[Ian Cook]

Hi Davide,

You can use Clip Browser to rebuild the BPAV (by File–>Import of the raw .mp4s to a new location) or you can install XDCAM Transfer 2.12. Unlike Log and Transfer, XD Transfer will allow you to preview and import raw .mp4 files. Use the “Add ” button on the source column to add the folders containing the .mp4s. Be sure to use v 2.12 if you go this route as not all versions of Transfer support raw .mp4 import..

Hope this helps..

Cheers,

Ian

[Ian Cook]

I believe Premiere supports Title metadata only. The file browser will show the original filename. Once the clip is dragged to a sequence or opened in the source viewer you should at least see the clip title.

FCP and Avid support Title metadata, Comments, Essence Marks and shot flags.

Hope this is helpful…

Cheers,

Ian

[Ian Cook]

Hi Vince,

The files can be stored to XDCAM discs in one of two ways:

1) as data, in the ‘User Data’ folder on the disc

2) as playable video in an XDCAM optical disc format, in the ‘CLIP’ folder on the disc

To save the files to XDCAM disc in a way that would make them viewable on XDCAM optical hardware, they have to be transcoded using Clip Browser 2.6 to an optical disc MXF format (e.g. “XDCAM HD 422”) and saved to the Clip folder.

In most cases they are saved as data. In this case they can still be accessed and played back using XDCAM Transfer, Clip Browser, Avid AMA etc. To do this, save the BPAV folders on the SxS cards to the User Data folder on the XDCAM disc. Each BPAV should be placed in a parent folder (e.g. “card 1,” “card 2”) within User Data. Do not rename or otherwise alter BPAV or any if its subfolders. What you should end up with would be something like:

User Data/Card 1/BPAV
User Data/Card 2/BPAV

You can then view each cards contents by linking to the correct folders (Card 1, Card 2 etc) within XDCAM Transfer, Avid etc.

Hope this makes sense. If this isn’t what you’re trying to do or need more info on saving to XDCAM Optical MXF, let me know.

A USER DATA folder is automatically created on XDCAM discs formatted on the PDW-U1, PDW-HD1500, PDW-F1600, PDW-700, PDW-F800 and PDW-HR1 as long as software and firmware are up to date. Older PDWs like the F70/F75 do not create or support the User Data folder.

Best,

Ian

[Ian Cook]

Hi Phillip,

Media Composer 5 supports AVCHD via an internal transcode to DNX. Or you can use 3rd party software such as ClipWrap or NeoScene to transcode the files outside of the Avid application. Internal transcode is roughly real time speed and does retain original time code.

Hope this is helpful..

Ian

[Ian Cook]

Hi Steve,

It sounds like you are running Snow Leopard? 2.12 is required for Snow Leopard. The lack of thumbnail display is a known limitation of older versions running under Snow Leopard. You can download 2.12 here:

https://www.servicesplus.sel.sony.com/sony-software-model-PDZKP1.aspx

Best,

Ian

Ian Cook
Sony Broadcast and Professional Company

[Ian Cook]

Hi Michael,

The camera will output 10 bit 4:2:2 via the SDI in camera mode, not in playback mode. If you need 10 bit 4:2:2 you would need to record the live output to another device or directly into (for example) a Kona interface.

If it is captured live it will be encoded using whatever codec is selected in FCP or on the recording device. If you recorded it in ProRes, for example, it would not be MPEG-2.

You’ll need an AJA to capture the footage into FCP via SDI, whether you choose uncompressed 10 bit or Pro Res.

An hour of 10 bit 4:2:2 23.98 is roughly 1.3 TB. For ProRes 422 HQ it would be 70-80 GB.

There’s a very handy footage/storage calculator (as well as a number of other neat tools) on the Digital Rebellion site:

https://www.digitalrebellion.com/footage_calc.htm

Cheers,

Ian

Ian Cook
Sony Broadcast and Professional Company

[Ian Cook]

It looks like an encoding or related video problem but the card should be reformatted and tested and the camera reset in any case. There is no danger in formatting the card as long as the camera settings have been stored elsewhere. All of this (storing/recalling settings; formatting the card; resetting the camera) is done from the OTHERS menu.

Others–>Camera Data store/recall
Others–>Format Media A/B
Others–> All Reset

Again, the prescription against formatting does not necessarily apply in every situation as long as you are not deleting any setup files.

If the issue persists the camera and a card showing the issue should be sent in to Sony.

[Ian Cook]

Hi Heidi,

Even if they can add your drive as a network drive or share they will likely have playback issues accessing the files across a network. It would probably be better to have them download the files locally and then use CB or VLC or another player to log the clips.

If it helps with upload/download time you can also use CB on your end to trim, consolidate, pull out selects, etc so that the BPAVs you post contain only the necessary material.

Cheers,

Ian

Ian Cook
Sony Broadcast and Professional Company

[Ian Cook]

It cannot be stressed enough that it is best to delete on the camera or from Clip Browser. This is the only way to ensure that all the metadata and reference files get updated.

Re Craig’s response, the “Media Needs to Be Restored” messages are usually the result of someone having traversed the BPAV using the Mac Finder. When you do this, the Mac OS places a small file with info about the folder layout in each directory you open. The files themselves are harmless but when the camera comes out of media mode and looks at the card it sees files that don’t belong there and asks to “restore” the media. It doesn’t delete the files so until the card is reformatted the message will continue to appear.

Ian Cook
Sony Broadcast and Professional Company

[Ian Cook]

Hi Gary,

You can import a free-standing MP4 with either Clip Browser or XDCAM Transfer. In CB, highlight the destination folder in one of the Explorer windows, then go to File–>Import and import the MP4. The advantage to this method is that the imported file wile be embedded in a new BPAV folder should you need the full directory structure later.

Alternately you can point XDCAM Transfer to the folder (e.g. “Desktop,” “Best Clips Ever” etc) where the MP4s reside and it will see them and allow you to import them into FCP. Note that you need to use the latest version of XDCAM Transfer (2.12) to work with MP4s that are not embedded in a BPAV directory. Also note that you can’t save metadata (in Transfer, the “Save Changes” command) back to an MP4 source that does not contain a BPAV as the changes need to be stored in reference files that are not present.

Hope this is helpful…

Cheers,

Ian