New Avid release could be a revolution for XDCAM
 

It seems like the release of Media Composer 3.5 is very close.

Among other new features they introduce what they call: "Avid Media Access (AMA)
Native End to End support for XDCAM
Full native metadata and disc/card support for XDCAM HD/EX and P2"

If it is even close to what is described here: Studio Daily Blog Avid - dongle free in 2009 (and other advancements)
It will mean a revolutionary better handling of EX-media.

Anybody else know more?

Here's Avids pressrelease: Avid Delivers Native XDCAM Support and Industry First Stereoscopic 3D Capabilities With Latest Versions of Editing Software

And a quote: "-- AMA, or Avid Media Access Architecture: Customers can automatically
link clips from a third-party volume (Panasonic P2 or Sony XDCAM HD/EX)
devices into an Avid editing bin, without having to transcode or store the
media on their system."

Just insert your SDHC or SxS-card in your laptop and edit away. Seems to good to be true.

Hasn't Grass Valley (Canopus) Edius had this capability for nearly a year now?

Yes. It works perfect with Edius!

Let's not forget that Adobe Premierre also has this feature

Whoa, wait...so your saying Final Cut didnt have this ability?
I knew it wouldnt do native AVCHD...but I suppose the same principle that applies there applies with XDCAM as well.

Anyway, sure Apple will update this by NAB, or with the next Final Cut...if they keep in the Video business that is. :)

Peace

dAlen

Yeah, the new 3.5 Media Composer does indeed instantly recognize an SxS card when it is mounted. And yes, you can edit the footage from the SxS card directly.

But (there's always a but) I'll be damned if I can figure out how to move the footage to a hard drive without using Sony's Clip Browser software like we had to do in the past. The Avid AMA import doesn't seem to do much, unless I'm not using it correctly, a distinct possibility.

Getting the footage off the SxS card and onto the computer seems as convoluted as ever. Am I wrong?

Torv...

Yes, it's possible to copy the BPAV folders onto your hard drive and set things up so Avid sees it as a "virtual SxS card". Uploads to MC3.5 happen almost instantly...really quite nice.

I'm just starting with Final Cut and have been too embarrassed to ask this. Until now. Does FCP transcode the native EX files into a discrete frame codec? Or has FCP figured out how to manage GOP?

Glad to see Avid finally catch up. Too bad, I sold my system and bought FCP that has had a working solution upon XDcam's release. Sadly, Avid has been the tail of the dog with XDcam and Red native support. Their stock price and market share have tanked as a result of their lack of innovation and leadership. I'd be careful buying a new GM car or Avid - as they might not survive the hard times ahead.

Brian,

Final Cut 6 (with an update) will recognize XDCAM footage more or less in it's native format. You import the footage using the Sony Transfer software and it merely puts a QuickTime "wrapper" around the XDCAM footage. It's still Long GOP like HDV but a better codec. You can render it into discrete frame codec as you say but it is not entirely necessary. I sometimes do and often don't. I do a final render out in a full frame/intraframe file and then send it to compressor to munch it into whatever final form I need it in.