Safe Camera to PC transfer workflow? (NAB 16Video)

VMP wrote on 4/21/2016, 6:45 PM

In this (NAB2016) video @5:36 they talk about a software called Shotput Pro:
Windows: http://www.imagineproducts.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=33

They use that to download the footage from their camera and it CHECKS the downloaded footage for errors.

I use Sony Content Management Utility (CMU) for my Sony NXCAM, it (converts/joins), renames (by date) the footage and downloads it to my PC.
But I have no idea if CMU checks and compares the files for error after download (checksum).

I do have a synch software which can compare data on two directories, but I think that wouldn't work because the files on the camera SD card are different after CMU
has transferrred it to my PC. Right?

So how could one check if the footages are transferred fully?

Usually I transfer the footage with CMU then format the SD, but now I am thinking I must backup the SD itself too?

This Sony CMU says 'Support Checksum Archive' (no idea what they mean by that)
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/contentmanager

But that is not the version I am using this one V.2.1
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/cmu

Update:
I have just compared the SD card and the downloaded files.
Luckily CMU doesn't change the quality/file structure of the footage.

What it does change is:
Extension: from MTS to m2ts
File name: 00052.MTS to 20151010203443.m2ts (the date of recording very handy, the other software doesn't do that!)
And sometimes the total file size, when the footage is broken into two SD cards CMU joins the clips.

This will make it quite difficult for a file checking software to compare the files.

Looking forward to hearing from you guys.

VMP

Comments

set wrote on 4/21/2016, 10:12 PM

I use Playmemories for AVCHD or Catalyst Browser for XDCAM (X70 codec), and so far so good, never had any error issue.

JackW wrote on 4/22/2016, 12:00 AM

Been using CMU since I purchased my NX5U two years ago. No problems that I'm aware of although as you note, no way to file check/compare.

Jack

VMP wrote on 4/22/2016, 12:09 AM

I have been using CMU for my NX5 too Jack.

So far I can't recall any errors too, but I did have some drops in a clip once, but because I didn't have the original SD card content anymore I am not sure if that was a CMU transfer issue.

The SD cards are all class 10 so that should be fine too.

VMP

PeterDuke wrote on 4/22/2016, 1:12 AM

Transferring files from camera SD card to computer disk is a purely digital process which should be as error free as any other file copy within a computer. If a glitch occurred within the camera during recording, that is another matter.

Sony Play Memories Home (and its predecessor PMB) does a simple file copy from card to computer, and renames the file according to shooting date and time. The extension is changed from .MTS to .m2ts. Files belonging to the same scene that had been split due to the 2 GB signed 32 bit integer limit of the file system are concatenated into a single file. (Note that Panasonic files have a 4 GB unsigned 32 bit integer limit.)

Apps that cleanup video, such as VideoReDo may delete any PGS text stream and embedded info within the video stream. This may or may not be important to you.

My guess is that you don't need the software that you have identified to clean up the file, but I consider any app that concatenates split scenes and renames files to shooting date and time to be most valuable.

VMP wrote on 4/22/2016, 1:22 AM

Thanks Peter Duke for your input.

Would you rather use Sony Play Memories rather than Sony Content Management Utility (CMU)?
CMU sounds more targeted toward PRO users than 'Sony Play Memories'?

I am not sure which one is more advanced and newer.
Content Management Utility is last updated on Nov. 7, 2012
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/cmu

Sony Content Browser 2 seems to be its successor.
http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/contentbrowser

Content Browser 2 updated on Feb. 16, 2016

It does cost 18,95€

VMP

farss wrote on 4/22/2016, 1:58 AM

[I]" Usually I transfer the footage with CMU then format the SD, but now I am thinking I must backup the SD itself too?"[/I]

Absolutely.
It's my standard way of offloading as well. First I backup the card(s) to two devices and then use whatever software to convert/join/transfer them ready for Vegas. This isn't just paranoia on my part. Many times we get frantic phone calls fro crews that have rented our cameras asking "Have you cleared the cards yet?" In one case we had but they still bought the card off us and then paid a recovery service to get the data back.

The worst tale of woe was on an overseas shoot. The director had asked to preview certain shots / takes and to do that the shots were offloaded using FCP. Then without thinking the crew formatted the cards so they could be reused. This was only discovered during the edit when the director asked "Whare's all the other shots/takes?".

A quite common issue is someone uses one piece of software to "log & transfer" but that produced files that the editor's system cannot read. We used to use Shotput Pro when it first came out. It worked as advertised but I have to say I found it's workflow a bit quirky compared to just using Windows Explorer. It's probably improved in the latest versions.

Bob.

VMP wrote on 4/22/2016, 4:03 AM

Thanks Bob, will do that from now onwards.

VMP

PeterDuke wrote on 4/22/2016, 7:25 PM

VMP

I think your assessments are correct. I have no experience with these products, so I have to guess too. I think as you do that they are for pro cameras, and Play Memories Home is for consumer cameras. The former are by Sony Creative Software, while PMH is apparently by another division of Sony.

On the Content Management Utility page it says: "This application is being replaced by Content Browser, however the above 3D video related functions are not supported with Content Browser version 1.0."

This product probably only works with supported Sony products, and comes free with them. The download is only an update.

The Content Browser is available for purchase if not supplied free, so may work with other cameras. There is a trial version, so I will give it a try.

On the Content Browser page it says: "Catalyst Browse software is now available. This free software handles many of the functions of Content Browser and more."

I will also have a look at Catalyst Browse.

PeterDuke wrote on 4/22/2016, 7:30 PM

I only shoot AVCHD. Once I have transferred my videos, I discard the card structures and reuse the cards. All metadata such as shooting date and time, camera settings, etc. is contained in the video files, and may be viewed with say DVMP Pro.

VMP wrote on 4/22/2016, 8:10 PM

Peter, I think Catalyst browse would be the best latest software for our HXR NX5.

I didn't know that browse was free!

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/catalystbrowse

Have you tried it? I have downloaded it, but I am currently in the middle of backing up my system so I can only try it after that. I am curious about its compatibility with the NX5.

VMP

PeterDuke wrote on 4/23/2016, 4:58 AM

I have just tried it with Panasonic and Sony AVCHD files.

In both cases, it recognized split scenes and displayed them as one entity. Also in both cases, exporting the grouped scene hung at 99%. The resultant Sony file was missing the second last frame. The Panny was also slightly short but would not load into Vegas, although it played with a couple of players. Also, the Panny scene could not be viewed inside Browse.

The exported file name is that of shooting time and date in both cases.

Sighhh!! I had hopes for a good tool to transfer and concatenate split scene Panny AVCHD, since Panasonic does not supply one. (I contacted them and they told me to use a third party utility, but did not say what.)

Content Browser did not recognize AVCHD file structure, whether Sony or Panasonic.

VMP wrote on 4/23/2016, 5:14 AM

Thanks for reporting that Peter.

Hm! That doesen't sound good, I wonder what would be causing that.
Hardware, Gpu, Driver, or the software itself.

I didn't expect that from Content browse too.
Which version did you use? The payed version 2 too? You can download the trial here: http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/contentbrowser

Better try it before spending $.

If Content Browse V.2 doesen't work too then we are stuck with CMU.

I'm still in the middle of backupping.

VMP

PeterDuke wrote on 4/23/2016, 7:17 PM

I don't have a suitable GPU so it was not used.

I was using v 2.4.1 of Content Browser trial.

Note that I have only tried AVCHD progressive (1920x1080, 50p, 25/26 Mbps). Other formats may work better.