MXF files, platforms and editing oh my

smelni

smelni

Veteran
Having been following these boards tightly for the past couple days I have been seeing reports that there are different versions of an MXF file, some work on PC some on MAC - different codecs for the dvc formats etc, etc.

I am sure I am just getting it all mixed up and it is much simpler. Can anyone clarify the whole situation.

My situation is a PC with 3GZ processor , 2 gigs ram and avid - can I view mxf files,how do i do that. And can i play them back in HD?

and can we get a thread going really getting this MXF stuff all ironed out.

thanks
 
you know what: i don´t even wanna know. I simply want the NLE (Liquid in my case) to allow me to drag the mxf file that is on the P2 card into my library and play it just like DV. how they make it happen I don´t care.

If you have XPressProHD then you can do just that I think: drag it in and edit away.....
 
I agree. I have been following along with trying to figure out the best editing solution for months. PC will have more editing options than MAC. We know the MAC and FCP have a leg up on everyone. I saw a MATROX demo of AXIO. That seemed to have a lot of power but nowhere to be found around an HGX200. Was the Matrox AXIO at all seen at DV Expo?? Did the HVX200 steal the show??
 
By early 2006, any serious edit software (other than VEGAS for obvious reason) will be able to support MFX ingestion.....and since most of you will prob stream to a HD..then all you'll need is the codec itself.....and thats already a video standard anyway for AVID, FC and many others.
 
Edius will be supporting the HVX in about a month - the crazy expensive bundle they currently have is going to be repackaged. <- from the Canopus rep yesterday.
 
Damnit, my browser just ate my last post. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knew the specs necessary to edit DVCPro HD in FCP. I've edited my last two docs on a 1.5GHz powerbook, which made for some amazing possiblities in field editing. Will I have to budget for a quad? Also, will the DVCProHD play from the timeline thru the HVX for monitoring? I don't want to have to downconvert to edit in the field.
 
doccutter said:
Damnit, my browser just ate my last post. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knew the specs necessary to edit DVCPro HD in FCP. I've edited my last two docs on a 1.5GHz powerbook, which made for some amazing possiblities in field editing. Will I have to budget for a quad? Also, will the DVCProHD play from the timeline thru the HVX for monitoring? I don't want to have to downconvert to edit in the field.
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any G5 or any newer powerbook with 7200 rpm drive will work (or external drive).
You don't need a quad. I have cut native DVCPRO-HD on a single 1.8 G5.

Footage will NOT play back from computer through firewire into camera for viewing.
Jan had told me that wasn't going to happen....stream is one way only out camera.
 
Excellent. Thank you esperman. How do you monitor the footage? I've been thinking about picking up one of the 24" dells once the price drops again, but if the camera can't stream out, how can I monitor, color correct, etc? My pbook chokes on 1080 footage, but I think that's partially because it's having to playback an image greater than the size of the display. Are FCP people using the cinema preview for a second monitor, or is there some other technique?
 
doccutter said:
Are FCP people using the cinema preview for a second monitor, or is there some other technique?
Click to expand...

Digital Cinema Preview is only good for just seeing a bigger image. It's not accurate enough color-wise for color work. In fact, it's dodgy for a lot of purposes, but it's better than just looking at a tiny window on your main FCP monitor.

if you want a real calibrated component out, you'll have to get an HD Kona or Blackmagic card. The cheapest, most accurate setup would be something like a Blackmagic HD Pro single link card for $995, then either a used/b-stock Sony 14L5 monitor for around $1600 or what I have, a Sony PVM-14M8U. Either way you're going to spend around $2000-2500 to get accurate HD monitoring.
 
If its just for monitoring would i be fine with the Black Magic HD (non Pro) for $595.

What im considering is the Black Magic card and the HD link and an apple 23" display. Im planning on mostly doing 720p.

Any suggestions?

jesse
 
For field monitoring use the camera D4 component out to a good HD monitor. That will save you color correcting time in the edit, when you're using a DVI monitor to view the footage from final cut pro.

There is no way to hook up a capture card to your powerbook.
 
Right. You can get the cheaper Blackmagic card ONLY if what you're connecting to has HD-SDI input. The HDLink does...but broadcast HD CRTs only have this at a $2000 premium.

Remember that the HDLink/Cinema Display route still doesn't give you color good enough to CC with. It's better than a lot of options, but for the same money you can get a CRT if you're careful shopping.

23" Cinema Display=$1100
HDLink=$600
BM Card=$600

Everybody's under the impression you can't buy a Sony pro HD CRT for less than $3000-$4000...truth is you can have one for $1500-$1000 if you know where to look, and know what you're looking for.
 
Yup, I agree Nate.

As for field monitoring...rent a good HD crt or a panny 17" lcd to monitor your footage directly from the camera. Focus and image control will require this, especially if your new to HD. If you do this in the field, it will make your edit go more smoothly, especially if your going to connect a DVI monitor to your mac video card, and then calibrate it for video to edit on.
 
I don't mean to highjack, but do I have to have the HD link if I'm running two Dell 24 HD's and a Blackmagic Decklink HD already? I have checked the site, but am still confused if I really need it. Is it more about accurate color correction than anything else.

thanks
 
nateweaver said:
Everybody's under the impression you can't buy a Sony pro HD CRT for less than $3000-$4000...truth is you can have one for $1500-$1000 if you know where to look, and know what you're looking for.
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I'm all ears!!! I already have the extra 23" apple display. Thats why I'm leaning this way. But I'd appreciate any alternatives. As of now I CCing on a 500 Dollar Sony boradcast CRT. The cheapest one that does 16x9 (forget the model number).

Also is there any issue with progressive on the apple display?
 
This and a BM HD Pro is all you would need:

http://www.mediumblend.com/abelstore/customer/product.php?productid=1102&cat=195&page=1

I've recommended a similar monitor and the person balked at the line spec...but you need to see it with your own eyes to understand that it's a true HD monitor and that specs do not tell the whole story. This model monitor was all over DVExpo (that is, when a vendor went through the trouble of getting a real HD monitor to display their product in the first place).

There's no issue with progressive on an ACD, but you do need an HDSDI/HDLink setup to see 60i footage correctly on it. Cinema Preview mode in FCP does not output fields to whatever display you're using.
 
man. I could have bought one of those 3 years ago for less than 1k... Live and learn I suppose. I did notice that it only resolved something like 800 lines, but that's more than the HVX resolves, no?
 
veering things back to platforms, it seems as if there is no editing solution for a PC and the HVX at this moment, only promises that things will be ok sometime early next year. is my conclusion correct?
 
doccutter said:
I did notice that it only resolved something like 800 lines, but that's more than the HVX resolves, no?
Click to expand...

That's what I'm talking about. You need to see it connected to an HD source, and not judge it based on spec. The very best Sony broadcast HD CRTs don't resolve full resolution.
 
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