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Convert MP4 files for FCP NOT using XDCam Transfer
Can anyone suggest a method for changing the native MP4 files associated with the BPAV folder that comes directly off the SxS card from the EX-1 to a FCP usable file that DOES NOT use the XDCam Transfer software. I recently had a hard drive crash and have just recently gotten enough information back to be able to view the MP4 files using VLC but am unable to use XDCam transfer to convert them to .mov files suitable to editing in Final Cut Pro. Most of these files are supposed to be connected using .smi files since the video is a dance performance that lasted 1.5 hours and spread over two SxS cards. But I get this error message from XDCam Transfer when I attempt the rewrapping
It says “IMPORT ERROR Exception opening XDCAM EX files (condition Failure – moov Existance)”
I’m currently using VLC’s transcoding option for rewrapping my files, but it is slow and the quality is h.264 and the bitrate is low. Is there another piece of software that can transcode the EX-1’s MP4 files quicker, or can anyone offer a guide on how to alter the actual MP4 file and make it a FCP compatible .mov file? I have heard that this has been accomplished before by Bjoern Adamski from this thread
https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/142/864910
You can see my original plea for help at the bottom under his post.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Cow!
-Scott H
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I make movies, not a living.
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9 Replies
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[Scott Hathaway] “I recently had a hard drive crash”
After you replace the hard drive, re-import the BPAV files from the optical disks (DVD, DL-DVD, Blu-Ray) you backed them up to. You could also copy them from the 2nd hard drive backup you made. Do either and your problem is solved![Scott Hathaway] “have just recently gotten enough information back to be able to view the MP4 files using VLC but am unable to use XDCam transfer to convert them to .mov files suitable to editing in Final Cut Pro. Most of these files are supposed to be connected using .smi files since the video is a dance performance that lasted 1.5 hours and spread over two SxS cards. But I get this error message from XDCam Transfer when I attempt the rewrapping “
You have BPAVs but XDCAM transfer can not see or rewrap them?
Given the error message it sounds like the metadata is corrupted so copying from your backup optical disks or additional backup hard drive would be best.You could copy the MP4 so they are “orphaned.” You can then use Import in ClipBrowser and it will create new BPAV folders with metadata. While the split/spanned clips won’t be joined, you will be able to rewrap the files to MOV.
Of course you’ll back up the BPAV to optical disk and/or 2nd hard drive immediately before proceeding with their use from the hard drive.
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Thanks Craig. Unfortunately I had not made a backup of these files so they exist only as recovery files. Bad practice and a tough lesson learned.
I attempted the XDCam EX Clip Browser importing and it did in fact make new BPAV folders but when I added them to the XDCam Transfer source column, it said there were “no clips” in the folder. I checked the finder and, yes, that all important MP4 clip is present, but some of the additional files like .BIM, .SMI and .PPN are not there. Any suggestions? Thanks again for the reply.
-S
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I make movies, not a living.
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You must be using ClipBrowser 2.5.
What you describe is a bug in an earlier version of ClipBrowser. It’s always good to post version numbers when referring to software. -
Might be able to fix em with Calibrated’s MP4EX Import:
https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/MP4EXImport_Mac.asp
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Thanks for the note. I discovered I was out of date minutes after posting. Thus far I’ve recovered all but two clips, neither of which are opening in VLC, meaning something more sinister is at hand. Does anybody know how to extract usable information out of possibly incomplete .MP4 files? Luckily I shot so much coverage it probably won’t even be missed. Yeesh what a nightmare. ALWAYS BACK UP, EVERYBODY.
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I make movies, not a living.
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Hi everyone,
i write here even if is an old post.
i have a big problem and need your help.
i shot with Sony XDCam Ex 1.
i didn’t have FCP7 so i used Premiere Cs5, but didn’t like it.
so i decided to go with FCP7, and then started the delirium…
FCP7 doesn’t read MP4 files, and now i don’t know how to convert those files in .mov.
i tried FFmeg, streamclip and so on: nothing.
do you know how i can convert those files so that i can work with FCP7?…i have 23 hours of material…
please help!
thanks, marco
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You should have the original BPAV folders.
The BPAV are your camera masters. The are a MUST to backup.
You can use XDCAM Browser 2.1 to wrap to .mov
Sony also has a plugin which will allow you to ingest from the BPAV to FCP -
I Craig, i have the bpav folders, but they’re the result of importing from xdcam clip browser for premiere, and now xdcamclipbrowser is not able to convert them in mov or send to fcp.
I had to buy calibrate software in order to let fcp read the mp4 files.
It works but it’s scary… Even the xml project is not very stable.
There’s no way, in my knowledge, to transform mp4 files in to mov with xdcam browser once you have already imported them from the card.
Do you know an alternative way? -
I’m not quite sure what the issue you’re having is.
Sony has Log & Transfer plugin for FCP7 which, when pointed to the BPAV, imports and wraps to .mov
If your BPAV is intact it works. Premiere doesn’t (shouldn’t ) alter the BPAV which is your camera masters.Click on Applications, Plugins, Device Drivers
https://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-xdcam/resource.downloads.bbsccms-assets-micro-xdcam-downloads-XDCAMSoftwareDownload.shtml#manualsSee Log and Transfer Plugin FCP7
and
Camera Import Plugin FCPX
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