Nanoflash

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Piotr,

Thank you for your suggestions.

I can send you a utility that, using a PC, takes our MXF files and combines them, producing ".MOV"s.

This tool requires some software from Calibrated Software, and Quicktime Player Pro. Thus, there is some cost to using the tool that we provide for free.

There are PC Non-Linear Editors that work fine with ".MOV's".

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Misunderstanding,, Dan - what I need is a utility to concat spanned MXFs into a long, one-take, MXF (not MOV).

I'm aware I can put all the spanned chunks on my NLE timeline, but when you edit a multicamera track consisting of takes, it's much more convenient to start with complete takes rather than chunks.

Since such a tool exists for MOV files, I thought we the PC/MXF users might ask for one, too :)

Piotr

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Piotr,

I understand.

We do not have such a tool right now.

[Jack Zhang]

This is exactly my current issue with the NanoFlash, meaning I would have to record MOV for cutting interviews in Final Cut elsewhere because that is the only file format that can be stitched.

I have also not heard from other Sony Vegas users whether joining 2 MXF files would introduce any complications. I therefore don't have the confidence to use the NanoFlash on long shots or interviews.

[Garrett Low]

Originally Posted by Jack Zhang

I have also not heard from other Sony Vegas users whether joining 2 MXF files would introduce any complications. I therefore don't have the confidence to use the NanoFlash on long shots or interviews.

I use Vegas Pro to pull in my nanoFlash MXF files that span several files. I just finished shooting several dance recitals and ballets where the longest takes spanned 12 files. They pull in seamlessly and without problems. These are multicam shoots and I have no problems dragging and dropping several files and they line up and chain together automatically.

As a question for Dan though, why can't you come up with a program that will concat the MXF files? Sony's Clip Browser program will create one mxf file when you have the native files from the SxS cards that span several files.

Thanks,
Garrett

[Jack Zhang]

Thank you Garrett. Did you have to undo the autofades for the audio on import?

[Garrett Low]

Originally Posted by Jack Zhang

Thank you Garrett. Did you have to undo the autofades for the audio on import?

Yes, I set it so that Vegas wouldn't automatically fade them. Other than that, it's just a matter of highlighting all of the files you want to bring in and just dragging and dropping to the track. very easy and I haven't had any problems with dropped frames or audio issues. I've been doing this since I got my NF so it's a very reliable and easy process. I have to say it does speed up the workflow since I no longer have to convert the mpg files from my EX3 to mxf's.

-Garrett

[Jack Zhang]

Thank you very much Garrett. This is what I wanted to hear.

On a side note, Vegas 10+ can import direct EX MP4s that are not spanned. Spanned MP4s still need to be re-wrapped to MXF.

[Jim Bridges]

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

Dear Ian,

Yes, we are working on a new firmware release.

There will be multiple new features.

Here are two:

1. Ability to extract timecode from the HDMI Input for the Sony FS100 and FS700 cameras.

2. The ability to detect the HD-SDI Record Packet.

Certain cameras, such as the Sony F3, Canon C300 and other cameras put out a signal in the HD-SDI steam that indicates every time the camera record button is pressed.

We will detect that signal and start/stop the nanoFlash accordingly.

This is a great new feature as one can use continuously running timecode as opposed to using Record Run timecode to start the nanoFlash.

And other features will be added.

Wow Dan,
Great future updates. That record packet is sure to be a real winner.
To let you know RED has added some new firmware to allow external recording w/o recording to the SSD cards. If you and your engineers need my Scarlet for testing please let me know.
Jim

[Ron Little]

1. Ability to extract timecode from the HDMI Input for the Sony FS100 and FS700 cameras.

It would be great if it would also work on the NEX VG-20

[Samer Aslan]

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

Dear Ian,

I will need to check if the HD-SDI record packet is available on these cameras.

It may be on the PMW-320 and PMW-350. If so, then this helps greatly when doing multiple camera shoots, as one can jam-sync the timecode (and have it running continuously) while also using the camera record button to start and stop the nanoFlash..

That would be a great thing Dan...I really need that with my PMW-350
thank you for your effort and time
Samer

[John Mitchell]

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

Dear Piotr,

I understand.

We do not have such a tool right now.

And all this could have been avoided if CD had opted for a proper EX or XDCAM directory structure a la Sony and JVC cams. Its a Sony engineered codec and chip missing the corresponding Sony workflow which would have made it instantly compatible with all the major NLE's. Instead of support problems you'd have been able to say - just use XDCam Browser or AMA in Avid or import Sony XDCam in FCP - no more broken clips.

Don't get me wrong - you guys are one of the most responsive companies out there when it comes to tech support but lack of this simple structure seems to have caused Dan a lot of headaches! Isn't 20/20 hindsight a marvellous thing..

[Dan Keaton]

Dear John,

Thank you for your suggestion, advice and kind words.

To the best of my knowledge, AMA, at least in it's current form, did not exist when we started to design the nanoFlash.

While we do break clips into manageable sizes, there are at least some advantages.

1. Each clip stands alone and there is no directory structure or associated files to deal with.
If one wants a individual file, it s easily used.

2. Having smaller files is sometimes a great bonus if there is every a bit-error or corruption in any one small file. The rest of the files are still very useable. I was in a meeting of NBC Executives and they pointed out that this fact is very important to them.

We have the following tools available right now:

We can combine individual MOV clips into one large MOV clip during the transfer process.

We can combine individual MXF clips into one large MOV clip during the transfer process.

We just, at this time, cannot combine individual MXF clips into one large MXF clip.


And we will be adding, in an upcoming firmware release, a new feature.

One will be able to assign a "Tag", which can included letters and numbers), to each clip.

Then one will be able to shoot various clips and our software will be able to combine them together, by searching for all clips with the same tag.

And of course, we will make it easy to switch from one tag to another before recording a clip.

For example, for a news gathering organization:

A news crew goes out in New York city and shoots clips around the city.

And while there are out, they shoot clips for another news segment interspersed among the clips for the first segment.

If they assign a tag to all of the clips for the first segment and a separate tag for the second segment, then our software will combine all of the clips of the first segment into one clip and the same for the second segment.

Then the network can load the complete segments into their editing system.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Thanks for this information, Dan - looking forward to the new firmware :)

One thing in your message is not quite clear to me - how can we "combine individual MXF clips into one large MOV clip during the transfer process"?

Are you talking about Mac users only, or am I missing something (I'm a PC/ Vegas Pro user).

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Piotr,

This is a PC based program that we have developed.