EX Nano workflow?

[Dennis Dillon]

Looking for a way to deliver EX files via an optical disk recorded 50 Mb LGOP MXF Nano. I have been trying to copy Nano files to a Sony U1 drive clip folder with no success.
It may be a Sony directory issue. When I say clip folder, I mean the root clip folder within the Sony Disk Directory. Issues may include the fact that when clips are added to the Sony optical disk, meta data and proxies are generated. By just dropping a clip from the nano flash into the clip folder of the optical disk may need these additional components or a work around. With the new Mac write back to disk, I'm able to copy Nano files to the User Data folder with no problem, but I would like to aide the post process by delivering a disk that plays and ingests from the Sony Optical Disk. Thoughts are welcomed.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Dennis,

As promised, I sent your question directly to Mr. Alister Chapman, who is an experienced PDW-700 cameraman.

Alister has responded with suggestions via an email to you.

After Alister tests his theories tomorrow, we expect to post the results here.

[Alister Chapman]

I am betting that if you change the name of the file to C0001.MXF (then C0002.MXF etc) it will work with 50Mb/s files. I'll test it out in the morning.

The naming of MXF files on the XDCAM discs is very strict and they must be named as above. When you use a camera or deck you can assign what Sony call "Free" clip names and these can be pretty much anything you want. However what actually happens is that your chosen "free" clip name gets stored in the clips metadata via an XML file, while the actual clip retains the C0001.MXF name. The Sony drivers then hide the C0001 name and replace it with the name stored in the metadata when you browse the disc on your mac or PC.

So when you want to write an MXF with no corresponding XML metadata file you must use the C0001.MXF naming convention. During the write process a new XML file will be created automatically along with a proxy clip. Then you can use any of the Sony XDCAM tools to re-name the clip if you need to.

[Alister Chapman]

Well it's not good news I'm afraid.

I cannot export NanoFlash 50Mb files to an XDCAM deck direct from my Mac. I can't even export the clips from a bin within FCP. Even putting a NanoFlash MXF (I have calibrated Q so can work with MXF's in FCP) into a FCP timeline fails to export unless you trim the end off the clip which forces FCP to render the end of the clip.

I tried with .MOV as well and again I could not export from a FCP bin, but exporting from the timeline was trouble free.

I think primary issue is that the XDCAM MXF files have 4 tracks of audio while the NanoFlash files only have 2. The deck expects to see 4 tracks in all XDCAM MXF's.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Alister,

I wonder if one can create a clip in Final Cut Pro, from any source, with either two or four tracks of audio, then render it, then export it to your XDCam deck.

I wonder if the solution, at this time, is to send the clip out via HD-SDI into an XDCam deck or camera and rerecord the clip.

[Alister Chapman]

If I place a NanoFlash .MOV file into the FCP timeline it will export to my XDCAM camera without any video rendering, the export process adds 6 extra empty audio tracks before writing to the camera. If I do the same with a NanoFlash MXF file it will not export to the camera without an error even if I mix XDCAM camera clips and NanoFlash MXFs in the timeline unless I do something to force a render of the NanoFlash clips the export fails. So at this stage my recommendation to Mac users would be to use .MOV even if you are also working with XDCAM MXF's.

Other observations:

I can't re-name NanoFlash MXF's or .MOV's on my mac

XDCAM HD422 MXF's always have 8 tracks of audio. The camera only records to 4, the other 4 are empty.

The Sony XDCAM transfer tool does not recognize NanoFlash MXF files, while it does recognise MXF's rendered out from FCP, Calibrated Q's MXF pluging recognises the NanoFlash MXF files and allows them to be used in FCP.

If it is any help I can send you a NanoFlash MXF and XDCAM HD MXF, shot at the same time for you to compare.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Alister,

Yes, that would be great.

It could be that the order of our fields, in the MXF file is different.

There are a lot of varieties of MXF files.

[Alister Chapman]

I've sent you an email. MXF's are on my server.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Alister,

Thanks, we will be looking into it.

[Alister Chapman]

Regarding the re-naming issue. Tommy at CD has informed me that the files are locked. To unlock them all you have to do is right click and "Get Info" then click the padlock at the bottom.

Should have thought about that.

[Dennis Dillon]

Alister,
tried today and no luck. Unlocked Nano file and renamed. Still not there yet. I'll see if Sony would reach out, and help with this.

[Dennis Dillon]

Alister,
Tried to change the Audio Data Mode on the U1 disk utility to 1/2. No luck. Tried too use Free naming form. No Luck. Still pushing.

[Alister Chapman]

I'm sure a lot of it will be down to the wrong number of audio tracks.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Dennis and Alister,

If this does come down to the wrong number of audio tracks, there is hope.

In a future firmware release we will support more audio tracks.

I am assuming that you would want, for compatability purposes want 4 audio tracks. Please let me know if this is correct.

We have plans to support 8 audio tracks in a future release. But, if XDCam wants 4, then we could have an option for 4.

[Alister Chapman]

50Mb/s XDCAM has 8 tracks of audio although the camera only uses 4, however all 8 appear in the XDCAM files.