Anyone who attended the NAB 09 Final Cut Pro Supermeet may have seen my demonstration of Calibrated{Q} Software's MP4-EX Import.
The basic idea is that MP4 files generated by the Sony EX1/EX3 or JVC HM100/HM700 can now be used immediately without wrapping them in quicktime.
In the case of the Mac (specifically Final Cut Pro) this means that MP4 wrapped XDCAM EX files can now be dragged and dropped into FCP just as easily as the MOV wrapped files.
FCP will automatically recognize the MP4 files as XDCAM EX. You can even open the MP4 files in Quicktime player after MP4-EX Import is installed. There's no more need for Sony's XDCAM Transfer or JVC's clip manager software of "Log & Transfer."

It even works on MP4 files that have been "orphaned" from their original file structure and accompanying files.

The software will be available soon (May 2009) for download purchase.

Calibrated Software (http://www.calibratedsoftware.com/)

Calibrated{Q} MP4-EX Import for Mac OSX (http://www.calibratedsoftware.com/MP4EXImport_Mac.asp)

Calibrated{Q} MP4-EX Import for Windows (http://www.calibratedsoftware.com/MP4EXImport_Win.asp)

I beta tested the Mac version. Works like a champ.

One of the neat things is that you can drop the MP4 into Compressor or Telestream Episode and make Window Time Code Burn Ins without have to go into an NLE and using a time code filter.

Craig: I never use a NLE for window burns anymore. Just use Compressor. But it's true, this new software will save the step of unwrapping them into MOV's.

Tim: I was at the Super Meet. I should have introduced myself. But I've got a couple of questions about this exciting new software:

1) How will files that span two or more cards be joined? I guess we can still use Clip Browser for that.

2) How about logging and naming files? I've grown to like using XDCAM Transfer to mark clips as OK and only import them. I also liked how I can select a group of clips, name them and then when unwrapped using XDCAM Transfer, they are named sequentially.

3) What about Adobe products (After Effects). How come this software won't enable them to work with MP4's?

I realize there's nothing stopping me from the continued use of Clip Browser and Transfer, I'm just wondering if this new software has additional solutions as well. Or maybe there's a workflow that I haven't thought of yet.