Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? at DVinfo.net

Darryn Carroll · December 13th, 2014, 11:09 AM

First wedding today with new Sony HXR-NX3 but have struggled all week trying to get Sony's Picturememories software installed on laptop, browser always crashes upon starup, I tried every suggestion from support. Installed fine on PC but then I need t transfer again to laptop. I am looking for a similar application for importing files from sdxc card. I believe if i try a copy and paste method I will end up with gaps between clips. Anyone have a simple solution or workflow suggestion?

Christopher Young · December 14th, 2014, 09:53 AM

If it's a Sony camera, which yours is there are two pieces of software that will do the job and stitch your long takes (ten minute 2GB files) into long unbroken files. Shorter takes under about ten minutes will come in 'as is.' This is brought about by the fact that SD cards are FAT 32 formatted and are limited to a 2GB file size limit.

Have you checked the CD disc that came with your camera for a piece of software called 'Content Management Utility?' Would have thought that your camera came with it? If not try downloading it from Sony. The first time you run it you must have the camera hooked up to install it. After that you are fine to use a card reader. This piece of software was deigned specifically for the task you have in hand.

The other piece of software that does it is Sony's Vegas Pro under it's 'Device Manager.'

A while back someone posted on this forum about a freeby utility that could do this as well. Any ideas what that was anyone? Keep us posted how you go!

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

Darryn Carroll · December 15th, 2014, 11:59 AM

Sony no longer gives a disc, just a link. I did get Sony CMU installed an working. PM on desktop just had a few additional features like clip joining, etc. Getting PM installed and working on my newer laptop has turned into one of those challenges that we spend all free time on :)

Ron Evans · December 15th, 2014, 01:52 PM

Sony CMU Sony Creative Software - Content Management Utility joins files together and that is what I use for my NX5U and NX30U. Works just like PMB and PlayMemories just doesn't have the calendar view etc. Takes a little longer to set up registered directories to transfer to before hand but I find it better than the consumer versions. Use Playmemories for my FDR-AX1 as nothing else will do the transfer !!

Content Browser for the professional products is not as good but is supposed to replace all of these !!! Doesn't join files etc. Just shows files rather than clips just like the new Catalyst Browse. Useless.

Ron Evans

Jeff Pulera · December 15th, 2014, 03:26 PM

Hi Darryn,

What NLE do you edit with? Adobe Premiere Pro works well with native AVCHD files if you import via the Media Browser in Premiere. Split files from long recordings import as one long clip, no gaps or glitches. Nothing is getting converted, rather Premiere properly interprets what is being imported and handles it accordingly. Using any kind of conversion software on irreplaceable footage makes me nervous.

Thanks

Darryn Carroll · December 15th, 2014, 03:37 PM

Thanks guys,

Ron I did not see anywhere to join files? I will try and dig a little deeper. I also could not figure out how to add a second camera. I had used my NX3 for inital setup, then imported from the NX3's card. When I tried to import the card from my Sony HDR-PJ650, it would not import...

Jeff I use Corel VideoStudioPro X5.

Ron Evans · December 15th, 2014, 07:17 PM

You do not need to tell the CMU to join files. The program ONLY shows you clips ( time between pressing start and stop on the camera however many FAT32 files that happens to be) not FAT32 files. If the clip is less than 2G it will still show as a clip not a file. Clips comprised of more than 1 file will be joined automatically. As is normal CMU will create a directory named by the date you do the transfer and a file made from the date and time the clip was shot obtained from the clip data code. A good reason to make sure the date and time is correct in the camera !!! The HDR-PJ650 is a consumer camera and CMU will not transfer consumer files and you will need PlayMemories for that.

Darryn Carroll · December 15th, 2014, 07:49 PM

Thanks Ron, so I may press record/stop 100 times, have 100 clips on the card, but if any of the clips were larger than 2gb I may end up with less files in computer folder during import because the joining of those 2gb+ files would be automatically joined?

Ron Evans · December 15th, 2014, 09:26 PM

Yes that is correct. One clip for every time you start and stop the camera not FAT32 files. So if you record for about 1 hour you will get 1 clip not 3 or 4 FAT 32 files. You will get files with names like 20141212093810.m2ts and a size of say 11,907,396 in a folder named 2014-12-12 a clip I just recorded last Friday morning from my NX5U. File naming says it started recording at 938am on Friday 12 of Dec 2014.

Ron Evans

Christopher Young · December 16th, 2014, 12:44 AM

Ron's advice is 100% spot on Darryn. Follow that and you are 100% set go my man!

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

John Wiley · December 20th, 2014, 05:41 PM

Anybody know if this will work with FS700 files? And from what I understand the program is not doing any conversion or re-encoding, correct?

Christopher Young · December 21st, 2014, 08:29 AM

That's all I use CMU on. FS700 AVCHD files. Correct it is doing no transcoding whatsoever. There is also a free file joiner that will do the same thing, stitch together without glitches and without transcoding. It is actually called 'File Joiner' and can be downloaded at:

www.igorware.com/file-joiner

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

Dan Tolbertson · December 28th, 2014, 12:54 AM

Finally fixed the problem with Play Memories Home!

This problem has been causing me fits for months (browser stopped working) when trying to capture my clips. life was so simple when I could just capture my media and it knew which files I had captured already, it named them and put my spanned clips back together. I was even ready to try re installing my operating system (Win 8.1) and decided I was going to research it and get the problem solved

the problem may be iCloud (and something to do with iphone photos or geotagging or some crap along those lines) from what I read online.

I uninstalled icloud and everything is working great again. I have not had a crash in several days and have captured quite a few cards. This may solve the problems others that are having with the PMH (or PMB) browser crashing?

Steven Ansell · January 12th, 2015, 04:34 AM

Apple is the devil, they don't play nice :)

December 13th, 2014, 11:09 AM	#1
Darryn Carroll Major Player Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Norwood, MA Posts: 255	Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? First wedding today with new Sony HXR-NX3 but have struggled all week trying to get Sony's Picturememories software installed on laptop, browser always crashes upon starup, I tried every suggestion from support. Installed fine on PC but then I need t transfer again to laptop. I am looking for a similar application for importing files from sdxc card. I believe if i try a copy and paste method I will end up with gaps between clips. Anyone have a simple solution or workflow suggestion?

December 14th, 2014, 09:53 AM	#2
Christopher Young Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,567	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? If it's a Sony camera, which yours is there are two pieces of software that will do the job and stitch your long takes (ten minute 2GB files) into long unbroken files. Shorter takes under about ten minutes will come in 'as is.' This is brought about by the fact that SD cards are FAT 32 formatted and are limited to a 2GB file size limit. Have you checked the CD disc that came with your camera for a piece of software called 'Content Management Utility?' Would have thought that your camera came with it? If not try downloading it from Sony. The first time you run it you must have the camera hooked up to install it. After that you are fine to use a card reader. This piece of software was deigned specifically for the task you have in hand. The other piece of software that does it is Sony's Vegas Pro under it's 'Device Manager.' A while back someone posted on this forum about a freeby utility that could do this as well. Any ideas what that was anyone? Keep us posted how you go! Chris Young CYV Productions Sydney

December 15th, 2014, 11:59 AM	#3
Darryn Carroll Major Player Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Norwood, MA Posts: 255	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? Sony no longer gives a disc, just a link. I did get Sony CMU installed an working. PM on desktop just had a few additional features like clip joining, etc. Getting PM installed and working on my newer laptop has turned into one of those challenges that we spend all free time on :)

December 15th, 2014, 01:52 PM	#4
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,220	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? Sony CMU Sony Creative Software - Content Management Utility joins files together and that is what I use for my NX5U and NX30U. Works just like PMB and PlayMemories just doesn't have the calendar view etc. Takes a little longer to set up registered directories to transfer to before hand but I find it better than the consumer versions. Use Playmemories for my FDR-AX1 as nothing else will do the transfer !! Content Browser for the professional products is not as good but is supposed to replace all of these !!! Doesn't join files etc. Just shows files rather than clips just like the new Catalyst Browse. Useless. Ron Evans

December 15th, 2014, 03:26 PM	#5
Jeff Pulera Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Milwaukee WI Posts: 691	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? Hi Darryn, What NLE do you edit with? Adobe Premiere Pro works well with native AVCHD files if you import via the Media Browser in Premiere. Split files from long recordings import as one long clip, no gaps or glitches. Nothing is getting converted, rather Premiere properly interprets what is being imported and handles it accordingly. Using any kind of conversion software on irreplaceable footage makes me nervous. Thanks __________________ Jeff Pulera Safe Harbor Computers

December 15th, 2014, 03:37 PM	#6
Darryn Carroll Major Player Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Norwood, MA Posts: 255	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? Thanks guys, Ron I did not see anywhere to join files? I will try and dig a little deeper. I also could not figure out how to add a second camera. I had used my NX3 for inital setup, then imported from the NX3's card. When I tried to import the card from my Sony HDR-PJ650, it would not import... Jeff I use Corel VideoStudioPro X5.

December 15th, 2014, 07:17 PM	#7
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,220	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? You do not need to tell the CMU to join files. The program ONLY shows you clips ( time between pressing start and stop on the camera however many FAT32 files that happens to be) not FAT32 files. If the clip is less than 2G it will still show as a clip not a file. Clips comprised of more than 1 file will be joined automatically. As is normal CMU will create a directory named by the date you do the transfer and a file made from the date and time the clip was shot obtained from the clip data code. A good reason to make sure the date and time is correct in the camera !!! The HDR-PJ650 is a consumer camera and CMU will not transfer consumer files and you will need PlayMemories for that.

December 15th, 2014, 07:49 PM	#8
Darryn Carroll Major Player Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Norwood, MA Posts: 255	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? Thanks Ron, so I may press record/stop 100 times, have 100 clips on the card, but if any of the clips were larger than 2gb I may end up with less files in computer folder during import because the joining of those 2gb+ files would be automatically joined?

December 15th, 2014, 09:26 PM	#9
Ron Evans Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,220	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? Yes that is correct. One clip for every time you start and stop the camera not FAT32 files. So if you record for about 1 hour you will get 1 clip not 3 or 4 FAT 32 files. You will get files with names like 20141212093810.m2ts and a size of say 11,907,396 in a folder named 2014-12-12 a clip I just recorded last Friday morning from my NX5U. File naming says it started recording at 938am on Friday 12 of Dec 2014. Ron Evans

December 16th, 2014, 12:44 AM	#10
Christopher Young Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,567	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? Ron's advice is 100% spot on Darryn. Follow that and you are 100% set go my man! Chris Young CYV Productions Sydney

December 20th, 2014, 05:41 PM	#11
John Wiley Trustee Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Byron Bay, Australia Posts: 1,155	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? Anybody know if this will work with FS700 files? And from what I understand the program is not doing any conversion or re-encoding, correct?

December 21st, 2014, 08:29 AM	#12
Christopher Young Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,567	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? That's all I use CMU on. FS700 AVCHD files. Correct it is doing no transcoding whatsoever. There is also a free file joiner that will do the same thing, stitch together without glitches and without transcoding. It is actually called 'File Joiner' and can be downloaded at: www.igorware.com/file-joiner Chris Young CYV Productions Sydney

December 28th, 2014, 12:54 AM	#13
Dan Tolbertson Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 126	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? Finally fixed the problem with Play Memories Home! This problem has been causing me fits for months (browser stopped working) when trying to capture my clips. life was so simple when I could just capture my media and it knew which files I had captured already, it named them and put my spanned clips back together. I was even ready to try re installing my operating system (Win 8.1) and decided I was going to research it and get the problem solved the problem may be iCloud (and something to do with iphone photos or geotagging or some crap along those lines) from what I read online. I uninstalled icloud and everything is working great again. I have not had a crash in several days and have captured quite a few cards. This may solve the problems others that are having with the PMH (or PMB) browser crashing? __________________ Sony Fan Boy! Sony AX100, VG20, RX10, A6000, CX760 and a GoPro 4

January 12th, 2015, 04:34 AM	#14
Steven Ansell Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Vancouver Canada Posts: 34	Re: Import Sony footage without PlayMemories? Apple is the devil, they don't play nice :)