CompactFlash to HDCAM, HDCAM SR, DVCProHD, etc
 

Dan Keaton and I are investigating the possibility of seeding the Flash XDR into several tape duplication / post production facilities around the country (and eventually around the world). These facilities would offer the service of converting QT or MXF files generated from Flash XDR / nanoFlash to HDCAM SR, HDCAM, DVCProHD, or Optical Disk (XDCAM HD).

So when you have a completed project for the Animal Planet (which only accepts HDCAM SR), you will no longer need to rent such an expensive deck. Merely output the project via HD-SDI from your NLE back into the XDR/nano and record at 100Mbps (Long-GOP) or 160 Mbps (I-Frame). Then drop the CF card(s) in an FedX overnight envelope to the dub house.

The dub house can then create a tape or disk in the format required by your client (TV station, network, etc) and drop-ship the media directly to the client. All the tape deck rental and hassles are eliminated and the CF cards are very cheap to ship.

I suspect the same concept may apply for CF to film transfers. Also, if the files are not too large, you may be able to FTP directly to the dub house.

Anyway, we wanted to solicit your feedback on this concept.

Thanks-

opposite thought
 

We tried another way to use flash xdr.

Because we have no HD portable recorder connect to our NLE,so we use flash xdr connect to HD-SDI-OUT of a HD recorder out of our offiice,and recorded some source from HD&DIGITAL BETACAM tapes,It's easy and quick.If i just wanna copy some materials from post production house and back home to keep working with my NLE.I still get the 4:2:2 signals,and work easy.
I think it's would be a kind of another workflow.

Seems like a smart idea Mike. You need the studio deck version of FlashXDR that Dan and I were talking about so we can put it in the rack.

Hi Michael-
I agree that the rack mount studio deck would be ideal, but even the current Flash XDR/nanoFlash could be used today.

Cheers-

If you send, free of charge, the converter programs for QT <> MXF, to any post house, TV station, production company, etc., that asks for it, the use of your product will increase and so will our use of the XDR thus enlarging the demand for the recorder.

You could also have the program available so we could send it on one of the flash cards or other media when we send files to clients.


Cheers,
Scott

Hi Scott-
Good suggestion. We plan to make the QT <-> MXF converter free of charge to everyone. We will have both PC and MAC versions available for download from our website.

Tommy, our software engineer, was able to convert a QT to MXF file this week, which played in Sony Vegas. He will be debugging the other direction next week.

Yes, I agree, it would be ideal if we can support the transfer of files via Blu-Ray disk, for example, as it would eliminate the need to return the media. We will discuss this possibility in the coming week.

Best

Hi Jerry-
I agree, this is a viable workflow. Maybe we rename the XDR and nano as "personal" video recorders, since you can basically carry them wherever you go!

Best-