Just Venting

[Patrick Mcload]

Thanks Craig, though I didn’t mean to create so much work for you in replying. Yes, I am very misinformed and will refrain from any more posts.

[Clint Fleckenstein]

XDCAM EX footage could have worked a LOT better if Sony had started with ONE app for browsing, logging, and transferring / rewrapping. Instead I think they chose to make some XDCAM tools compatible with EX and muddied the waters significantly.

Thankfully we’ve been to busy for me to find out if this has been fixed, but I remember early on when we logged and named clips in Clip Browser, only to find out that those items are worthless to XDCAM Transfer and didn’t transfer to Final Cut Pro. If this has been addressed, please let me know…because that would be VERY handy.

I don’t feel like having hundreds (if not thousands) of cached sources in my XDCAM Transfer pane, so when I clear them out any clip information such as subclips or other metadata is cleared as well, instead of being stored in that oh-so-important BPAV structure. Again, tell me if that’s been fixed, because it was really infurating to see that information vanish when we cleaned up the Source pain in XDCAM Transfer the first time.

I remain devoted to the XDCAM EX gear, because I still think it’s the best thing out there. I do, however, wish that Sony had gone out on a limb and made a more EX-specific XDCAM tool to handle browsing, transferring, and rewrapping all in one shot. Oh, and make good use of the BPAV folder for clip logging information.

Cf

[Craig Seeman]

Runor is that they are heading towards a unified tool.

The ideal would a good logging tool in which all the info was added to the metadata which would make the BPAV’s use of metadata more useful. Then if the “lagging” NLE(s) had direct codec support along with that metadata everything would make so much more sense and the workflow more streamlined.

[Daniel Wright]

Clint,

You maybe happy to hear that the metadata entered in XDCAM Transfer *can* be saved back to the BPAV. Next time the folder is added, the metadata reappears in the appropriate fields. I think this feature was added some time ago. You should see a black dot appear next to the card in the Source area when you make changes to the metadata which disappears once they have been saved.

A mechanism for saving subclips is sadly lacking, although there was a workaround for that posted here:

https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/142/870550#870581

I’m not sure about metadata added in Clip Browser but I would guess the situation is the same. To be honest, I prefer the user interface of XDCAM Transfer for logging, anyway.

The sticky point is seeing the metadata in FCP.

Of course, you get the clip title appended with the subclip name if your preferences are set appropriately.

Also, the clip comment added in XDCAM Transfer gets added as the ‘Log Note’ in FCP, which is really handy because you can get a lot of information in there. This is provided that you either (a) launch XDCAM Transfer from FCP or (b) set your preferences to write the FCP XML and add the XML file to FCP (do not add the .mov directly).

HTH

[Dave Morrison]

Hey Patrick, let me know when you want to get rid of that “piece of junk” card reader. I need a backup for mine. 😉

dave

[Steve Wargo]

[Craig Seeman] “Have you read the Sony XDCAM Transfer PDF manual?”

Read the what?

Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!

Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .

Ask me how to Market Yourself using Send Out Cards

[Steve Wargo]

Let me know if you want to unload that reader.

Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!

Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .

Ask me how to Market Yourself using Send Out Cards

[Patrick Mcload]

I readily admit that I am a newbie to the XDCAM EX workflow, but learning every day. As can be seen from other responders, it’s not as B&W (or clear) by simply “reading the manual(s)”.

A person like myself comes to forums to seek advice and experience from others. A good moderator understands this and shows patience, however a bad moderator (or even one who contributes to the thread) is one that is smug and self-righteous. It must be nice to be the type of person who has never had a question about anything technical in his life. Your reply infantile, and was neither funny nor original.

[Steve Wargo]

[Patrick McLoad] “Your reply infantile, and was neither funny nor original.”

Patrick – Just wait till Bob Zellin gets hold of your “no sense of humor” attitude.

My remark was not aimed at you. It was aimed at Craig Seeman for thinking that an American man would actually take the time to read an actual manual. Other than Tom Murphy, of course.

jeeeeez, after being in the business for 30 years, some of us have enough manuals that it would take years to read all of them.

You might want to look into a manual on Internet Etiquette. I have saved people’s butts in Australia in the middle the night on a Sunday so you can just keep your whoa-is-me attitude to yourself. I started on the COW many years ago by asking hundreds of stupid questions about D-Vision and Discreet Edit. However, I have an extensive experience and knowledge in mechanical engineering. I know how to bring dead equipment back to life.

So there!

Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!

Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .

Ask me how to Market Yourself using Send Out Cards

[Patrick Mcload]

Steve: Put yourself in my shoes and you would come to the same conclusion. Your remark was extremely brief. Had you elaborated as you did in your last post, then we wouldn’t be having this exchange.

I too have been in the business for over 30 years, having started on A-B roll JVC U-matics and a bit of 1″ work and 16mm film. I have collected and read more manuals than Carter has liver pills. When no one is around, the manual is all you got….especially during the pre-Internet days. Linear tape operations and switchers were much easier than all of this digital stuff. I think my first computer-operated system was a Calaway which simply slaved two 3/4″ machines and a BetaSP. This PMW-350 is my 5th 2/3″ broadcast camera, not counting the plumbicon-tubed cameras that required registration.

I’ve been shooting and editing BetaSp for over a decade, using FCP, PhotoShop, and AE to name a few. The Adobe stuff has always had a high learning curve just like any serious (and costly) application.
XDCAM EX is no different. I’m not a digital electronics engineer. When I click on a button while following a (published) sequence, I expect an appropriate result. When I don’t get one, then I have to find out why. You will have to admit that Sony and other electronic manufacturers don’t exactly make this process easy, nor are the myriad of manuals out there all that clear. I would be more than happy to bury myself in a manual if that is what’s required.

I have no doubt that you have saved many butts out there as have I on other forums. But you will have to admit that I had no way of knowing WHO your remark was directed towards. So if I misunderstood, then my apologies.

Although I am not a certified engineer, I too know how mechanical things work, having been raised by an engineer. I am now on my 4th classic car restoration, and this is the quality of work I do:
https://jagxke.wordpress.com/

So let’s allow this thread to die….please.