XDCAM EX ingest straight to Apple ProRes? at DVinfo.net

Christofer Thelin · November 24th, 2009, 02:27 AM

Im looking for a way to ingest my phootage straight to prores.
I know what your going to say (stay in XDCAM EX, it´s native..) but please give me an answer if you got one since I cant get it from Apple =(

My situation is as follow:

I shoot in 720/50p and want the option to use Cinematools right away in FCP without rendering to ProRes every clip.

Having the clips in ProRes will give me the option of conforming the phootage from 50p to 25p with 50% slow WITH sound in a quick way.

What I do now is ingesting the phootage as usual with log and transfeer, I get everything as XDCAM EX codec and then have to render every clip out to ProRes from the timeline/compressor. But im hoping to do all this in just one step just like you can do with the P2 right from the log and transfeer tool.
Is there a plugin or simular out there that im not aware of?

Thanks for all you help

Olof Ekbergh · November 24th, 2009, 07:37 AM

You need hardware that can capture HDSDI or component from the EXcam.

Like AJA or Matrox hardware, and it may not be much faster than transcoding, because it is 1 to 1 real time capturing.

Using transfer from express card is 5x to 9x real time in my experience.

And transcoding can be done when away from the computer and it is also faster than real time, depending on hardware.

The AJA, Matrox or whatever hardware is of course very useful for monitoring and final output. I have several suites with digitizing hardware, but I always transcode from EX files, I find it faster and way more convenient.

The EX files are also much smaller for archiving.

Christofer Thelin · November 24th, 2009, 09:44 AM

Yes I know that I can you an Aja box or Io system with HD-SDI but that wasn´t realy the question I was asking...

Im wanted to hear if anyone knew of a plugin or simular to enable me to import the footage straight to ProRes in Final Cut. Via the log and transfeer tool or the XDCAM Transfeer software. Why do I want to do this? Becouse I wanna remove one step to make my workflow faster when I shoot 50p or 60p and it is only in this situation I need it to be ingesting straight to ProRes (see workflow in original Q) I accualy work with FCP soultions in a close connection to Apple and theire developers here in Sweden but sometimes smart thirdparty plugins exist without our knowlage. I was hoping this was one of those times ;)

Mark OConnell · November 24th, 2009, 02:56 PM

The only thing I can think of that might help would be to use compressor to batch process all of your imported clips, that would undoubtedly be quicker then doing them one at a time. I know that you can import HDV files directly to prores but don't know of a way to do it with xdcam files.

Christofer Thelin · November 25th, 2009, 02:58 AM

Ahh thanks =) I was looking at doing a batch process as my second choise but was clinging on to the id of a easy import to remove the whole step of getting two set of files on the computer.
Thanks for your answer though.

Geoff Addis · November 25th, 2009, 06:40 AM

I don't find any advantage in converting XDCAM EX 1920 x 1080 50i to ProRes before placing clips on the timeline. Indeed. some actions seem to be quicker when using native XDCAM EX files on a ProRes timeline.

Geoff

Paul Cronin · November 25th, 2009, 10:04 AM

Agree Geoff I use the native codec of the XDCAM EX and find it very fast and no loss in quality.

Christofer Thelin · November 26th, 2009, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff Addis

I don't find any advantage in converting XDCAM EX 1920 x 1080 50i to ProRes before placing clips on the timeline. Indeed. some actions seem to be quicker when using native XDCAM EX files on a ProRes timeline.

Geoff

Sorry... but again.. I dont think you read the question.. Im looking for the possability to use I-frame codec advantages, such as Cinematools for quick convertion from 50p to 25p with 50% slow WITH sound.

Paul Cronin · November 26th, 2009, 08:29 AM

Try taking the clips right into Compressor and then going out ProRes HQ. This will by pass FC and allow lossless footage. I do this with Convergent Designs Nano footage if I am sending to Premier Pro. Just learned this trick yesterday.

November 24th, 2009, 02:27 AM	#1
Christofer Thelin Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sweden Posts: 30	XDCAM EX ingest straight to Apple ProRes? Im looking for a way to ingest my phootage straight to prores. I know what your going to say (stay in XDCAM EX, it´s native..) but please give me an answer if you got one since I cant get it from Apple =( My situation is as follow: I shoot in 720/50p and want the option to use Cinematools right away in FCP without rendering to ProRes every clip. Having the clips in ProRes will give me the option of conforming the phootage from 50p to 25p with 50% slow WITH sound in a quick way. What I do now is ingesting the phootage as usual with log and transfeer, I get everything as XDCAM EX codec and then have to render every clip out to ProRes from the timeline/compressor. But im hoping to do all this in just one step just like you can do with the P2 right from the log and transfeer tool. Is there a plugin or simular out there that im not aware of? Thanks for all you help __________________ SkullFilms Productions www.skullfilms.se

November 24th, 2009, 09:44 AM	#3
Christofer Thelin Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sweden Posts: 30	Yes I know that I can you an Aja box or Io system with HD-SDI but that wasn´t realy the question I was asking... Im wanted to hear if anyone knew of a plugin or simular to enable me to import the footage straight to ProRes in Final Cut. Via the log and transfeer tool or the XDCAM Transfeer software. Why do I want to do this? Becouse I wanna remove one step to make my workflow faster when I shoot 50p or 60p and it is only in this situation I need it to be ingesting straight to ProRes (see workflow in original Q) I accualy work with FCP soultions in a close connection to Apple and theire developers here in Sweden but sometimes smart thirdparty plugins exist without our knowlage. I was hoping this was one of those times ;) __________________ SkullFilms Productions www.skullfilms.se

November 24th, 2009, 02:56 PM	#4
Mark OConnell Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 420	The only thing I can think of that might help would be to use compressor to batch process all of your imported clips, that would undoubtedly be quicker then doing them one at a time. I know that you can import HDV files directly to prores but don't know of a way to do it with xdcam files. __________________ http://www.markoconnell.org

November 25th, 2009, 02:58 AM	#5
Christofer Thelin Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sweden Posts: 30	Ahh thanks =) I was looking at doing a batch process as my second choise but was clinging on to the id of a easy import to remove the whole step of getting two set of files on the computer. Thanks for your answer though. __________________ SkullFilms Productions www.skullfilms.se

November 25th, 2009, 10:04 AM	#7
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Agree Geoff I use the native codec of the XDCAM EX and find it very fast and no loss in quality. __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com

November 24th, 2009, 07:37 AM	#2
Olof Ekbergh Sponsor: Westside AV Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Mount Washington Valley, NH, USA Posts: 1,365	You need hardware that can capture HDSDI or component from the EXcam. Like AJA or Matrox hardware, and it may not be much faster than transcoding, because it is 1 to 1 real time capturing. Using transfer from express card is 5x to 9x real time in my experience. And transcoding can be done when away from the computer and it is also faster than real time, depending on hardware. The AJA, Matrox or whatever hardware is of course very useful for monitoring and final output. I have several suites with digitizing hardware, but I always transcode from EX files, I find it faster and way more convenient. The EX files are also much smaller for archiving.

November 25th, 2009, 06:40 AM	#6
Geoff Addis Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Reading, UK Posts: 116	I don't find any advantage in converting XDCAM EX 1920 x 1080 50i to ProRes before placing clips on the timeline. Indeed. some actions seem to be quicker when using native XDCAM EX files on a ProRes timeline. Geoff

November 26th, 2009, 08:29 AM	#9
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Try taking the clips right into Compressor and then going out ProRes HQ. This will by pass FC and allow lossless footage. I do this with Convergent Designs Nano footage if I am sending to Premier Pro. Just learned this trick yesterday. __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com