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EX1: BPAV folder structure was not all provided… Is all lost?
I have a client who has provided me with contents copied from multiple cards recorded with EX1, but these are not the whole BPAV structure.
The contents I have are the CLPR folders containing the MP4 video files, but I don’t have all the corresponding wrapping from TAKR folders and CUEUP.XML & MEDIAPRO.XML (they weren’t copied on location – and then consequently overwritten).
The XDCam transfer software will register that clips exist, when I rebuild the BPAV structure around the provided CLPR folders, but it can’t display or transfer the clips (seemingly without all the XML wrappings) – I’ve even tried coping XML data from intact BPAV structures, but that little cheat of mine didn’t work.
Can these clips be salvaged? Your input would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
TomCamera Operator – Editor – Motion Graphics
(https://www.tomdavid.com.au) -
5 Replies
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There’s an issue with the Clip Browser that should, but doesn’t create proper BPAV folders from orphaned MP4s. It’ll be fixed in Clip Browser 1.5 (or 2.0).
On Mac
https://www.ffmpegX.com/
Will allow you to recompress the MP4 to another format.
What I then do is use that encode in Episode Pro (EX MP4 does not work in Episode Pro) and encode to XDCAM EX.
Yes, that’s a couple of rounds of lossy compression but it’ll get you an EX file.You should charge the client for both the time to do the above as well as to research the solution. I have very little sympathy for clients who use gear and don’t read the manuals on Clip Browser or XDCAM Transfer or don’t hirer a properly trained data wrangler. Heck a Google search would have probably given them the proper work flow.
First step is I’d go to the client and ask for BPAV folders. If they don’t have them then I’d let them know that they’ll be charged to data recovery just as if they had handed you damaged tapes that you had to repair.
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Thanks very much – I will follow this up now. As for charging more, I hired my gear out to these chaps. Perhaps I should have told them to copy the whole BPAV folder?? Their first time using gear, so for the interests return business, this ones on me.
Cheers.Cheers,
TomCamera Operator – Editor – Motion Graphics
(https://www.tomdavid.com.au) -
For clients new to stuff like this I’d had an “assistant” (data wrangler) go along (and billed for it). It’s not like lots of people have prior experience with this. Clients have to be willing to pay for knowledge and/or training otherwise you’re going to be making a lot of extra unpaid work for yourself.
Of course if Sony’s Clip Browser worked like it should (like described in their PDF manual. None of this would be a worry.
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I don’t own “Episode Pro” and don’t fancy buying it to complete this task if necessary – will FCP do the job transcoding to XDCam with the output from FFMPEGX? Good comments regarding data wrangler – I definately agree.
Cheers,
TomCamera Operator – Editor – Motion Graphics
(https://www.tomdavid.com.au) -
You could output a high quality H264 from ffmpegx. You’d have to render in FCP timeline but it would work.
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