XDCAM Browser w/PMW-500 Slo-Mo

[Paul Cronin]

Funny I solved this problem when I had the PDW-F800 but now I am dealing with it again with my PMW-500.

Here we go:
I am running and very happy with OS 10.5.8, FC 7.0.3, XDCAM Browser 1.1.
Trying to import from my 64GB SxS cards 720p 30/60p and I can see the proxies in XDCAM Browser and XDCAM Transfer but can't full size into FC. I have been able to import into my RAID the .MXF but can't seem to get FC to read it.

Has anyone solved this?

Talking with another PMW-500 user I was told to update to OS 10.6 and all will be solved. Trying not to do that due to other problems with 10.6 and other software I use.

Also I tried to load XDCAM Browser 1.3 and it stops at the final install button, nothing.

[Doug Jensen]

Paul,

Is it possible that you shot the footage as 60P? Because as far as I know, 60P is not compatible with FCP 7. If you want slo-mo, you need to shoot 30P @ 60 fps -- which is a different thing that shooting 60P.

When we exchanged emails earlier today I thought you were talking about 1080 and not 720, so it never occured to me that you had maybe you had shot the footage as 720/60P. Does that sound like it might be be the problem?

Slo-mo worked with your F800 because it was 1080, right?

[Paul Cronin]

All great points Doug,

It is 720p 30p/60p. I can see the footage as proxies and it runs properly. When I check info on the clip it says codec "unsupported". The .MXF files are there but I can't upload them.

Correct the F800 was 1080 and it worked fine but that was a different codec.

[Doug Jensen]

Hi Paul,

What do you mean when you say "30p/60p" ? I don't understand what that is. You can't have a clip that has two frame rates.

Do you mean to say 30P shot @ 60 fps? Or do you really mean true "60P", because as I said earlier, true 60P is not supported in FCP.

If your footage is 720/30P shot at 60 fps then it should work, and you need to figure out what is wrong with your workflow. But if the footage was shot as 720/60P then I don't think you will ever get it to work with FCP directly. It's important to differentiate between the two. There is no such thing as "30p/60p". It's either one or the other.

[Paul Cronin]

Sorry Doug trying to do too much at once. Yes it was shot at 720/30p shot at 60fps for over-crank.

There could be another problem that I had forgotten the F800 has but not sure the 500 has. There were already 1080/30p clips on the card which I forgot where there then I changed the format to 720/30p and shot the 60fps. I know you can't do this with the F800 and can do it with the EX, but not sure on the 500.

There seems to be a couple of issues with my editing station. I had it correct permissions on the system drive yesterday since I can't empty my trash.

[Paul Cronin]

I tried a clip shot today on a fresh formated card and the same thing. I can only import the proxy. This is a codec problem so I will search for the codec on line. Calling Sony was no help.

[Paul Cronin]

Well I have to take back what I said about Sony phone service. I had Lou call me back twice and run the same setup on his computer to find the problem.

Two problems at my end.
1. I need to run XDCAM Browser 1.2 (currently running 1.1). XDCAM Transfer will not work with PMW-500 UDF 720/30p 60fps only XDCAM Browser 1.2 and up.

2. I have some type of permissions problem on my Mac Pro and I keep doing Permissions Repair and it is not solving my ability to empty the trash. This problem is not letting me upgrade to XDCAM Browser 1.2. So off to the Apple store and have the problem solved.

[Paul Cronin]

Yesterday took my machine to Apple Store we found the problem. System Drive Failure, Yikes. It would not boot up and I was told when you can't empty the trash it is a sign of the drive starting to fail. So new drive is being installed with same OS. Then a day of reloading software.

[Simon Denny]

That's good news mate. Once you are set up importing will be easy.

Cheers

[Paul Cronin]

System back on Friday but I took the weekend off to go sailing.

Now installing FC and other software all day. Apple Store was great $237 for new 500 GB system drive installed with 10.5.8 OS.

The machine is not finding one of my internal drives which is a concern. Will call once I am set installing FC.

[Paul Cronin]

Where do you find the FAM for XDCAM Browser it says its missing?

[Paul Cronin]

Sorry I found it right in front of me on the XDCAM site.