rendering XDCAM EX mp4

MCS wrote on 4/30/2010, 10:47 AM

I see that the latest version of Vegas will render XDCAM EX----just wondering if someone could clarify what this actually is.
I shoot on EX---- I created a 1920x1080 25fps (pal) project... imported the EX material no problem as Vegas now sees the files natively. I then rendered using the XDCAM EX Mp4 setting ---it created an MP4 file---but when I go to open this file with quicktime it says there is 'invalid material' in the file. Is this because its meant to be opened with a specific program...or imported directly to an NLE system?
Essentially what I am looking for is to figure out a way to deliver an HD project to a client and I'd rather not use M2T as it seems to convert it to HDV 1440x1080----- I want to deliver the full HD edit even if its just a 'file' I want to use a format that preserves the HD.
Thanks!

Comments

megabit wrote on 4/30/2010, 10:57 AM

XDCAM EX's mp4 "format" is just a container (or wrapper) for the old, good MPEG-2.

You can use the EX mp4 for importing back to XDCAM EX media using the ClipBrowser "import" function.

You can use ClipBrowser export this mp4 format into mxf, or - if you're after mov - you can use Mac's Log&Transfer...

But why would you want to do that, if you can encode straight to your required format?

MCS wrote on 4/30/2010, 1:56 PM

when I open clipbrowser it doesn't 'see' or identify the file as XDCAM EX format. Thats the first thing i tried...to see if i could pick it up in clipbrowser but it doesn't 'see' it therefore I can't import it..
since i sent the message i see that Vegas was able to import it as is back into a project...so i am assuming that the AVID's or FCP will do the same? So in other words if I give my client this 'mp4' file their NLE should import it and see it as HD...no?

megabit wrote on 4/30/2010, 2:02 PM

Did you try to use ClipBrowser "Import" function, and only then navigate to those mp4?

ClipBrowser will not recognize them without importing, whereby it rebuilds all the BPAV directory structure!

MCS wrote on 4/30/2010, 2:40 PM

that worked! great! I've been sending my client the bpav/mp4 files which they then use to do the edit....meaning...they can obviously ingest to their NLE... but this is great...because it give me the option to Edit the material myself...and just send them the final product ...edited...but in the same format. And obviously the quality is the same as if it came right out of the EX.... there were a couple of blocky-glitch type things...but that was more a result of the original edit...
if indeed this proves to be a viable workflow it will save me a huge headache...
many thanks for your excellent advice/support!

farss wrote on 4/30/2010, 3:38 PM

" And obviously the quality is the same as if it came right out of the EX.... there were a couple of blocky-glitch type things...but that was more a result of the original edit..."

The quality will not be the same. MPEG-2 is a lossy codec. It will be the same if Vegas smart renders the footage. It's almost inevitable that some parts of an edit will not be smart sampled and have to be rerendered. Some quick tests I ran in V9.0b revealed some nasty things happening when Vegas does render 35mbps HQ at 29.970. Check what you end up with very carefully, frame by frame. I'm seeing duplicated frame. The only thing I haven't had time to go back and check is if this is due to DF/NDF timecode although as Vegas doesn't really use TC I'm inclined to doubt it.

Aside from that though the loss of image fidelty doing a second generation render of well shot, low noise footage is fairly minor and the convenience and smallish file size would win over the small loss of image fidelty in most situations.

Bob.

MCS wrote on 4/30/2010, 4:40 PM

thanks for clarifying----- i had not heard of Vegas smart rendering ..although I am just getting started with this after years on Avid.
given im trying to deliver as close to full HD from my EX material editied on Vegas 9d... do you have any advice recommendations for delivering a project---again---it doesn't matter if its a file---i.e. i don't necessarily have to burn to blu-ray---just need to give them a file they can 'import' to a NLE ----usually in the 6 to 8 minute range.
Thanks!

Malcolm D wrote on 4/30/2010, 5:40 PM

Why not deliver in MXF HD4.2.2 50Mb (1920x1080)?
Still MPEG2 but a higher bit rate and imports into FCP and most other NLE's.
Works for me.

Malcolm

farss wrote on 4/30/2010, 5:51 PM

That's quite a good suggestion.
If file size is no problem then the Sony YUV codec is very good. As far as I can see it is the same as the BMD codec and so far I've not had any issue with it opening on a Mac. For EX footage the 8 bit variant should be all you need. I must stress again that file size is quite large however as this is an "I" frame only codec losses are as good as it gets without going to uncompressed and the HUGE file sizes that involves.

Bob.

MCS wrote on 5/1/2010, 9:20 AM

thanks for these suggestions..
I was able to find the codec you refer to...
it doesn't appear as though I can go 8 bit---only 16 or 32...i chose 16.
i chose: 'use project settings' for quality...as opposed to 'good' or 'best'... ???
I encoded same file as the one I did under the XDCAM EX settings and it came out...as expected....about 300mb larger.
I will send these all off for testing..
Thanks!