[Ian Cook]

Hi Julian,

The process for exporting back to the card from FCP involves two steps– placing the file on the card and then updating the card so that the new file is properly integrated into its file/folder structure.

1) Export as .mp4 from Final Cut Pro to the SxS card (File–>Export–>Sony XDCAM, select the SxS card as the destination). This step places the file on the card. Once this is done the card needs to be updated.

2) Do one of the following to update the card and register the new file:

a) Open the Sony Clip Browser software and perform a ‘refresh’ of the SxS card. Once this is done you’ll see a new thumbnail for the exported file.

b) Disconnect the camera and go to Menu–>Others–>Clip–>Update and perform the update. This registers the file, generates the necessary metadata and thumbnail, and allows the file to play back on the camera or any other EX device.

You can also use Clip Browser to manually file–>import the new file to the SxS card. Select the card in the Explorer window and file–>import the file you mastered from FCP.

Hope this is helpful…

Best,

Ian

[Ian Cook]

Hi Paulo-

Have you tried using Clip Browser or XDCAM Browser to manually import the .mp4 to a new BPAV folder?

Is this one clip on an SxS card or is the source/volume an archived folder? Do you know if the clip spans multiple cards? Also please verify that you’re using Transfer v 2.12.

If all else fails you can try using the trial version of the Sony ‘Cinemon’ plug-in to import the file. (Cinemon is a QuickTime plug-in that allows files to be dragged into FCP without being rewrapped/converted.) If this works you can either purchase the plugin or transcode to another format within FCP before the 60 day trial runs out.

Let us know how things work out…

Best,

Ian

[Ian Cook]

No, you’d have to manually start/top the recording.

That said…it’s already more or less doing what you describe. Each spanned portion is a self contained .mp4 media file. There’s a separate .smi document that links related .mp4s together. If Avid is giving you issues with spanned files you can use Clip Browser to manually import the .mp4s to a new BPAV folder. This will create a card archive with standalone <4 GB files. To do this, navigate to where you want the new files to live in the file/folder tree in CB (for example, “desktop”), create a new folder in that location (eg “New Clips”), then go to file–>import and import the .mp4s from your card to this location. You’ll end up with a card that plays the same and has the same video/audio/tc but without the spanning on >/= 4 GB clips.

[Ian Cook]

You can create new subclips based on the spanned master clip using Clip Browser, but you cannot combine 4 GB portions into one >4GB master clip. If there’s something in the .SMI (the spanning document) that AVID doesn’t like, creating a new spanned clip or a series of subclips may help get the clip imported. The command in CB is “Make New Clip from In/Out Region” and you can access it from the file menu or by right-clicking on the thumbnail for the spanned clip. A new clip will be created using the mark in/out points you select.

Also– make sure Avid can see all portions of a spanned clip when importing. If the clip spans two cards/volumes AMA needs to be able to access both at the same time.

Best,

Ian

[Ian Cook]

If you’re taking the live output from the camera head it’s actually at higher quality than during playback as you are getting an uncompressed 4:2:2 stream. If you’re playing out from a card the quality is not reduced but obviously you’re hitting the 35 MB codec first and coming out 4:2:0.

Ian

[Ian Cook]

Hi Alan,

You can’t do native SD recording to SxS on the EX1 but you can down convert during HD playback or E-E mode. Menu–>Video Set–>Y PB PR / SDI OUT = SD.

Best,

Ian

[Ian Cook]

Hi Lyn,

This should be fixed shortly

Thanks,

Ian

Ian Cook
Sony Broadcast and Professional Company

[Ian Cook]

Does CB show the source folder? Are there entries without video, or nothing at all?

Which CB version are you using?

What version of Avid?

Thanks

[Ian Cook]

The existing backups you have won’t work in Premiere or Avid. The files should really be recopied if at all possible. If you can access a Mac with FCP, our XDCAM import plug in, XDCAM Transfer, has a “virtual” file access mode capability and can read XD discs when the driver is not installed (and when all Finder sees is General/Pro AV). However it is not always able to read from archived disc images (technically that’s outside the spec of the feature, which was implemented to support the U-1 before we had a proper driver for it).

If you are able to get to a Mac and have the files read you can export new MXFs in the proper format by right clicking on the thumbnails and selecting ‘Export to File.’

Good luck!

Ian

[Ian Cook]

Hi Jason,

For firewire devices you need the FAM (file access mode) driver.

For the PDW-U1 you need the U-1 USB Driver software.

Whenever you see an XDCAM folder structure of just PRO AV and GENERAL this means that the USB driver is either not installed or is not working properly. The reason for this is that the XDCAM folder structure we’re used to seeing (Clip, Sub, Edit, General and, depending on the device used to format the disc, UserData and Component) is virtual. What actually lives on the disc is ProAV/General with the ProAV folder opening onto the ‘raw’ MXF contents of the disc. On firewire devices there is a layer of internal software that virtualizes these directories and combines all the raw video/audio information before presenting it to your computer. On the USB drive there is no such internal software so the driver on the PC/Mac has to do this. If the driver isn’t installed or is not working, you will see the raw contents of the disc.

Make sure you are using at least 2.3.0 of the XDCAM driver software and 2.4.2 of the drive firmware. You can upgrade/verify the firmware on the U-1 using the supplied utility app (the firmware is bundled with the app; no further downloads are required). Also, we are just about to post 2.3.2 which has a number of bug fixes and stability improvements. It will be on the US software site (sony.com/servicesplus) tomorrow, Friday at the latest. Please try this version and let us know if it improves things.

Best regards,

Ian

Ian Cook
Sony Broadcast and Professional Company