[Norman Black]

I don’t get “mono” audio. The audio is still stereo, it is just that the left and right channels are output separately in the MXF file. Some, but not all video players can deal with this. Most NLE’s will probably get it right.

[Norman Black]

I have only ever used VP12 and VP13 and both have operated the same for me with MXF file output. Sony MXF HD EX or XAVC Intra.

Here is what I have from the Sony MXF template. The Audio tab.

Here is my MediaInfo dump of a resulting render as.

General
Complete name : D:\Renders\BabyBearDrop.mxf
Format : MXF
Commercial name : XDCAM HD 35
Format profile : OP-1a
Format settings : Closed / Complete
File size : 40.5 MiB
Duration : 11s 712ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 29.0 Mbps
Encoded date : 2014-05-29 19:31:43.000
Writing application : SONY Vegas 13.0.0.310
Writing library : SONY Vegas 13.0.0.310

Video
ID : 2
Format : MPEG Video
Commercial name : XDCAM HD 35
Format version : Version 2
Format profile : Main@High
Format settings, BVOP : Yes
Format settings, Matrix : Custom
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=15
Format_Settings_Wrapping : Frame
Codec ID : 0D01030102046001-0401020201030300
Duration : 11s 712ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 35.0 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Standard : Component
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.563
Time code of first frame : 00:00:00:00
Time code source : Group of pictures header
Stream size : 48.9 MiB
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

Audio #1
ID : 3
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format_Settings_Wrapping : Frame (AES)
Codec ID : 0D01030102060300
Duration : 11s 712ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 768 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Stream size : 1.07 MiB (3%)

Audio #2
ID : 4
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format_Settings_Wrapping : Frame (AES)
Codec ID : 0D01030102060300
Duration : 11s 712ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 768 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Stream size : 1.07 MiB (3%)

Other #1
ID : 1
Type : Time code
Format : MXF TC
Time code of first frame : 00:00:00;00
Time code settings : Striped

Other #2
Type : Time code
Format : SMPTE TC
Muxing mode : SDTI
Time code of first frame : 00:00:00;00

[Norman Black]

Every time I have rendered Sony MXF HD EX I get two audio channels as described in the Audio tab. One for each channel (left, right). I verify this with MediaInfo. I also see this with XAVC MXF files. The audio tab does not give an option for a single Stereo audio channel.

XDCAM EX MP4 however does give an option for a single Stereo audio channel in the file.

I would be interested in how to get a Stereo audio channel out of MXF files. Specifically XAVC, as I would like to use that as an intermediate to Handbrake. Handbrake is not smart enough to treat the two separate channels in the file as a stereo channel.

[Norman Black]

Sony MXF HD and HD EX is the same as XDCAM EX, in the 25 CBR and 35 VBR formats.

Sony MXF will output your audio in two mono channels instead of a single stereo channel. Handbrake does not handle the two mono channels. XDCAM EX outputs a stereo audio channel and would be a better choice for Handbrake due to this issue.

[Norman Black]

Blu-ray templates output a different file format, as you see.

AVCHD templates output m2ts.

Internet and Memory stick templates output MP4.

[Norman Black]

I don’t know where FX presets are saved but render templates are in

\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Sony\Render Templates\

You might look into the Sony preset manager software.
https://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/dl/dl.aspx?dwnid=115
It supposedly can save/copy your presets.

If you have Vegasaur, then you are already covered. It has a preset manager built-in.

[Norman Black]

I tried cliptoolz and it can remux an MXF file from Vegas to a MOV file. No re-encoding. One of its conversion codecs list is “wrap to MOV” which is just going to do a remux.

The version of cliptoolz I tried only recognized one audio channel. I am not sure if the problem is me or the software. I am sure the developer support can answer that quickly.

[Norman Black]

On Vegas Sony goes strictly by their own product specs and this means XDCAM 50Mbps 422 is in an MXF file.

XDCAM EX is in an MP4 file, but it is 35Mbps 420 which is not what has been spec’d to you, but should be a similar video quality.

The Mac world is Quicktime MOV happy. MOV or MP4 should always work. I know you can purchase an MPEG-2 decoder for Windows Quicktime from Apple, but I don’t know about encoders. Maybe third party.

Maybe cliptoolz can be used. I don’t know if it can remux but if not you can probably pass it an intermediate, like uncompressed, DNxHD, or maybe Cineform, and encode to 50Mbps 422 in a MOV/MP4.
https://cliptoolz.com/convert.html

[Norman Black]

I use Titler Pro 3 much like the other titler and medai generators in Vegas. Titler Pro does have it’s own separate window for the title designer and TP3 has the new quick edit window. I have its options setup to always open the titler designer window.

[Norman Black]

[John Rofrano] “This should dispel all myths about people being afraid to render one or two generations to MP4”

Nice demo. Yes, AVC is as good as anything out there. There is nothing that forces serious loss in the codec. It all comes down to encoding settings.

I can also confirm that Mainconcept AVC does very well on multi-generation renders. I only tested 5 gens, on a high frequency detail video clip (outside on a trail with lots of brush around). Sony AVC did not fare as well. I was testing at around 30Mbps. You need a lot of bitrate to preserve that images with high frequency detail.