[Andreas Kiel]

Hi Ryan,

With QT wrapped BWFs you just deliver OMFs as you normally do – there is no change of original file content as long as you didn’t change (resample etc) anything. With a few little tricks you can deliver audio EDLs which refer to the original files.
Regarding the file size – it’s a few k’s more for the QT timecode.
You also can use referenced QT file which refers to the original BWAVs, but you really have to be sure about what you are doing.

Regards
Andreas

P.S.
At NAB time there will be a new version of BWF2XML which will fully support iXML and even more metadata support which can be used with Final Cut Server.

Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools

[Andreas Kiel]

Hi Ryan,

FCP reads BWF fine with quite a lot metadata.
But you have to be very careful on what you are doing already during import. FCP 6 does use the current project settings to interpret the playback speed and the timecode. So be very very careful with that. It’s always a good idea to create a project with a setup you need match the easy setup and relaunch Final Cut. Then import all your BWAVs, open the project they should belong to and drag the files over. Final Cut will cache the BWAV settings from the “Import Project” and write to your work project. So if you don’t import all BWFs in one day, this works easily. If they come a day by day you should do this procedure each day.
Another thing with BWAV files, they don’t have a Quicktime Timecode, which is used in FCP to sync clips. You will see a timecode though in FCP with BWAV files, it based on the audio timestamp and is generated on the fly.
If your work includes synching video with external audio you can’t do that by timecode even if you spent money and time to keep cam and audio running running in sync on the set. Same is valid for multiclips and for a certain extend also for subclips.
Be careful when you media manage projects.

That’s why there is BWF2XML. I takes the audio data and puts them into QT wrapper including a matching QT timecode. This is the same process as Log & Transfer for tapeless media.
This way they always will playback with correct speed independent from the project or import process. Furthermore you can use sync by timecode then. In it will be in sync even after a crash of the project.

Regards
Andreas

Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools

[Andreas Kiel]

Caleb,

You don’t need mirrored drives.
The thing the app does is not looking for files on the machine (like FCP) but for folders with contain the files. This makes sense as long you move folders from one machine or drive to another.
With the application you can save folder paths as well – so “returning mismatches” are resolved without user interaction.
We do use it in an environment where several people have to work with the same material on different locations and machines – pocket drives are send around, the material is copied to a local drive and the pocket drive will be send back.
The local paths are totally different, the guys who create the stuff have stored the clips on internal drives, at my place all the stuff goes to a small RAID into the customers folder, at the customers place everything is stored on a XSAN in a project folder.

Andreas

Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools

[Andreas Kiel]

If you want to go the XML way and use idle times to copy files you can use my free xmlReconnect.
There is no website for this software but the app is pretty much self-explaining.

There is a small movie at https://www.spherico.com/filmtools/xmlReconnect/reconnect.mov
There app can be found here https://www.spherico.com/filmtools/xmlReconnect/xmlReconnect.zip

Andreas

Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools

[Andreas Kiel]

David, Drazen,

I didn’t say that I’ve not seen a bad 2408 – I’ve seen too many.
And so I agree it’s a good idea to send them back as often as you can.

Drazen:
You did not mention what model of the 2408 you got, the more expensive 2408WFP or the consumer 2408. The consumer 2408 is a cheap model, there is no real quality control on those panels. Those consumer models in many cases do have even color differences over the screen like a blurred checker board.
The more professional 2408WFP does have a better quality control and the color differences over the screen are way less, though they still tend to have a color shift from left to right.
It’s always difficult to say where your monitor comes from. Dell as all the other big players do produce their monitors in different countries all over the world by different companies. So the same model may come from different countries and companies – even though all are Dell branded.
You won’t see this happen with the “upper middle class” monitors from HP or Quatto. They do a fine selection of the actual panels they use which will result a pretty good match – and they deliver tools to make the match perfect. But you have to pay 3000 bugs or more.
And as Walter said the calibaration is up to you. And you should do it.

I know what I’m talking about. I got many 2408WFP and Dell confirmed that they not able to make them as good as 2407WFP.

Andreas

Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools

[Andreas Kiel]

I didn’t mean the extension, I meant the type of file.
A BWAV/BWF file does have the .wav entension.

Andreas

Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools

[Andreas Kiel]

Drazen,

No monitor will look like the other – even if from the same vendor and is same type.
With high end monitors you will get some calibration tools and a a better production selection of the actual panel.
The Dell ones are some kind of “middle class” monitors which may look with some luck pretty much the same.
In any case you have to do some color calibration to match the monitors.
You can use the Apple tools to do it manually – if you have good color sensitive eyes. Better is to buy a professional calibration set which will do this stuff for you.
To have a more or less reliable color you should do the calibration every other month.

Andreas

Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools

[Andreas Kiel]

Jeremy,

Could you send me your email address. There is (maybe) some cool stuff you can test with the mxf4mac P2 workflow.

Andreas

kiel at spherico dot com

Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools

[Andreas Kiel]

Hi,

If the .wav files are BWAV/BWF it might be your FCP settings. Compare them to the other machine where it stays in sync.

Andreas

Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools

[Andreas Kiel]

Frans,

MXF is a wrapper!
There can be many things in there. So first check with your customer what kind of MXF he wants/can work with.

Andreas

Spherico
https://www.spherico.com/filmtools