Clip Browser 2.5 is out

GuyB

GuyB

Well-known member
There seem to be a number of changes in some of the menu options, and there are two new Export options, one watermarked, one not:

New Export:
MXF for XDCAM MPEG IMX (Main Concept Watermarked)
MXF for XDCAM DVCAM (not watermarked)

The XDCAM DVCAM is likely just the same as a AVI DV export but in a MXF wrapper (hence it is free and not watermarked) but the IMX option (50Mbps) is watermarked. This option has me quite interested as perhaps this might be the best way to get a quality SD conversion, not sure of the cost though as it isn't detailed on MC's web site yet but if it is made part of the "Pack 2" they are charging US$389. Thats pretty rich but may be worth it, we'll see.

Windows download link
http://www.sony.ca/xdcamex/software/ClipBrowserForWinV2.5.0.zip
 
I did a quick and nasty test on the IMX export and at quick glance it was very impressive, clearly a noticable improvement over the DV export.

I tested importing the MXF into Liquid 7.2, and as usual, this amazing bit of kit, which hasn't been updated for ages now and was never exactly expensive, it imported it perfectly and even has a native timeline to edit it in!

Now all I want is the option to buy the IMX plug in at a reasonable cost without having to buy a full pack of plug ins I really don't want.
 
OK, here are two 100% crop sections of a frame grab of the two codecs, I have also included the same frame section from the origonal using Main Concept Reference DVCPRO 50 render from the origonal, and finally the section from the origonal frame from a frame capture from Clip Browser. I did have to deinterlace the CB frame as obviously Liquid, which generated all the other frame exports, was automatically deinterlacing (the source from HQ 50i)

IMX vs DV

imx.jpg
dv.jpg

DVCPRO 50
dvcpro50.jpg

XDCAM EX
xdcamex.jpg


When I saved the crop in jpg, I could even notice a slight addition of edge arteficts when saving to jpg in photoshop even when using level 12 jpg.
 
Last edited:
I wonder if Sony has yet fixed the bug with cutting clips to in/out markers and saving them? These saved clips promptly crash Adobe Premiere CS3, so I cannot edit my clips in Clip Browser. All versions up to 2.0 are doing this.

With the DV export, there is a problem with the interlacing of footage becoming line-repeated every few frames. I first noticed it on a clip that had some steps in the foreground--they were undulating between thick and thin every few frames on a vertical pan shot in the DV output. I don't get that effect if I render it out from Premiere, so I've never found any valid use for Clip Browser's export features. Even the MXF format seems to drop the color subsampling to half, as the same clip imported into Premiere has blocky colors, while the MP4 clip is sharp and clear.
 
I have never noticed any field line issues with its DV export myself, its always been a bit soft but thats all, otherwise I found it very reliable.

With the MXF option (MXF for NLE), this is clearly a Premiere problem as it is purely a re-wrap, no encoding occurs so no colour space can be lost. These files import perfectly and look great in Liquid. But then Liquid has always been great at XDCAM support.

All these problem seen to be attributable to Premiere, perhaps ClipBrowser hasn't been the problem all along?
 
I havn't done any ral time testing so I really can't say sorry. It is just re-wrapping so it shouldn't be any different unless you have CRC or verify enabled when you didn't before.
 
The CRC check and "Processing speed vs Data Protection" switches only apply to copying (moving) clips, not their conversion to MXF for NLE. It's a known fact that CB 2.1 has been a lot slower at this than its version 1.01, hence my question if it is any better now in the new version 2.5...
 
BTW, what is "Convert in MXF for copying EX to a normal folder" supposed to mean?

OK, so it copies and re-wraps in one go, but why into the HD rather than EX codec (I'm getting 1440x1080 watermarked). Is this a bug, or am I missing sth?
 
Last edited:
basspig said:
I wonder if Sony has yet fixed the bug with cutting clips to in/out markers and saving them? These saved clips promptly crash Adobe Premiere CS3, so I cannot edit my clips in Clip Browser. All versions up to 2.0 are doing this.

With the DV export, there is a problem with the interlacing of footage becoming line-repeated every few frames. I first noticed it on a clip that had some steps in the foreground--they were undulating between thick and thin every few frames on a vertical pan shot in the DV output. I don't get that effect if I render it out from Premiere, so I've never found any valid use for Clip Browser's export features. Even the MXF format seems to drop the color subsampling to half, as the same clip imported into Premiere has blocky colors, while the MP4 clip is sharp and clear.
Click to expand...

Have you tried using XDCAM Transfer to set your ins/outs and then import? I've never set in/out in XDCAM EX Clip Browser, but it works great in XDCAM Transfer.
 
moldcad said:
BTW, what is "Convert in MXF for copying EX to a normal folder" supposed to mean?

OK, so it copies and re-wraps in one go, but why into the HD rather than EX codec (I'm getting 1440x1080 watermarked). Is this a bug, or am I missing sth?
Click to expand...

SO you worked it out, but yes, I agree, you should have a choice of selecting the HD MXF or the EX MXF on copy if you want to convert on copy, but as it is, it only offers the HD MXF choice so you need to purchase the codec. On my laptop it actually generates an error and doesn't even make the MXF anyway, perhaps there is a conflict with Main Concept Reference which I have installed as well.
 
GuyB said:
[...] as it is, it only offers the HD MXF choice so you need to purchase the codec.
Click to expand...

I'd say that rather than purchase the MC codec, an average EX user should be able to define the exported file format in the Conversion tab of the User Configuration option. Unfortunately, even though there is the pane there called "MP4 to MXF conversion by copy", it's totally screwed up and difficult to understand.

Also, I noticed that regardless of the "Convert in MXF for copying EX..." checkbox state, when I drag clips from the SxS card to a folder the other "Explorer" window is set to, it will always convert rather than simple copying (and as mentioned above, to the 1440x1080 format).

It beats me why the XDCAM HD formats are default in the EX-oriented application that the Clip Browser is supposed to be...
 
The field doubling artifact only sticks out where there are dominant horizontal lines in the frame, such as a church altar steps, as was the case with my test sample. With faces, people and other scenes, it's not visible. It manifests itself about every 0.5 seconds and is visible on a slow vertical pan.

BTW, something is still not right with the make new clip from in/out markers function.. those clips, when imported to Premiere, cause an instant crash, whereas the native camera clips do not. So Clip Browser is corrupting the information somehow when making new clips from in/out markers.

I agree that the color subsampling is a problem with Premiere. In light of that, I cannot use MXF, unless I don't care about the colors looking blocky. On that one, I vindicate Clip Browser, but the other two problems are still pointing the finger of blame at Sony's application there.
 
Interesting quirk with 2.5: Even though all of the folders are pointing to some fixed disc destination, the program polls my floppy drive ever 60 seconds. I was hearing this sound all evening and it was driving me nuts while I worked. I was pondering whether it was a hard drive beginning to fail. Then I caught a glance at the CPU tower just as the noise happened again and I noticed the floppy drive access LED lighting up. Shut down Clip Browser and now all is quiet.
 
that amazing technology that can hold less than half a second of HQ footage ;-)

I remember Sony had some still digital cameras that recorded directly to floppy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top