On my new Windows 7 x64 computer, I cannot launch the FileConverter - even though the latest versions of JRE are installed (both 32 and 64bit). I can run it successfully on a Vista x64 installation - is there a known problem with Windows 7?

Also, using my (working) Vista installation, I just converted a couple of XDCAM EX 1080/25 35 MBps files from .MOV to .MXF (so that I can edit them in Vegas Pro) - and to my horror, the long-forgotten green frames are back! Let me be clear about it: the original .MOV plays fine in VLC, its converted MXF counterpart shows green frames in Vegas 10e.

What do I do?

Piotr

PS. After explicitely associating the .jar filetype with the 32-bit version of JRE, the error message I'm getting when trying to launch FileConverter is this:

Could not find the main class: C:\Program Files (x86)\FileConverter\FileConverter.jar. Program will exit.

I have never used it, but I just clicked on it to see if it would run on 64-bit Windows 7 Ultimate, and it did. I would suggest to run the setup .msi file again and select the repair mode. Any missing file should then be installed to its proper location again.

Dear Piotr,

On our website, on the downloads page, we have a link to install the proper Java program.
It is listed in the File Converter Section of the page, near the bottom.

Yes, the File Converts works in Windows 7.

Downloads | Convergent Design | Professional Video Recorders and Converters (http://www.convergent-design.com/Downloads/tabid/1650/Default.aspx)

I suggest that you download this Java version and install it.

Thanks for the answers.

I did have the 32-bit JRE installed, and even .jar files explicitly associated with it. And the latter has been the source of errors - after changing the association of jar files to the 64-bit Java Runtime Environment, all is well!

So actually, the information about the need of installing the 32-bit Java version may be misleading; its presence in the system might be required indeed, but the FileConverter.jar needs the 64-bit JRE to launch, anyway.

So this is solved; how about the green frames? Is CD aware the problem still persists? In the Release Notes to the newest FileConverter it's said the 2-3 green frames at the beginning of clips have been eliminated; maybe so - but there still are a few in the middle of each clip after conversion!

Piotr

Dear Piotr,

Andy was not in the office today.

We will be investigating the green frames as soon as possible.

Hi Piotr,

I assume you are using the latest File Converter 1.6 ?

The original files you converted - were they nanoFlash recorded files or some other files?

Tommy Schell

Yes Tommy, I used the 1.6 version.

The files I converted were MOVs created in the EX1 camera by some Mac users who forgot that by re-wrapping to MOV and dumping original card structure, they make their material difficult to use by us PC folks :)

Luckily, there is Convergent Design with your FileConverter, which - according to documentation - is supposed to fully support not just nanoFlash-generated files, but also XDCAM EX 35 Mbps HQ stuff. Which it does basically, but with a couple of green frames here and there.

Regards

Piotr

Dear Piotr,

Our documentation states that we can convert Flash XDR files, nanoFlash files, and files exported out of Final Cut Pro.

Were your files exported out of Final Cut Pro?

If so, could you provide some details?

Codec Used?
.....(was it the Sony XDCam 422 50 Mbps CBR or Sony XDCam Ex 35 420 35 Mbps VBR codec)
Bit Rate?
What version of Final Cut Pro?

Hi Piotr,

how were the EX1 camera files re-wrapped? Was it with one of the Sony plug-ins such as XDCAM Browser?


Tommy

Dear Dan,

The operator who handed his material over to me for editing simply used the Mac version of the Clip Browser utility (not sure about its exact name). So no, no export from FCP - just re-wrapping.

And the format is of course XDCam EX 420 35Mbps (VBR), 1080/25p .

Hi Piotr,

how were the EX1 camera files re-wrapped? Was it with one of the Sony plug-ins such as XDCAM Browser?


Tommy

Hi Tommy,

Of that I'm not sure - most probably Log & Transfer it was. The XDCam Browser can also re-wrap to MXF, so I guess he would use that knowing I'm on PC...