Identify This File Structure Type

[Andrew Rendell]

Something about that rings a bell…. there are a few things that use .MP4 wrappers, my first thought is XDCAM, if so you’ll need the XDCam Transfer software (whatever the latest version is that matches your OS).

[Tina Hedegaard]

It from XDCAM EX, There is a log and transfer plugin, I guess on Sonya website, or you can use CADCAM transfer as told in the earlier post

Thanks

Tina Hedegaard
Editor | Assisting Editor
Final Cut Pro 7 | Media Composer 5.5.3/6.0.3 | Adobe Premiere Pro CS6
Mac OS 10.6.8| Mac OS 10.7.4 | Mac OS 10.8.2

[Mark Fanjoy]

Well, I got close. I downloaded the Sony XDCam Clip Browser and it mounted one clip but would not play it back. There are 30 other clips it doesn’t see.

There must be an issue with the file structure.

Thanks for leading me in the right direction. I’ll keep tinkering.

Wherever I am…I’m lost!

[Andrew Rendell]

Well, maybe… but I would point out that Sony has released several versions of XDCAM software: XDCAM EX Clip Browser, XDCAM Transfer, Log & Transfer plugin, Content Browser…. and some versions only work properly with certain OS & NLE versions (not showing thumbnails and/or not playing the clips is typical of an incompatibility between software versions).

Plus, XDCAM EX does allow for split files and split files across cards, in which case multiple files on the card can become one long clip when importing and that can be confusing until you get used to it.

TBH, I wonder if you’re actually on the right track, you just haven’t got the correct update of Clip Browser to match your OS yet (showing one clip is odd, if you had entirely wrong software I wouldn’t expect to see anything at all).

[Mark Fanjoy]

Andrew, thanks for firing this conversation back up. It gave me some insight to dig deeper.

Oddly, the only Sony tool I can find to work is the XDCam Transfer software. Instead of connecting an external device to import clips, I selected the directory structure as the “source” and presto, it sees it. I used the import function to transcode the files into .mov format so FC can see them, and I’m back on a roll.

Maybe a whacky way to get to the file, but hey, it worked while nothing else would.

Thank you very much for your interest and input.

To complete the story, here were my dead end paths:

XDCam Clip Browser sees a blank thumbnail, but will not open for view.

XDCam Log & Transfer plugin installed but I cannot see it in my FC Preferences in Log & Transfer. FC appears to be trying to open the clip directory, but craps out and crashes.

XDCam Content Browser software requires some sort of registration serial number in order to install, which I do not have.

Thanks again, all !

Mark Fanjoy

Wherever I am…I’m lost!