XDCAM, Quick Editing without transfer

[Craig Seeman]

I’m not sure how taking a computer out the equation speed things up. With faster than real time transfer and the ability to edit .mp4 in Final Cut Pro (for example) with Calibrated Software (or Sony’s plugin) without re-wrapping to .mov, or other NLEs that support EX in .mp4, I’m not what would be faster. Plug card into laptop, edit, done.

If you want to avoid GOP based codec then record to external device like NanoFlash using iFrame or KiProMini. Also you can use Telestream Pipeline and edit WHILE the camera is shooting.

[Ian Cook]

Doing a quick linear tape style edit (for example, to fix one small piece of an hour show) is much faster and easier than having to import/export. The 3rd gen XDCAM optical machines support insert and assemble editing. These would be:

PDW-HD1500 (with PDBK-S1500 option)
PDW-F1600 (basically the same machine but no options req’d for 24p, SD and linear editing)

Also the older SD-only PDW-1500 supports linear editing but req’s a software option.

You can use the RM-280 to edit between two HD1500s (the one in the recorder position must have the S1500 option), two F1600s (no options needed) or a combination of the two.

The HR1 with the SxS option uses EDLs and real-time transcoding to handle edits from SxS–>Optical. It’s not really the best solution for on the fly editing.

The EX format itself does not support destructive linear editing. This is only built into the optical codecs/machines.

Cheers,

Ian

Ian Cook
Sony Broadcast and Professional Company

[Keld Von eyben]

Using Avid MediaComposer software and its AMA linking capability you can edit XDCAM EX video without any import or transcoding. You insert the SxS card and start editing immediately.

[Geof Gilland]

Thanks Ian and others–I appreciate your responses.

The real key here is “quick” and while a MacBookPro does allow editing from the SxS cards directly in FCP or others, the timeline still has to be exported which can be a deal breaker in a time crunch. (Plus, I’m an old dog that likes to press buttons.)

The HR1 with the SxS option uses EDLs and real-time transcoding to handle edits from SxS–>Optical. It’s not really the best solution for on the fly editing.

Ian, can you provide more information about how editing is accomplished and output via the HR1?

Thanks, Geof.

[Bob Tompkins]

I believe the same is true for FCP and XDCam using Cinemon.

[Ian Cook]

You are creating a Clip List (basically an EDL) and playing it out of the deck in cut order, as opposed to making destructive edits to the MXFs to create a new master clip (as one would with, for example, 2 F1600s and a controller)