AAF files???

doctorfish wrote on 4/18/2005, 3:46 AM
Not being too familiar with these I thought I'd ask. A quick search on the internet seems to indicate that they're like a lesser version of OMF files that only contain editing decisions and no media. I've heard a lot of audio guys clamor for OMF support which would help a lot in exchanging projects between different studios that use other software. Can AAF do this? Does anyone have experience with these or is it mainly a video thing?

Looking over the new features I'm hesitant to buy, but would probably do so fairly quickly if I could use this to at least say get a protools project into Vegas. I know I'd have to recreate the mix but I don't mind that so long as the audio is al where it's supposed to be.

Speaking of which, will the use of broadcast wave files enable something like this too?

Dave

Comments

newhope wrote on 4/18/2005, 4:44 AM
AAF is newer and was meant to replace OMF but is still to gain as wide an acceptance as OMF has to date. These things take time.
Programs like ProTools, with the added Digitranslator (HD) or DVToolkit (LE), can import and export AAF as do AVID and FCP.

AAFs use referred media, meaning you have to include the media separately along with the AAF file. OMF will also do this as well as giving you the option to embed the media into one file.

One of the things AAF offers over OMF is the 'ability' to include plugin parameters, but as other people have indicated, that doesn't necessarily mean that they will be compatible with the NLE or DAW you are importing the AAF from or exporting to.

The main function you should be able to rely on is transporting your media, and the way it is layed out on your timeline, with volume and pan information, to and from other software.

Steve
doctorfish wrote on 4/18/2005, 4:57 AM
Thanks for the reply Steve. That's what I was hoping for. I'll to download the trial and see how it works in practice.

Dave
newhope wrote on 4/18/2005, 7:36 PM
Vegas 6.0 does allow you to embed audio files into the AAF in one of the versions of this format.

Though at present I'm experiencing some problems getting volume information... mix automation... to be transferred in the AAF.
May be an operator error though LOL

Steve
H2000 wrote on 4/18/2005, 7:49 PM
I would think that would be where BWF comes in, as it would be the media of choice for exchanges with PT. Unfortunately, V6 apparently only imports BWF. It doesn't write them, which means using this method to go to a PT system would be limited at best.
doctorfish wrote on 4/18/2005, 10:16 PM
Only imports broadcast wave? Why only go halfway with a feature? For this to be of any use then I'd have to have the PT studio create the AAF file and send it to me (which is what I need at the moment anyway) but still it seems quite limiting if in fact Vegas 6 cannot write broadcast wave files so that I can export a projet to a PT studio. Or (not being too familiar with PT) would I even need to write broadcast wave files for the AAF file to be read properly by PT. If the AAF file contains information relative to track position and file placement and what not then perhaps broadcast wave is not necessary for export. Anyone know for sure?

And if I can at least import broadcast wave files into Vegas, will Vegas then be able to position these at the correct places on the timeline so that (albeit a very cumbersome method) I'd be able to recreate a PT project's timeline by dragging broadcast wave files to tracks and using the embedded timecode information to place it in the proper place?

Seems like Cubino soft (if it's still around, couldn't find it with a quick google search) might still be a better choice though as most of the PT studios I deal with are small PTLE operations who can't afford the $995 pricetag for Digidesign's DVToolkit. If so then I may skip this "upgrade" as there aren't any other "new" features I really need.

I downloaded the demo but haven't installed it yet. I'll put it through a few paces before I make a final decision but it isn't looking good.

Thanks for the responses.

Dave
newhope wrote on 4/18/2005, 11:53 PM
The answer from Sony on going half way was it would increase the cost of Vegas due to licencing to be able to write BWF.
If your files are BWF then AAF will keep them that way but BWF isn't necessary if you want to to send back to PT or other NLEs. AAF will give you track and timeline position info so the media will be at the same timeline points when opened. PT accepts a range of audio media formats including AIFF, WAV. MP3 etc.
In fact it uses WAV as the suffix for it's broadcast wave files and I have never had problems playing a PT broadcast wave in Vegas 5.0 as long as the suffix was .wav and not .bwf. Though I haven't tried to use the embedded timecode signal for sync.
As for EDL Convert Pro from Ciubono soft here's the URL
http://www.cuibono-soft.com/home.html
Their software will do a direct conversion from PT 5.0 session files, which the current PT 6.x will save as, into Vegas via Vegas script which Cui bono supplies wih the EDL Convert program. It also has an audio toll to convert audio between various formats including BWF.

I've been working on a project for Disney Australia, a series of 50 half hour pprograms the Disney Channel, using a PT LE system where we were transfering files around as AIFF with embedded timecode between AVIDS and the PT LE system.

Because of compatibility with the older AVIDS AIFF was the audio format of choice. I saved a few PT 6.4 sessions as PT 5.0 on the on the Mac 002 LE system and brought the home ran them through EDL Convert on my PC and converted them to Vegas script.
Voila all the tracks, volume and pan information from the mix and the pictures (single 16x9 QT video track) in sync and playable on Vegas 5.0.

I have bought Vegas 6.0 for some of the other benefits but I think there are a few bugs in AAF (see other AAF threads) that are still to be ironed out in Vegas. I do hope it works as advertised as I would prefer it but am happy to keep using EDL Convert in the mean time.

Steve
doctorfish wrote on 4/19/2005, 1:59 AM
Thanks for the information, Steve. I hadn't been aware the broadcast wave files required licensing. Encouraging information on using the time information in broadcast waves for file placement on a track. I'll have to give the demo a try and see how it works in practice.

I hadn't heard too from anyone who'd used EDL convert but good to hear that it works well. Got a few options before me then on wheather to upgrade to 6 for the broadcast wave support or get EDL convert for essentially the same functionality.

Thanks

Dave
newhope wrote on 4/19/2005, 2:22 AM
"Though I haven't tried to use the embedded timecode signal for sync."
That should have read embedded timecode metadata.

Steve