Vegas Pro Doesn't 'see' Sony PXW-X70

CeeDee1947 wrote on 9/28/2014, 10:35 AM
I have purchased a Sony PXW-X70 which as far as I can see performs very well indeed with th etest footage I have shot. But how do you get the XAVC quality footage into Vegas Pro 12? (I am familiar with the concept of working with proxy files in the edit and expecting VP12 to render from the orgiginal footage. However, my PC 'sees' the PXW-X70 when it is plugged in as a pair of Win 7 files: 'AVF-INF' and 'PRIVATE': when I open Device Explorer (as suggested by VP12 HELP) it cannot see any 'device'. Anyone any ideas on this one?

Comments

Former user wrote on 9/28/2014, 10:37 AM
Did you plug in the camera before you booted Vegas?
It will not see it if you do that.

Otherwise, I don't know about that specific camera.

See my new post below. I worded this wrong, you should plug the camera in BEFORE you boot vegas.
CeeDee1947 wrote on 9/28/2014, 10:51 AM
I tried your suggestion Dave but VP12's Device Explorer reports 'no device connected'.
Former user wrote on 9/28/2014, 11:06 AM
Actually I worded it wrong. You should plug the camera in before you boot vegas. I guess you tried that as well. Sorry, I typed it too fast.
Lovelight wrote on 9/28/2014, 11:19 AM
Install the software disc or directed dload for the cam and it should work.
[r]Evolution wrote on 9/28/2014, 12:35 PM
I've been researching this camera.

Possible to upload a (30 sec or so) raw clip from the PXW-X70 to dropbox or similar online repository?
CeeDee1947 wrote on 9/28/2014, 1:43 PM
Of which software disc do you refer? The only one that comes with the PXW-X70 is full of PDF copies of the manual. Cheers
videoITguy wrote on 9/28/2014, 1:56 PM
Uncertain what you are trying to do - see the camera? _ It should not! The memory card should be inserted in a reader in your PC - then you have software from Sony like Catalyst Prepare or other download that you use to organize and see the file structure - then export to your NLE.
CeeDee1947 wrote on 9/28/2014, 2:00 PM
No not see the camera videoITguy, but at least recognise the folder or files to be imported. I copied the file structures from the card onto the PC desktop to see if that would help matters. But VP12 Device Explorer doesn't see hardware or software! Where can 'Catalyst Prepare' be found?
videoITguy wrote on 9/28/2014, 3:21 PM
You are to visit the Sony support website - not the store- and look for support items for your camera....

Catalyst Prepare is a product of SCS (a division of Sony) and can be found to on this website.
OldSmoke wrote on 9/28/2014, 3:53 PM
Have you tried Sony's XDCAm viewer? Sony Vegas Device Explorer doesn't even "see" my AX100.

Proud owner of Sony Vegas Pro 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 and now Magix VP15&16.

System Spec.:
Motherboard: ASUS X299 Prime-A

Ram: G.Skill 4x8GB DDR4 2666 XMP

CPU: i7-9800x @ 4.6GHz (custom water cooling system)
GPU: 1x AMD Vega Pro Frontier Edition (water cooled)
Hard drives: System Samsung 970Pro NVME, AV-Projects 1TB (4x Intel P7600 512GB VROC), 4x 2.5" Hotswap bays, 1x 3.5" Hotswap Bay, 1x LG BluRay Burner

PSU: Corsair 1200W
Monitor: 2x Dell Ultrasharp U2713HM (2560x1440)

johnmeyer wrote on 9/28/2014, 4:22 PM
Catalyst Prepare is a product of SCS (a division of Sony) and can be found to on this website.That isn't quite correct. It will be available on this website, but not until sometime next month. There is currently no place you can go to download it.
CeeDee1947 wrote on 9/29/2014, 2:57 PM
Just to add fuel to the fire; this is what I found on the UK SCS website:

"It's just as easy to work with XAVC and XAVCS footage in Vegas Pro 12 as it is to work with any other footage. First, you need to pull you video clips off of the camera and into your project. To do so, connect your camera or card reader to your computer via a USB connection and then choose 'View / Device Explorer'. Your camera or reader appears in the Device Explorer's device list. Click to select the device and the thumbnails of the clips on your card appear. "

Trouble is...it doesn't!
videoITguy wrote on 9/29/2014, 8:17 PM
I think what you are quoting is marketing copy, CeeDee, never written by an actual tech of Sony, but rather a contractor hired for promo.
In my opinion this concept has never worked like that, and if it did , that would be a first.
Now disclaimer, I have used other camera tech, and not what you bought. I have given you the clues of how it is supposed to work.
OldSmoke wrote on 9/29/2014, 8:59 PM
@CeeDee

Correction to my earlier post. If I record in AVCHD the Vegas Device Explorer does see the camera and the clips on the card. However, MP4 in either 4K or 1080 are a no go which I assume has to do with the file and folder structure. Now the AX100 is not an XDCAM but the PXW-X70 is considered a XDCAM and maybe Sony's own XDAM viewer can see it and help importing the footage?

Proud owner of Sony Vegas Pro 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 and now Magix VP15&16.

System Spec.:
Motherboard: ASUS X299 Prime-A

Ram: G.Skill 4x8GB DDR4 2666 XMP

CPU: i7-9800x @ 4.6GHz (custom water cooling system)
GPU: 1x AMD Vega Pro Frontier Edition (water cooled)
Hard drives: System Samsung 970Pro NVME, AV-Projects 1TB (4x Intel P7600 512GB VROC), 4x 2.5" Hotswap bays, 1x 3.5" Hotswap Bay, 1x LG BluRay Burner

PSU: Corsair 1200W
Monitor: 2x Dell Ultrasharp U2713HM (2560x1440)

mountainman wrote on 9/29/2014, 9:06 PM
Hope Sony gets this sorted out. Been looking at the x70. But not if I can't import the footage. j
videoITguy wrote on 9/29/2014, 9:09 PM
Catalyst Prepare software in about 60 days scheduled. You are getting the camera prematurely before that period.
Rob Franks wrote on 9/29/2014, 10:03 PM
Your cam shows up as a removable drive in windows does it not? If that's the case then you shouldn't really need device explorer. You can either drag and drop to your HDD and the into vegas or direct drag from the windows explorer into vegas.

I have a little Sony PJ790 avchd cam and it doesn't show up in device explorer either. I just direct drag and drop from windows explorer.
MarkHolmes wrote on 9/30/2014, 7:36 PM
I just borrowed and used for a couple theatrical shows a Sony AX100, which shoots 4K XAVC-S. It didn't show up in Device Explorer, so I just opened up a Windows Explorer window and dragged and dropped the files in from the SD card.
Even at 4K, the XAVC-S files edited like 1080p.
mountainman wrote on 9/30/2014, 10:11 PM
If your using the x70 in the high bit rate mode it shoots in XAVC.- L. At the moment it appears that Vegas does not support this format. Really be nice if Sony dropped by to answer yes or no on whether Vegas will support. If not there is little reason for me to buy the x70. j
CeeDee1947 wrote on 10/8/2014, 3:49 PM
Here is one answer. The .MXF file is a wrapper containing a codec that SONY VEGAS does not recognize. For now, there is a free download called CATALYST VIEWER and a PAID edition. Both will transpose the files to a compatible codec. However, it is a 'dog and pony show' as you have to import individual files and wait for the conversion. No doubt there will be an UPDATE so as to import the new XAVC files.

SONY XDCAM VIEWER will not play the files either. SONY CATALYST will act as the main player for this CODEC.

I see by the above postings that people are confusing the AX-100 with the PXW X70. All of the codecs work in VEGAS with the 100.

The X-70 has a specific codec within the .MXF file which is not available in the 100. The X-70 is a more pro camera. 4K firmware update next spring as well.

SmilingTigerVideo wrote on 10/8/2014, 5:42 PM
I've been trying the Catalyst Browse "one file at a time" approach, and it's not working. I can seen the XAVC video, select it, choose the settings, hit export and NOTHING happens. No error. No message. No video.

It works with AVCHD, but no luck with XAVC. Anyone making this approach work consistently?
OldSmoke wrote on 10/8/2014, 6:09 PM
In Catalyst Browse, at the bottom right there is an icon called File, hit and hit transcode; you should see a progress bar on the top. Works with every file on my system.

Proud owner of Sony Vegas Pro 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 and now Magix VP15&16.

System Spec.:
Motherboard: ASUS X299 Prime-A

Ram: G.Skill 4x8GB DDR4 2666 XMP

CPU: i7-9800x @ 4.6GHz (custom water cooling system)
GPU: 1x AMD Vega Pro Frontier Edition (water cooled)
Hard drives: System Samsung 970Pro NVME, AV-Projects 1TB (4x Intel P7600 512GB VROC), 4x 2.5" Hotswap bays, 1x 3.5" Hotswap Bay, 1x LG BluRay Burner

PSU: Corsair 1200W
Monitor: 2x Dell Ultrasharp U2713HM (2560x1440)

videoITguy wrote on 10/8/2014, 6:16 PM
Catalyst Browse is meant to be light preview index system - but it does allow individual file transcode for the purpose of a strict selection choice. YOU will have to wait for Catalyst Prepare to be the heavy duty workflow tool. the version Browse is meant at this point to be rehearse and trial it sort of thing.

AND Browse does work for all the needed file types - be it installed on Mac or PC
GOCYCLE wrote on 10/10/2014, 3:43 PM
This looks like my Post in Corel as well.

"Here is one answer. The .MXF file is a wrapper containing a codec that SONY VEGAS does not recognize. For now, there is a free download called CATALYST VIEWER and a PAID edition. Both will transpose the files to a compatible codec. However, it is a 'dog and pony show' as you have to import individual files and wait for the conversion. No doubt there will be an UPDATE so as to import the new XAVC files.

SONY XDCAM VIEWER will not play the files either. SONY CATALYST will act as the main player for this CODEC.

I see by the above postings that people are confusing the AX-100 with the PXW X70. All of the codecs work in VEGAS with the 100.

The X-70 has a specific codec within the .MXF file which is not available in the 100. The X-70 is a more pro camera. 4K firmware update next spring as well."