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XDCAM HD422 more stable than XDCAM EX1080i50?
Hi All,
Searching the web I find that alot of users are experiencing problems with the XDCAM1080i50 EX codec (mine is from a Sony EX-1)I downloaded a workflow document from https://bit.ly/uZFLZy which describes a workflow (page 46) which is able to convert the ingest video’s to a XDCAM HD422 MXF. This is possible with the XDCAM EX Clip browser software.
I made a XDCAM HD422 MXF from the sxs material, but this shows a watermark. I have to purchase a software package from mainconcept.com which is no problem but I wanted to check if this codec is more stable with FCP than the XDCAM EX 1080i50 VBR (35MB/s) before I purchase 11 licenses.
Anybody got something on this subject? I’m working in FCP 7
Thanks in advance
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2 Replies
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Hi Jan-David,
Sorry but I’m unable to open that PDF, however think that the Clip Browser the only thing does is re-wrapping the clips. So if you start with EX-1 stuff (420) and you want to re-wrap it as EXDCAM422 you will just degrade that footage (one generation lost and another MPG-2 recompression).
Think also that the MFX can’t be edited in FC, so you will need to use the Transfer tool to convert them to QT or use some third part plugin to edit the MFX.
Anyway, which is your “stability” issue with the EX-1 (XDCAM EX 1080i50 VBR/35MB/s)stuff?
I’m using it since four years without any problem.
rafael -
Hey Jan-David
There have been lots and lots of posts here on the COW and elsewhere over the last few years or so lamenting the stability of working with XDCAM footage in FCP. Some folks seem to have nothing but trouble with it … and some have no problem at all. Rafa and I are both in the latter category, but thats not going to help you if you’re in the former. Still, for what it’s worth, the 50 odd crews I work with all shoot XDCAM HD 1080i50 and then edit it in FCP on MacBookPro’s day in and day out and none of them have this stability issue, so you might want to test before you assume you need to complicate your workflow unnecessarily.
That said, no, I’ve seen and heard no evidence to suggest that XDCAM HD422 50 Mbs is a more (or less) stable codec for working in FCP than any other XDCAM HD based codec. Rather, most folks who’ve experienced stability problems working with XDCAM in FCP, suggest getting out of the XDCAM MPEG HD (Long GOP) codec altogether, and generally seem to express a preference for using the Apple ProRes 422 codec as their intermediate.
So, whilst buying and using the MainConcept codec pack so you can transcode your footage on export from XDCAM Browser is certainly an option for getting out of XDCAM EX’s MPEG HD (Long GOP) codec a) it may not be necessary, and b) even if you do need to transcode, then choosing yet another MPEG HD (Long GOP) codec such as XDCAM HD422 may not be your best bet.
Hope it helps
Andy
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