Media Composer improved AMA support for nanoFlash MXF files
 

Hi,

Avid has recently added beta support for "Link to AMA Files" and nanoFlash MXF files, which avoids the video being copied through the import process.
So nanoFlash MXF files can now be accessed directly through the File->Link to AMA Files option.

The most recent Media Composer patch 5.0.3.2 fixes a bug regarding AMA linking, if anyone would like to test it out, it is available here:

Avid | Avid Editor Patches

(You need version 5.0.3 to load this patch. )

Any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks
Tommy Schell

Mc5
 

Thank you Tommy!,
I am working on a new RED show using MC5 and I do have 5.0.3 version installed. I'll travel this weekend, but, hopefully I'll be able to test it on Monday. I'll let you know how MC5 does take all the different bit rates (50-280) I have shot. I'd need to convert my QT files to MXF using your new File Converter for Mac from yesterday.
Thank you for posting that info and the link.
Cheers

I'll be very interested to hear of the outcome here. I'm presently engaged in my annual self-debate about whether to ditch Premiere for Avid or pay the Adobe Tax again. If Avid has added support for Long GOP above 50 Mbit/s, I may well move.

Best,
Aaron

Aaron -

The CS5 tax is worth it for me (I'm PC-based). 64bit and 16GB of RAM?

I simply copy the nanoFlash MXF to my system and I'm cutting away.

Thanks, Daniel. That's good to know. I don't mean to hijack this thread with the "What NLE to work with nanoFlash files on?" question, but I am considering my options as I get ready to buy a nano. My experience with CS4 (with other HD material, especially AVCHD) has been, in a word: Poor. 6.5 and DV were a great pair. It's been all downhill for me since then, sadly.

Best,
Aaron

MC5 and AMA
 

Hello Tommy and Aaron!,
I have 5 AVID MC5 in my possession right know and all got the 5.0.3.2 update today and the feedback would be that all of the bit rate files (50-280 MBPS) went linked on a blink of an eye to the master clips. 50-180 MBPS played with sound when available without any problems at all. Was a magic.....
The files 220 and 280 ware imported but I couldn't play them. The error I got was FIFO too small! I can see the picture in script/frame view, but can not play them. All of the AMA clips had info of 50 MBPS
All of the info is in the pictures below....
I am on a 12 core Intel and 16 GB RAM
I didn't convert the QT to MXF files... it should be the same.... that why AVID came with AMA option
Hope this helps
Cheers

Well....
 

Just before I go home I said to myself ...." ...not fair to MXF files...." so I converted 1 file 280 Mbps and 1 file 220 Mbps from QT to MXF using the latest File Converter for Mac from CD and the fact is that - AVID HAS NO PROBLEM IMPORTING AND PLAYING CONVERGENT DESIGN NANO FLASH MXF FILES IN ANY BIT RATE"
Below is a grab from my AVID screen on 220 MBPS file (in motion) with info window on the side. You would see that everything you need to know is in that window! BRAVO AVID!!! BRAVO CD! YOU DID IT!

My apologies to all, but, I can't show you the 280Mbps file, simply because is not mine any more. I sold it to a production house in NY.
Time for bed....

Great Info!
And yet another reason for saying THANK YOU to C-D for creating the PC version of their MOV to MXF converter!

Luben: but can you get the files back out of the AVID? That's been one of the biggest hang-ups.

@ Bill
 

Hello Bill,
I was very busy so far today, but hopefully with the day progressing I'll be able to do what your asking. I've shot few 280 Mbps clips early this morning so that I don't compromise anything....
to be continued....

The first picture is from the AVID with info window showing the data of the file - on the bottom is the bit rate 280M I-FR
The remaining 3 pictures are grabs from 3 different outputs from the AVID with info window on the side. You could see the bit rate and what kind of file they are.
Conclusion:
no problem at all
Hope this would help anyone regarding AVID and CD NanoFlash files relations.
I love my NF! Thank you Convergent Design!
Luben

Long GOP Full Data Rates Working in Media Composer
 

Hi Luben:
Well, this is wonderful ! Great ! Fantastic ! About Time ! Thank you to Avid for finally waking up to severe market penetration (and use) of CD Nano Flash & Flash XDR by producers who need to post on Avid ! The AMA never worked with any CD video file until 5.0.3.2 ! I'm on 4.0.5.x and now I finally have a justifiable reason to upgrade. Full working AMC with *All* forms of I-Frame and Long GOP will greatly boost up the cache of the Nano Flash & XDR. Nice to see my XDR back in the game again ! I'm shooting a major documentary on Montreal's homeless people, and we're using the Flash XDR as our primary image acquisition device (with tape backup in camera), and it would be nice to not have to always manually ingest all those XDR clips into the system. If we could simply pluggin our USB CF card reader and drag the files onto the timeline, then this would so speed up our post process for sure :-)

from AVID MC5 8bit Uncompressed
 

all this files ware NF files 1920x1080p 280Mbps imported to MC5using AMA and exported 8bit Uncompressed, then compressed to H.264 1280x720 for Vimeo



I know its boring, but hope it helps.... ;-)
Cheers

Very Cool Shots
 

Hi Luben:
For some reason, I am getting the "Jaggies" galore on the first clip. Did you shoot interlaced ? BTW, the spider clip is a cool shot ! I do not notice the "Jaggies" on this second clip. My viewing is on a 24 inch iMAC ver 9.1 September 2009 @ 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution with 32 bit color depth.

Thank you Mark!
No, I did not shoot interlaced. Everything is Progressive as you would see in the inspector info window. The "jaggies" could be the "Vimeo" effect of streaming... also, the files ware enormously big for this amount of seconds played and the compression is more then huge. At my end, when I play them from my RAID via eSATA I don't see anything that I could call "juggies", but again, streaming on-line would do that.

If you can, get the MC5. With the latest update, not just NF files for us, but overall the system is awesome! The only problem with AVID is that they are not Convergent Design!
We really get spoiled with CD and we love it! Don't we?
Luben