How to record, download then delete files on SxS in a Mac

[Craig Seeman]

Use ClipBrowser to copy the files (with CRC on) and once copied you can select all the clips on the card in ClipBrowser and delete.

You certainly can format one card in the camera while the other is recording but that’s certainly taking a high risk though.

[Noah Kadner]

Yeah I’d be very very leery of this- you might lose footage before having a chance to check it. I’d suggest getting more SxS cards or a second EX1 to support this workflow. Or get the MxR reader and shoot to SDHC cards, those are a dime a dozen.

Noah

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[Allen Cavedo]

Thanks! I have not checked in this forum for a year and a lot has happened in the memory world. I spent the last several hours reading up on the whole MxR, KxS, MxM, etc. thing and I got a new download of the Clip Browser. Both are very helpful.

[Mitch Lewis]

You can delete all the clips off your SxS card using Clip Browser. Then you could use the workflow you’re suggesting.

1) Start shooting on Card-A
2) Card-A fills up and camera switches to Card-B
3) Remove Card-A and insert into MBP
4) Transfer all clips from Card-A to your hard drive using Clip Browser (with CRC turned on)
5) Delete all files from SxS card using Clip Browser
6) Put Card-A back into camera
7) When Card-B fills up camera automatically switches to Card-A
8) Repeat steps 3 thru 6 using Card-B

NOTE: Using the Clip Browser software, if you copy all your clips from both cards into the same folder on your hard drive, Clip Browser will join any clips that spanned 2 or more cards. You’ll end up with one long clip instead of two (or more) clips. I used this technique to record nonstop for 7 hours. I had a helper transferring the clips to a hard drive so I could continue shooting. (it was a long day!)

Sony EX3, Letus Ultimate, Nikon lenses, Sachtler tripod
20 years as a videographer/editor – HD and 35mm adaptor newbie
Experienced with Apple products, Final Cut Studio, Adobe Creative Suite, MOTU Digital Performer, Flip4Mac, etc…

[Steve Hirsch]

Curious… Why is there no mention of using the Sony XDCAM Transfer? That’s what I use. Then after the transfer and after checking a few clips, I trash the BPAV folder on the card and put it back in the camera. Should I be getting familiar with the Sony EX Clip Browser instead?

Thank you,
Steve

[Don Greening]

[Steve Hirsch] “Curious… Why is there no mention of using the Sony XDCAM Transfer?”

Because Clip Browser is what’s used to copy BPAV folders in their entirety from the cards to hard drive in preparation for archiving. Clip Browser will also down-convert to SD as well as transcode/re-wrap the native EX .mp4 files into other wrappers for use with other XDCAM formats, etc.

XDCAM Transfer is for importing and at the same time “un-wrapping” the native .mp4 files and “re-wrapping” them for use in programs such as Final Cut Pro.

– Don

[Mitch Lewis]

Don’s process is the same as mine. Clip Browser for transferring the files to hard drive for archiving. But then I point XDCAM Transfer to that same hard drive where it unwraps the clips and saves them on our editing system RAID. So the clips end up residing in three places:

1) The portable hard drive that Clip Browser transfered to
2) The RAID that XDCAM Transfer unwrapped them to
3) The drive we use to backup our RAID (using Apple Time Machine)

Sony EX3, Letus Ultimate, Nikon lenses, Sachtler tripod
20 years as a videographer/editor – HD and 35mm adaptor newbie
Experienced with Apple products, Final Cut Studio, Adobe Creative Suite, MOTU Digital Performer, Flip4Mac, etc…

[Craig Seeman]

[Steve Hirsch] “Then after the transfer and after checking a few clips, I trash the BPAV folder on the card and put it back in the camera.”

So you throw out your camera masters? Yikes?
So what happens in the eventuality that you must use the files on a non FCP system? Sure there are solutions these days but you can surely and easily lock yourself into a bad situation.

[Steve Hirsch]

Yikes is right! Thank you to everyone that posted information on this subject. And now that I have a better understanding between the Sony transfer app and the browser app, I will definitely be changing my workflow.

Steve

[Craig Seeman]

First step is ClipBrowser with CRC checking on to copy BPAV.
XDCAM Transfer to rewrap to .mov.
Back up that BPAV to another location as well. Optical disk, secure hard drive, etc.

Those BPAVs will allow you to move source media to another computer whether Mac or Windows whether FCP system or not.

You can even export your final XDCAM EX edit master from FCP wrapped to .mp4 again if it needs to travel to a non FCP system.