EX1 and Log and Transfer in FCP

[Doug Park]

I just got back from the Final Cut World Tour in NYC and found one of the demos very interesting today. They showed and talked about a "pre-shipping" plugin from Sony for Log and Transfer to import XDCAM EX footage. This was the first I had heard of this plugin. Does anyone know anything about it or when it might be released?
Thanks

[Craig Seeman]

XDCAM Transfer Tool? Now at version 2.7 has been EX compatible since 2.1. That's the only one I know of.

[Doug Park]

That was all I knew of too until I saw this demo. Thought it was interesting that this was coming and there hasn't seem to be a word about it.

[Phil Bloom]

If it has been shown on this tour then it is in the public domain.

I have it on my FCP and it integrates tightly into FCP. It is almost identical to the way P2 works with FCP.

Not sure of when it is officially released.

[Craig Seeman]

But how might it be better than XDCAM Transfer Tool?

I can't see a reason why Sony would come out with entirely different utility.

On the other hand I find Clip Browser a real clunker.

[Phil Bloom]

it combines both apps into one making it easier to use.

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

On the other hand I find Clip Browser a real clunker.

The forthcoming version we demo'd at NAB is much improved over the first version. For one, it will be identical in function on both major OS platforms. it has a slew of added functionality as well... including direct export to several file formats for quick upload to web, etc. Some of the output choices will only be available after you purchase a copy of Mainconcept Encoder.

I'll know more in a few weeks.

-gb-

[Craig Seeman]

Is this "Clip Browser 2?" I had heard of that but wasn't sure if some of the features (use of MainConcept plugins) would be Windows only. Obviously only the Mac version would work as plug in to Final Cut Pro though.

Someone from Sony said they'll be a version 1.5 due to an issue with the creation of BPAV folders from MP4. Current Clip Browser mentions the ability to import an MP4 and create a BPAV folder for it but the BPAV folder is not "valid" (useless) for XDCAM Transfer Tool. That's why we're seeing so many forum posts about "orphaned" MP4 and how to import into FCP.

I had a two step workflow which involved a shareware and a commercial product which would result in an EX .mov file but they post may have been pulled (or I'd mention it again as a stop gap solution).

It sounds like the new tool from Sony will fill in a lot of gaps but was wondering if that is Clip Browser 2 or are they going in a different direction?

[Greg Boston]

That is Clip Browser 2. There have been some suggestions made to Sony that it would be nice to roll all of these apps into one piece of software as opposed to the piecemeal approach we have now. Whether any of that input will come to fruition is anyone's guess.

-gb-

[Craig Seeman]

All in one would certainly be nice but I suspect workflow should still have to be segmented. In other words, on a shoot one might just want to import BPAV to laptop sans FCP (or any NLE) and save conversion to mov (for FCP) or mxf (other NLE) for a separate step (which could certainly be in the same app of course).

It can be very easy to create an app which, with confusion, can make a mess of things. I'm afraid Sony doesn't really do enough interface review during beta testing.

I can see an "ultimate" product in which one can import into folders (like ShotPut), allows for review and logging, outputs (as needed) for NLE use, creates small "proxy" window dub version (or any size actually) to give to the client, allow backup to additional hard drive (like ShotPut) and/or burn to optical disc of choice.

While all the above features would certainly be nice, the interface has to be simple and consistent to avoid confusion by someone who may well be "an assistant" (data wrangler) on a busy location shoot.

I think we're seeing a fair number of "user error" on this forum and I do think that's because Sony Clip Browser (and Transfer Tool) have confusing interfaces.

Originally Posted by Greg Boston

That is Clip Browser 2. There have been some suggestions made to Sony that it would be nice to roll all of these apps into one piece of software as opposed to the piecemeal approach we have now. Whether any of that input will come to fruition is anyone's guess.

-gb-

[Greg Boston]

Point taken Craig, and believe me, user interface has been addressed. The new Clip Browser interface has been developed by a different team and the results show it. It's what a good app should look like, on both platforms.

I also agree that you don't want to have to fire up the NLE to do a simple data copy. I more or less meant a combining of all the various stand alone apps that we currently have.

-gb-

[Doug Park]

Originally Posted by Phil Bloom

If it has been shown on this tour then it is in the public domain.

I have it on my FCP and it integrates tightly into FCP. It is almost identical to the way P2 works with FCP.

Not sure of when it is officially released.

Thanks for the info. That sounds great from a workflow perspective. I was beginning to think I going crazy since no one seemed to know anything about it.

[Mike Williams]

I would like to have an easier interface with FCP. Being one of the user error candidates I would like to see a way to make back up copies of the raw footage files onto 4.7 single layer DVDs without much fuss as well as know that all files were transferred without having to worry about "spanned" clips.

The DL are about $3-4 and the single layer about .43 for yuden. So .86 vs $3-4 is a big deal if you are putting out several hundred projects per year. It would be nice to just have the option to back up to disk and have the software know when it's a 4.7 disk then let you know when to put in a new disk.

Right now I have to manually create the burn folders (MAC) and burn them one by one for the clients records. Very time consuming. The current clip browser just gave me a headache so I avoid it completely.

I am getting accustomed to the XDCAM transfer but as mentioned I for sure would like better integration with FCP

[Greg Boston]

Originally Posted by Mike Williams

I would like to have an easier interface with FCP. Being one of the user error candidates I would like to see a way to make back up copies of the raw footage files onto 4.7 single layer DVDs without much fuss as well as know that all files were transferred without having to worry about "spanned" clips.

Have a look at the application called Shot Put from Imagine software. A $49 app that lives to do exactly what you are thinking. It can back up your cards to as many as 3 destinations with data verification before wiping your card and even unmounting it so that you simply pull the card out and put it back in the camera.

Disclaimer: I have no relationship or financial gain from this application.

-gb-