x70 XAVC-L codec and Vegas Pro 13 news

[Anthony Lelli]

Originally Posted by Paul Anderegg

Just in time for me to stop using the camera I bought for that codec that I never got the chance to ingest! Good work Sony. :-)

At least my new camera shoots XAVC Intra, which my old Vegas 12 WILL ingest.

Paul

yeah I am with Paul here. I had the feeling that the xavc-l was a bluff right from the start, and now I have this other feeling that it will never work , not with vegas and not with FCP.. and I also remember that when I said that I wasn't even sure that the xavc-l was real .. well... looks like it's not (real). the mystery of this X70... never had the pleasure to see 4:2:2 50mbps (for real). it DOES look exactly like the "regular" avchd . so be it.

[Monday Isa]

Hey guys sony updated Vegas to build 444. Xavc-L works perfectly finally! Now I can use my fs7 the way I've wanted To since purchasing it. Enjoy

[Piotr Wozniacki]

So did you test ingesting XAVC-L on the new VP13 timeline? Asking cause the Readme only mentions added render-out template for this format...

[Piotr Wozniacki]

OK - just loaded a HD XAVC-L clip off the X70 without probs. Has anyone tried a 4k XAVC-L version?

[Monday Isa]

Yes both HD and 4k xavc-L I placed on the timeline. Works. HD is very smooth no problems. 4k is too processor heavy for my current setup. I was getting 2fps playback 4k in the draft preview. Need to upgrade my PC :/

[Paul Anderegg]

There is a new (March 24th) CatBrowse now.....maybe they fixed the batch transcode levels issue.

Paul

[Christopher Young]

Well it's here everyone, or so we hoped. Vegas 13 XAVC-L support for the X-70 and other XAVC-L cameras. Vegas 13 build 444 can be downloaded here:

Sony Creative Software - Download: Vegas Pro 13

I am having an issue with it right now as I have just tested it with various XAVC-L 50-mbit 50P files.

It WILL IMPORT XAVC-L files from the Sony PXW-X200 but IT WILL NOT IMPORT XAVC-L files from the PXW-X70. At least that's my experience today. If anyone else can confirm this ASAP I would love to here back. I have contacted Sony SCS and have sent them files and media file breakdowns on the differences in the file structures of the two cameras in question. I've only just done this so no response as yet.

The ONLY difference I can in the file structures between the two XAVC-L 422 50-mbit 50P files from the two different cameras is in the file 'Transfer characteristic' readouts. See below:

Sony PXW-X200

Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

Sony PXW-X70

Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : IEC 61966-2-4 ?????? What's with this?
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

Why the difference in the PXW-X70 having IEC 61966-2-4 characteristics as opposed to the PXW-200 and the other XAVC-L cameras which all show BT.709 as the transfer characteristic?

Either Vegas needs more work on this XAVC-L codec to bring the X70 into the fold or the X-70 needs a firmware upgrade to bring it in line with the other XAVC-L cameras that all show BT.709 as their 'Transfer characteristic' as opposed to this IEC 61966-2-4 that shows up on the X-70.

If I hear anything I will update the post.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

[Paul Anderegg]

I wonder if that transfer thing is why there are incorrect levels when bulk transcoding X70 footage through ConBrowse.

Paul

[Ricky Sharp]

Originally Posted by Christopher Young

The ONLY difference I can in the file structures between the two XAVC-L 422 50-mbit 50P files from the two different cameras is in the file 'Transfer characteristic' readouts. See below:

Sony PXW-X200

Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

Sony PXW-X70

Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : IEC 61966-2-4 ?????? What's with this?
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

IEC 61966-2-4 describes xvYCC (extended gamut YCC). Is this something to do with bit-depth? The X70 footage should be 10-bit. But I see the PXW-X200's specs also say it's 10-bit. Or did you mean to mention the older PMW-X200 version? I can't see specs on that, but perhaps that is 8-bit?

[Christopher Young]

This will make the post longish but here are the file specs in full and yes you read correctly when I said PXW-X200. The interesting thing is the Codec IDs are exactly the same so by rights I should be able to import the X70 files. As I say no problems with the X200. Its XAVC-L files come in no problem??? both camera files show bit depth as 10-bit which is correct. Will try 1080i and 720p just to check!

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

PXW-X200

General
Format : MXF
Format profile : OP-1a
Format settings : Closed / Complete
File size : 92.5 MiB
Duration : 13s 800ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 56.2 Mbps
Encoded date : 2015-03-22 15:41:05.000
Writing application : Sony Mem 2.00
Writing library : Sony Mem 2.00

Video
ID : 2
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High 4:2:2@L4.2
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=12
Format settings, wrapping mode : Frame
Codec ID : 0D01030102106001-0401020201316001
Duration : 13s 800ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 51.6 Mbps
Maximum bit rate : 50.0 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 50.000 fps
Standard : Component
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:2
Bit depth : 10 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.498
Stream size : 84.9 MiB (92%)
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : BT.709
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

Audio #1
ID : 3
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, wrapping mode : Frame (AES)
Codec ID : 0D01030102060300-0402020101000000
Duration : 13s 800ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 152 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Stream size : 1.90 MiB (2%)

Audio #2
ID : 4
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, wrapping mode : Frame (AES)
Codec ID : 0D01030102060300-0402020101000000
Duration : 13s 800ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 152 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Stream size : 1.90 MiB (2%)

Audio #3
ID : 5
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, wrapping mode : Frame (AES)
Codec ID : 0D01030102060300-0402020101000000
Duration : 13s 800ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 152 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Stream size : 1.90 MiB (2%)

Audio #4
ID : 6
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, wrapping mode : Frame (AES)
Codec ID : 0D01030102060300-0402020101000000
Duration : 13s 800ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 152 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Stream size : 1.90 MiB (2%)

Other #1
ID : 1
Type : Time code
Format : MXF TC
Time code of first frame : 00:17:08:30
Time code settings : Striped

Other #2
ID : 7
Format : Acquisition Metadata
Muxing mode : Ancillary data / RDD 18
Duration : 13s 800ms
Frame rate : 50.000 fps

Other #3
Type : Time code
Format : SMPTE TC
Muxing mode : SDTI
Time code of first frame : 00:17:08:15

=================

PXW-X70

General
Format : MXF
Format profile : OP-1a
Format settings : Closed / Complete
File size : 92.6 MiB
Duration : 14s 880ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 52.2 Mbps
Encoded date : 2014-10-19 04:44:14.000
Writing application : Sony Mem 2.00
Writing library : Sony Mem 2.00

Video
ID : 2
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High 4:2:2@L4.2
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames
Format settings, GOP : M=3, N=12
Format settings, wrapping mode : Frame
Codec ID : 0D01030102106001-0401020201316001
Duration : 14s 880ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 47.6 Mbps
Maximum bit rate : 50.0 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 50.000 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:2
Bit depth : 10 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.459
Stream size : 84.4 MiB (91%)
Color primaries : BT.709
Transfer characteristics : IEC 61966-2-4
Matrix coefficients : BT.709

Audio #1
ID : 3
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, wrapping mode : Frame (AES)
Codec ID : 0D01030102060300-0402020101000000
Duration : 14s 880ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 152 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Stream size : 2.04 MiB (2%)

Audio #2
ID : 4
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, wrapping mode : Frame (AES)
Codec ID : 0D01030102060300-0402020101000000
Duration : 14s 880ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 152 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Stream size : 2.04 MiB (2%)

Audio #3
ID : 5
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, wrapping mode : Frame (AES)
Codec ID : 0D01030102060300-0402020101000000
Duration : 14s 880ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 152 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Stream size : 2.04 MiB (2%)

Audio #4
ID : 6
Format : PCM
Format settings, Endianness : Little
Format settings, wrapping mode : Frame (AES)
Codec ID : 0D01030102060300-0402020101000000
Duration : 14s 880ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 1 152 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Stream size : 2.04 MiB (2%)

Other #1
ID : 1
Type : Time code
Format : MXF TC
Time code of first frame : 00:07:17:14
Time code settings : Striped

Other #2
ID : 7
Format : Acquisition Metadata
Muxing mode : Ancillary data / RDD 18
Duration : 14s 880ms
Frame rate : 50.000 fps

Other #3
Type : Time code
Format : SMPTE TC
Muxing mode : SDTI
Time code of first frame : 00:07:17:07

[Mike McKay]

Figures that I'd be away having to shoot AVCHD when this came out.
Got to wrap a large project so not even going to be able to test this for awhile.

[Ricky Sharp]

Originally Posted by Christopher Young

This will make the post longish...

In comparing the two blocks of text you posted, I found one other change in the 'Video' section:

The PXW-X200 has an entry of 'Standard : Component'. But the X70 doesn't have that.

[Anthony Lelli]

VP13 444 and the xavc-l of the x70 is still a mystery. I see that Piotr was able to put the mxf into the timeline? how? the only way I see that happening would be to pre-transcode with catalyst because it doesn't work straight from the camera in my world. guys I don't know but I'm about to give up on the mystery of the so-called 50mbps 422 of the X70 now.....

[John Murphy]

Same issue here. v13 (444) will not load -L files from my x70. they show up in the explorer, but will not move to the timeline. Some on the Vegas site say it works for them. Vegas does now say it will render to-L but that's not much help.

j

[Christopher Young]

Ricky, John ~

Yes Ricky I see what you mean. What that means I'm not sure.

I have got back to Sony SCS and uploaded clips from both the PXW-X200 and the X70 for them and they think they have detected something and reported back that they are looking into the issue. Asked me for the firmware version of the camera in question and exactly what settings were used and how the file import was attempted etc. Just wait and see I guess :(

John. Not good news for you but at least your post lends some credence to my claims to SCS that the import of the X70 XAVC-L files is at this point broken not just for me but that there are others experiencing the same problem... sad to say.

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney