FCP XDCAM Transfer is out!

[Nate Weaver]

Just downloaded and installed. I'll be testing it in two jiffys.

http://bssc.sel.sony.com/Broadcastan...M_Transfer.zip

Always nice to see Mike Curtis is looking out for us!

[Nate Weaver]

Well, it works. :-)

Looks like it has quite a bit more functionality than the Flip4Mac plugin.

Since I only have sample MXFs I can't comment on FAM access. Greg?

[Greg Boston]

Just downloaded...give me a few minutes.

-gb-

[Greg Boston]

OK, I have been doing some tests. Although they say it only supports clips in 25mb mode, I have imported a clip that was done at 60p overcrank. The bitrate is halved to 17.5 VBR from the 35mb VBR quality setting because the vertical resolution is halved on overcrank. But it unwrapped just fine. I am going to upload it to the server.

It's a 39mb file of lighting an artillery shell (consumer firework). I had the shutter off so it's equal the framerate.

-gb-

[Troy Wilson]

I tried importing 35mb 30p and 60i. I can view it in the viewer however an error message pops up stating that this version does not support the codec. Otherwise it seems to be working pretty well. Quick and easy to use...

Update: can't import 30p in 25mb only 60i and 24p

[Greg Boston]

Okay...here is the Quicktime file produced by XDCAM Transfer from the original MXF clip.

http://media.dvinfo.net/slomofireworks.movx

Do not click the link, use right click and save as or else you'll see a browser window full of garbage. Download then remove the 'x' from the end of the filename to play it.

-gb-

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Troy Wilson

I tried importing 35mb 30p and 60i. I can view it in the viewer however an error message pops up stating that this version does not support the codec. Otherwise it seems to be working pretty well. Quick and easy to use...

Update: can't import 30p in 25mb only 60i and 24p

That's correct Troy. This version doesn't support 35mb rate. That's why I was surprised to see it would do the slo-mo stuff. I was of the impression that this version does not support 18mb rate either. But clearly it knows how to handle 17.5mb vbr so perhaps it will do the 18mb vbr files as well.

I am going to do a quick test shot to see. What happens when you try to bring in 30p from 25mb mode?

-gb-

[Troy Wilson]

Originally Posted by Greg Boston

What happens when you try to bring in 30p from 25mb mode?

-gb-

Same error message. The 24p stuff works fine. It all seems to correspond to the preset XDCAM sequences that came with the software. I figured the 35mb stuff won't work yet but it was worth a try...

[Greg Boston]

It won't accept the 18mb vbr stuff. They said it wouldn't, but like you, I had to try. Just seems odd that it will accept it when it's 35mb at half speed for slo-mo stuff. Both clips show as 17.5mb VBR.

-gb-

[Simon Wyndham]

I think the whole thing is odd. I don't see why they bothered to release something that won't allow people to use the datarate that they will most often use.

Not good at all. The Mac is really getting a raw deal when it comes to XD.

[Nate Weaver]

Looks like Blackmagic doesn't like the overcranked shots.

Since the file is really 1440x540, it's more scaling than Blackmagic can manage in real time. when trying to play in viewer out to BM, it sticks on a still frame.

When put in a timeline, it invokes the orange RT bar. Renders out fine though. wonder how Kona does? FCP displays fine in viewer and canvas, though, without any complaints.

[edit: The Apple XDCAM HD whitepaper mentions this as it turns out. "Overcranked shots will have to be rendered"]

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Nate Weaver

Looks like Blackmagic doesn't like the overcranked shots.

Since the file is really 1440x540, it's more scaling than Blackmagic can manage in real time. when trying to play in viewer out to BM, it sticks on a still frame.

When put in a timeline, it invokes the orange RT bar. Renders out fine though. wonder how Kona does? FCP displays fine in viewer and canvas, though, without any complaints.

[edit: The Apple XDCAM HD whitepaper mentions this as it turns out. "Overcranked shots will have to be rendered"]

Nate, when I play back an overcrank .MOV created by XDCAM XFER, its resolution is still reported as 1920X1080 with a VBR of 17.5mb

-gb-

[Nate Weaver]

If you look at the properties of the mov in Quicktime Pro, it reads 1440x540.

When it comes to Quicktime files, there's the true resolution of the file, what it's been scaled to view at by the file creator, and then what the file was modified to play at by the user. It's really kinda crazy, there's can be 3 sizes in a quicktime file.

Anyway, the different apps report them all differently at times. Check the file out in QT Pro.

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Nate Weaver

If you look at the properties of the mov in Quicktime Pro, it reads 1440x540.

When it comes to Quicktime files, there's the true resolution of the file, what it's been scaled to view at by the file creator, and then what the file was modified to play at by the user. It's really kinda crazy, there's can be 3 sizes in a quicktime file.

Anyway, the different apps report them all differently at times. Check the file out in QT Pro.

I was referring to QT Pro playback earlier, all three sizes are being reported at 1920X1080. Have a look.

-gb-

[Nate Weaver]

I know, here's the info panel you get when you Apple-I: