How to play Ex 3 Files

[Michael Slowe]

It all depends on what has been done to the files. In order for a given editing software to edit (or view) them they have to be unwrapped from their original MPEG4 ‘wrapper’. Different edit systems then want them in different codecs. Most (I believe) want QT.Mov files but I’m not sure about Premiere. I am also pretty sure you need the Sony Transfer application to do all this for you.

Michael Slowe

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Russell,
What kind of files have you got?
If you have got MP4 you need to use the SONY Clip Browser to rebuild a BPAV folder. Then with the SONY transfer tool you can convert (rewrap) as QT files for working in a Mac or MXF to edit in PC.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Craig Seeman]

To add on the good advice and questions you’re already hearing.

Specifically where you given MP4 (with BPAV?), MXF, MOV?
Do you just want to play them or use them in an NLE?

MP4 is easiest to handle actually.
As noted above you can use the free Sony ClipBrowser on Windows and wrap to MXF if needed.
You can use the free Sony XDCAM Transfer Tool on Mac to wrap to MOV.
Some NLEs handle the MP4 directly.

If you don’t have NLE or have an NLE that can’t handle the codec
Calibrated software has plugins that can handle MP4, MXF, MOV wrapped EX on both Mac and Windows. The plugins are about $80 each.

That should cover all the bases. Please do respond back with workflow specifics and/or what solution worked for you.

[Douglas Warouw]

If you just want to view the files VLC should be able to play them back.

https://www.videolan.org/vlc/

[Bastiaan Amsing]

Yep! also VLC player, does play all the .mp4 files for you..
https://www.videolan.org/vlc/

[Renier Van der westhuizen]

Hi!

I am currently doing a shoot in the Indian Himalaya and am using the following equipment: Sony EX3, G Raid 4TB Ext drive, Mac Book Pro and for software I only have Quicktime Player 10 and 7 installed on the computer. I use the software Sony provides to copy the BPAV folder to the external drive but when I try to review that same footage with either this XDcam Browser software it is not possible or with Quicktime Player it gives the error message OSSTATUS error 12909. I rename the BPAV folder each time it is imported so that there is no overwriting and corruption of the folder and files within. I desperately need to clear my SxS cards but am concerned for the integrity of the footage already taken as I cannot review it. I also have to translate it therefor the need to see it. I am not finding any joy from the Quicktime site as well.

Anybody have an idea how to fix this?

Much appreciated!

Renier

Sony PMW EX3, Clip Browser and Quicktime Player:

Hi! Help would be much appreciated on this one:

I am currently doing a shoot in the Indian Himalaya and use a Mac Book Pro (with no editing software), G Raid 4TB external drive and Sony PMW EX3. When inserting the SxS car into the Mac and upon opening Clip Browser, Clip Browser didn’t have a destination window (in this case the G Raid would have been used). Thus I had to drag the BPAV file directly onto the G Raid. Subsequently the only software I have to see the footage with is Quicktime Player version 10 and when I open the BPAV file, the subfiles are listed but when I try to open them with Quicktime I get the message: OSSTATUS ERROR 12909. I need to clear all my SxS cards before continuing with shooting but am not sure about the integrity of the footage now on the G Raid and if simply dragging the BPAV file onto the G Raid is OK.

Help on this one would be much appreciated!

Thanx

[Don Greening]

If you just want to view the native .mp4 EX files then get the application called VLC Player. It’s free and you can find it here:

https://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Son’y Clip Browser software should also be able to play the clips without anything else needed. Quicktime Player 7 or 10 will not play the files because the EX codecs aren’t part of Quicktime Player. The EX Codecs are found in the various editing programs such as Final Cut Pro.

If you find that Clip Browser is missing a window just quit the program and trash the preference file for it. When you start it up again your missing window will be visible. Use Clip Browser to copy your BPAV folders from the cards to your external G-Raid. Don’t change the BPAV name for any of those folders. Put each BPAV folder inside its own uniquely named parent folder. Software such as Sony’s Clip Browser and XDCAM Transfer depend on seeing the BPAV name before they can successfully copy or transcode native EX files.

– Don

Don Greening
Reeltime Videoworks
http://www.reeltimevideoworks.com

[Renier Van der westhuizen]

Dear Don

Thank you so much for putting me onto the VLC player. I can play the footage now but when I play a clip a message comes up that says: “VLC can’t recognize the input’s format”. This error message window then has two buttons at the bottom. The one says: “Show details”. When I press that button it gives a log that amongst other things says: “no suitable demux module for file…..” and “PTS is out of range (…), dropping buffer”. The other button at the bottom has the option “Clean up”. I am assuming that I do NOT press this button.

Have you come across this before? As I said at the beginning of the thread this is only for review and translation purposes. So if I just view it, regardless of the error messages, the VLC program isn’t changing anything to the footage, no?

Thanx again for being a helluva help.

Regards

Renier

Sony PMW EX3, Clip Browser and Quicktime Player:

Hi! Help would be much appreciated on this one:

I am currently doing a shoot in the Indian Himalaya and use a Mac Book Pro (with no editing software), G Raid 4TB external drive and Sony PMW EX3. When inserting the SxS car into the Mac and upon opening Clip Browser, Clip Browser didn’t have a destination window (in this case the G Raid would have been used). Thus I had to drag the BPAV file directly onto the G Raid. Subsequently the only software I have to see the footage with is Quicktime Player version 10 and when I open the BPAV file, the subfiles are listed but when I try to open them with Quicktime I get the message: OSSTATUS ERROR 12909. I need to clear all my SxS cards before continuing with shooting but am not sure about the integrity of the footage now on the G Raid and if simply dragging the BPAV file onto the G Raid is OK.

Help on this one would be much appreciated!

Thanx

[Don Greening]

Sorry Renier, but I’ve never seen that error window come up before. To be honest I don’t use VLC Player all that much because it’s essentially a program to be used when one doesn’t have the proper player for a particular codec. Wish I could be more helpful in that regard.

[Renier van der Westhuizen] ” the VLC program isn’t changing anything to the footage, no?”

Correct. VLC Player will simply play back the footage without modifying it in any way. Best of luck on your shoot.

– Don

Don Greening
Reeltime Videoworks
http://www.reeltimevideoworks.com

[Renier Van der westhuizen]

Dear Don

Thanx again for coming back on this one. As long as I can view the footage it is OK. Much appreciated!

Regards

Renier

Sony PMW EX3, Clip Browser and Quicktime Player:

Hi! Help would be much appreciated on this one:

I am currently doing a shoot in the Indian Himalaya and use a Mac Book Pro (with no editing software), G Raid 4TB external drive and Sony PMW EX3. When inserting the SxS car into the Mac and upon opening Clip Browser, Clip Browser didn’t have a destination window (in this case the G Raid would have been used). Thus I had to drag the BPAV file directly onto the G Raid. Subsequently the only software I have to see the footage with is Quicktime Player version 10 and when I open the BPAV file, the subfiles are listed but when I try to open them with Quicktime I get the message: OSSTATUS ERROR 12909. I need to clear all my SxS cards before continuing with shooting but am not sure about the integrity of the footage now on the G Raid and if simply dragging the BPAV file onto the G Raid is OK.

Help on this one would be much appreciated!

Thanx