MetaData - where is it?

H

HighDriver

Active member
Ok, I can't seem to figure out how to use the Meta data.

I made up a Metadata file with AVCCAM viewer and wrote it to the SD card.
Put the SC card in the Camera and "Read" the Metadata into camera.
Set Metadata Record to "ON"
Set Metadata User Clip Name to "Type 2"
Verified Metadata was in the camera using Metadata Prop.

Shot a couple random clips.

In playback mode, no metadata visible on screen, until you go through several menu levels to find the recorded Metadata..

AVCAM Viewer did not show any Metadata anywhere that I noticed. The clip
names were 0001 0002 0003 etc.

Brought up Device Eplorer in Sony Vegas and viewed the clips. Everything looked exactly the same as it would have looked without the Metada read, Type2 etc.

What am I doing wrong?

Or is all this powerful data just there not to be used?
 
I got the same results when I tried it. So, I stopped trying!

Maybe someone that have been able to use it can tell use how!
 
If you see it up when digging through the info screens on a recorded clip, then it worked. It should show up in AVCCAM Viewer somewhere, but I stopped using that a long time ago. I'd be surprised if you see it show up in any other program short of looking at the file contents itself. Hint: it's in the playlist files.

I tried using meta data in the past, because it did sound useful. I found it to be much more trouble than it was worth for a few reasons:

- Have to set it up ahead of time on a computer: Although tedious, it would be better to be able to do this in camera. You don't always have the time or foresight to do this ahead of time. On the plus side, it can be done with a standard text editor, you do not NEED special software to edit the files (though you need to know what you are doing).

- Have to remember to load it on the camera: After setting up the file, it's easy to forget to load it before the shoot. Not a problem if you use a computer to set up the data right before shooting.

- Have to remember to UN-set it on the camera: It's even easier to forget to unset it, then you have a bunch of other clips with the wrong metadata.

- No Software actually recognizes or works with it. This may have changed, but I haven't seen it yet. I thought Adobe would with their metadata push with CS4, but could not. Didn't see it show up in CS5 (I didn't give much effort), though it at least pulls the timecode, which comes from the same place. AVCCAM viewer will show it, but what use is it in that program? I mean... what use is that program for anything?

Since you have to use a computer anyway, it probably makes more sense to do this post-shooting using tags in your OS or NLE. I found all I really needed to do to stay organized was keep separate events in their own folders (ie, dump and wipe each card before recording more material).
 
I was really hoping that at least the File naming could be controlled and used. At least you could pre-fix your filenames with a project name or something useful.

I also agree that the MetaData is at this time - basically useless.
 
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