XDCAM Avid Media Composer Workflow trouble
by Mike_V
on
Jul 5, 2007 at 12:56:29 pm
Hi all,
We have a serious XDCAM workflow problem that I'd be grateful to take advice on if you can help us!
Editing on Avid Media Composer 2.7 with Adrenalin.
Importing and viewing XDCAM to Avid progressive or interlace projects is usually fine. Although sometimes playback is a problem as it says 'Illegal Uncompressed Locate Buffer'. Transcoding the clips to DNx HD 185 or 120 makes the clips viewable.
However this only works in an interlace project even though the source is progressively shot. It seems that if we attempt to use any xdcam footage in a progressive project Avid doesn't like it. It will play, but as soon as you transcode or export the clip or timeline in any format (other than windows media .wmv files for some reason) avid brings up a critical error. Further, once an XD clip has been transcoded in a progressive project the image is duplicated horizontally, theres two squeezed copies of the original in one screen! Avid lets you export this, but thats not what we want obviously.
The odd thing is that when the clip is transitioned into another clip, during the transition the image returns to how it should be, and then goes back to split screen duplicate after the transition! Exporting this only works if the XD is transcoded, but of course if you transcode it you get the split screen duplicate problem, and i've tried all the available transcode settings.
We work with HDCAM, XDCAM, P2, and HDV media, and because HDCAM is 125 bit rate, we use the next available bit rate of 185 so as not to lose quality, this means that all other material has to be upscaled to 185, which for XDCAM is excessive since its native bit rate is 35mbps.
Its a big mystery. Any help would be appreciated!
Also, XD material never plays in the client preview monitor.
Re: XDCAM Avid Media Composer Workflow trouble by krspivey on Jul 6, 2007 at 12:24:11 am
Mike,
I work with XDCAM HD and MC 2.7 every day and have had lots of trouble with the workflow. I have a few questions and one suggestion:
1. Is the problem with all video or just with the stuff that was shot off-speed?
2. Are you bringing the footage in thru the Adrenaline box or FAM thru firewire.
3. Have you tried doing a video mixdown before exporting? I have solved a myriad of problems with my system by allowing Avid to create a new piece of video media before trying to output it.
I am working an HD project now that was shot 30p at 1080 / 35mps and it combines beautifully with all my SD 30i archive footage - both Beta and HDV. I have yet to conquer seamless integration with 23.9, but are not experiencing your problems.
Re: XDCAM Avid Media Composer Workflow trouble by Mike_V on Jul 18, 2007 at 1:39:27 pm
Hi,
Thanks for replying. I really want to get to the bottom of why Avid does this.
1. I'm using 25p and 50i footage at the moment, although I've heard the camera operators have started using 30p and 59.94i also, I've yet to get any of this footage to test with.
2. I'm bringing in the XD footage via firewire /FAM, rather than the adrenaline, there's only one firewire 400 1394 port on the adrenaline and that needs to be connected to the PC. Do you think its better capturing through HD SDI from the camera to adrenaline, and 1394 to pc? rather than 1394 direct to pc from camera?
3. I've tried transcoding from within a project, I think it has no problem if the project is interlaced and transcoded but it doesn't like anything else.
Any advice much appreciated as soon as poss,
cheers
Mike
