Expert Connections

Thanks Bob.

Neat

Does it work on PC as well?

Can you discard the exported AAF files afterwards?

Do you need to backup anything else besides the original SxS cards to be secure?

Best,

M

* WARNING *

This workflow does NOT support relink! If you delete your media you will not be able to relink to newly created AAF files. I am going to use the old system.

M

When would you want to use AAF and when would you want to use MXF?

on Windows XP version, what MXF file export setting may we choose? (the software proposes 3 MXF formats - NLE, HD X, HD 422 - )

My XDCAM EX material is 1440x1080 50i 25Mb/s.

The AAF method is the fastest way to use XDCAM Media with the Avid. The downside is that the media can't be recreated and relinked to the sequence from the original cards if it is deleted. So its extremely important to backup the OPatom media if going this route.

MXF for NLE is slower in that its a two step process and it duplicates the media, but if the media is deleted in the Avid, it can be recreated.

There are two methods for using XDCAM EX media in the Avid. The AAF/OPatom method I show here and the MXF for NLE method I show here using the Version 1 of the Clip Browser software:

community.avid.com/.../sony-xdcam-ex-with-the-avid-media-composer.aspx

The MXF for NLEs works with the Avid.

The MXF for XDCAM HD and XDCAM HD 422 require a plug-in from MainConcept.

This doesn't seem to be working for me...

I have 1920*1080 35Mbs 50i clip, when exporting to aaf the file + 3 corresponding mxf files are created, but when importing to Avid Media Composer 3, the clip seems to be empty - it is the right length and seems to be playing, but says "media offline" and there's no audio either.

If the AAFs do not link to the media for some reason, use the Media Tool and select the drive where the OPAtom were located and the All Projects button. This should reveal the clips and they can be copied to a bin.

I did a test today with 35Mb 1080i/50 clips and the AAFs imported with the clip linked to the media.

Can you see the clips using the Media Tool?

That seemed to do the trick. Clip Browser and Avid were on different computers and even though we used the same folder on a shared network drive, it didnt work. But the clips are present at the Media Tool and can be used. Thanks for your help!

This might be slightly off-topic, but what can be done if someone shoots on a combination of HDCam tape and this XDCam format then offline edits on a Final Cut system? How would you bring that project into a Symphony Nitris (3.0) for the online?

Thanks,

Robert

Rogeen,

Would you mind posting this question to the Avid forums?

community.avid.com/forums

Its difficult to answer this type of question on the blog.

I’m about to start a project that will be shot with the Sony EX1 and edited on Media Composer Version 3.??? The project will be 3 x 1hours.  I wondering what the best workflow would be? I did a test on the system yesterday and everything seemed great but i’m curious about the online.

First i copied the folder from the SxS card into a folder on an external firewire drive.

then opened the folder in the Sony clip viewer software.

I exported the selected clips as “MXF for NLE” back onto the same drive into a folder i created called “Clip Browser Export” (Bob suggested exporting as AAFs, not sure what the difference would be as far as editing with the material, quality of the footage and how that would effect online?)

I opened Media Composer and created a project as 1080i 59.94.

Then opened a bin and imported the clips.

Everything worked great. I’m left with a few questions though.

1) If we have enough storage room to accommodate all the media and the system can handle working in hi resolution will the project need to be up-ressed during online or can i simply give the media drive and project to the online editor as is?

If i need to work in a lower resolution what would be the best workflow and how would the media be up-ressed during online?

Any feedback wold be appreciated.

Todd

There is no difference in picture quality between the AAF/OPAtom method and the OP1a method. The native XDCAM EX codec is used in both cases, it's never transcoded.

There are benefits and negatives to each work flow that I explain in an earlier post.

With the DX hardware, working in the 35Mb codec doesn't require the media to be transcoded. Effects, titles and renders will use a DNxHD codec and can be mixed seamlessly in a sequence. You could just walk your drive over with your project and media for the online.

XDCAM EX is 35Mb at most. This is only a little more than DV25 that is often used for an offline. Because of this, an offline codec isn't that important. For Example, Avid's offline HD codecs, DNx36 and 45 are actually larger. Of course DNxHD is an I-Frame codec vs the L-GOP codec used by XDCAM EX.

If you would like to work at a highly compressed codec, like 14:1 or 15:1, the clips can be imported into a bin and in a like frame rate Standard Definition project transcoded to a SD resolution. They will relink to the EX media for the online.

When using this method, I found that when I do a clip modify-set source command, an error message pops up saying "Unable to change the source on clip 'xxx'.  Could not find existing source information."  The reason why I need to do this is because I need to assign an AUX TC so that I can group this with other clips which have different time codes.  I understand that you cannot assign an AUX TC if the clip doesn't have a source name or tape name.  Has anyone come across this problem and found a solution?

Aleks

Use the MXF for NLE method that I show here:

community.avid.com/.../sony-xdcam-ex-with-the-avid-media-composer.aspx

These clips will allow a tape name and AUX time code to be added.

Bob

When I imported the clips, it did allow me to change the source name and add AUX time code.  However, I noticed that the time code of these clips is different from the ones that I imported using the AAF method, which have the right time code.  How is this so?

I've never seen the time code not be correct. What format and frame rate are you working at?

Could you play the MXF clips that the Clip Browser creates in the PDZ-VX10 XDCAM Viewer Software and see what the time code is?

I shot the material at 1080/60i SP mode and imported it in a 30i NTSC project.  I haven't played the clips back using the PDZ-VX10 viewer software but I was able to confirm the time code using the Sony Clip Browser V2.0 software.  At first I thought it was just a mismatched project setting case so I created a 1080/59.94 project and tried importing the clips.  The time codes still don't match.

Would you mind posting this question on the forums:

community.avid.com/forums

Its a much better place for support for questions like this.

The reason I'm asking to play the clips in the VX-10 software is to see if the MXF files imported into the Avid have the correct time code. This should isolate the issue to the Clip Browser or Avid.

Referring to your comment on September 11, 2008 6:56 AM about the Main Concept plugin, downloaded and installed it, tried exporting footage saved on a hard drive from an EX1 to XDCam HD discs.  The ONLY folder that will accept anything is the General folder on the XD disk, which is pretty useless for video and audio.  

I used the MXF for XDCam HD option (tried the 422 option just in case)and get an error message to the effect that it cannot open the output file

Is there a way of verifying that my download and install worked and am I missing a step?  Also, If I get it to work does the export create proxies?  Proxies are an incredible tool, WE LOVE THEM!

Otherwise your workflow for ingest into our online suite using the Avid AFF option worked like a charm.

Franz, what deck are you using? My understanding is that you should be able to copy XDCAM HD 50Mb MXF clips to the Clip folder in the PDW-U1 and the PDW-HD1500.

We're using PDW-F70 decks transferring XDCam EX1 35Mb clips.

Would you mind posting this question on the Avid Forums:

community.avid.com/forums

Its a much better resource for support.

It sounds like you're transcoding to XDCAM HD 50Mb codec. The PDW-F70 doesn't support this codec.

hi bob

both ways worked for me.

in the import-settings ->xdcam tab, there's an option "import essence marks as locators"

that feature would be of an incredible help for my workflow.

but with the methods described above no locator arrives in my MCA3.0.5 / winXP

and, another rather naive question:

my EX files read in Clipbrowser as MPEG2 HDlong 35Mbps 25p

what project type would I choose and what resolution to import. there are many res. offered in the import window.

thx!

At this point only essence marks form XDCAM HD disks are imported. Unfortunately when the clips are rewrapped very little metadata is preserved. For the 35Mb 25p codec you need to work in a like 25 frame rate. Depending on your systems, not all version of the Avid have all frame rates, I suggest 1080p/25 or 1080i/50.

The native XDCAM codec is preserved when importing clips. They can't be transcoded during the import.

Hi, this works for HD. But what i you want to edit XDCAM EX HD footagel in SD in avid. My clients is working on a SD show, and wants my footage deliverd in SD. They are working on a Adrenaline. What's the best way to ingest into avid?

Please take a look at this thread:

community.avid.com/.../64482.aspx

With Media Composer 3.5 Avid added native support for the XDCAM EX SxS card/BPAV folder structure.

The Clip Browser can still be used to log the footage and this information will be seen in the Media Composer.