Help with nanoFlash playback on PC
 

I have a nano and use it for location acquisition (I don't do post) as an alternative for DVC-Pro tape in my HDX900s (and SDX900 in the future) cameras. At the end of a shoot, I plan to transfer the files from the CF cards and hand the tapes (DVC-Pro tape recorded in the camera as backups) to my client.

Transferring the files is no problem, but if I record in MOV, apparently, I can't play those files back on a PC... unless I use the MOV - MXF conversion utility on a Mac. Is that correct?

Obviously, I don't want to buy a Mac just to be able to check the MOV files before handing them to my client. And I don't want to record MXF if the client is using FCP. That just requires one more step for them or me to convert the files to MOV after checking them with the XDCAM player.

Am I missing something? Is there a way to play the MOV files on a PC?

And speaking of the MXF players, I tried the XDCAM viewer and the VLC viewer and the footage plays inconsistently (pauses, starts, jumps). I have tried both players on three Windows machines (two XP 32 bit machines and one Vista 64 bit)... same result on all computers. Once in a while, a clip will play all the way thru without errors.

FYI... the footage was recorded 1080i60 at 100Mb Long GOP and plays back flawlessly from the nano.

Any answers to the above issues would be appreciated!

Yes. At this time, our free utility to convert ".mov" files to ".mxf" files is a Mac based program.

Are you playing from the CompactFlash card, or are you copying the file to a hard drive?

Is the hard drive a SATA hard drive, or is it attached as an external hard drive to your computer as a USB or Firewire drive?

If you are playing from the CompactFlash card, are you using a Firewire 400 or better CompactFlash card reader? The faster the card reader the better.

I am copying the files to an internal hard drive in each case. I don't think any of the drives are SATA. Although all of the computers are all fairly fast systems (the Vista is a 64 bit dual quad core), none have been designed specifically for video.

Here's another little wrinkle. These files played seamlessly on two Macbooks that belonged to friends. They opened as expected in Quicktime... bada bing!

I took the same files to another friend's house, where she tried to play them in QT on her iMacs and she got the same warning as I get when trying to play them in QT on my PCs. One of those systems has FCP and that couldn't play the files either. I'm sure it's the version of QT or FCP or something simple, but I'm at a bit of a loss.

Dear Steve,

One of the requirements is Version 6.0.4 or higher of Final Cut Pro, if you are using Final Cut Pro or Quicktime Player to play the files.

Note: Quicktime Player by itself, without FCP 6.0.4 or higher installed on the same computer, will not play our files, or XDCam 4:2:2 files.

Thanks, Dan. That solves the mystery of those Mac issues!

I don't foresee that being an issue, generally. Most FCP users are going to have the latest updates. This particular user NEVER connects her newest iMac with FCP to the internet because of fear of viruses. The other iMac doesn't have FCP installed.

I guess I'll just have to get used to taking that leap of faith when copying files for my clients. As long as the files play back OK from the nano, the transfer should be be OK too. Having enough CF cards to keep the files until they are verified by the client is probably prudent, if possible. And fortunately, my camera records to tape simultaneously.

So far, I love the nanoFlash. You guys have done a great job and I sure appreciate all your efforts. I have other questions, but I'll post them in the appropriate threads.

Maybe I should ask another of my questions here... possibly a logical connection to the above.

If I want to be able to verify MOV nano files on a PC before handing them over to a client, I could use one of the 3rd party software choices listed, right? I have looked at those and it isn't exactly clear which I should be using. Any direction here?

Dear Steve,

As much as I would like to help, I am not personally aware of any software that allows Quicktime files using XDCam 50 Mbps 4:2:2 @ HL (High Level) footage, or our 4:2:2 footage, to be played on the PC.

It may exist but I am not aware of it.

Please note that software that works with XDCAM EX, 35 Mbps, 4:2:0 on a PC is widely available.

Just to be clear, we typically recommend recording in ".MXF" if one is going to edit on a PC, but this is not your situation.

Hi Dan... not meaning to be disagreeable, but near the bottom of page 18 of the nanoFlash manual...

"On the PC, 3rd party software such as Calibrated Software is required to play Quicktime files."

See my confusion? I don't know how to interpret this any other way. Is this a misprint? If the short answer is that playing QT files on a PC just isn't going to happen, I accept that and will move on. I just want to be sure since most of my clients will be wanting MOV files.

Dear Steve,

Yes, the manual is correct, you can use Calibrated Software to play our Quicktime files on a PC.

I am sorry that I overlooked it in my response to your question. I have not personally used Calibrated Software on my computer, but we have used it at our main office.

Please be advised that this solution requires a high end, high performance computer, if you are going to use it for editing.