Question about Device Explorer vs Clip Browser

YesMaestro wrote on 6/7/2010, 6:31 AM

I filmed a dance recital this past weekend with my EX1. I opened up one of the cards in Clip Browser and it showed the one clip that I shot. I then accessed the card with Device Explorer. The one clip was now 4 clips.

What is the reason for that? Is there an advantage to that rather than using Clip Browser to export an mxf? Thanks.

Paul

Comments

megabit wrote on 6/7/2010, 7:09 AM

Are you sure your description is accurate?

Due to the SxS card being FAT32, each take is saved in several files not exceeding 4 GB limit. This is why your single take is seen as 4 clips by Device Explorer.

But exactly the same should bee seen by CB - unless you have copied all 4 files (comprising the single take) into a single folder; doing so the Clip Browser would merge them back into a single file per take - regardless of it length (provided of course the common directory is on a non-FAT disk, like your NTFS HDD for example).

Dave_OnSet wrote on 6/7/2010, 8:13 AM

When you've continuously recorded on an SxS card, Clip Browser shows only one thumbnail for each camera start, whereas Device Explorer shows each file recorded. As indicated previously, because of potential file size limits, the EX camera creates a new file group each time you get to the 4GB limit.
Clip Browser automatically combines the files on the card that were all part of the same take when making MXF's.
Take a look at the various file names in Device Explorer and you'll see the same basic file number with _1 or _2 or _3 or _4 at the end of the file number. In clip browser there will be no 'clip number' shown when the thumbnail represents multiple clips.
Personally, I normally make MXF's because I can then use the (free) PDZ-10 MXF player to view the footage (which is the best computer playback system I've found anywhere in terms of picture quality and ease of use), and because within my workflow, I feel I have better contruol over where I am keeping all my data in the long run.

YesMaestro wrote on 6/7/2010, 9:41 AM

Ok, now it makes sense. I didn't realize that the cards were FAT32. I just looked in the CLPR folder and saw the 4 clips there. I always use Clip Browser to export mxfs but decided to try out Device Explorer and saw the difference. Thanks for the heads up.

Paul

farss wrote on 6/7/2010, 3:13 PM

Just be aware that if you have a clip that spans cards then you most likely still need to use the ClipBrowser to join all the bits and then export to MXF for NLE. Last time I checked Vegas still has issues in this area with Device Explorer.

Bob.