Editing XDCAM on Premiere MAC at DVinfo.net

Marcello Mazzilli · May 8th, 2009, 06:38 AM

I have a JVC HM700 that records .MOV wrapper with XDCAM Codec 35 Mbit. Adobe Premiere seems to be quite slow in viewing clips in this format, and allthough I have a Mac Pro QuadCore editing is very jumpy. I hear that for PC Cineform will include XDCAM in the next update of their HD codec (plugin costs 500$ and requires re-convertion) .. but what for MAC? Is ADOBE going to leave us like that ?? Final Cut edits the same format in real time with no problems I hear.

Craig Seeman · May 8th, 2009, 08:16 AM

And Premiere CS4 handles the EX MP4 as is.

You could buy the SxS adaptor for the JVC to get MP4 files.
BTW FCP now handles MP4 as well with CalibratedSoftware's new plugin.

I wonder if there's a utility to wrap from EX MOV back to MP4 for Premiere.

Marcello Mazzilli · May 8th, 2009, 08:52 AM

Misunderstanding. I can see MOV XDCAM files fine .. as well as MP4... What I argue is the speed of the editing. HDV ie is much better.. still not perfect. I worked with the Cineform Codec on PC and I was amazed. Do we, poor Mac users, have just the Final Cut choice ?

Bob Jackson · May 8th, 2009, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcello Mazzilli

Misunderstanding. I can see MOV XDCAM files fine .. as well as MP4... What I argue is the speed of the editing. HDV ie is much better.. still not perfect. I worked with the Cineform Codec on PC and I was amazed. Do we, poor Mac users, have just the Final Cut choice ?

Well there is nothing wrong with FCP , works very well with EX1 HD.
Late 08 MAcbook pro 4gb ram,lots of external media storage.

Craig Seeman · May 8th, 2009, 09:25 AM

There really shouldn't be much difference between handling 25mbps CBR and 35mbps VBR, certainly not from a computer CPU perspective. Perhaps it's an issue with Premiere.

As Bob states, there's no issue with FCP and I've used it on both 2 Core laptop and 8 Core desktop. Both can play back EX cleanly and quickly although there's an obvious difference when it comes to rendering.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcello Mazzilli

Misunderstanding. I can see MOV XDCAM files fine .. as well as MP4... What I argue is the speed of the editing. HDV ie is much better.. still not perfect. I worked with the Cineform Codec on PC and I was amazed. Do we, poor Mac users, have just the Final Cut choice ?

Eric A Robinson · May 9th, 2009, 03:11 AM

When I read people posting, saying they have problems with editing XDCAM footage inside FCP and blaming FCP I hear alarm bells ringing. The problem does not reside with the application, it is much more likely to be caused by the users incorrect settings inside FCP and/or hardware issues in regards to using below spec computer or drives. Go have a look on Ken Stone's FCP page.

Ken Stone's Final Cut Pro

Craig Seeman · May 9th, 2009, 08:07 AM

Eric, Marcello has no problem with FCP. It's with Premiere on the Mac. That's why the question is intriguing. Same CPU different NLE. FCP OK, Premiere is having problems.

I don't think anyone mentioned but Marcello make sure you're using CS4 which may handle EX better than CS3.

I believe CS4 can even import FCP projects so one can do a direct comparison of the same project using the same source clips on the same CPU.

Marcello Mazzilli · May 9th, 2009, 08:14 AM

Thanks Craig.. Yes.. FC is fine, realtime and actually very good. Shame I bough full CS4 just a few months ago ! I hope Adobe fixes this and that I don't have to get Cineform (1st for the price, 2nd because it means converting and, a part from quality issues, it takes time and the whole point of shooting on SD cards should be to save time in editing). Premiere gives a yellow line on the timeline on top of the footage (green= "Hey..I can edit realtime", red="Sorry, need to convert", yellow="Right settings but no CPU/RAM sorry!")

Craig Seeman · May 9th, 2009, 08:38 AM

Marcello have you tried importing the MP4 directly into Premiere CS4 and get the yellow line on that? That would kinda defeat the purpose of direct MP4 support.

If PP CS4 can't support realtime playback of the same source clips that FCP can on the same system then it certainly is a shame. That would imply the PP needs more system resources.

I saw a demo of CS4 last year and Adobe was showing PP not as a replaced but as a compliment to FCP. The point was if you're using After Effects and Photoshop along with FCP, it might be worthwhile to get the whole Adobe suite. One can easily move FCP projects into PP so one can take advantage of PP features and its seamless communication with AE. Basically it was as if PP could be a finishing tool to work with AE on an FCP system. It would defeat the purpose if PP wasn't handling the files as well a FCP though.

Craig Seeman · May 9th, 2009, 08:39 AM

Curios, does PP have preferences that would allow you to allocate more system resources (RAM for example) to it?

Marcello Mazzilli · May 10th, 2009, 08:39 AM

No such feature for RAM.. as far as I know. Up to now I am working with MOV files (the same the FCP sees in realtime with no problem). I'll try also with MP4 (I hate the Sony workflow with all that fuss on keeping each clip in a separate folder with metadata files, etc..)

Marcello Mazzilli · June 5th, 2009, 08:24 AM

MP4 in Premiere works fine. So it's not the codec, it's not the megabits, it's not the resolution.. is the wrapper. I hate MP4's idea of meta information separated from the file. I find a list of 100 folders each of whgich is a single clip... Too messy. At present CS4 (yes I use CS4) is not ready for Quicktime MOV XDCam files. In some way is reasonable. It's a new formt and Apple and JVC worked together on the HM700 formats. I wonder if they are planning to make a plugin for Premiere. Jvc? Adobe? Anybody here?

May 8th, 2009, 06:38 AM	#1
Marcello Mazzilli Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ITALIA Posts: 416	Editing XDCAM on Premiere MAC I have a JVC HM700 that records .MOV wrapper with XDCAM Codec 35 Mbit. Adobe Premiere seems to be quite slow in viewing clips in this format, and allthough I have a Mac Pro QuadCore editing is very jumpy. I hear that for PC Cineform will include XDCAM in the next update of their HD codec (plugin costs 500$ and requires re-convertion) .. but what for MAC? Is ADOBE going to leave us like that ?? Final Cut edits the same format in real time with no problems I hear.

May 9th, 2009, 03:11 AM	#6
Eric A Robinson Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Posts: 82	FCP problems When I read people posting, saying they have problems with editing XDCAM footage inside FCP and blaming FCP I hear alarm bells ringing. The problem does not reside with the application, it is much more likely to be caused by the users incorrect settings inside FCP and/or hardware issues in regards to using below spec computer or drives. Go have a look on Ken Stone's FCP page. Ken Stone's Final Cut Pro

May 8th, 2009, 08:16 AM	#2
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	And Premiere CS4 handles the EX MP4 as is. You could buy the SxS adaptor for the JVC to get MP4 files. BTW FCP now handles MP4 as well with CalibratedSoftware's new plugin. I wonder if there's a utility to wrap from EX MOV back to MP4 for Premiere.

May 8th, 2009, 08:52 AM	#3
Marcello Mazzilli Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ITALIA Posts: 416	Misunderstanding. I can see MOV XDCAM files fine .. as well as MP4... What I argue is the speed of the editing. HDV ie is much better.. still not perfect. I worked with the Cineform Codec on PC and I was amazed. Do we, poor Mac users, have just the Final Cut choice ?

May 9th, 2009, 08:07 AM	#7
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	Eric, Marcello has no problem with FCP. It's with Premiere on the Mac. That's why the question is intriguing. Same CPU different NLE. FCP OK, Premiere is having problems. I don't think anyone mentioned but Marcello make sure you're using CS4 which may handle EX better than CS3. I believe CS4 can even import FCP projects so one can do a direct comparison of the same project using the same source clips on the same CPU.

May 9th, 2009, 08:14 AM	#8
Marcello Mazzilli Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ITALIA Posts: 416	Thanks Craig.. Yes.. FC is fine, realtime and actually very good. Shame I bough full CS4 just a few months ago ! I hope Adobe fixes this and that I don't have to get Cineform (1st for the price, 2nd because it means converting and, a part from quality issues, it takes time and the whole point of shooting on SD cards should be to save time in editing). Premiere gives a yellow line on the timeline on top of the footage (green= "Hey..I can edit realtime", red="Sorry, need to convert", yellow="Right settings but no CPU/RAM sorry!")

May 9th, 2009, 08:38 AM	#9
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	Marcello have you tried importing the MP4 directly into Premiere CS4 and get the yellow line on that? That would kinda defeat the purpose of direct MP4 support. If PP CS4 can't support realtime playback of the same source clips that FCP can on the same system then it certainly is a shame. That would imply the PP needs more system resources. I saw a demo of CS4 last year and Adobe was showing PP not as a replaced but as a compliment to FCP. The point was if you're using After Effects and Photoshop along with FCP, it might be worthwhile to get the whole Adobe suite. One can easily move FCP projects into PP so one can take advantage of PP features and its seamless communication with AE. Basically it was as if PP could be a finishing tool to work with AE on an FCP system. It would defeat the purpose if PP wasn't handling the files as well a FCP though.

May 9th, 2009, 08:39 AM	#10
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	Curios, does PP have preferences that would allow you to allocate more system resources (RAM for example) to it?

May 10th, 2009, 08:39 AM	#11
Marcello Mazzilli Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ITALIA Posts: 416	No such feature for RAM.. as far as I know. Up to now I am working with MOV files (the same the FCP sees in realtime with no problem). I'll try also with MP4 (I hate the Sony workflow with all that fuss on keeping each clip in a separate folder with metadata files, etc..)

June 5th, 2009, 08:24 AM	#12
Marcello Mazzilli Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: ITALIA Posts: 416	MP4 in Premiere works fine. So it's not the codec, it's not the megabits, it's not the resolution.. is the wrapper. I hate MP4's idea of meta information separated from the file. I find a list of 100 folders each of whgich is a single clip... Too messy. At present CS4 (yes I use CS4) is not ready for Quicktime MOV XDCam files. In some way is reasonable. It's a new formt and Apple and JVC worked together on the HM700 formats. I wonder if they are planning to make a plugin for Premiere. Jvc? Adobe? Anybody here?