project, renaming will break the project links. I've seen some 'major' production company discussions where they figured out how to apply names within metadata stuff, so on an XML or EDL they'd get the new and old names or something like that, but I'm not familiar enough to say how it was done.  Check on YouTube for Karl Soule (channel @KarlSoule) as he may well have an Official Guide to doing this stuff.

3) Media Browser has been the better option for "spanned" media over "just" using the Project panel/Import, but ... Karl now says the Import Page is often the best way to add spanned clips to a current project, as good as the MediaBrowser for metadata wrangling, faster to use and with some tools on the upper right such as naming/copying with data checksums.

[VEM2012]

Hi Neil, thank you for your reply. In a way I'm glad to hear this is not just a straightforward issue. Karl Soule seems to have lots of great topics on his channel so that's an excellent suggestion - thanks. If I could safely assume that I won't lose any quality, then the simplest option is to start renaming files with dates. (Imagine if all cameras would do that automatically! An easy solution in that end.) I suspect that, if the files have unique names none of this messy audio mixup would happen. I think it happens when I open my big projects and accidentally forget to wait for it to fully upload before I start working on it.

Would be brilliant if anyone has any more insight into the renaming versus quality loss, or using Import instead of Media Browser. I only started to use Media Browser recently hoping it will prevent the audio being attached to wrong videos.

By the way, .MTS files are fine to work with and the audio-video are in same files (I shoot with Panasonic video camcorders & they are perfect for my art stuff). The only issue is that when a shot gets to about 20mins (1080p) ie to 4.29GB then the camera (or it could be due to the SDcard actually) breaks the file into parts. Editing those is still okay and Premier does a super job. It just present several files that are actually the same and I can use any of those to do the edit. It did take me several days to work that one out tho.... so yes, testing, and testing again, is often the way to go. Many thanks for your thoughts! Thanks, Elisa

[Averdahl]

Would be brilliant if anyone has any more insight into the renaming versus quality loss, or using Import instead of Media Browser. I only started to use Media Browser recently hoping it will prevent the audio being attached to wrong videos.

By @VEM2012

No, there will be no quality loss no matter how you import your media. Premiere Pro just reference to your clips as they are, no matter how you import them into Premiere Pro.

Media Browser is good when working with media from cameras that record to memory card since it finds the media fast, as long as the format/camera is supported. Spanned clips will be brought in as one (1) clip with all import options. IMHO Media Browser is not magical or add something special but there is almost a myth around it saying that the quality is greater if you use it, etc or that this-or-that happens if you not use Media Browser.

If you like it, continue to use it. 🙂

[VEM2012]

Hello, thank you for the comment. Shall I also interpret this that as I like the simple Import-command, I can continue using it and forget Mecia Browser? Thanks, Ex

[R Neil Haugen]

It depends ... spanned media, those where the camera or device automatically cuts clips into sections, all named like "0000000.mts" ... I would either use MediaBrowser or the Import page to import those.

Other cameras, where the camera auto-separates the clips of video and audio into separate folders, rather than as a single file, I would also recommend using MediaBrowser or the Import page.

Karl Soule, one of the top experts on such things, rather strongly suggests using the Import page to add media to current projects, when it is "complex" media like spanned or separate folder stuff.

[Averdahl]

Hello, thank you for the comment. Shall I also interpret this that as I like the simple Import-command, I can continue using it and forget Mecia Browser? Thanks, Ex

By @VEM2012

Use the way to import that you like the best, File > Import Media or double click in the Project panel or drag&drop from a file browser or use Media Browser. Only you can decide what you like best. There is no right or wrong with any method. Personally i never use Media Browser since it is too sluggish compared to any other import method if i rename clips from an AVCHD camera.

Regarding spanned clips:

Since you have renamed the clips all spanned clips will be imported as individual clips. All meta data required for Premiere Pro to recognize and treat spanned clips correctly are stored in a subfolder to the PRIVATE folder. Once you rename the files, and probably at the same time delete all those folders, Premiere Pro has no way to know anything about the clips. But, there are tools on the internet to stitch clips together so it´s not a problem.

Depending on what you film you might not even have any spanned clips. 

So how-to-do for you comes down to the camera you used, iow depending if the mts-file contains video+audio or if the camera stores the audio in a separate folder as R Neil Haugen points out. But from what i gather it seems that your camera/s produce a mts-file with both video+audio.