XDCAM-EX Device Explorer Import - Index-file?

fausseplanete wrote on 12/9/2009, 2:08 AM
Sony Vegas 9:

When importing native XDCAM-EX via Device Explorer (as per my post at the end of http://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/24/894660), it takes ages, presumably scanning/indexing the MP4 "essence" media to make it more editable. In that case, where does it store the result? I can't see any additional files afterwards.

It would be useful to know e.g. when transferring between systems or archiving or migrating to another project, because it takes so much time to import from scratch.

Comments

farss wrote on 12/9/2009, 2:28 AM
It actually copies the files, took me a while to fathom that one.
Somewhere Vegas does let you define where it copies them to. Sorry but my V9 PC is capturing at the moment or I'd find it for you. I haven't bothered with Device Explorer in ages because it does nothing i.e. it does not join split files so it's better and quicker to use the Clipbrowser and export to MXF.

Bob.

[edit]

After you've selected the source (cards or folder) in the left hand pane then RCLick the location to open a dialog box that lets you specify the location the files will be copied to.
fausseplanete wrote on 12/9/2009, 3:00 AM
Thanks Bob, in that case there's an extra reason for knowing where it's going - so I can show it the way to the RAID (not the system disk, which I guess might be the default).

I had a look in Options but all I could find was the temporary files location. However browsing around that kind of area I found the log file for Device Explorer. I don't know what "SmpteDrop" means (and I'm using straight 25fps PAL media and project, not any kind of drop frame conversion) but I do know "ERROR" doesn't fill me with confidence! Didn't see Vegas warn me of anything when I did it, either. Wonder whether it matters, but uncertainty breeds concern.

I will follow your example and carry on using ClipBrowser instead.

<<<
2009-11-20 00:13:03,250 [1] FATAL Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - UI thread had an unhandled exception!
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.UIMainForm.toolBar1_ButtonClick(Object sender, ToolBarButtonClickEventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar.OnButtonClick(ToolBarButtonClickEventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar.WmReflectCommand(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ToolBar.WndProc(Message& m)
at Sony.MediaSoftware.Controls.ToolBar.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
2009-11-20 00:53:43,984 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteEBU
2009-11-20 00:53:58,781 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteEBU
2009-11-24 17:45:39,187 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
2009-11-24 17:46:06,734 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteEBU
2009-11-24 17:46:14,828 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
2009-11-24 17:51:22,125 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteEBU
2009-11-25 02:59:00,687 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
2009-11-25 02:59:08,515 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
2009-11-25 03:03:50,562 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteEBU
2009-12-09 09:15:18,187 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
2009-12-09 09:15:24,937 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
2009-12-09 10:00:03,062 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteEBU
2009-12-09 10:10:18,359 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
2009-12-09 10:10:22,609 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
2009-12-09 10:14:47,062 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
2009-12-09 10:15:15,125 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
2009-12-09 10:43:43,953 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
2009-12-09 10:43:44,078 [1] ERROR Sony.MediaSoftware.DeviceExp.Controller [(null)] - SmpteDrop
>>>
farss wrote on 12/9/2009, 3:44 AM
I just tried "importing" all the cards from my last shoot just to see what if any improvements V9.0c had made.
This time I set the destination folder to my RAID0 drive so the following may have been influenced by that.

1) It does seem faster than V9.0b.
2) It still does not merge the clip files. So using Clipbrowser I had 6 MXF files for the whole concert to wrange, that's one file for each time I hit record. On the other hand using V9 I got 20 mp4 files.Also the file names very long as the include the original file name AND the date/timestamp
3) Not only does Vegas copy the files, it builds the sfk files as soon as the copy of a card finishes. This slows down copying the next card. I suspect using a RAID0 drive helped with this.
4) If a clip spans cards Vegas fails to join the split clip. Last time I checked if you butt the files on the T/L you get a glitch. Using the Clipbrowser to join the two fragments avoids the glitch.
5) Vegas copies not only the mp4 file but also the XML file and creates a sfk file, that's a total of 60 files for my concert! I have no idea what it does with the XML file, I guess it's nice that I can open it and see the serial number of my camera. It'd be so much nicer if Vegas did something with the metadata. They did it for the XDCAM Explorer.

My EX1 is now a few weeks shy of it's second birthday and still no real support for it in Vegas. In the same time Sony have revised the camera and added an "r" to the end of the model number.

Looking at your log file those "ERROR" messages are a worry, seems to have something to do with droped frame TC.

Bob.