Thomas Whaley

Q: Importing files that do not need transcoding?

Just curious about the process. I import XDCAM EX files that do not require transcoding. As a matter of fact the option is not available. And that is fine, very few problems. But here is what I don't understand. FCP X needs ProRes to operate efficiently and my output files are ProRes. My question is since my files that are in the events folders are not ProRes, how is that possible? If the transcoding takes place when the project is output then I am not really editing using ProRes. I hope my question is not too confusing. I just am curious.

 

Thanks to all.

Cheers,

Tom

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9), 2.7 GHz Intel Core i7 16 GB RAM

Posted on Nov 27, 2013 1:52 PM

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Q: Importing files that do not need transcoding?

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  • by Russ H,Helpful

    Russ H Russ H Nov 27, 2013 2:22 PM in response to Thomas Whaley
    Level 7 (21,885 points)
    Quicktime
    Nov 27, 2013 2:22 PM in response to Thomas Whaley

    According to Apple, FInal Cut does not have any problems working with XDCAM and Pro Res is unecessary.

     

    If you export as Pro Res, then yes, it will render to PR during the export process.

     

    Russ

  • by itsKeef,Helpful

    itsKeef itsKeef Nov 27, 2013 3:32 PM in response to Thomas Whaley
    Level 1 (50 points)
    Nov 27, 2013 3:32 PM in response to Thomas Whaley

    Apples says no problem with XDCAM?

     

    What follows is not a solution just a way to understand what is happening under the bonnet.

     

    Try this workflow:

    Leave FCPX closed and out of the equation for the moment.

    Copy BPAV folder to your HD

    Eject any SD , SXS reader or camera.

    Open the XDCAM Transfer app

    Click the Add.. button

    Navigate to the BPAV folder

    Select the import location from Preferences

    Select any clips you wish to ‘Import’

    Hit Import.

    XDCAM Transfer will rapidly ‘unwrap’ the movies and place them in the destination folder

    Go to folder, open a clip in something like MpegStreamClip or QT

    Hit cmd i 

    this will bring up an info window

    note the clips attributes

    Video Tracks:

    XDCAM EX 1080i50 (35 Mb/s VBR), 1920 × 1080, 25 fps, 35.00 Mbps

    Audio Tracks:

    (lpcm), 768 kbps

     

    Now open FCPX

    select Import Media.

    look carefully at the drives available to you.

    If you copied the BPAV folder to the top level of a finder window that will appear in the ‘CAMERAS’ pane. This applies to any camera folder type such as BPAV for XDCAM, PRIVATE for AVCHD and even DCIM if you have some still images copied rom a camera.

    If these are a pain you can hide them by creating a folder at the top level and drop them in that.

    OK, back to Import Media

    Locate your newly unwrapped XDCAM clip

    Hit' Import Selected'

    Now notice the dialog ‘create optimized media’ …according to Apple this should be greyed out, ‘because XDCAM works just fine’  but its not

    Screen Shot 2013-11-27 at 22.51.23.png

    OK lets see what happens if do select it and also copy to events folder?

    Once imported the Background Tasks render spins from 0-100%. Ok so I have created an optimized clip, ProRes?

    Drop the clip on the timeline ,

    Lets check, go File - Project Properties…hit the  little spanner far right, says ‘Render Format ProRes

    hit Export…(aka Share’ what a stupid name),

    select Master File, now watch the Background Render Tasks drop back to 0% and slowly crawls up to 100%. rendering yet again.

    Your export will open by default  in QT, hit cmd i and you will see its ProRes. Now thats when we get ProRes

    Go to your Final Cut Events folder

    Open your Event

    Note you will have an ‘Original Media’ folder with copies of the XDCAM clips

    However no ‘Transcoded Media’ folder with no ‘High Quality Media’ as would be the case for formats other than XDCAM.

    which is why editing XDCAM is ‘not just fine’ its a pain.

    No Optimized media of XDCAM can ever be created.

    As far as I can see…unless anybody knows different.

     

    BTW I know you can Import direct from the BPAV folder with the Sony PDZK-LT2 FCPX plugin..but still no real transcode to ProRes.

     

    No XDCAM is not just fine, ProRes? yes I totally agree bring that into FCPX and sure it works so much faster.

    If you want to work really fast, SDI or HDMI out into  devices such as the Ninja or Samurai Blade, record as 4:2:2 ProRes

     

    have fun

  • by Tom Wolsky,Solvedanswer

    Tom Wolsky Tom Wolsky Nov 27, 2013 4:27 PM in response to itsKeef
    Level 10 (118,433 points)
    Apple TV
    Nov 27, 2013 4:27 PM in response to itsKeef

    There are a number of formats that don't need optimization, XDCAM is just one, basically I-frame codecs don't need optimization. It's an anomaly that it optimization appears on import and as you noted doesn't actually do it. ProRes is the default render option and the default output option, but if you have an XDCAM based project you can export XDCAM; it will be available as an option.

  • by Thomas Whaley,

    Thomas Whaley Thomas Whaley Nov 28, 2013 6:28 AM in response to Tom Wolsky
    Level 1 (124 points)
    Video
    Nov 28, 2013 6:28 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

    Thanks everyone. Now it makes sense. Love this forum. Thanks again.

     

    Cheers,

    Tom

  • by itsKeef,

    itsKeef itsKeef Nov 28, 2013 6:49 AM in response to Tom Wolsky
    Level 1 (50 points)
    Nov 28, 2013 6:49 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

    Tom, Thomas...if only it were I frame. Sadly its that darn Long Gop we got suckered into all that time ago. I was at NAB when they launced AVC, we all though yeh great, small files, great quality. Where's the catch

    However, if like me you still can recall editing I frame movies, oh how we just breezed through the edits. DV was the start then on up to DVCHD pro on P2...ah bliss.

    Why did I do it, MPEG2!!! its a delivery codec, always was.

    I am never going to buy another 'AVC' again. Kind of twisted logic, I frame was getting huge files, storage space was expensive and slow...now its never been cheaper. But hang on, yep fit hours of 'AVC'  on it..but, that's no good. Has to be 'I' frame PropRes and to edit well...back to the huge files. Anybody remember uncompressed?

    Should keep 'AVC' (h264) as the delivery, and a very fine delivery codec that its.

    btw I was at NAB when that was launched.too..got home and proclaimed to the guys, at last mpg1 is dead... 'I have seen the future' and it is h264.

    little did  I know bah

  • by Thomas Whaley,

    Thomas Whaley Thomas Whaley Nov 28, 2013 7:51 AM in response to itsKeef
    Level 1 (124 points)
    Video
    Nov 28, 2013 7:51 AM in response to itsKeef

    All true. Heck, I used to edit on M-II! Three machines and a DVE box. I"d power them up in my home studio and the lights would dim.