Importing MXF Files (From P2 Devices) Into Avid


First, determine the following about the footage you're going to ingest and edit:  Which format was it shot it in? Was it shot Progressive or Interlaced, 720 or 1080? Which frame rate (23.97, 24, 25, 50, 59.94)?
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SECTION 1

For Avid Media Composer v2.7 and later
For Avid Xpress Pro v5.7 and later


Importing P2 files is mainly a 2-step process . . . with some rules. The Avid documentation is a bit vague and incomplete regarding this process. You will need to do this if you want your clips to stay online.


Step 1: Clips to Bin
(This is from the Avid Documentation and it is the correct first main step)

To import P2 clips directly from a P2 card or a copy of a P2 card on any accessible drive:

[a] Open the bin into which you want to import the Master Clips. Make sure it is the active window.

[b] Go to: File > Import P2 > Clips to Bin
Then Browse for Folder. The dialog box will open.

[c] Navigate to the P2 volume:
Navigate to the actual P2 card. If you copied the card to another drive, navigate to that drive and then to the folder that contains the Contents folder. Do not navigate into the Contents folder or into other folders in the volume. The Import P2 option imports all the clips on the card.

[d] Click OK

Now, if you stop here, you can edit with your clips. However, if you close out the program and try to come back, your clips will appear "OFFLINE." This is a common "problem" that many seem to encounter.

This next main step is crucial for keeping your P2 clips "ONLINE."

Step 2: Import Media

[a] Select all the clips in that same bin from Step 1.

[b] Go to: File > Import P2 > Media
Avid will now copy all the files (video & audio) from your P2 directories and put them into the video drive(s) that is designated for your Avid. Now your clips will stay online all the time!


CAUTION: HERE ARE THE RULES FOR IMPORTING:
(Even though you may have followed the steps listed above, failure to follow these rules below could result in media that is offline.)

RULE 1
You can only do "Step 2: Import Media" to a single bin once. If you want to import more cards but already did the second step, simply create a new bin to import to.

RULE 2
You must have all other bins (besides the one that you're importing to) closed. It should have that little blue icon next to it in the project window. This also includes sequences. If you do not do this, any other bins that you have open during this second step will result in the clips in those other bins going "OFFLINE."

RULE 3 (this is actually more of a tip)
You can import multiple cards into a single bin. Just repeat Step 1 until you have all the clips you want in that bin, then do Step 2. This is the correct method if you have spanned clips over multiple P2 cards and you want Avid to see them properly.

Your media will now stay online even if you quit, restart or whatever. Just remember to follow these steps and rules every time that you want to import P2 media.


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SECTION 2

For Avid Media Composer v2.6.6 and earlier (that supports P2/MXF) For Avid Xpress Pro v5.6.7 and earlier (that supports P2/MXF)

The method described in this section also works for later versions of Avid but is generally not the preferred method.

[1] Copy the MXF files into the Avid MediaFiles/MXF/1 folder on your designated video hard drive's root level. Pay close attention to the folder name in red (if it reads anything other than this, you will not see any files appear in your Media Tool - an incorrect folder name is a common mistake). The MXF files to copy are only the ones located in the VIDEO and AUDIO folders (under CONTENTS) that were created in the original P2 directory structure. Always do this while Avid is not running.

[2] Start Avid then create your project (likely a 720p/23.976 project).

[3] Go to Media Tool and then search only for Master Clips on the video drive that you transferred the MXF files to. Once found, simply drag them into your bin. The Master Clips in your bins can be renamed however you wish and the name change will be reflected in the Media Tool window.

[4] Edit.

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Notes:

As you read these notes, keep in mind which version of Avid you are using (Section 1 versus Section 2 of this tutorial) . . .


With the inclusion of the MXF format in Avid HD products, a new folder called Avid MediaFiles was created. This is separate from the original and still present OMFI MediaFiles folder. HD footage can only be captured in the MXF file format. You can select this format for capture in the Media Creation Tool from the Tools Menu. On the Media Type tab, select MXF for the video format. For MXF audio, select the PCM (MXF) file format from the Audio Project Settings.

In the Avid MediaFiles folder, there is a separate MXF folder. Avid Technologies structured it this way to reserve the option to support other media formats in the future. Inside the MXF folder are folder(s) that/will contain the actual MXF media. If you’re a Unity client, you will see multiple MXF folders – one for each system. If you’re only using local storage, then you’ll see a folder simply labeled 1.

You cannot just take the whole CONTENTS folder that was created by the HVX200/P2 and drag it into the Avid MediaFiles/MXF/1 folder. You need to drag the video (from the VIDEO folder) and the audio (from the AUDIO folder) into the folder labeled 1.

You’ve already "imported" MXF files after you copy them to the Avid MediaFiles/MXF/1 folder. Avid doesn't make another copy of the MXF files. Avid works with the native MXF files. So again, no copies are made or files harmed in the process of using the Media Tool which is simply for browsing the online files and associating them with your particular project.

If the Avid MediaFiles directory structure does not already exist on your Avid video drive, you can create it manually. However, as stated in Step 1, you must create it exactly as it appears here (Avid MediaFiles/MXF/1) and it must be placed in the root directory of your designated Avid video drive.

The Media Tool will still import the MXF files if you create and utilize folders beyond 1 (such as 2, 3, 4, etc.). Hence, you might actually want to assign a unique number to each P2 card imported. In fact, if you don't, you'll likely run into organizational issues. Again, you can minimally keep track of things by creating these other folders (2, 3, 4, etc.) for each P2 card transfer and still be able to use Media Tool to import from each folder. Do not try to eliminate the number names of these folders. Keep them labeled numerically and sequentially or else the Media Tool will not recognize them and hence will not load your MXF clips.

However, you do have one other welcomed option [NOTE: You can do this only after Avid builds and indexes your MXF directories' database files.] If you want more conventional names for these folders, you may do so and are encouraged to do so as this will help keep you even more organized, especially for lengthy projects. You can go with a naming structure such as:

Avid MediaFiles/MXF/1.YourProjectNameHere-Day1-Card1

Avid MediaFiles/MXF/2.YourProjectNameHere-Day1-Card2

Avid MediaFiles/MXF/3.YourProjectNameHere-Day1-Card3

Avid MediaFiles/MXF/4.YourProjectNameHere-Day2-Card1

Avid MediaFiles/MXF/5.YourProjectNameHere-Day2-Card2

. . . etc.

As long as the folder name contains number dot whatever, you should be fine when using more conventional names for your P2 Card folders on your video drive. That way you can see where all your clips came from. Plus, you can rename the clips to whatever you want within Avid itself.

This process was tested with certain versions of Avid (listed above) that were available at the time of this writing (see the last edited date of this sticky post). Other versions may vary in this process or even be unable to import MXF files. For example, with the release of Avid Xpress Pro HD v5.7, there are some major improvements in the P2(MXF) workflow from versions that came before it.

The Panasonic HVX200 is just one example of a P2 device. Other P2 devices should work roughly the same way.

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I compiled the above from various sources to make it as easy and informative as possible. Many thanks to Avid and various members of the Avid User & DVXUser community.
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In addition to this tutorial, be sure to check out Avid's official P2 tutorial here:
http://learn.avid.com/content/tutori.../tutorial.html

And Volume II of the HVX BootCamp DVD Series:
http://dvxuser.com/articles/hvxdvd/

To clarify, the first procedure outlined doesn't apply to the 2.8 version of the MC app, which will not 'see' the content of the volumes while still in the camera or P2 Store.

Bill, I think your comment only applies to one possible option in step 1c, importing from the P2 card directly.

Thank for this post!!!!!!!  You rock.