A PC + Prospect HD + Varicam Footage at DVinfo.net

Devon Lyon · July 27th, 2007, 12:21 PM

I have footage that was shot with a Varicam to tape. The post house captured the tape from deck and put the files on a harddrive for me. I have a PC and Cineform Prospect HD. The files are just not recognized by any of my Adobe software or Cineform. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

Bob Hart · July 27th, 2007, 12:32 PM

I think I read somewhere that you need a Panasonic reader software in order to access these files. It may be a free downloadable, I think "p2viewer.exe".

This may only be applicable if the files from the varicam are of the same type as the HVX200 as recorded onto a P2 card.

I wonder if there is a remote chance they captured the footage as the sort of files that would be recorded upon a P2 card.

This is all highly guesswork on my part so please do not take too much notice.

If you are able to bring the files up in Windows Explorer, perhaps right click on the filename then select "properties". What information you get from that should include a filename extension.

Please post that info here and somebody may be able to help furthur.

Devon Lyon · July 27th, 2007, 12:35 PM

This is all the file shows under description: VaricamTest_002SERS

I tried tagging the file with a .mov extension. It made Quicktime Pro freeze twice. After Effects would recognize and open the file that I added the .mov to but when put in a timeline there was nothing there but all white screen.

Bob Hart · July 28th, 2007, 01:32 AM

Devon.

The filename extention should be laid out something like "bbhart01.bmp". In this example, the ".bmp" portion is the extension.

If something like this does not show in your properties box in Windows Explorer, then you might have to go into DOS and hunt it down if you know how to do this.

Renaming the file with a .mov extension included in the main filename is only going to trick the software into thinking the file is something that it isn't.

If I did this with my example above in Windows Explorer, the filename on a DOS screen might then look like "bbhart01.mov.bmp" which is not going to do much to help.

Hopefully someone with the knowing will put things right on this. In meantime it might be worthwhile getting in touch with the post-production house and enquire to what format or filetype, they captured and saved to and what the project settings should be. It might be a simple case of formats not matching.

Devon Lyon · July 28th, 2007, 09:19 PM

My friend can view the files fine on a Mac. I still have not had luck. I guess I could just have him turn them into Quicktime Animation files and give them to me that way.

Salah Baker · July 29th, 2007, 03:04 PM

Its polly in a mac only codec....(yes, Apple has castrated windows Q Time)
Have him put it to a "true" Cross platform Qtime codec

David Newman · July 30th, 2007, 09:42 AM

The Varicam footage ingested on Mac is almost Mac only. You could use an Intel Mac to transcode footage to CineForm using the Mac version of our encoder. Or you could look at Raylight decoder (give their trial a go) to decompress the Mac streams and convert the results to CineForm.

Devon Lyon · July 31st, 2007, 01:26 PM

David:

Thanks as always. I will just have them put it into the Animation codec. Cheers.

July 27th, 2007, 12:21 PM	#1
Devon Lyon Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 213	A PC + Prospect HD + Varicam Footage I have footage that was shot with a Varicam to tape. The post house captured the tape from deck and put the files on a harddrive for me. I have a PC and Cineform Prospect HD. The files are just not recognized by any of my Adobe software or Cineform. What am I doing wrong? Thanks! __________________ Lyon Films www.LyonFilms.com;

July 27th, 2007, 12:32 PM	#2
Bob Hart Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PERTH. W.A. AUSTRALIA. Posts: 4,477	I think I read somewhere that you need a Panasonic reader software in order to access these files. It may be a free downloadable, I think "p2viewer.exe". This may only be applicable if the files from the varicam are of the same type as the HVX200 as recorded onto a P2 card. I wonder if there is a remote chance they captured the footage as the sort of files that would be recorded upon a P2 card. This is all highly guesswork on my part so please do not take too much notice. If you are able to bring the files up in Windows Explorer, perhaps right click on the filename then select "properties". What information you get from that should include a filename extension. Please post that info here and somebody may be able to help furthur. Last edited by Bob Hart; July 27th, 2007 at 12:36 PM. Reason: error

July 27th, 2007, 12:35 PM	#3
Devon Lyon Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 213	This is all the file shows under description: VaricamTest_002SERS I tried tagging the file with a .mov extension. It made Quicktime Pro freeze twice. After Effects would recognize and open the file that I added the .mov to but when put in a timeline there was nothing there but all white screen. __________________ Lyon Films www.LyonFilms.com;

July 28th, 2007, 09:19 PM	#5
Devon Lyon Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 213	My friend can view the files fine on a Mac. I still have not had luck. I guess I could just have him turn them into Quicktime Animation files and give them to me that way. __________________ Lyon Films www.LyonFilms.com;

July 30th, 2007, 09:42 AM	#7
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	The Varicam footage ingested on Mac is almost Mac only. You could use an Intel Mac to transcode footage to CineForm using the Mac version of our encoder. Or you could look at Raylight decoder (give their trial a go) to decompress the Mac streams and convert the results to CineForm. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

July 28th, 2007, 01:32 AM	#4
Bob Hart Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PERTH. W.A. AUSTRALIA. Posts: 4,477	Devon. The filename extention should be laid out something like "bbhart01.bmp". In this example, the ".bmp" portion is the extension. If something like this does not show in your properties box in Windows Explorer, then you might have to go into DOS and hunt it down if you know how to do this. Renaming the file with a .mov extension included in the main filename is only going to trick the software into thinking the file is something that it isn't. If I did this with my example above in Windows Explorer, the filename on a DOS screen might then look like "bbhart01.mov.bmp" which is not going to do much to help. Hopefully someone with the knowing will put things right on this. In meantime it might be worthwhile getting in touch with the post-production house and enquire to what format or filetype, they captured and saved to and what the project settings should be. It might be a simple case of formats not matching.

July 29th, 2007, 03:04 PM	#6
Salah Baker Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Patterson La. Posts: 207	Its polly in a mac only codec....(yes, Apple has castrated windows Q Time) Have him put it to a "true" Cross platform Qtime codec

July 31st, 2007, 01:26 PM	#8
Devon Lyon Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 213	David: Thanks as always. I will just have them put it into the Animation codec. Cheers. __________________ Lyon Films www.LyonFilms.com;