playing XDCAM clips on other people’s systems

[Craig Seeman]

ClipBrowser will and VLC can play the .mp4 files. ClipBrowser does not install the codec.
.mov requires FCP 6.0.2 and up otherwise no codec for .mov playing is installed.
CalibratedSoftware
https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/QXD.asp
$80 will play on non FCP systems. Mac or Windows version available.

Don’t use EX MOV as a distribution format. Fine for other FCP system 6.0.2 and up though.
Include BPAV (camera masters) for use on other systems. VLC can play the MP4 files without the BPAV.
I include both Mac and Windows ClipBrowser for clients to use. They then can also wrap to whatever their NLE or other workflow might need.

[C. Kauffman]

Ah smart, didn’t occur to me to just give them the BPAV’S and let them watch it in clip browser. Wanted to give them the smallest files possible without the rendering time of outputting to another format. If you were to output though, what format would you give clients who only have Quicktime player?
A side note, the Mac couldn’t play an SD uncompressed QT, is that another feature not available without FCP?
Thanks

Sony EX1
Canon 5d mark 2
FCP 6.06

[Craig Seeman]

[Chandler Kauffman] “Wanted to give them the smallest files possible without the rendering time of outputting to another format. “

You could make a copy of the BPAV and separate the MP4 from them (don’t do it to original master BPAV – too risky). Then VLC on Mac and Windows can play it. Unlike Quicktime, VLC doesn’t need the codec installed. It might be bother having to pull out the MP4s though but there are ways to automate that.
I just hand them the BPAV and ClipBrowser installers.

[Chandler Kauffman] ” If you were to output though, what format would you give clients who only have Quicktime player? “
H.264 .mov or, if you have Episode or Squeeze or some other none Apple compression app, H.264 .mp4.

Keep in mind older computers might have issues ranging from not having Quicktime 7 installed or not being able to decode (play) the files smoothly. If you’re just looking for “pretty good” I’d compress to 720p at about 5000kbps. H.264 compression can be slow though. I use Matrox CompressHD which works in Apple Compressor and Telestream Episode (using it’s internal link to QuickTime) and it compresses faster than real time.

[Chandler Kauffman] “A side note, the Mac couldn’t play an SD uncompressed QT, is that another feature not available without FCP? “ I believe 8 or 10 bit Uncompressed 4:2:2 is also an FCP install but that was supported long before FCP 6.0.2 but it won’t help Windows users.

Another solution which will give you EXCELLENT quality and EASY PLAYBACK (since it’s not GOP based) is Apple Pro Res. Apple has a free download for Windows playback too.
https://support.apple.com/downloads/Apple_ProRes_QuickTime_Decoder_1_0_for_Windows