P2 .mxf directory repair at DVinfo.net

Richard Amable · January 8th, 2008, 04:51 PM

Hello everyone, I have a problem with being unable to extract or edit my audio files from the P2 recordings. My main problem is that when I copied the files from the camera, I copied just the two main files that had content by looking at the files sizes. I didn't know at the time that the P2 format requires the full directory structure and the smaller files to enable you to access the audio files. I can edit the video .mxf files with Premiere Pro CS3 but when I try to edit the audio .mxf files it crashes Premiere Pro. Is there a way to rebuild the directory structure or an application that will extract the audio from the audio .mxf files? I had rented the Panasonic camera for these recordings so I no longer have the original recordings on the flash cards. Would recording a sample video with the Panasonic and then adapting the contents to use the files I recorded previously work?

Please help. Thanks.

TingSern Wong · January 8th, 2008, 11:40 PM

It "might" be possible ... provided we can figure out the linkage between the video and audio MXF files. Having said that, if your audio has speech in them originally, how are you going to re-create that?

Richard, do you access to another HVX200? Try this - format a P2 card (start from Point Zero), record a 5 second video with audio clip on it - eject the P2 card, pop it into a PC - and analyse the directory and file structure ... that will give you a good starting point to try.

I have a HVX202 (PAL version) - and IF the camera produces a slightly different MXF file (because of PAL / NTSC) - then my advise will not work for you.

Barry Green · January 9th, 2008, 10:23 AM

Raylight can convert MXF audio files into .WAV files.

Richard Amable · January 9th, 2008, 11:37 AM

Thanks a lot Barry. Raylight converted the audio .mxf files to .wav without the need for the P2 directory structure. I only needed the audio converted since Adobe PP CS3 read the video .mxf file fine but when I tried converting the .mxf video with Raylight just to see how well it would do that, it grabbed the audio from somewhere... it couldn't have been from the original audio file since it is name differently so there is no way it would have known that that it the correct audio file for it. Does the video file actually have the audio embedded in it too? The only problem that Raylight had with the video was it played back the converted .avi video slowly while the audio was at correct speed so it was totally out of sync. It doesn't matter though since I am editing the original .mxf video and attaching the converted .wav to it, I just found that strange and had to mention it.
Again, thanks for the help guys.

January 8th, 2008, 04:51 PM	#1
Richard Amable Tourist Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Posts: 2	P2 .mxf directory repair Hello everyone, I have a problem with being unable to extract or edit my audio files from the P2 recordings. My main problem is that when I copied the files from the camera, I copied just the two main files that had content by looking at the files sizes. I didn't know at the time that the P2 format requires the full directory structure and the smaller files to enable you to access the audio files. I can edit the video .mxf files with Premiere Pro CS3 but when I try to edit the audio .mxf files it crashes Premiere Pro. Is there a way to rebuild the directory structure or an application that will extract the audio from the audio .mxf files? I had rented the Panasonic camera for these recordings so I no longer have the original recordings on the flash cards. Would recording a sample video with the Panasonic and then adapting the contents to use the files I recorded previously work? Please help. Thanks.

January 8th, 2008, 11:40 PM	#2
TingSern Wong Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Singapore, Rep of SINGAPORE Posts: 749	It "might" be possible ... provided we can figure out the linkage between the video and audio MXF files. Having said that, if your audio has speech in them originally, how are you going to re-create that? Richard, do you access to another HVX200? Try this - format a P2 card (start from Point Zero), record a 5 second video with audio clip on it - eject the P2 card, pop it into a PC - and analyse the directory and file structure ... that will give you a good starting point to try. I have a HVX202 (PAL version) - and IF the camera produces a slightly different MXF file (because of PAL / NTSC) - then my advise will not work for you.

January 9th, 2008, 10:23 AM	#3
Barry Green Barry Wan Kenobi Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 3,863	Raylight can convert MXF audio files into .WAV files.

January 9th, 2008, 11:37 AM	#4
Richard Amable Tourist Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Posts: 2	Thanks a lot Barry. Raylight converted the audio .mxf files to .wav without the need for the P2 directory structure. I only needed the audio converted since Adobe PP CS3 read the video .mxf file fine but when I tried converting the .mxf video with Raylight just to see how well it would do that, it grabbed the audio from somewhere... it couldn't have been from the original audio file since it is name differently so there is no way it would have known that that it the correct audio file for it. Does the video file actually have the audio embedded in it too? The only problem that Raylight had with the video was it played back the converted .avi video slowly while the audio was at correct speed so it was totally out of sync. It doesn't matter though since I am editing the original .mxf video and attaching the converted .wav to it, I just found that strange and had to mention it. Again, thanks for the help guys.