Snell & Wilcox - MXF Unwrapper
 

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned but thought I'd post it. Another gadget for the toolbox.

http://www.snellwilcox.com/mxf/

I tried S&N'S MXF Desktop. It can unwrap the essence of your MXF file (the MPEG2 Video + AES3 (SMPTE 302M) audio files and extract it)

It only does it one at a time though as far as I can see so no batch jobs.

It can also re-wrap the same files back into an MXF

You'll have to send them a email (fill quick web form) and they will send you a link to download it.

Cheers
Paul

Paul, if you don't mind explaining... what's the idea of this unwrapper, and who would use it? (I'm an Avid Xpress Pro/Mac user who's still waiting for Avid and Sony to update, to allow me to use an EX1, so I'm interested in workarounds, if they make sense).
Cheers,
Malcolm

Hi Malcolm

The MXF file is basically a wrapper for the video file that comes from the EX1 which is an .m2v file + audio files (audio come out as 2 .aes files). I can watch the .m2v file in any mpeg player - the aes i haven't figured out yet. I don't know how to playback or covert the aes file to something editable or importable anywhere (still poking around - maybe someone knows). The inside file are called native essence files in the MXF world (as i understand it at least)


Actually - this is interesting. I took an EX1 MXF file --> converted it through the SN utility. It created a .m2v file (and audio files). I took the .m2v files and imported it into Sonic DVDIt PRO - as is - and burned a Blu-Ray disk and it works perfectly. I'm playing this of a Play Station 3. The ps3 display shows a MPEG2 file running at 34 to 36 Mbps (variates a bit). Basically it's playing the unaltered MPEG2 video stream recorded by the camera.

The M2V can't be imported into my NLE though, but i know you can convert the M2V into an MPEG, MOV or AVI file and that should work with any NLE

Again lot's of conversion involved. Handy for a few clips - not good for a long production. The audio still has to be converted too. It also can't do batch.
There may be some use for this for some people who can't read MXF in their editing system. This tool is also free.


Actually I think the Sony Clip Browser should be updated to include all these features:

MP4 --> MXF (has it)
MP4 --> M2V Essence + Audio (some generic format)
MP4 --> M2T

and ...

Playback of MXF files (all) end to end like the camera (not one by one like now) I think the TV stations have some software solutions that can do this. This is the high end stuff you see from Grass Valley, Optibase etc

Actually there is a lot of documentation at OMNEON'S website about MXF and other MPEG stuff. I believe this is the company that Adam Wilt works for.

Lots of exciting stuff in the tapeless world and lots to learn :P

Paul

My mistake!

Thanks for the reply, Paul. It's over my head, to be honest, but I appreciate the gist of it, especially as it applies to me... i.e. I should probably just wait for Avid to update before trying to import the EX1 files.
I'm glad to know that people are exploring all these other options though. I'm sure this is what drives progress.
Cheers,
Malcolm