Quicker way to import XDCAM?

[rodpike]

Hi all, I have just received around 150 scene folders shot in XDCAM format. I have to mix these into another video (with AVCHD). Each folder contains an MP4, SMIL, and an XML document.

I want to import the MP4 video file to my project in Edius (6.07) and can do so, but only individually. Is there a way to pull the video files out of the folders as a group rather than opening every single one first?
( I am prepared to be considered stupid if it appears on virtual page XXX in the manual but I haven't been able to find it as yet).

I currently have the XDCAM master folder on my hard drive, copied from the drive the other cameraman sent to me.

[Rusty]

First and foremost...
did they copy the complete folder structure? If not you may be out of luck!

The Sony Clip Browser is really the only way to handle them from Camera to PC.
Then again into Edius. (imo)
Edius Media browser will strip valuable metadata when copying clips. Yes, it works, but not in my workflow.

[rodpike]

Yes I believe so.

I have just noticed that when I open my project with their hard drive plugged in, clicking on the source browser, then XDCAM EX, then (H), all the clips appear in the bin. But I don't know how to save them from the bin to the computer hard drive in this extracted form, although I have all the files on my computer in folders.

I have to send the drive back so I either need a solution or I open and import them all manually. Rusty, I do have Sony PMB but it doesn't want to see the drive.

(I'm just getting my stupid hat out of the cupboard- it is never very far away!)

[Andreas_Gumm]

My workflow is usually as follows:

1. right click on XDCAM item in source browser
2. click 'open folder' & navigate to the original XDCAM root folder
3. when clips are loaded I select all the clips I need & on right click I "add and transfer to bin"

Does this work for you?

Andreas

[GrassValley_SL]

Select all needed in the Source Browser right clip and use add transfer to bin.
This will copy the files to your Project folder.

[Ron Evans]

This is the Browser you need for XDCam the consumer PMB or AVCHD NXcam utility will not work for XDCAm. http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-x...oad.shtml#apps. I use with the EX3 to bring into a folder I create on my hard drive for each project I do which also includes directories for the other 4 AVCHD cameras. Clips appear just like in the AVCHD version rather than files which are limited to FAT on the hard drive unit. Then just bring clips into Edius as normal by dragging from the clip XDCam browser into the bin.

Ron Evans

[Zorro]

From day one customers here use the following workflow:

1. Open Sony ClipBrower

2. Drag the picons from the Sony browser to the Edius Bin

3. Done

[rodpike]

I didn't realise that the actual files would be duplicated and copied to the project file. I always assumed that bin files were just holding points/markers for the originals on the computer hard drives.

[GrassValley_SL]

I don't know to which method you are replying but in EDIUS you have 2 methods:
1 add to bin ...will point to the original location
2 add transfer to bin ..will make a copy of the files in the project folder and EDIUS will point to those.

So it is a matter of how you do it.

[rodpike]

Steve, thanks so much- a simple thing that I didn't know! (I have found the stupid hat!). Transfer to bin it will be- problem solved. Thankyou all
Rod

[Ron Evans]

I don't know to which method you are replying but in EDIUS you have 2 methods:
1 add to bin ...will point to the original location
2 add transfer to bin ..will make a copy of the files in the project folder and EDIUS will point to those.

So it is a matter of how you do it.

That is why I like keeping transfer to PC and then backup before editing. Doing this wrong with file based camcorders can loose all your work. You might think your saving time but loosing all your files is much worse than one extra step. This way I also get to decide where the files go rather than the default project folder. When my friend shoots with his EX3 I just have his hard drive overnight to copy and backup before I give it back to him. Which if course he then formats to shoot more stuff at his work !!! Don't want to get that sequence wrong !!!

Ron Evans

[Hawke]

Here is the link to the Sony download site:

http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-xdcam/resource.downloads.bbsccms-assets-micro-xdcam-downloads-XDCAMBrowserWINTC

The new XDCAM Browser V2.1 is available.
NOTE: XDCAM Clip Browser has been discontinued and replaced with XDCAM Browser. It's doubly confusing because the old software was at V2.6 the new software with the slightly changed name started at V2.0!
I use the program to move clips from drive to drive without a problem.

[Raja]

I just use the .MP4 files on their own and don't even bother with the browser software, Edius XDCAM import or anything.
Go to the root directory of your video files on your XDCAM SxS card and do a search for *.MP4. Once all the MP4s are in one search window select all and copy across to a directory on your hard drive. I usually name d1, d2, d3 etc for the different cards.
Drag the d1, d2, d3 directories directly into he bin

[strange]

I just use the .MP4 files on their own and don't even bother with the browser software, Edius XDCAM import or anything.
Go to the root directory of your video files on your XDCAM SxS card and do a search for *.MP4. Once all the MP4s are in one search window select all and copy across to a directory on your hard drive. I usually name d1, d2, d3 etc for the different cards.
Drag the d1, d2, d3 directories directly into he bin

Another option is to use a file manager Total Commander 8.0. It has a neat button called "Show all files in current dir and all subdirs". If the sort mode is set to "by file extension" all MP4s files are sorted next to each other. They can be easily selected, copied, dragged over to Edius or ... ...

TC 8 is a superb utility for general Windows file management tasks.

[Dry Biscuit]

From day one customers here use the following workflow:

1. Open Sony ClipBrower

2. Drag the picons from the Sony browser to the Edius Bin

3. Done

Correct.

This has been covered so many times previously. The way Zorro suggests is the easiest and the method with the least steps.

Navigating down directories and extracting the mpeg files IS NOT the way to go. Metadata is not maintained using this method and problems can also occur with spanned clips.
The Sony software was written for a reason, why do people insist on making life complicated for themselves?