playback without fcp

[Olof Ekbergh]

The XDHD codecs come with FCP, I don’t know if you can get them anywhere else.

Download all the installers from Sony, SxS drivers, Clip Browser app and Transfer app.

Once they are installed see if you can play XD footage in QT player, transfer using the Transfer app.

Link:
https://www.sony.co.uk/biz/view/ShowSiteSection.action?sectiontype=BC%20Tools%20XDCAM&site=biz_en_GB

I really do recommend the FCP suite it has a lot of great tools like Color for CC.

Olof Ekbergh

[Craig Seeman]

There are 3rd party codecs for XDCAM EX and HD.

Michael you mention MP4 and MXF. Which is it? Each require a different codec and you may have downloaded the wrong one.

CalibratedSoftware has codecs for both and for both Mac and Windows systems.

Sony ClipBrowser (free) will also play the files.

VLC will also play the files.

They each have different purposes though.

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

thanks for the link, Olaf.

transfer app and QT playback seem to be fcp-dependent. i’ve no doubts about the merits of fcp, but trying to avoid the cost after just having shelled out for ex, laptop, etc.

i’m a little dismayed that fce won’t support xdcam. maybe soon….

[Craig Seeman]

[Michael Pruitt-Bruun] “transfer app and QT playback seem to be fcp-dependent”

NO
CalibratedSoftware can play back MP4, MXF, even EX already wrapped as MOV. FCP NOT NEEDED. Their plugins are specifically designed for NON FCP Mac and Windows systems

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

hey Craig,

i guess i was working under the assumption that QT playback would offer better PQ than what i see with VLC, or clip browser. mp4 and mxf are just the codecs that are on offer when using clip browser.

for whatever reason i haven’t been able to make CalibratedMXFQStat properly play back a file. it opens up what looks like a black slug. maybe i just need to keep working with it.

[Craig Seeman]

[Michael Pruitt-Bruun] ” guess i was working under the assumption that QT playback would offer better PQ than what i see with VLC”

Quality can be dependent on the decoder. I prefer Quicktime but CalibratedSoftware works in Quicktime.

[Michael Pruitt-Bruun] “mp4 and mxf are just the codecs that are on offer when using clip browser. “
I’m not sure what you mean “on offer” EX is MP4 from camera. XDCAM HD is MXF from camera. ClipBrowser doesn’t change that on playback.

[Michael Pruitt-Bruun] “for whatever reason i haven’t been able to make CalibratedMXFQStat properly play back a file. it opens up what looks like a black slug. maybe i just need to keep working with it.”

What are you trying to playback? MXF would work with XDCAM HD (or standard) MXF files?

EX is MP4, not MXF. The camera manual states that.

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

“on offer” = those are the options. those are the files i have available to me when i want to play back. i think you may be reading more into my statements than i intend.

using clip browser to transfer to my drive, i will then have either an mp4 or an mxf (or raw, etc). i want to be able to play one of those files back in QT, even though i don’t have FCP, which typically provides the QT support for this purpose.

Greg Booth has just informed me that in addition to CalibratedMXF, i also need CalibratedXD in order to play back in QT. that should probably solve the problem.

thanks for the help. 🙂

[Craig Seeman]

[Michael Pruitt-Bruun] “using clip browser to transfer to my drive, i will then have either an mp4 or an mxf (or raw, etc). i want to be able to play one of those files back in QT, even though i don’t have FCP, which typically provides the QT support for this purpose.”

MP4 Mac playback
https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/MP4EXImport_Mac.asp

MP4 Windows playback
https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/MP4EXImport_Win.asp

MXF Mac playback
https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/MXFImport_Mac.asp

MXF Windows playback
https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/MXFImport_Win.asp

[Michael Pruitt-bruun]

thanks Craig.

with the three Calibrated plug-ins i can now play mp4 and mxf files in QT. i have to say, they don’t look very good though. playing back on a 17″ macbook pro (high res screen, blah blah) they look like crap. really noisey. i assume there is some compromise in picture quality inherent in these methods that wouldn’t be present working with these files in fcp.

[Craig Seeman]

I don’t think there should be any qualitative difference although if you look under the hood there are tweaks available in the CalibratedSoftware plugins.

Keep in mind that 720p is 1280×720 and 1920×1080 is that so playing at another size may introduce scaling issues. Also the gamma of you Mac screen may not be the gamma of a HDTV.

You need to ensure your monitor is calibrated properly. Even Quicktime has an “Enable Final Cut Studio Color Compatibility” preference.