Importing MXF files (originated from Panasonic HVX200/P2) into Avid

[Joe_Digital]

A long update on missing A1 files...I had the same problem today and had to find this thread to recall how I saved my butt. Here I am working in Symphony 3.0 and the same problem is occurring. That is, copy video & audio to a drive then import via media tool, drag to bin and the A1's are missing. So, when I went to the Windows folder and copied all A1 files, then went back to Media Tool, did another import and refreshed, my A1 files magically appeared. I hope this gets solved soon. It's only been 6+ months, and yes, I do have the latest firmware.

[DC]

Another option is to search the clips by dates. This might help you narrow down which clips you're looking to use for a particular project.

[dangers]

Thanks, this Barry Green is my new guru hahaha. But it applys on p2 I think, my error. I'll try on the Sony EX3 board instead ...

Thanks anyway.
A+

[smelni]

look up the user clip name article on this site by barry green - just name the clips for the project and that transfers into avid

[dangers]

several ways to handle this - one is to be organizing your clips into bins in a master project to help keep them ordered by project

another is to use metadata - assign the user clip name in camera when you are shooting with the project name - then when you are importing into a project you sort by name and voila - easy to find the project

I'm not sure that you understood my problem, or is it me who didn't understand the solution ? :-)

When I copy the videos to mxf with the sony viewer and then link the videos in the bins, they ALL have the same f... name : SONY VOYAGER. Ok, now I know it is a problem coming from Sony, so we'll have to wait for a solution.

In my cam, the shooting is separated in folders properly identified, but when the transfer to mxf is done and the clips are sent to the bins in Avid from Media tool, gone the good organization work :-(

For now, here is the best workaround that I found :

1- you copy MXF files in the folder MXF/1 (or 2 or 3, ...)

2- Open Avid

3- Open Media Tool, search only for master clips and drag them to a well identified bin

4- Close Avid. Copy and paste another bunch of MXF files from another folder.

5- Re-open Avid and the media tool.

6- Select all the clips from the first bin. Select MEDIA RELATIVE so these clips will be highlighted in the media tool (so you know wich one are already in Avid).

7- In media tool, reverse selection.

8- Bravo now you know which clips to drag in another well identified bin.

!!!

What a pain in the ...

Another solution ?

A+

[smelni]

several ways to handle this - one is to be organizing your clips into bins in a master project to help keep them ordered by project

another is to use metadata - assign the user clip name in camera when you are shooting with the project name - then when you are importing into a project you sort by name and voila - easy to find the project

[dangers]

DC:

I am working on multiple HD projects. When I use the media tool to import master clips, it finds all of the clips (from previous projects). Is there a way to just say "bring in clips from MXF/2 etc, or do I have to look at each clip individually and distinguish which clips I want to drag where...?

Hi, I'm new here, but I found some really interesting tips. Thanks a lot.

But this question from Eric Papa is VERY IMPORTANT for me. It's completely crazy when you work on a big project to have to look at each clip and rename it !!!!!! We should be able to import from one folder only, say subfolder 3 of the mxf folder. How to to this, I don't know ??? I have a workaround, but it is complicated and easy to mess with everything !!

Anybody know something about this important organization issue ???

A+

[swaitz]

Hallo
I'd like to understand if is possible do this:

I convert my 720/25PN than I edit whith the converted 720/50P footage than whe I mastered the project I delete the converted (heavy files)

now the question---For a bach editing is possible reconvert the original 720/25PN and make avid relink the new reconverted file whith the original sequence

I don't know if I explained well my problem and my english is orrible but my teacher in the school was so ugly (hahahaha)

[mvb]

1. So what is the diference between the two formats and if its going to take a lot of "conversion" time.

2. DO you know if the material after conversion will be double in size? or some othe drawback from this Raylight conversion?

1. If you shoot 25P and MXFX converts that to 720/50, the format is the same the frames are just doubled up and play at 50 instead of 25. The conversion is fast unless you specify other options like grain reduction or image rotation.

2. Yes the new 50P MXF files will be double in size vs the 25P files. The quality will be exactly the same.

An alternative is the 25P to 24P conversion. There is no loss in quality, the file does not increase in size, you can edit in a 720/24P project and author to 24P DVD formats which are playable in PAL country. The only drawback there is the motion is slowed down by 4% (and the audio as well, to keep it in sync).

[cbrougham]

Basically, the "big deal" with the native modes in the HVX is that you're only recording as many frames as necessary to achieve the frame rate you're shooting in, and subsequently, native frame rates require less storage space. In other words, if you're shooting 720/25pN, you're only recording 25 frames per second. However, if you're shooting 720/25p, you're actually recording 50 frames per second. The imaging portion of the HVX is "taking pictures" 25 times per second, but the recording portion of the HVX is doubling each frame to pad out to 50 frames per second. The "look" is the same, but the storage requirements are doubled. So, as you've surmised, converting your footage from 720/25pN to 720/25p "over 50" will double the file size of each clip. Visually, there is no difference.

Also, 720p and 1080i/p are ONLY available in DVCPROHD. The HVX will "blue out" any options that cannot be changed or set when you are in a particular recording mode. So, if may say "DVCPRO50" under format, but if you're set to 720p or 1080i, you can rest assured that you're recording DVCPROHD.

[Tom_Borg]

No, it doesn't. 720p is always progressive--there is no interlaced 720-line HD format. Going from 720/25pN to 720/50p will not introduce any interlacing artifacts or recompression.

thanks a lot for your answer. So what is the diference between the two formats and if its going to take a lot of "conversion" time. I am kind of confuse about hte HVX when using 720/2PN because it show DVCPRO 50 under and it cannot be changed. I thought that it was filming DVCPRO 100, that menas DVCPRO HD but i cannto changed as it is in blue when i choose 720.

Well that was alittle parentes. DO you know if the material after conversion will be double in size? or some othe drawback from this Raylight conversion?

[cbrougham]

No, it doesn't. 720p is always progressive--there is no interlaced 720-line HD format. Going from 720/25pN to 720/50p will not introduce any interlacing artifacts or recompression.

[Tom_Borg]

but if i convert 720/25 PN to 720/50 it mena s that my footage becomes interlaced!

[mvb]

is it possible to import P2 720 Native 25p ?? then in which kind of project? 1080?

Raylight MXFX (new product, see http://dvfilm.com/MXFX) offers a large number of conversion possiblities for Avid users.

For example without recompression you convert Panasonic MXF files in 720/25PN to 720/50, 720/24PN or 720/60. You could also upres to 1080/50i or 1080/60i.

Although these last two conversions will recompress and add noise, there is a built-in noise reduction feature that will make the converted footage less noisy than the original. There is an example of that on the webpage.

MXFX does other things as well like 180 degree image rotation without recompression and it can consolidate several P2 card images into one.

[Tom_Borg]

is it possible to import P2 720 Native 25p ?? then in which kind of project? 1080?