EX1 capture direct to computer

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wordpictures

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Still considering an EX1 purchase. Can anyone confirm whether or not EX1 footage can be captured direct-to-computer through the USB2 output? Several event projects coming up that need more capacity than the solid-state cards would allow. This would be using Final Cut Studio 2 either into a MacPro or MacBook Pro. Would this work with either full HD or HDV modes?
 
You don't have to "capture" anything (as with tape), you just connect the camera through USB and the computer recognizes the cards as external drives (such as pen drives), you don't even need drivers.

Each clip is in a separate folder, with a bunch of other files...

I wanted to ask a couple of things so here I go :D

1) Is there a way to export all the clips to one same folder? Without having them separated in many. I tried selecting all the folders for import in premiere but it also tries to open the other files (.xml and others), fails, and halts import.

2) What are those files? Are there of any use other than information for Sony Clip Browser?

Thanks! :D
 
Just clarifying to make sure we're considering the same scenario. What I want to do is bypass the need for cards and record directly from camera into the computer as the live event is taking place. Therefore there's no need to change cards or dump those clips and reload the cards into camera (no time for that - and these will be 3-4 hour nonstop events). Is that possible with the EX1?
 
Oh, sorry, by direct-to-computer I understood that nothing other than connecting the cable was required, I'm sorry. I haven't seen what you ask for in the manual or the menus, but considering that it takes less to download the data than the actual time recorded, I guess it should be possible, but I really don't know, someone else should clarify.
 
From EX-1 you can stream live to your MBPro and FCP via firewire but ONLY in SQ mode. Cannot stream HQ live. You other option is to go SDI from camera to either a Matrox MXO2 or AJA Kona IoHD for capture of uncompressed 4:2:2 video. The IoHD would transcode to ProRes for you. You would use DVCPRO HD codec if capturing through the MXO2.
 
wordpictures said:
Still considering an EX1 purchase. Can anyone confirm whether or not EX1 footage can be captured direct-to-computer through the USB2 output? Several event projects coming up that need more capacity than the solid-state cards would allow. This would be using Final Cut Studio 2 either into a MacPro or MacBook Pro. Would this work with either full HD or HDV modes?
Click to expand...

USB, no. SDI, yes. That said, when the 32GB Sandisk cards arrive soon, you should be able to record almost 4 hours straight to cards at 1080p without swapping.
 
PerroneFord said:
USB, no. SDI, yes. That said, when the 32GB Sandisk cards arrive soon, you should be able to record almost 4 hours straight to cards at 1080p without swapping.
Click to expand...

That is insane....... When you think about how tiny that SD card is...... Still boggles my mind. Seems to me like the frickin SD card should melt after the 3rd minute !!!!

frisco
 
wordpictures said:
Just clarifying to make sure we're considering the same scenario. What I want to do is bypass the need for cards and record directly from camera into the computer as the live event is taking place. Therefore there's no need to change cards or dump those clips and reload the cards into camera (no time for that - and these will be 3-4 hour nonstop events). Is that possible with the EX1?
Click to expand...

You can use the PHU-60K XDCAM Hard Drive that will get you 200 minutes in HQ Mode.

Will you be using a switcher for this live event?

Like Ned said, the ProRes Solution would definitely work for you. And you can skip the Long-GOP XDCAM EX codec by recording straight to ProRes.

1. Macbook Pro w/ ioHD with RAID Hard Drive set-up.
or
2. MacPro Tower w/ Kona LHe (or ioHD) RAID Hard Drive set-up.

A more bigger solution:
Our Engineers did that for a show in Dec 07 at Radio City Music Hall in NY, But they were SONY F900R's and HDC-1400s(i think) with like 8 Mac Pro Towers with Kona cards. Captured in ProRes, there were no problems, didn't need to switch to backup Mac Pros.
 
Not to mention capturing uncompressed via SDI would require tremendous amount of HD space and also fast RAID storage. I would rather go buy a lot of KxS and a lot of SD card instead.
 
LuckyStudio 13 said:
Not to mention capturing uncompressed via SDI would require tremendous amount of HD space and also fast RAID storage. I would rather go buy a lot of KxS and a lot of SD card instead.
Click to expand...

It would be more economical. But you might need to swap cards if you don't have (2) 32 GB cards in the slot for 4 Hours recording. I don't think Wordpictures want to do that.

I forgot to mention that capturing straight to Computer in ProRes saves the extra step of importing the cards to the Computer.

----------------------

I'm not sure how to make tables on posts, but the 4th column is the Gigs per minute field.

Comparative Data Rates (From Apple ProRes White Paper)
Target HQ Storage Target Storage
Frame Frame Rate Data Rate Requirements Data Rate Requirements
Dimensions (fps) (Mbps) (GB/min) (Mbps) (GB/min)
720x486 29.97 63 0.47 42 0.32
720x576 25 61 0.46 41 0.31
1280x720 23.976 88 0.66 59 0.44
1280x720 25 92 0.69 61 0.46
1280x720 29.97 110 0.82 73 0.55
1280x720 50 184 1.38 122 0.92
1280x720 59.94 220 1.65 147 1.10
1920x1080 23.976 176 1.32 117 0.88
1920x1080 25 184 1.38 122 0.92
1920x1080 29.97 220 1.65 147 1.10

Hard drives are getting cheaper everyday. 4 Hours of ProRes1920x1080 at 29.97 with be under 400GBs. Ofcourse you would want a hard drive solution that can do a RAID 5 or Redundancy and sustaining DataRate at minimum 220Mbps.
 
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EC Junior said:
You can use the PHU-60K XDCAM Hard Drive. . .
Click to expand...

Anyone know if files will directly import into Final Cut from the PHU-60K - without need for conversion?

Will you be using a switcher for this live event?
Click to expand...

No, as available switcher is SD only. These projects will be edit-only. That makes the EX1 useless for live-switched IMAG events - very unfortunate - though vast majority of my use is production for edit only.
 
wordpictures said:
No, as available switcher is SD only. These projects will be edit-only. That makes the EX1 useless for live-switched IMAG events - very unfortunate - though vast majority of my use is production for edit only.
Click to expand...

Could you expound on this comment? Why does it make the EX1 useless?
 
PerroneFord said:
Could you expound on this comment? Why does it make the EX1 useless?
Click to expand...

Occasionally I help an organization with live events - their switcher only inputs/outputs standard definition. Some events are live-switched with the mixed output going to projectors for IMAG as well as recording. Since the EX1 doesn't have an SD output, the camera couldn't be used for a live-switched event with this switcher.

Other times there's no IMAG involved and each camera's footage goes to tape/hdd for later edit. In this scenario, EX1 is no problem. HD, HDV or SD are merged in Final Cut.
 
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The EX1 has 2 SD outputs right on the side of the camera. One composite (will also do S-Video) and one component. I've used both, and both look excellent.



[correction]

The EX1 has a third SD output. It can feed SD-SDI from it's SDI port also.

Take your pick.
 
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That's great - it appeared to be high def only in what I was reading. That resolves a big concern I had in going with the EX1. Thanks.
 
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