Viewing clips on computer
 

I cannot believe I cannot figure this out, but why in the world can I not view my work on my computer? I am capturing video to class 10 SD cards and inputting them into my computer, tranfersing them to a hard drive and then trying to view my work to see how it looks.

To no avail, I cannot view the video clips on my computer. I have downloaded the VLC video player, but still cannot read te video. Can someone tell me why or what i am missing? Also tried to hook up to TV directly as well as through my video/audio system and I can't get anything to show up through my TV either.

I am at a total loss right now and feel like an idiot for asking these questions!

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Using an HP computer. Shooting in video format 1920/60i HD mode NTSC.

re: Viewing clips on computer
 

Try installing the sony XDCAM browser software and use that to view your clips.

re: Viewing clips on computer
 

Actually, I just reloaded VLC Media player and now I can finally view my clips I took. Only problem is, I have no audio right now. I am wondering if I didn't have my audio set up right on my camera or something. At least now I can go home and start playing with the camera and start figuring things out!

MORE QUESTIONS:
When I download the clips off the card, each clip is in a nice folder, but inside that folder, there are 5 files:
MP4 file, SMI file, PPN file, XML File and BIM file...what are all these files?

re: Viewing clips on computer
 

Don't ever just copy the video files. Always, always, always back up the entire BPAV folder. Failure to do so will render the footage unusable by many edit systems.

I really recommend you download and install Sony's XDCAM Browser to view and manage your footage. It's designed for the job, won't screw up your BPAV folders and will give you access to all the metadata and other information the camera records.

Sony | Micro Site XDCAM

The extra files are metadata and other information about the footage and it's important that you keep them.

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

Off-topic, I know, but I never succeed to open a (any!) Sony page with Safari. This is a known problem, but has anyone here found a way around it? I know the very helpful guys of the Dutch company VOCAS store most of the important downloads on their site (like here: http://www.vocas.nl/support/xdcam-browser-xdb), and that's how I get to the Sony software, but surely there must be another way...

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

I use safari and don't have that issue. You could always use Firefox which is free and very stable.

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

Hi Alister,

now that is making it even more awkward: as well on my Macbook Pro, as on my iPad and my Mac Pro, I never succeed in opening any Sony page in Safari. I installed Firefox especially to avoid the problem, but since my standard browser is Safari, I wondered if anyone could make that work. But if you can open this Sony Product Detail Page PMW320K with Safari, then I have no clue what might be wrong with my Macs! Ennoying, to say the least...

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

Works just fine on my Safari 5.1 on OS X 10.6.8

There's a Bug icon in the upper right you can use to report the problem.

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

That page works for me too on Safari.

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

This is really weird: although my Macs use exactly the same updates as yours, there is not one that will open this page. Safari gives me this message: "the server, on which this page is present, does not react" (translated from Flemish). This happens only with Sony url's though, all other pages work perfectly...

Firewall is off, even pop-ups are allowed...

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

That's an internet problem. Not necessarily yours but somewhere between you and the server that Sony has the site hosted on. This could be a number of things including local and national filters.

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

Continuing on with this browser weirdness.....I was trying to use a page on Larry Jordan's website last week and could not access the "reply to..." part of the page with either Firefox OR Safari (both patched/updated to their latest versions). I finally downloaded a copy of Chrome and installed it....page loaded and functioned normally. Weird, huh?

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

Same problem with my iPad. As you point out, must be one of the stages in between.

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

It would be worth opening a problem report with your internet service provider. They have the tools to see what might be going on.

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

That's exactly what I'm planning to do.

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

I am not sure I understand this. I treat the cards like any other when I pull things off of them. I insert them into my computer, pull off all the folders on the card and insert them into a folder on my computer, then on my back up hard drive. Insert the card back in the camera, format the card and start all over.

Am I really screwing up? Teach me, I learn fast!

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

Technically, copying the bpav folder will work in some limited cases. However, the XDCAM Clip Browser software from Sony is superior. In addition to viewing clips and taking stills, it will consolidate multiple bpav folders (i.e. multiple cards) into one folder on your hard disk and automatically join split files just by dragging and dropping from within the software.

Also, when using the XDCAM Transfer software you can convert the originals in the bpav folders into something for your NLE to use. As it does it, it will repair rolling shutter effects.

Here's Sony's web pages where you can learn the recommended workflow for your NLE:
Sony | Micro Site XDCAM

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

Back on the topic I have a question. Metadata aside, is there anything wrong with transcoding the files straight to .mov files through XDCAM Transfer? I use to do like that when I'm working on projects that I entirely manage by myself, from shooting to editing to CC. I use FCP and Color on a macbook pro.

pietro

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

You might want to ask yourself, particularly in light of the way the whole Final Cut X release/debacle has been playing out --

1 -- Is what I shoot destined to ONLY be edited using Final Cut?
2 -- Will I NEVER need to provide this footage to anyone else?
3 -- Do I trust Apple to NEVER change their codecs to the point that the current .mov format is no longer supported in FCP / FCxx?

Admittedly, it is currently possible to reverse-convert the FCP .mov files back to .mxf files using a converter from Convergent Design -- though it does take some time and effort to do so...

So basically, given the choice of archiving in a format that will potentially work for all possible other users of the footage (the BPAV structure) or saving in a format that not only may not contain all metadata and may not be usable by others (FCP MOV files), why would you choose the latter?

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

Dave,

thanks for taking the time to answer. I have to admit that I'm basically lazy so I didn't ask myself many questions. I agree that one never knows who might want/have to play with his footage in the future. I 'll start keeping the bpav folders and do a copy of .mov files for backup and editing.
As for rolling shutter effects: really?

pietro

Re: Viewing clips on computer
 

So far, your information is right on and I appreciate that! I shot some footage this weekend and used the clip browser software to watch it. Pretty cool features too - acquisition tab is really neat on there! I ran the camera until it was dark outside and the footage was a bit grainy and I really watched it as I ran it on manual on how the camera adjusted!

Now, still have questions that maybe you can help answer:
1. I stick the card in my computer, and all the files show up - GREAT!
2. I created new folders on my computer to drag them back into - GREAT!
3. I deleted the files off my cards and they are ready to go back into camera and format - GREAT!
ISSUE
4. I notice that on the "explorer" tab, on the bottom left, I have already used 885 GBYTES and only have free space of 114. How does this work? I got out of the clip browser, went in and watched some of the footage on VLC and noticed I now have sound, but how in the world do you clean up the clip browser without deleting off your computer? Do I need to send it to a seperate hard drive (I have no problem doing this!).