"MP4-EX Import" Software for Mac & Windows available

[Tim Dashwood]

Calibrated{Q} Software's "MP4-EX Import" is now available for purchase.

This is the software I demonstrated at the NAB09 FCP Supermeet in April. It essentially allows you to skip the whole Log & Transfer process for XDCAM EX MP4 files. .MP4 files can simply be dragged into your bin or timeline and be instantly recognized as if they were Quicktime-wrapped XDCAM EX clips. No more waiting!!!

The best part is that the MP4 files don't have to live in their file structure as recorded by the SxS or SDHC card. The software also works with "orphaned" MP4 files.

Final Cut Pro 6 users (Intel processors only) only need to buy the $79.95 USD version.

Windows users will have to pay $99.95 USD for a bundle that includes XD Decode because they also require the XDCAM EX component for Quicktime (aka XD Decode.)

I've been beta testing this software since before NAB and I highly recommend anyone recording XDCAM EX clips in MP4 try it out. It is compatible with the EX1, EX3, HM100 & "HM700XT."

[Jack Walker]

If you are using Cineform, is this program helpful and does it fit into the workflow?

[Craig Seeman]

I've also beta tested. It's rock solid with FCP. Saves time not having to wrap to MOV.
You can now import the MP4 directly into Compressor to make Window dubs too.

Jack doesn't Cineform encode the files?
The CalibratedSoftware plugin allows the MP4 to be used directly. No encode. No re-wrap. Straight from camera to NLE. Direct import. In a sense it's the opposite of any conversion software. No conversion. Direct use.

[Jack Walker]

Originally Posted by Craig Seeman

Jack doesn't Cineform encode the files?
The CalibratedSoftware plugin allows the MP4 to be used directly. No encode. No re-wrap. Straight from camera to NLE. Direct import. In a sense it's the opposite of any conversion software. No conversion. Direct use.

Yes, I understand. For my use the Cineform's extra qualities (4:2:2 and First Light) are what I need, so I need to re-encode the files. However, I see where direct-use is very helpful for many types of work.

[Craig Seeman]

Then the question is not where does it fit in if you use Cineform (or Apple ProRes for Mac folks) but what kinds of workflow does the plugin serve.

It's great if you do ENG or short turnaround work. It's great if you have high shoot ratios or projects with large amounts of files and the rewrap (or encodes) can really take up valuable time.

[Chuck Spaulding]

Originally Posted by Tim Dashwood

Calibrated{Q} Software's "MP4-EX Import" is now available for purchase.

This is the software I demonstrated at the NAB09 FCP Supermeet in April. It essentially allows you to skip the whole Log & Transfer process for XDCAM EX MP4 files. .MP4 files can simply be dragged into your bin or timeline and be instantly recognized as if they were Quicktime-wrapped XDCAM EX clips. No more waiting!!!

The best part is that the MP4 files don't have to live in their file structure as recorded by the SxS or SDHC card. The software also works with "orphaned" MP4 files.

Final Cut Pro 6 users (Intel processors only) only need to buy the $79.95 USD version.

Windows users will have to pay $99.95 USD for a bundle that includes XD Decode because they also require the XDCAM EX component for Quicktime (aka XD Decode.)

I've been beta testing this software since before NAB and I highly recommend anyone recording XDCAM EX clips in MP4 try it out. It is compatible with the EX1, EX3, HM100 & "HM700XT."

I don't understand how this software works so I'm not sure if it will work for our application.

We shoot with EX3's and Ex1's and capture five or six shoots a week, 300 to 400 GB/week. We are currently using Sony's Clip Browser and XDCAM Transfer software to convert to .MOV's which are then shared, via a SAN between seven editors. As you might imagine this takes quite a bit of time.

Does this software convert the MP4's so that FCP can use them in a similar way as XDCAM Transfer or does it simply enable FCP to edit MP4's natively. In the first scenario I would purchase one copy of this application, convert using it and everyone would be able to use the footage, in the second scenario I would have to purchase a separate license for each workstation. Plus we outsource work and I think this might complicate that workflow.

As much as I would love to omit the Clip Browser/XDCAM Transfer process, I'm not sure if this application would save us that much time/money in such a shared environment. Any advice would be helpful.


Thanks

[Craig Seeman]

simply enable FCP to edit MP4's natively.

Yes and you'd need a separate license for each workstation. It's a plugin.
The point is there is no conversion
Time is money and you have to weigh the cost of the plugin vs the time for the rewrap to mov. Depending on what your rate is vs the number of workstations you should make back the cost quickly

Plus we outsource work and I think this might complicate that workflow.

How? It's hard to respond when you have no reasoning attached to a statement.
Plugin works on Mac and Windows. MP4 wrapper is the native record format of the EX.
The plugin changes nothing. You can hand someone the BPAV or, if they need, use ClipBrowser for MXF or XDCAM Transfer for MOV . . . or they could buy the plugin too and save time.

[Ian Planchon]

so, for someone who uses vegas, this really doesnt help, right? seeing as vegas now edits natively. but I am still on the hunt for a plugin that will allow me to view the mpg4 files as thumbnails, does this do that?

[Tuy Le]

Ian,
Why don't you use the Sony Clip Browser to view the thumbnails ?

[Ian Planchon]

Originally Posted by Tuy Le

Ian,
Why don't you use the Sony Clip Browser to view the thumbnails ?

maybe I do it differently than most. but when I edit, sometimes I pull video from different folders, so I like to be able to open the folder, find the thumbnail and drag that file into vegas. thats why I like to be able to see the thumbnails in the folders. Using clip browser doesnt let me do that, does it?

[Sean Seah]

We can drag mp4 directly into Vegas 9 but I think the thumbnail doesnt work. Have to try it out.

This plugin is great for FCP users. I think the main benefit is saving time and it allows one to keep the source mp4 compatible with other NLEs if transfer is needed.

Right now I have a headache editing mov rewrapped files on Vegas. I have to drag it to FCP and rewrap to mxf, or load xD Decode on the PC but it IS choppy for editing so the $79 isnt that attractive unfortunately.

[Alister Chapman]

I think this is a really important piece of software for many reasons. Currently I am making backups of my clips onto USB drives or Bluray as MP4's and then for my projects I use the Transfer tool to make .mov's. With this plugin I can work directly from my MP4's saving the need to make the .mov's. I also have clients that are PC based so now I can share files much more easily. Until now we had a crazy situation with FCP where at the end of your edit you had 2 choices. one to save the project as a .mov which would only play on a Mac or to save it is an MP4 which could be played from the camera but not by the very edit application that created it. OK, you could make 2 files, but that is really a backward step.

All we need now is for Sony to allow 1920x1080 35Mbps XDCAM EX in an MXF wrapper to be written to Professional Discs as a video file as opposed to writing as a data file. This would add a whole new level of cross compatibility.

[Mike Chandler]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

With this plugAin I can work directly from my MP4's saving the need to make the .mov's.

And doesn't creating those movs use up twice as much hard drive space? If so, the plugin's worth it just for that.

[Keith Moreau]

I tried the demo and then immediately purchased it and I believe it adds functionality that should be built into the Mac Quicktime (or Windows systems) and is well worth the modest cost.

I've been wishing/waiting for this software for a long time. It basically saves time and hard drive space. In the past I would archive the BPAV original file structure, then I'd have to go back to XDCam Transfer and transfer those BPAV folders which wrapped them in QT so that Quicktime and FCP could use them, essentially duplicating both the transfer time and the drive space required. Terabytes of what I believe are wasted space can be freed up now with duplicated MOV files (as long as I haven't used them in a sequence.)

With the new plugin I can simply locate the source MP4's and import them or drag and drop them into my FCP browser. No time re-wrapping, etc. When editing I'm referring to the original BPAV file (non destructively) so there's less chance for misplaced or duplicated media.

I haven't yet played with clips that spanned more than 1 BPAV folder, for example when recording that spans from card A to B. Those more experienced in the software, does it work well?

[Craig Seeman]

I haven't yet played with clips that spanned more than 1 BPAV folder, for example when recording that spans from card A to B. Those more experienced in the software, does it work well?

Works. The clips aren't joined of course but they can be butted together without issue.