first time importing EX clips: need advice

[Malcolm Hamilton]

Hi there,

I'm trying this for the first time, so of course I'm having trouble. I've opened my SXS card on my MBP desktop, and there's the BPAV folder.

Windows XP (via VMWare) is also open on my MBP (*note: I edit with Avid, so I have to re-wrap my clips to MXF via the PC version of the Clip Browser), and I've also got the BPAV folder sitting on the Windows desktop.

I've also launched XDCAM EX Clip Browser (in Windows) - - the Clip Browser window is in front of me. Great.

But how do I get my BPAV folder, with all its contents, into this Clip Browser window? Drag and drop doesn't work, and so far (I'm really unfamiliar with Windows, so I may be doing something wrong), I haven't been able to choose Import in the Clip Browser, and navigate to this BPAV folder.

Would someone kindly advise me?
Thanks, Malcolm

[Todd Moore]

Using Windows.....In Sony Clip Browser, search for the BPV folder in the tree on the left of the top window. Disregard the bottom window.
Once found select all with mouse (not the copy all button at the top)...... right click and select EXPORT to MXF and save where you want to.

Hope I helped

[Malcolm Hamilton]

Hi Todd,
Thanks so much for your help. Tree in the top left worked perfectly, and I was able to export to MXF, and import into Avid.
Now I'm wanting to write up this workflow, in point form, so I can print it and carry it with me, until it's totally ingrained.
Would you mind looking at this, and letting me know what you think?

in field:
1) insert SXS card into MBP, copy BPAV folder to MBP desktop AND to external fw drive. With any successive BPAV downloads off SXS card, copy to new BPAV folder (will it create a new folder, or do I need to create a new one, with a new name?)
2) corroborate that copy of files has been successful (check both copies), then Delete All Clips from SXS card (do I do this within Clip Browser, or do it in my camera?)
3) eject SXS card (Control-Eject) and keep shooting (and downloading as necessary)...

in office:
1) launch VMWare and Windows XP
2) launch Clip Browser. In Sony Clip Browser, search for the BPV folder in the tree on the left of top window (disregard the bottom window)
3) once found 'select all' with mouse (not the copy all button at the top)...... right click and select EXPORT to MXF and copy to external SATA ("storage") drive. Remove storage drive and put away on shelf.
4) repeat: this time copy all media to SATA "edit" drives

5) start editing

Thanks again,
Malcolm

[Alister Chapman]

Originally Posted by Malcolm Hamilton

1) insert SXS card into MBP, copy BPAV folder to MBP desktop AND to external fw drive. With any successive BPAV downloads off SXS card, copy to new BPAV folder (will it create a new folder, or do I need to create a new one, with a new name?)

The BPAV folders must always be called "BPAV". I create a Folder for each project or shoot, then within that folder I make a new folder for each card download and place the BPAV folder copied from the SxS card in there.

So I end up with:

Storm Shoot:
--------------:Card 1:
-----------------------:BPAV
--------------:Card 2:
-----------------------:BPAV

and so on....

I can highly recommend Shotput Express by http://www.imagineproducts.com/ which can fully automate the backup and verification of SxS cards to multiple destinations on a Mac or PC.

[Malcolm Hamilton]

thanks so much Alister. I just purchased ShotPut EXpress. That will be $49 well spent.
By the way, while we're (sort of) on the subject. I posted a question the other day re whether there's any good cataloguing software for Mac OS, along the lines of the MediaFiler software that Doug Jensen shows off in his training DVD (on a PC). MediaFiler is for PCs only.
Do you know if there's anything like this for Macs?
Thanks again,
Malcolm

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

The BPAV folders must always be called "BPAV". I create a Folder for each project or shoot, then within that folder I make a new folder for each card download and place the BPAV folder copied from the SxS card in there.

Alister, while this may be a good method for archiving as such, I guess you realize that his way, any takes spanning more than 1 card, or those long ones divided into 4GB chunks due to the FAT32 limitation - will NOT be automatically stitched into your original takes for you?

[Alister Chapman]

So how do you do it Piotr. You can't change the name of the BPAV folder, you can't have two folders with the same name in the same directory and you can't just copy the contents of multiple BPAV folders into one folder.

I know you can use the EX Browser to copy files into a single BPAV folder but that's not always a good way to back up your cards as it difficult to verify that the copy has taken place correctly without playing each clip.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Alister,

In another thread, I described my steps here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showpost....1&postcount=38

But of course, you're right that for archiving and verification purposes, your method my be even better as it simply creates exact copies of all your cards.

[Craig Seeman]

Piotr, I do it much the way Alister describes and have no problem with all spanned clips stitching. I'm on a Mac though.

Create Project Folder, Create Folder for each card (BPAV). In XDCAM Transfer Tool I add all the Folders for each card. Select All. Import All. That's it.

Alternative method in XDCAM Transfer Tool. Add all the Folders for each card. Select each Folder. Import All. That's it. That works too.

The KEY is that ALL Folders are added. XDCAM Transfer Tool, when it gets to the .smi (spanned clip file) it pulls in all the other clips. They have to be available though (added to XDCAM Transfer Tool).

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Craig,

as I said - this is a good method, too, as all the infor is retained.

With my method, I only get one BPAV per project, with as many CLPR subfolders as there realy was the number of takes (i.e. those spanned already stitched).

[Malcolm Hamilton]

Hi again,
I'm now trying out ShotPut EXpress, and I have a question.
Should I get it to 'Automatically format card after offload completes'???

I'm leery of doing this, if by 'format' it means erasing what's on there.
I think I'd rather double-check my two backups first.

So what IS the best way, after you've checked your backups, to delete all the clips on the card, without deleting my saved camera settings?
Thanks,
Malcolm

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Malcolm,

I am on the PC, so I don't use this app. Personally, I never format my cards - just delete all clips with a single Clip Browser operation.

[Malcolm Hamilton]

Hi Piotr,
Thanks... I'll try Clip Browser for this. Just in case you're interested, this little app also works for PCs. The nice thing about it is that it allows you to copy your BPAV folder to three different locations at once. Seems very speedy, too. You might want to have a look (Alister posted a link); unfortunately, there's no 'demo' option: you have to buy it before you can try it. Alister's recommendation was enough for me, and I'm glad I got it... partly because I do, in fact, plan to copy every BPAV folder to three places (in one go): MBP hard drive, external fw drive, and USB flash drive.
Cheers,
Malcolm

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

I can highly recommend Shotput Express by http://www.imagineproducts.com/ which can fully automate the backup and verification of SxS cards to multiple destinations on a Mac or PC.

Can anyone confirm or deny problems with getting into the imagineprodcuts site? I've been trying for 2 weeks now, but cannot connect...

[Craig Seeman]

Works for me. I just tried.

IP Blocking? DNS Issue?