nanoFlash & MC 3.1?

[Peter Moretti]

Simple ?, do nanoFlash files work w/ Media Composer 3.1 It does not have AMA.

Thanks much!

[Mark Job]

Hi Peter:
AMC will only work in MC 3.1 if you record at .MXF file setting at a file datavrate of no more than a maximum of 50 Mbps. If you choose to record in I-Frame (Intra) mode, then you can use higher data rates all the way up to 280 Mbps in MC 3.1. AMA will not work with version 3.1 and the Sony XDCAM HD 4:2:2 codec, which is what the Nano Flash uses.

[Peter Moretti]

Thanks Mark. Much appreciated.

May ask, how do you bring 280 I-frame files into MC 3.1? Fast import?

[Mark Job]

Hi Peter:
Direct import as a video file import (I don't know if it will be fast or not ?), but this will import directly into a bin in whatever project you setup for it.

[Peter Moretti]

Hi Mark. BTW, there is a huge difference between a slow import and a fast import in MC. A slow import transcodes the media into a codec and format that MC can read, usually DNxHD wrapped by MXF. This can take a lot of time and cause a quality hit b/c of the transcode.

On the other hand, a fast import just rewraps the file into an MXF file or series of MXF files that MC can read natively. No transcode to a different codec, no quality hit and not much waiting.

Fast importing does not only depend on codec, e.g. choosing RGB color levels will always cause a slow import, even if the codec is supported natively by MC.

If a file is being fast imported, MC will say something along the lines of "fast importing video from QT." If it doesn't give this message, then it's slow importing.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Peter,

I did not jump in earlier to answer your question, as I am not an Avid export.

Also, I did not know the difference between a Slow Import and a Fast Import.

But now that you have explained the difference I can answer your question.

Here is what I know and I believe that you can do a Fast Import.

For simplicity and safety, we keep the video and audio tracks all together in one file.
........Simplicity: One only sees one file in our directory.
........Safety: One can not accidently separate the audio from the video by not copying all of the files.

I have always instructed our Avid users to use the Avid Import command, as opposed to just copying our files into a disk accessible to Avid.

When one uses the Avid inport command, our file is copied to the place where Avid is going to store to files. While doing so, during the file copy process (by Avid), Avid separates out and creates separate video and audio files for each track.

This is a fast process, not using your meaning, but meaning that since it is just a file copy with the added process of separating the video and audio into separate files, it does not take much longer than a straight file copy itself.

This Avid import process is not a transcode. No quality is lost by separating the streams into separate files.

I hope this helps.

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Peter Moretti

Hi Mark. BTW, there is a huge difference between a slow import and a fast import in MC.

...Hi Peter: Yes I know there is.

Originally Posted by Peter Moretti

A slow import transcodes the media into a codec and format that MC can read, usually DNxHD wrapped by MXF. This can take a lot of time and cause a quality hit b/c of the transcode.

...Yup. I know that Peter.

Originally Posted by Peter Moretti

On the other hand, a fast import just rewraps the file into an MXF file or series of MXF files that MC can read natively. No transcode to a different codec, no quality hit and not much waiting.

...Yup. I know that too.

Originally Posted by Peter Moretti

Fast importing does not only depend on codec, e.g. choosing RGB color levels will always cause a slow import, even if the codec is supported natively by MC.

...Yup.

Originally Posted by Peter Moretti

If a file is being fast imported, MC will say something along the lines of "fast importing video from QT." If it doesn't give this message, then it's slow importing.

..Yes indeed. Been there done that.

* I don't know why you're telling me this however. What did I miss ?

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

Dear Peter,

I did not jump in earlier to answer your question, as I am not an Avid export.

Also, I did not know the difference between a Slow Import and a Fast Import.

But now that you have explained the difference I can answer your question.

Here is what I know and I believe that you can do a Fast Import.

For simplicity and safety, we keep the video and audio tracks all together in one file.
........Simplicity: One only sees one file in our directory.
........Safety: One can not accidently separate the audio from the video by not copying all of the files.

I have always instructed our Avid users to use the Avid Import command, as opposed to just copying our files into a disk accessible to Avid.

When one uses the Avid inport command, our file is copied to the place where Avid is going to store to files. While doing so, during the file copy process (by Avid), Avid separates out and creates separate video and audio files for each track.

This is a fast process, not using your meaning, but meaning that since it is just a file copy with the added process of separating the video and audio into separate files, it does not take much longer than a straight file copy itself.

This Avid import process is not a transcode. No quality is lost by separating the streams into separate files.

I hope this helps.

...Hi Dan: You are correct. Even more than this, Avid Media Composer will *NOT even transcode upon import your Sony XDCAM HD files even if you tell it to ! AMC is programmed *NOT* to transcode or re-compress the Sony XDCAM HD 4:2:2 codec. It will wrap it in am MXF container. Wether you get the same procedure if you drag and drop from Microsoft Windows' Explorer into a bin has been the subject of great, great debate on the avid community forums. I do believe that now with AMC version 5.x the behaviour is the same if you import via either route, *but not so if you use versions below 5.x.

**User's note. Once you have imported your Sony XDCAM HD 4:2:2 file into a Media Composer Project, then you can transcode it to your heart's content to whatever you want **After** it is n the system.

[Peter Moretti]

Hey Mark,

Thanks for the info. I went into the detailed reply b/c of this:

Originally Posted by Mark Job

...
Direct import as a video file import (I don't know if it will be fast or not ?)...

I took that to mean you didn't understand what I meant by "fast import." But obviously I misunderstood.

Thanks again for the help.

[Mark Job]

Hi Peter:
You're welcome :-) Glad to of been of some help to you :-)