AVID and XDCAM HD again .... at DVinfo.net

Emanuel Altenburger · January 15th, 2007, 07:30 AM

Hello folks,

just wanted to check whether it was true, that one needs a deck to actually import XDCAM HD footage into Avid Xpress Pro @ 25mbs/s. Can I not just connect the camcorder to the Avid and import the mxf files. I don´t quite understand why you would need the deck.
I found this information on the AVID forum @ http://www.avid.com/exchange/forums/thread/120692.aspx. It is pretty much at the end of this thread.

Hope someone has an answer to this.
Thanks a lot, Emanuel

Greg Boston · January 15th, 2007, 10:29 AM

Hello Emanuel,

To the best of my knowledge, Avid Express Pro does not support XDCAM HD. You have to get into one of the higher end Avid editors to get native XDCAM HD support. The deck, with an option board, allows realtime transcoding of XDCAM to HDV which I guess is supported by Avid Express Pro. You cannot get any type of HD stream over firewire out of the camera, just files in FAM mode, or a downconvert to DVCAM in AV/C mode.

-gb-

Alister Chapman · January 15th, 2007, 11:45 AM

Avid Xpress pro supports XDCAM-HD at 25Mbs and DV and 50i and 60i (I'm not sure about progressive). You should, as far as I am aware be able to use the camera as a source and import the files using FAM.

Thierry Humeau · January 16th, 2007, 12:21 AM

Yes, no problem. As long as your camera is set to FAM mode (you can set Firewire communications as either AV/C or FAM....) you can use your camera to transfer your XDCAM HD clips to AVID XPress Pro but as stated above, you will be limited to 25mpbs XDCAM HD resolution. Write back to disc will be included in the next version of AVID products.

Thierry.

Hornady Setiawan · February 10th, 2007, 11:06 PM

Only Avid Media Composer support HQ 35 mbps mode.
Too bad it's a $5000 software...
:(

Kevin Spivey · February 11th, 2007, 09:07 PM

I have a 350 camera and Avid Media Composer running on a G5. It took a while, but I was finally able to find the correct drivers to make the Mac recognize the camera. As the previous responses noted, only Media Composer supports all the bit rate options. I use the FAM mode and transfer the hi-res files via firewire. I have not been able to make the proxy import function work, but am hopeful the next update will fix that problem.

I think the only 2 options for editing HD from the XDCAM on AVID are to import the files via firewire or buy the SDI version of the Mojo and bring the footage in the old fashion way. You will still need the Media Composer software if you want to shoot at 35 mbs.

Greg Boston · February 11th, 2007, 09:10 PM

Hello Kevin,

Welcome aboard! I trust it went okay on Friday downtown using HDSDI.

-gb-

Joe Lawry · February 12th, 2007, 02:03 AM

Kevin, i was asked by a friend this afternoon if i knew where to get the FAM drivers for a G5, seemed he could only find PC versions on sonys website.

Can you shed any light?

Cheers

Joe

Greg Boston · February 12th, 2007, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Lawry

Kevin, i was asked by a friend this afternoon if i knew where to get the FAM drivers for a G5, seemed he could only find PC versions on sonys website.

Can you shed any light?

Cheers

Joe

Hi Joe, I'm not sure how often Kevin visits the site, so I'll help with this. Download the Sony XDCAM Transfer App from Sony's website. In the process of installing the application, it also installs FAM drivers for OSX. At that point, attaching a deck/camera with a disk inserted and in FAM mode, you'll get a desktop icon resembling a professional disc.

https://serviceplus.us.sony.biz/sony...x?model=pdzkp1

Download the 1.1 version of the software.

-gb-

Kevin Spivey · February 12th, 2007, 12:16 PM

Joe,

As Greg said, I went to the sony service plus site and searched Cameras & Camcorders and looked for the FAM Driver 1340 ( I think it is labelled FPDZ1201U). I installed only the driver from the folder and my Mac instantly recognized the XDCAM disk.

No luck writing back to the disc yet, but hopefully that feature is coming soon.

Greg, the shoot Friday went really well. Can't wait for you to see your camera on those giant screens.

Matthias Koehler · February 14th, 2007, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Spivey

I think the only 2 options for editing HD from the XDCAM on AVID are to import the files via firewire or buy the SDI version of the Mojo and bring the footage in the old fashion way. You will still need the Media Composer software if you want to shoot at 35 mbs.

The last sentence is correct, but be aware of the fact that the Mojo SDI doesn't provide a HD-SDI-interface. You can always copy the Media files via firewire, so You don't need any special hardware.

But if You want to use special hardware, because You also want to use a HDCAM-player or whatever, You need to have the adrenaline hardware.

In my opinion, the "file access mode" via firewire is the best way to copy and edit XDCAM HD material. And then a Mojo or Mojo SDI is good to connect the video (SD-)monitor, the sound mixing console, a Betacam SP deck for old material and so on.

Matthias

Stephen L. Noe · February 15th, 2007, 12:07 AM

Avid's Liquid product supports all flavors of XDCam HD natively and if you want to export to HDCam or D5, all you need is a deck (of course) and the Chrome BOB.

I don't know what is going on with Xpress Pro. They are slowly whittling away support for anything new (ie codecs & delivery/ingest methods).

Matthias Koehler · February 15th, 2007, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen L. Noe

I don't know what is going on with Xpress Pro.

Xpress Pro HD doesn't accept 35 Mbit/s at all. But the higher price for the Media Composer Software must be seen in comparison with the included Boris Continuum Bundle, which costs about 2.000 EUR separately.

Matthias

January 15th, 2007, 07:30 AM	#1
Emanuel Altenburger Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Innsbruck, Austria Posts: 134	AVID and XDCAM HD again .... Hello folks, just wanted to check whether it was true, that one needs a deck to actually import XDCAM HD footage into Avid Xpress Pro @ 25mbs/s. Can I not just connect the camcorder to the Avid and import the mxf files. I don´t quite understand why you would need the deck. I found this information on the AVID forum @ http://www.avid.com/exchange/forums/thread/120692.aspx. It is pretty much at the end of this thread. Hope someone has an answer to this. Thanks a lot, Emanuel

January 15th, 2007, 11:45 AM	#3
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	Avid Xpress pro supports XDCAM-HD at 25Mbs and DV and 50i and 60i (I'm not sure about progressive). You should, as far as I am aware be able to use the camera as a source and import the files using FAM. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

January 16th, 2007, 12:21 AM	#4
Thierry Humeau Telecam Films Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Washington DC Posts: 723	Yes, no problem. As long as your camera is set to FAM mode (you can set Firewire communications as either AV/C or FAM....) you can use your camera to transfer your XDCAM HD clips to AVID XPress Pro but as stated above, you will be limited to 25mpbs XDCAM HD resolution. Write back to disc will be included in the next version of AVID products. Thierry. __________________ Thierry Humeau, DoP Télécam Films www.telecamfilms.com

February 15th, 2007, 12:07 AM	#12
Stephen L. Noe Trustee Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,214	Avid's Liquid product supports all flavors of XDCam HD natively and if you want to export to HDCam or D5, all you need is a deck (of course) and the Chrome BOB. I don't know what is going on with Xpress Pro. They are slowly whittling away support for anything new (ie codecs & delivery/ingest methods). __________________ Advanced Avid Liquid Training found Here

January 15th, 2007, 10:29 AM	#2
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	Hello Emanuel, To the best of my knowledge, Avid Express Pro does not support XDCAM HD. You have to get into one of the higher end Avid editors to get native XDCAM HD support. The deck, with an option board, allows realtime transcoding of XDCAM to HDV which I guess is supported by Avid Express Pro. You cannot get any type of HD stream over firewire out of the camera, just files in FAM mode, or a downconvert to DVCAM in AV/C mode. -gb-

February 10th, 2007, 11:06 PM	#5
Hornady Setiawan Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Posts: 103	Only Avid Media Composer support HQ 35 mbps mode. Too bad it's a $5000 software... :(

February 11th, 2007, 09:07 PM	#6
Kevin Spivey New Boot Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 9	I have a 350 camera and Avid Media Composer running on a G5. It took a while, but I was finally able to find the correct drivers to make the Mac recognize the camera. As the previous responses noted, only Media Composer supports all the bit rate options. I use the FAM mode and transfer the hi-res files via firewire. I have not been able to make the proxy import function work, but am hopeful the next update will fix that problem. I think the only 2 options for editing HD from the XDCAM on AVID are to import the files via firewire or buy the SDI version of the Mojo and bring the footage in the old fashion way. You will still need the Media Composer software if you want to shoot at 35 mbs.

February 11th, 2007, 09:10 PM	#7
Greg Boston Wrangler Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: DFW area, TX Posts: 6,117 Images: 1	Hello Kevin, Welcome aboard! I trust it went okay on Friday downtown using HDSDI. -gb-

February 12th, 2007, 02:03 AM	#8
Joe Lawry Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 418	Kevin, i was asked by a friend this afternoon if i knew where to get the FAM drivers for a G5, seemed he could only find PC versions on sonys website. Can you shed any light? Cheers Joe

February 12th, 2007, 12:16 PM	#10
Kevin Spivey New Boot Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 9	Joe, As Greg said, I went to the sony service plus site and searched Cameras & Camcorders and looked for the FAM Driver 1340 ( I think it is labelled FPDZ1201U). I installed only the driver from the folder and my Mac instantly recognized the XDCAM disk. No luck writing back to the disc yet, but hopefully that feature is coming soon. Greg, the shoot Friday went really well. Can't wait for you to see your camera on those giant screens.