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Capturing Low-Res Files from XDCAM Software
Hi there,
Can someone tell me whether it’s possible to capture low-res files at, say DV quality, from XDCAM Transfer software in order to cut down on disk space usage and render time during an edit.
I’m sure there must be a way to do this but I can’t find an answer.
Thanks in advance,
Alex Elkins -
14 Replies
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If there is, I haven’t seen it. You can only import at full XDCAM quality. What we end up doing is importing at full quality, then using the Media Manager to recompress to DV quality for offline editing (mixing with HDCAM captured at DV quality as well). The full res versions are saved to firewire drives that we have on a shelf until we online.
Shane
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We are also looking for a way to incorporate XDCAM EX footage for offline editing with HDCAM
and probably one other format. So after you convert to dv for offline and do your edit, how do you link back to the full quality files? Can you media manage the final edit sequence to create offline media with handles and then somehow re-link to the full quality files even though the lengths of the clips will be different? -
Seems I’m not the only one having trouble with it then.
I’ve actually noticed (but not tested yet) that if you right click the clips there is an option to ‘Export Proxy Movies to Folder’ and it appears you can do this with more than one clip selected.
My assumption would be that doing this would save the lower resolution preview versions you see in the transfer software (whatever that resolution may be).
Probably worth a try when I’ve got time – I’ll post an answer when I’ve checked. -
[Chris Campbell] “how do you link back to the full quality files?”
Still working on the details, but we will most likely keep the XDCAM on separate layers so that we can simply bring the full res clips online and take the low res offline and then reconnect. And then media manage the HDCAM for recapture.
[Chris Campbell] “Can you media manage the final edit sequence to create offline media with handles and then somehow re-link to the full quality files even though the lengths of the clips will be different?”
Nope…that you cannot do.
What makes this difficult is that we have MULTI CLIPPED the footage. That will have to be separated out when we come to online.
Shane
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I would be interested in hearing from other people who are using XDCAM EX successfully in an online/offline workflow, especially when mixed with other formats. It seems to me that file based media is great if you just have a simple show being kept on one machine that uses the footage at full rez from the start. But any kind of collaboration with other editors with tons of footage in an offline/online workflow is a bit of a nightmare. Tape is so much simpler for post…
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I do a lot of work with EX1 footage, and unless you’re doing some long-form doc with tons of footage (in which case a tapeless system may not be your best choice n the first place), I don’t see much gain from trying an offline/online workflow. At 35 mbps, XDCAM EX isn’t that much more storage intensive than DV. It may cost you a little more on the front end if you need to expand your storage, but it would certainly be faster and cost less in the long run.
That’s just my opinion, so your milage may vary.
Zak
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True…compressing XDCAM to DV saves VERY LITTLE space. Talking a 20GB file compresses to a 14GB DV file…so not worth it. The only reason we are doing the offline/online workflow is that the EX1 is the B Camera to the F950 shooting HDCAM, and that we are capturing as DV. THis is a series for British TV…4 episodes and shared storage between 3 editors, so we have to do this.
The online will be interesting.
Shane
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Our main problem is not amount of storage, although that is a consideration…it’s the ability to relink to only the media that is used in the final sequence. EG: the offline editors are still using the files on their end for the next episode, while online is starting at another facility and for online we only want what is used in the final sequence. Re-capturing from HDCAM is should be no problem…it’s relinking to the XDCAM that is the problem.
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Oh…that is EASY PEASY. Use the Media Manager to COPY the footage, not recompressing, using only the footage referenced by the cut with handles…copy to another drive. Done
If this footage is mixed with other footage, you might have to make sure that it is on a separate layer, and maybe copy that layer to a new sequence…hmm. Time to do some testing my friend.
Shane
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http://www.LFHD.net
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How about this:
After final offline, instead of copying the footage using media manager – re-compress it with handles to prores at 1080i, 29.97.
Assuming the HDCAM stuff was originally captured at a lower resolution like dv and the XDCAM went in at full XDCAM EX HD resolution, then delete the media for just the HDCAM source clips (which would look like crap being converted from dv) redigitize just the HDCAM stuff at full quality prores. That way you end up with a timeline with just one codec (prores at 1080i, 29.97) which should make everything more simple moving forward with the online.
What would the XDCAM to Prores conversion look like? Crap or OK?
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