File rewrapper still needed.

[Paul Steinberg]

There have been tons of useful new features that have been added to the Nanoflash recorder since I purchased one but one problem I've had since day-one has been the OS dependency of the primary file formats, MXF and MOV. I understand that MXF would be the easiest format to use as it is well supported on PC and there is an import tool for Final Cut but many Final Cut editors seem disinterested in using it and instead request MOV files that can only be viewed on a Mac with Final Cut installed, something that creates a huge hassle for producer/directors who would like to screen the footage on their PC's.

Back in February I started this thread "http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/converge...r-utility.html" to see if it would be possible to get some sort of rewrapping utility that would run either inside the Nanoflash or on both Mac and PC operating systems. Since the video inside the files remains unchanged you should be able to wrap and re-wrap without any degradation to the image. If the utility were to run on the Nanoflash itself it would get rid of the need to write and update separate PC and Mac software.

This is an issue for anyone who doesn't work inside a closed production environment and it's been an issue since the device rolled out the door. I just wanted to see if any progress has been made on it.

Thanks in advance,

[Ryan Johnson]

Hello, Paul. We have considered adding a rewrapping utility to the nanoFlash, but have decided against it due to limited engineering and logic resources. We do however have an easily accessible utility that allows users to screen MOV footage on a PC.

Simply install Quicktime player for PC found here:
Apple - QuickTime - Download and watch videos, movies, and TV shows.

And the Calibrated plugin found here:
HD files: Calibrated{Q} XD Decode Overview
SD Files: Calibrated{Q} IMX Decode Overview

All viewing options are found on page 39 of the nanoFlash manual found here:
http://convergent-design.com/Portals...ash_Manual.pdf

[Andy Mangrum]

Hello Paul, This is Andy with Convergent Design,

We also have a free converter available on the Mac to convert your QT files to MXF, without re-compressing the footage. this is available free of charge on your website.

Downloads | Convergent Design | Professional Video Recorders and Converters

[Dave Sperling]

I agree with Paul that a re-wrapper is still sorely needed.
I looked at the Calibrated Q XD demo, and understand that it makes viewing possible, but it certainly doesn't do so in an easy and inexpensive way.
For those of us who are freelance, and who use the NanoFlash to provide additional functionality and options, recording to the MOV files can become a major headache.
Typically, one or more producers may want to be able to view dailies on PC's. If we record to MXF files, it is easy (and free) to install and use Sony's MXF viewer program for MXF files. It works easily and looks beautiful. No fudging of gammas to get proper blacks and contrast.
If Final Cut MOV's have been requested by the editor, the entire viewing process becomes not only more complicated, but also rather expensive. I don't want to have to go out and buy a license from calibrated for each possible (producer) user, and similarly they aren't going to want to fork out money for a viewer, and aren't going to be happy with my claim that the Nano records beautifully if all this makes it hard for them to see it. And getting calls in the middle of the night wanting to know why the blacks are so mushy (because they haven't set up the calibrated viewer properly -- and because they're watching at night on the west coast while I'm trying to sleep on the east coast)
Now within a company buying sufficient licenses and doing proper setup may not be a big deal, but if I shoot for three, four or five different clients in the same week, that can produce a lot of headaches.
Further, what happens when the client decides to have a different, PC-based editing house re-purpose some of the footage for a different show six months later? Either they go back to the non-Nano originals (tapes or BPAV files) or I get a lot of complaints about 'why would I possibly record to a system that can't be used on a PC-based editing system?'
These are real issues that we face each time we decide to record to the MOV files.
And yes, this really is a problem, and Calibrated is not the solution.
Personally I have only one client for whom I will record to MOV files, because they're the only one that understands and is willing to accept the consequences of the FC mov system.
All others get MXF files.
And yes, a MOV to MXF re-wrapper would make me a much happier camper....

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Paul and Dave,

I too want a File Converter for the PC platform, as our File Converter currently requires a Mac.

This is just a matter of engineering resources and finding the time to write it.

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Here are our current capabities / options:

Record to MOV:

View with Quicktime Player (but only if shot at 35 Mbps, 4:2:0)

View with Quicktime Player (on a Mac), if FCP is installed on the same computer.

View/Edit in Final Cut Pro (Version 6.0.4 or higher) (on a Mac, of course)

Convert (on a Mac) using our File Converter to MXF.

View on a PC with Calibrated Software (not a free utility)


Record to MXF:

View on a PC with Sony's Clip Viewer Version 2.30 (this is a great viewer)

View on a Mac with Sony's Plug-In for FCP

Convert to MOV on a Mac with Sony's Plug-In for FCP

View/Edit on a PC with Sony Vegas, Edius, Avid, CS3 & CS4 (with MainConcept Codec, available for reduced cost in one has a nanoFlash), or CS5.

Note: We are waiting for the next step release of CS5 to fix an audio issue.

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I feel it would greatly help if we had a PC based version of our File Converter.

This would allow those using PC's to shoot MOV's, then convert to MXF's.

Note: Our File Converter converts MOV's to MXF's and not MXF's to MOV's. Sony has an MXF to MOV converter, as noted above, but it is a Mac based utility.

Please note that our File Converter is a "Re-Wrapper", as such, no quality is lost during the process.

[Adam Stanislav]

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

I feel it would greatly help if we had a PC based version of our File Converter.

Why don't you?

Assuming your Mac version was written in C or C++, you already have the conversion engine and all you have to add is some user interface, which is a simple thing to do.

I mean, you are creating those files inside the nano, so you know their exact file structure for both formats, so a re-wrapper utility is something you should be able to whip up in an afternoon.

Gosh, if I knew the file structures (both of them), I would have written it myself.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Adam,

We have to find the time to do it.

The person who wrote the File Converter has many responsibilities.

[Adam Stanislav]

Would you be willing to publish the file format specs necessary for others to write the re-wrapper?

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Adam,

I will see if we can not work out something for you.

I will be in touch.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Adam,

I have sent you a private email.

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Andy Mangrum

Hello Paul, This is Andy with Convergent Design,

We also have a free converter available on the Mac to convert your QT files to MXF, without re-compressing the footage. this is available free of charge on your website.

Downloads | Convergent Design | Professional Video Recorders and Converters

...Yes, but what's really needed here is for this same app to run on the PC. It's needed on the PC, since MXF is mainly a PC based wrapper, so that MXF can be wrapped to MAC OS (Snow Leopard) compatible .MOV. Let us not forget many editors run their Avid Media Composer NLE on a MAC OS (Avid's original platform).

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Mark,

Yes, we need a version of our File Converter to run on a PC.

We are researching this at this time. Yes, we want to do this.

[John Mitchell]

I would humbly suggest that a more complete approach is needed. We need a utility to join split 2GB clips and this same utility should be able to re-wrap. I understand CD's position - many hardware companies find it hard to build all the necessary software support tools for their products. It is often not thought of in advance and therefore not included in either the planning or budget structure. I'm not a programmer but if you threw this as an open source project to the user community you might have some luck, if CD supplied the necessary info.

Perhaps the more elegant approach though is for CD to be able to write in the native XDCam file structure (this is just some extra metadata and index files and BPAV or PROAV folders) - this solves a bunch of problems as Sony has already written the utilities to handle this structure and it already works with both FCP and Avid ...

[Dan Keaton]

Dear John,

We are committed into porting our current File Converter to the PC platform.

Our programmer will be working on this shortly.

I like the idea of combining the files.

[Mark Job]

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

Dear Mark,

Yes, we need a version of our File Converter to run on a PC.

We are researching this at this time. Yes, we want to do this.

...Hi Dan: Great news :-)