Good thought, but not really what's wanted.

Typically, we'd be doing several long form interviews at a time, say several hours worth of footage altogether. The idea is to record the "main" recordings to 16GB SDHC cards, and at least 4 would be needed, more really, so I don't really want to have to use SxS at all.

Full quality recordings would be overkill for the client at this point. He really wants small files, good enough for off-line timecode logging, and with the possibility of viewing for other purposes on a PDA - hence proxies to SD cards is seen as ideal. Since a single 4 GB card could hold (I think) the material stored full res on about 8 16GB cards, it would become possible to carry a huge reference "library" of previous material around for easy back reference to on the PDA.

Yes, if we bring laptops etc into the equation then various options become possible. (And is what was done in a trial with a hired EX1.) But it's shown up that the ability of a camera to write the proxies to a separate SD card at the time of recording would make the process vastly simpler and more efficient. It's a feature that exists on the HPX301, but I'd like to see it on an "EX5" and be able to use SDHC for the main recording - having to use P2 would give other problems.

If you convert your EX files to XDCAM HD MXF using clip browser and then burn them to a U1 drive as XDCAM HD MXF's you will generate proxies with matching timecode etc. It's not a particularly fast workflow but it would work and give you both the proxies and a reliable long term backup. You would also need to buy both the MainConcept plug-in and a U1.

Alister, while i appreciate your answer, the U1 is not an economical solution for the problem as stated. Great if you happen to have one.

I also wonder why I would have to buy the main concept plug-in. I just exported an EX file as XDCAM HD MXF from Clip Browser 2.5 and it plays fine in VLC Player, with no watermark. I have not purchased the plug-ins. Am I missing something? Would this file not work on a U1?

MXF for NLE works with no watermark but the other XDCAM HD MXF options normally require the paid for plug-in.

As a thought, how about placing all or groups of the full res clips in a timeline and render out both a new MP4(or EX MOV) plus a low res file of the same. Then use the rendered MP4 compilation as your master clips. Both the low res clip and compilation would have the same timings. Provided you don't make any changes to the clips the compilation should be just that and not involve any rendering or generation loss and should be a fast export.

Well this one has no watermark and it was exported "MXF for XDCAM HD(X)" and as I said I have not purchased the plug-ins. The "422" export does show a watermark.

clips - Folder Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

As for full rez clips in timeline, render etc - defeats the purpose (see original post). I want to leave the shoot with TC clips on the producer's laptop. The producer doesn't have time to wait for the complex workflow you describe.

Proxy making software
 

This could be the answer many have been looking for:

ProxyMill - Movie Compression for Mac

It makes proxies with the correct time code from many sources including XDCAM EX and XDCAM HD

Good one Alister. Too bad I don't have a Mac.