[Greg Booth]

Hi Leslie,

Basically, Color does not support Calibrated{Q} MP4-EX Import so you cannot import XDCAM EX MP4 files directly into Color. I believe this is an Apple big and most likely Cinemon would have the same problem.

Per the ‘select’ Media Management – basically that means that you’d be able ‘Media Manage’ and either ‘copy’ your Sequence which then FCP rewraps to a XDCAM EX MOV file or ‘recompress’ (as some users prefer) to a ProRes MOV file – which you can then import into Color.

Cheers,
Greg

Calibrated Software

[Greg Booth]

Hi,

Per the timecode – we have the same limitation as well – which I believe is also a limitation that XDCAM Transfer has too – in that if a single MP4 file has timecode breaks in the LTCChangeTable (in the XML of the MP4 file) the timecode will increment from the first frame only when imported via our component or re-wrapped to a MOV file with XDCAM Transfer. This is how FCP/QuickTime operates with timecode – in that it increments timecode from the first frame.

The few MP4 files I’ve seen that have timecode breaks in the LTCChangeTable when re-wrapped via XDCAM Transfer or imported directly via Calibrated{Q} MP4-EX Import into FCP – have the same reported timecode value – that of the first frame of the LTC ChangeTable. If you have a MP4 file with timecode breaks in LTC Change Table that exhibits a different behavior when re-wrapped via XDCAM Transfer than as described above, please let me know as I’d like to check out the file.

Cheers,
Greg

Calibrated Software

[Greg Booth]

Hi Marvin,

Cool – got your email.

Per QT Player X and Calibrated{Q} MP4-EX Import not working together – this is a bug with QT Player X and we’ve submitted a bug report with Apple regarding this. QuickTime Player (7 & X) has native for certain types if MP4 files ( basically MP4 files with MPEG-4 video). QT Player 7 tries to parse the XDCAM EX MP4 file – and doesn’t understand the XDCAM EX MP4 file so then QT Player 7 passes the file to Calibrated{Q} MP4-EX Import to open. QT Player X (built on QTKit – the new QuickTime technology) also fails to open the XDCAM EX MP4 file – however instead of asking Calibrated{Q} MP4-EX Import to open the XDCAM EX MP4 file – QT Player X just gives up and reports a failure.

It’s easy to install QT Player 7 on Snow Leopard – and QT Player 7 can co-exist fine with QT Player X. QT Player 7 is installed in the /Applications/Utilities folder.

The installer for QT Player 7 for Snow Leopard can be found on your Snow Leopard DVD (in the Optional folder I think) or on the Apple website here:

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL923

Cheers,
Greg

Calibrated Software

[Greg Booth]

Hi Leslie,

I also just wanted to point out a few other differences besides price:

1. Support for Dual-Mono audio tracks for the MP4 files ( I think Cinemon labels MP4 files with two-track audio as stereo )

2. Support for JVCProHD HM700/HM100 MP4 files ( Cinemon though may unofficialy support this as well – but I’m unsure)

3. Support for auto-changing the TypeCode of the MP4 files to ‘MooV’ – this doesn’t affect the file on disc ( rather just how the OS ‘tags’ the MP4 file) – having the file tagged with ‘MooV’ TypeCode enables FCP to use such features as SmoothCam Filter and certain media management features.

You can read more about that on the bottom of page 13 of the User Guide:

https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/downloads/CalibratedQ-MP4EX-UserGuide.pdf

4. A ‘helper’ application called ‘Calibrated{Q} Import Assist’ which lets you batch create QT Ref MOV files from XDCAM EX MP4 files, as well as create a FCP XML file from XDCAM MP4 files – when you import the FCP XML into FCP – it will import the MP4 files with certain metadata of the MP4 files.

You can read more about the MetaData mapping of MP4 files on page 14 of the Calibrated{Q} Import Assist User Guide:

https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/downloads/CalibratedQ-ImportAssist-UserGuide.pdf

Let me know if you have any questions – and feel free to email at

info at calibratedsoftware dot com

Cheers,
Greg

Calibrated Software

[Greg Booth]

Hi Marvin,

Are you trying to play MP4 or MXF files? And does the file play back the full duration in QT Player?

Feel free to email me as well.

Cheers,
Greg

Calibrated Software

[Greg Booth]

Hi Conrad,

That does sound like a DEMO MODE watermark we used to use on a much older version of Calibrated{Q} XD Decode ( a XDCAM Decode codec we sell) – the watermark was a gray bar, about 1/3 size vertical in middle of the screen.

But since you have a new computer and it has FCP ( Calibrated{Q} XD Decode is not meant for computers with FCP) – then this may not be the problem…..

If you go to the /Library/QuickTime folder (that’s the Library folder on your Main Harddrive NOT the Library folder in your User directory) – if you see a CalibratedXDCodec.component – delete it and then restart your computer.

Cheers,
Greg

Calibrated Software

[Greg Booth]

Hi Peter,

Per #2) You can still download Calibrated{Q} XD Decode on our website – without a Software License it will operate in DEMO MODE where a product logo watermark is shown over the video.

https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/QXDDownload.asp

Cheers,
Greg

Calibrated Software

[Greg Booth]

Hi Rob,

By default Calibrated{Q} AVC-Intra Decode for OSX does not load in FCP or FC Studio apps; however you can enable support for FCP6 and FC Studio2 applications in the Calibrated{Q} AVC-Intra Decode Options application.

See the User Guide – both pages 9 and page 14 – for explanations.

https://www.calibratedsoftware.com/downloads/CalibratedQ-AVC-Intra-UserGuide.pdf

Cheers,
Greg

Calibrated Software

[Greg Booth]

Hi Greg,

i’m not sure about the fat pixelation but per the big gray blocks – that’s from an older version of our Calibrated{Q} XD Decode for OSX codec. The grey blocks are the DEMO MODE watermark – however the codec is not meant for computers with Final Cut Pro installed. To uninstall –

1. Close all applications
2. Delete the CalibratedXDCodec.component from the /Library/QuickTime folder (that’s the Library folder on your Main harddrive NOT the Library folder in your User Guide)
3. Restart your computer.

On restart you should be able to export without the grey watermarks (as FCP would then be using the Apple XDCAM Codec that comes with FCP).

Also, as stated at the beginning – I’m not sure this would affect the fat pixelation during playback – as the only DEMO MODE limitation of our codec is showing the grey watermarks – and if you dont see the grey watermark – then that means that FCP is using the Apple XDCAM Codec for playback in FCP when you are seeing the pixelated footage.

Cheers,
Greg

Calibrated Software

[Greg Booth]

Hi Martin,

It’s installed with FC Studio and can’t be ordered as a separate component or an individual download from Apple.

Maybe Craig knows of a good way to re-install FCP 6 from your FC Studio 2 DVD’s correctly without too much hassle…..

Cheers,
Greg

Calibrated Software