AVCHD or Mov + Eyefi Pro X2 Wireless Transcode Workflow

S

sk32md

Member
I've been experimenting with a quicker and easier workflow to shoot, preview, backup, and cut. So i thought how great would it be to just shoot something and open my laptop and start editing without any & I mean ANY! other steps involved. Fortunately Eyefi works with .mts files like the HMC 150 records and also .Mov files witch other cameras (5D 7D 550D D90 GH1) record. So here are the necessary steps involved in making this happen.

1. Set up an ad-hoc connection from the Eyefi Manager software to download your video into a specified folder that you choose. Put this folder in a permanent place and don't plan on moving it or you will have to change your settings in the steps ahead.

2. Using a Mac! (not sure about how to do this step on a PC) open automator in your applications folder and create a new "Folder Action" and drag in the "launch application" action and specify Adobe Media Encoder. Remember to save this before you test it.

3. In Adobe Media Encoder specify a watch folder as the same folder as the Eyefi transfer folder. Make sure to set up a preset to transcode too. (click on an added file and choose settings, then create your codec of choice and save as a preset, then specify the watch folder preset)

I have recently been editing and shooting on my iPhone more lately then any other camera because it was so easy to capture & output an edited video, that it didn't get in the way of the creative process, and it just made it fun again - like in the dv - firewire - iMovie days. Now I can literally go somewhere and open my laptop, shoot a clip or 3, look at my laptop and the files are there as both the original highly compressed video as well as a proxy file that will edit in real time on my brand new "outdated" Macbook Air! Best of all if I don't like what I just shot or i need something else to cut in-between I can just start shooting again and SHAZZAM! its ready to cut into the timeline!!!
 
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Hi,

for what i understand you have been using the HMC+Eyefi Pro X2 by yourself? Or just thinking about?

I'm not sure about the data-rates... Is the card fast enough to store media on its card and send it to the computer?

Well what makes me think about it is the following.. these crads are only having 8GB of storage space. What happens - if the card is full and the WLAN.connection to your computer brake up?! Footage lost completyl? No way of backup i guess... .

And u also have to take a laptop all the day around while shooting... Mhh.

I like the idea of eyefi when using in combination with a still camera but havent thought about in a camcorder.

tell us your experience if u have used it
 
Denwa said:
I would think transfering footage via wifi (eyefi) must be time consuming.
Click to expand...

It can be depending on the amount of video captured but it is running on an 802.11n network so that translates to roughly 1/4 the speed of usb. But that doesn't matter because your still shooting while this is happening in the background. The point is to shoot and have the technical stuff that gets in the way happen automatically without human interaction.
 
85mk7 said:
Hi,

for what i understand you have been using the HMC+Eyefi Pro X2 by yourself? Or just thinking about?

I'm not sure about the data-rates... Is the card fast enough to store media on its card and send it to the computer?

Well what makes me think about it is the following.. these crads are only having 8GB of storage space. What happens - if the card is full and the WLAN.connection to your computer brake up?! Footage lost completyl? No way of backup i guess... .

And u also have to take a laptop all the day around while shooting... Mhh.

I like the idea of eyefi when using in combination with a still camera but havent thought about in a camcorder.

tell us your experience if u have used it
Click to expand...

I've tried this on HMC150 video and from a Canon HFS10 and a Nikon D90.

The card is a class 6 so 24mbps AVCHD is no problem. From using an XDCAM EX codec I have successfully recorded 1080p30 at 35mbps with no loss/corruption of video for the past year.

The video stored on the card acts exactly as a normal SDHC card would act. You fill up the card and you replace with a fresh one. The wireless transfer does not delete the video from the card unless you set it to endless memory mode which would be great if you have dual recording capabilities but the HMC150 obviously doesn't.

Carrying a laptop around all day is up to you. Personally if I'm out and about shooting and i get back to wherever I'm set up (or driving back to wherever I'm going) all I have to do is turn the camera on-jump in the shower, have a drink, and if I want to get to work the video is stored on the card itself, backed up as the mts file on the computer, transcoded to my proxy file ready for editing, and if I set it up with an internet connection FTP'ed back to my home server without me so much as attaching a usb cable......
 
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