Question – best way to import EX1 MP4 files

[Shane Ross]

[Don Cobble] “I downloaded the ex XDcam clip browser it makes MFX files. Is this the best?
“

The CLIP BROWSER will make Quicktime files in the XDCAM codec for FCP do work with. The best? No, but not bad. For THE BEST you would take those QT files and Media Manager in FCP to RECOMPRESS those to ProRes. Unless you don’t have that much drive space, then just use the XDCAM QT files, but use a ProRes sequence…or change the render controls to render out ProRes.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Don Cobble]

If I recompress those into Pro res will my old MAC pro be able to edit them? I am new to mac. I am a PC person trying to convert to MAC but it is New Way old machine

PC
I7 2.8 Ghz 8GB Ram
Win 7 Pro 64bit OS
PNY Quadro 4000
Intensity Pro
3-4 TB HD
Vegas Pro 9 32bit & Vegas Pro 9 64bit & Vegas 10 32bit & Vegas 10 64Bit

Camera
Sony EX1 shoot in 1920×1080 30P

[Shane Ross]

As long as you have FCP 6, you will be able to edit them. Even a G5 can…although it would struggle a bit.

Shane

GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD…don’t miss it.
Read my blog, Little Frog in High Def

[Don Cobble]

Thank You – will try it out

PC
I7 2.8 Ghz 8GB Ram
Win 7 Pro 64bit OS
PNY Quadro 4000
Intensity Pro
3-4 TB HD
Vegas Pro 9 32bit & Vegas Pro 9 64bit & Vegas 10 32bit & Vegas 10 64Bit

Camera
Sony EX1 shoot in 1920×1080 30P

[Andy Mees]

Hey Don

You’ve got a few options available to you, but most are based around simply rewrapping into a Quicktime container (MOV) the XDCAM EX footage thats inside those MP4 files. Thats because FCP itself already understand the XDCAM EX movie format, just not the native MP4 container that media comes in. Sony offer a few (free) tools for this, theres XDCAM Browser 1.2.1 (which is a combination of their Clip Browser and XDCAM Transfer tools), theres XDCAM Transfer 2.12, and then theres their XDCAM EX Log and Transfer plug-in for FCP itself. XDCAM Browser is the latest incarnation of their tools but the latter more mature options are generally still more popular.
https://support.sonybiz.ca/esupport/Navigation.do?os=Mac

Another option is a Quicktime component that will allow you to work natively with the MP4 files such as Calibrated Software’s MP4 EX Import component https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/MP4EXImport_Mac.asp

A lot of people do struggle with editing this MPEG HD format natively though, and in those cases the only real option (as Shane has already explained) is to transcode the footage to a more edit friendly format such as Prores

Hope it helps
Andy

[Gary Askham]

Your Mac is perfectly adequate for editing XDCAM. I don’t know why you are worried.

Sony have really over-complicated their lineup of apps and drivers needed for working with XDCAM. It’s a bit of a joke really. Andy’s explanation is about as good as it gets.

The main decision you are going to have to make is if you want to work with the native XDCAM (rewrapped as QuickTime’s using one of Sony’s applications) or to work with ProRes.

Advantages of working with XDCAM – takes up less drive space, less transcoding.
Disadvantages with working with XDCAM – compressed, unstable on some systems.

Advantages of ProRes – visually lossless, very stable.
Disadvantages of working with ProRes – Larger file sizes, transcoding time.

————————
FCP and Avid Technical Support
Air Post Production
Shoreditch – London

[Gabriele Gismondi]

hi, is that good for you if i just plu the camera to my bookpro and simply copy the whole card and place them on the hard disk. then, at home, open the EX Clipbrowser and convert. would it be a faster way in an outdoor condition and not having so much time to empty/backup the cards content? should i copy the entire card or just video files? thanx

[Andy Mees]

Hi Gabrielle

You can and should use Sony’s XDCAM EX ClipBrowser (or XDCAM Browser) to do a checksum verified data copy the full card contents including folder structure to your laptop whilst you’re in the field. It’s far preferable to just doing a manual drag copy as you propose, as there is no guarantee that the copy is 100% successful with such a method (corrupted data during a manual copy is unlikely, but these copies are going to be your camera master’s and you can’t afford to risk it … you can’t just copy it over again if you’ve already reused the card).

Cheers
Andy

[Gabriele Gismondi]

thanks Andy, I’ll follow your way so!

[Thanos Papadopoulos]

I plan to use Quicktime files in the XDCAM codec for FCP7 do work with (I need files as small as I can without any loss in quality) and prores 422 files from PANASONIC TM700 (I guess I should go with 422 and not 422Lt?). But my basic camera (with most of the clips) is Sony with XDCAM codec files. So I’m wondering if I should match my timeline with the XDCAM files and render to prores 422, or to match my time line with prores 422 files.