Content Management Utility - Painfully Slow

[John Knight]

Hi guys,

Does anyone else here have issues with the Content Management Utility software transferring footage from the NX70?

For me it's painfully slow - to the point of almost freezing.

Also, I cannot seem to click and select-drag a series of clips, but have to go through each clip and 'tick' them all individually to import. It's a nightmare...

[Ron Evans]

Just like the CX700 that its based on. My CX700 is 3 times slower than my other Sony cameras for transfer. For about 2 hours of clips the XR500, SR11 and NX5U transfer in about 12 mins. The CX700 takes over 35 mins for the same show time.

I assume the Content Management Utility is the same as for my NX5U. For selection one can " select all" then click to remove the ones not needed. OR " select all" as well as " "exclude clips already transferred" then only new clips will be selected. I have found that PMB from the consumer cams will also transfer but has a better interface in my mind.

Ron Evans

[Dave Blackhurst]

FWIW, I've been using PMB with the CX700, appears to be about the expected speed when comparing to older cams transferring 17Mbps (vs. 28Mbps of the 60p from CX700/TX100/HX100). Meaning it does take a little longer, but there's more data in the pipeline!

[Ron Evans]

The comparisons are CX700 at 24Mbps 60i. The XR500 and SR11 are of course at 17Mbps but the NX5U is also 24Mbps and PCM audio too recorded to the FMU or from SD cards in the NX5U. I think the USB interface in the camera is the bottleneck. Class 10 cards transferred in a card reader are faster.

Ron Evans

[John Knight]

Cheers guys - the speed of the actual transfer of files is ok, it's just the interface when ticking the clips is lagging badly. I click on the clip to 'tick' it and there is about a 5 second delay before the tick appears... painful when you have 200+ clips.

The "exclude clips already transferred" does not work.

I'm using v2.1 on Windows 7

[Ron Evans]

My version of Content Management Utility is for my NX5U so these comments are for that version which is V1.1.00.04130. I am assuming you have a later version. I haven't bothered to update mine recently and yours will of course allow for progressive at 50p and 60p.

Have you registered your "location to import media files". CMU database only includes registered folders. The exclude clips already transferred will only work if CMU knows about them. I register a new folder I create for each project, then set as the location to import media files" each time I transfer. There are lots of ways to register a folder. I create a folder in explorer that I use for all files for an editing project then register this folder in CMU. Then select this folder as the " location to import media files" on the transfer screen.

If you have 200+ clips "Select all" then uncheck the ones you don't want would be a lot easier. If you want to transfer just the new ones then "exclude clips already transferred would be the way. This should work so you may want to re-install and re-register all the used folders.

Ron Evans

[John Rakis]

I was using the Content Management Utility on a 3-year old computer and it was painfully slow to use. It was slow to register the video files, froze frequently, and took forever to close. I recently purchased a new computer (Windows 7, 3.4 GHz processor, 16 gig of memory) and it's a bit better, but not by much. It still freezes and takes forever to close. I'm using version 2.0.00.14251 which came with the camera. Version 1.1 is offered on the Sony Website. Why would their website offer a earlier version of the software?

[Jay West]

They offer several varieties because some work better on some systems than others. Or, maybe I have misunderstood. Are you saying that Sony's website only offers the old versions of the CMU?

[John Rakis]

It would appear that Sony only offers an older version on their website.

[Ron Evans]

I think that version is the one I have for the NX5U. Doesn't seem to be one for the NX70U on the Sony site as far as I can see. Not sure if this version supports 50/60P. The latest version of MBS ( from my CX700 ) for the consumer cams will capture my NX5U stuff but will not play because it does not understand PCM audio !!! Using AC3 and its happy. It does capture correctly and Vegas and Edius will then edit OK the PCM audio. Just the MBS will not play PCM audio. I expect this latest version will also work fine for the NX70U. It is version 5.6.01.03300.

Ron Evans

[Dale Sexauer]

I am a new user of the NX30, using the version of Content Mngmnt Utility that came with it (2.1.01.11180). I too find it painfully slow to check each individual clip to import because there are usually around 60 clips, and I cannot seem to get the "exc. media files already imported" to work. Just read Ron's post about registering the files, however, In the Help>Registering videos section of CMU it says:

"If you register videos saved on your computer, image information of the videos may not be displayed properly."

Does anybody know what this means?

Thanks,
Dale

Originally Posted by Ron Evans

My version of Content Management Utility is for my NX5U so these comments are for that version which is V1.1.00.04130. I am assuming you have a later version. I haven't bothered to update mine recently and yours will of course allow for progressive at 50p and 60p.

Have you registered your "location to import media files". CMU database only includes registered folders. The exclude clips already transferred will only work if CMU knows about them. I register a new folder I create for each project, then set as the location to import media files" each time I transfer. There are lots of ways to register a folder. I create a folder in explorer that I use for all files for an editing project then register this folder in CMU. Then select this folder as the " location to import media files" on the transfer screen.

If you have 200+ clips "Select all" then uncheck the ones you don't want would be a lot easier. If you want to transfer just the new ones then "exclude clips already transferred would be the way. This should work so you may want to re-install and re-register all the used folders.

Ron Evans

[Ron Evans]

Just like the consumer PMB the CMU can register directories with video files that it did not import. In this case video infomation normally transferd may not be embeded in those files and then cannot be displayed in the way CMU tranfered files would have. Not sure what that may be but could be timecode, GPS, camera settings etc depending on what was used to transfer the files.

I now have a NX30 and have updated to the latest CMU too. Works just like the old one as far as I can tell.

Ron evans

[Ron Evans]

Just tried used it to do a long selection as you described and it doesn't work like the old one. Will investigate more and see if i can get it to work like it used to. The PMB and the new Content Browser work like any windows selection ( click the first hold shift and then click the last and all are selected) The new version does not do this as you say.

Ron Evans

[Ron Evans]

Well after many tries it does not work !!! Both consumer versions, PMB and PlayMemories ( the latest version of PMB ) will work the way we want with selecting and using shift etc, same as any windows user would expect, even the new XDCAm Content Browser 2.0 works this way ( it has other problems though not joining AVCHD FAT 32 mts files together when needed. ) It seems the best choice at the moment is to use PlayMemories.

On one PC I have PlayMemories and on the other PMB they both work for any of my consumer camcorders and also my NX5U or NX30. PMB will not play LPCM audio but PlayMemories will.

Ron Evans