Transferring Video Files Spanning 2 cards in FCP!

[Brandon Potthoff]

Many of you may already now how to but this was difficult for me to figure out. I had done much research to no avail.

PROBLEM=video file spanning 2 video cards on an EX1 and you need to bring it into NLE as one file and you do not want to export the 2 files to make 1. I do a lot of weddings and sporting events that are multi cam shoots that I use FCP's multi cam feature to do a lot of my editing I have been bringing in the two files and then exporting the clips to make one video file and then bringing the new clip back into FCP for the mulitclip sequence. These are the steps you need to follow to eliminate that exporting step.

1.)make folder on hard drive for all BPAV files (these are the files that are on the SxS cards)
2.)make separate folders inside of the first folder (I labeled mine 1, 2, 3, etc.)
3.)insert first card and click on it notice the BPAV file----drag it to folder 1 in your video folder--- eject card
4.)insert second card---click on it and drag the BPAV file into folder 2 in your video folder---eject card
5.)If using FCP---open FCP transfer software in the bottom left corner click ADD and find your video folder select the subfolders you labeled 1,2,3 hit OPEN it should say scanning 1, 2, 3,
6.)You should now see your clips in the transfer software in the bottom right under logging subclips you should see files listed Part 1, Part 2, do not check either of those boxes just the box above those 2 and notice its time code in/out it runs the entire length from the start of the first clip to the end of the second clip.
7.)Make sure you have chosen your destination for import in the preferences and hit import.
8.)Check that file to make sure that it is complete.
9.)Format card after you have checked video file

Hope this helps!!!!
Brandon Potthoff

[Craig Seeman]

Hmm.

Once BPAV are on hard drive in separate folders . . .
I open XDCAM Transfer Tool and ADD all folders.
Select All Folders
Import All.
That's it.

I've had one shot span across 3 cards and have no problem importing.
If you Add all the folders and then select the .SMI that plays as the spanned clip and import that it will import all the clips associated with the SMI as one.

[Mike Williams]

This entire process is just nuts! It needs to be "appleized" and just work. I am still fuming from a serious loss of a clip due to having to go through all this stuff and then make absolutely SURE you have all your clips!

I for one am getting accustomed to the workflow but it is a far cry from the blazingly fast transfer and backup that people are saying. After everything it is faster to injest tape and have the tape for a back up.

So far that is my conclusion.... until I can plug in the cam, import files (without Sony Clip Browser) directly into FCP and automatically make a BU to another drive, then have a drag and drop process to optical disk (easily) ... I can't see how in the world this saves time.

[Andrew Hollister]

Why do the 1, 2, 3 business when you can just import the 2nd, 3rd 4th card into the first BPAV folder? Clip Browser combines all the files when you do this. Not that difficult. Then when you import into FCP mark your in and out then import it.

"appelized" that's funny. When has Sony ever done anything as graceful as Apple?

[Alister Chapman]

Just to make sure we don't get a load of people with corrupted folders.... If you use Andrew's method you must use the Clip Browser to copy the files NOT the Apple Finder.

The problem with doing it that way is that it is difficult to verify your copies. Also if you are backing up to DVD you may then have to split the folders again. But that said it's certainly one way to ensure spanned clips get re-joined.

[Brandon Potthoff]

when I copied them all into one folder I could not get all of the clips to show up so I just decided to do it with each card having a separate folder, this also gives you a backup of the card.
Brandon

[Craig Seeman]

I'm not sure why people are having so much trouble with this. Are people not grasping the workflow?

Using Clip Browser:
Create a folder for each card
copy card (BPAV) to each folder.
DONE.

Using Transfer Tool:
Use ADD to add all folders.
Select All Folders
Import All.
DONE.

By Adding all folders and selecting all folders, the transfer tool will import all SMI (pointer to spanned clips) as a single clip.

Instead of Clip Browser you can use ShotPut which makes that first step easier since ShotPut can be set up to create the individual folders.

After using Clip Browser (or ShotPut) you can split folders (set to 7.9GB for 16GB cards) and back them up to DL-DVD. Split to 4GB for standard DVD.

[Dave McCallister]

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

I'm not sure why people are having so much trouble with this. Are people not grasping the workflow?

Using Clip Browser:
Create a folder for each card
copy card (BPAV) to each folder.
DONE.

Craig:

The new MacBook Pros come with Leopard.
Clip Browser does not work with Leopard (new version due in June, hopefully).

Why do I need to use Clip Browser to copy BPAV folders to newly created destination folders? Can't I do that myself? And what choice do I have, since I am running Leopard?

Dave McCallister

[Craig Seeman]

I've been using Clip Browser with Leopard for months without issue.

Sony warns against copying the folders using Finder. You can copy them that way if you're VERY CAREFUL and know what you're doing.

BTW you can also use ShotPut as others have mentioned in this forum.

Main thing is to use ADD in Transfer Tool to add ALL your folders. Then spanned clips are no issue.

Originally Posted by Dave McCallister

Craig:

The new MacBook Pros come with Leopard.
Clip Browser does not work with Leopard (new version due in June, hopefully).

Why do I need to use Clip Browser to copy BPAV folders to newly created destination folders? Can't I do that myself? And what choice do I have, since I am running Leopard?

Dave McCallister

[Dave McCallister]

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

I've been using Clip Browser with Leopard for months without issue.

Craig, I'm glad it works for you, but Sony says Clip Browser 1.1 is for use with OSX 10.4.11. Apart from new features, I have to assume version 2.0 will be qualified for Leopard use as well.

Please clarify this: if I create an empty folder, and then copy a card's unmodified BPAV folder into it with Finder, does that qualify as "knowing what I'm doing?" I have had no issues doing this whatsoever, including Final Cut inport using XDCAM Transfer opening folders created in this manner.

Note I am not referring to combining clips spanning cards, but simply to copying folders.

[Leonard Levy]

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

Sony warns against copying the folders using Finder. You can copy them that way if you're VERY CAREFUL and know what you're doing.

Where does Sony warn you not to use the finder?

[Craig Seeman]

Sony says it can't guarantee that Clip Browser will work in Leopard. That's not the same as it can't or can only be used in Tiger. I, and many others, have tested and it works just fine in Leopard.

As to Finder and Explorer (Windows) the warning is only to not delete files from there so I guess I'm mistaken there.

BTW Clip Browser 1.01 readme also says only to use with Xfer Tool 2.1 yet Xfer Tool 2.7 says to use with Clip Browser 1.01

I've been dealing with Sony "Professional" documentation since Sony BVH-1000 (1" machines) and do hope that someday they will actually edit, proofread, keep updated such documentation. I'm sympathetic with people struggling to figure out how a Sony Professional product actually works from the manual alone.

[Scott Karlins]

I to have been using Clip Browser with Leopard. It even works fine with the newly released 10.5.3

Scott K.

[Dave Morrison]

On a semi-related note, I did the 10.5.3 update on my desktop and MBPro yesterday and "Back to my Mac" finally sprang to life. I've been fighting with this app (and AppleCare) over how to make this work because I sometimes need access to my files on my desktop when I'm on the road. Sorry for the bandwidth, but this made me VERY happy today. ;-)