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.mdb in tape column
I’m curious about media tool or ALE/AAF vs. dragging the database file directly from a MXF folder into a bin. No problems so far in conform or telecine, but I’d like to know more.
I used to always just use the Media Tool or an ALE/AAF, but with so many media spaces on the shared storage, the media tool method can be messy. Dragging in the mdb file seems easy, but it’s distressing that the tape name is totally wrong. I haven’t had a problem yet, but I know that eventually something will happen. So far I haven’t seen Flame or Smoke have any problem, nor problems in telecine. However, for smaller projects, where we might be conforming in Avid or just Resolve, do you think this can be an issue?
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6 Replies
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Populating DNxHD files in a bin by dragging the .mdb file to a bin, while convenient, is defective. You will likely lose the Tape name information. In a small project with some tens of clips that won’t be much of an issue, but as the number of clips exceed thousands, the likelihood of repeated clip names goes up. And once that happens some ambiguities are introduced. Hence, reel name becomes important.
Importing through the media tool or via a log is recommended.
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Neil Sadwelkar
neilsadwelkar.blogspot.com
twitter: fcpguru
FCP Editor, Edit systems consultant
Mumbai India -
The only time I have seen that happen when dragging mdb file from MediaFile folder is when a TAPE name was not declared in the first place such as when making dailies in Resolve. Leaving the REEL ID blank to create native MXF to be used in MC.
I am not saying it can happen, but in my work have only run across it in the above scenario.
Michael
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Hi Michael,
When making dailies in resolve, I always embed the reel information in the source clip. Is there any extra step I can take to populate the Tape name information? I’m pretty sure that when I use the Media Tool, it comes in properly, and that the lazy method of dragging the mdb file is the culprit.
Resolve does transfer over a lot of metadata, but as you say, that Tape column, at least with the mdb file method does seem to not bring over the tape name.
Do you have a better way of using the media tool in a larger shared storage environment? I might be seeing 10+ projects with 10+ corresponding media drives on our Editshare when I use the media tool, and then I have to sort by date to get the new media Avid scanned into my bin. The media tool bin gets so full that scrolling or sifting is very difficult.
Have you written an article anywhere? I’ve looked on 24p but haven’t found it.
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Have you tried “sifting” the media too for the date? Might be faster than scrolling through all clips in sort order.
Are these MOS dailies or sync? With MOS, I have pretty good look exporting new AAF from Resolve timeline and importing that in bin and it will link to media. Double system sync gets a little iffy.
Michael
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I can’t seem to successfully sift by date. We just have so many projects on our system that Media Tool has become a real pain.
I use AAFs or ALEs when I can, but if I didn’t make the dailies I don’t always trust what the DIT did.
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“…but if I didn’t make the dailies I don’t always trust what the DIT did.”
I hear ya!
Have you considered a staging MC not connected to the SAN and all the media just to create the bins, then move bin and media to the SAN? In theory it should relink.
Michael
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