ClipBrowser 2.6 Released

[Tom Roper]

Originally Posted by basspig

The bug where Clip Browser writes a corrupt file when "new clip from in/out points" still has not been fixed. Adobe Premiere Pro CS3.20 still chokes when dropping such clips onto the timeline.

Not seeing this problem at all with Vegas Pro. But perhaps I am not following same workflow as you? It is not necessary to create a new clip from in/out points. If you set the in/out points in the preview window, then export mxf for NLEs (instead of 'New Clip using in/out section'), by choosing the radio button for 'Target of Export - In/Out Section', you will export the mxf using the In/Out points without having created a separate new clip. And from what I can see, the file is not corrupt, Vegas has no problems dropping onto the timeline.

The new version exports MXF for NLEs with FOUR not TWO mono audio streams. Very odd. The first two are real, the last two have no audio information.

Yes, I see the same thing, 4 reported audio streams but only two are placed onto the timeline.

Also, like the earlier Clip Browsers, it appears to export MXF for NLE as INTERLACED video. The color resolution is halved, and there is a Venetian blind effect on the MXF version of a given clip, when compared with the original MP4 clip in Adobe Premiere.

Absolutely disagree here. The mxf is exported as 23.976 progressive video, reported that way by Vegas Pro and handled that way on the timeline. That's got to be an issue unique to your Adobe workflow, and I agree it's a problem, but the MXF is being exported as 24p, and handled that way with Vegas beginning to end. There is no conversion in interlace from the original MP4 container, which would be a slow re-encode if that was actually happening. No venetian blind effect with earlier or the current (2.6) version of clip browser for the MXF happening for me.

I still have to export MXF to get glitch-free audio (there is a couple of milliseconds of audio from somewhere else in the clip inserted at every 4GB splitpoint on clips over 3 minutes in length on the original MP4 version in Premiere), then separate the audio from the video, export the audio as WAV and add to project, then delete the MXF version and use the MP4 version's video, while splitting off it's audio and marrying the audio derived from MXF. That's the only way to get audio without the glitch every 3 minutes.

That's insane. The last thing I want to sound like is that I'm a trumpeting shill for Vegas or a basher for Adobe or anything else, but that is totally unnecessary nonsense when working with clip browser and Vegas Pro 8.0(c).

[basspig]

Tom, The problem with the corrupt clips is not converting to MXF, but just splitting MP4 clips and saving as new clip. Those split clips are not valid XDCam clips, as they crash Premiere when placed on the timeline, whereas regular XDCam clips work fine.

I get four audio mono tracks when bringing in the rewrapped MXF files in Premiere, not two as I used to with CB2.5.

For some reason, the rewrapped MXF files are seen as interlaced--it's clearly obvious on the monitor, as there is an effect like television scanlines on the MXF clip, but not on the XDCam (MP4) clip.

I myself used Vegas for a short time when I upgraded in 2007 to HDV, as it was the only thing that could edit it until Adobe got it's upgrade together. But I found I didn't like Vegas' UI or the way things worked. I've been on Premiere since the late 90s, which I guess is why. The good thing with Premiere is it accepts XDCam footage directly, whereas Vegas does not. ;)

[Chadfish]

Mark I think Vegas now takes XDCAM footage. Vegas is by Sony you know. And FWIW, I figured you'd love Vegas, as it has the best audio of ANY Video app out there. Vegas started as a multitrack audio app 10 years ago, and added video later.

[GuyB]

This 4 channel audio in MXFs and whatever other changes they made breaks the MXF compatibility with Avid Liquid too. I keep a copy of CB 2.0 on one PC just for the purpose of exporting MXF files for my NLE...

I expect the change was made in preperation for the likes of the PWD350, but I wish they would just put an option in there to disable this newer MXF format and go out in the old 2 channel version.

I havn't noticed any problems with interlacing though, but then I shoot a lot of 50i so I expect to see interlacing on my PC monitor.

[Tom Roper]

Originally Posted by basspig

For some reason, the rewrapped MXF files are seen as interlaced--it's clearly obvious on the monitor, as there is an effect like television scanlines on the MXF clip, but not on the XDCam (MP4) clip.

Not on mine.

[Tom Roper]

Originally Posted by Chadfish

Mark I think Vegas now takes XDCAM footage. Vegas is by Sony you know. And FWIW, I figured you'd love Vegas, as it has the best audio of ANY Video app out there. Vegas started as a multitrack audio app 10 years ago, and added video later.

I think it does, although I'm still using 8.0(c) which needs the mxf conversion. I would do it this way anyway, since Vegas smart renders mxf, I can go straight to blu-ray at the native quality without ever rendering, by merely stripping away the mxf container from the native mpeg-2 at the last step. Vegas is match made for XDCAM, and works well with the latest clip browser 2.6.

[basspig]

One of my buddies just recently tried to edit some XDCam footage I gave him on a hard drive. He's a steadfast Vegas user. He was using v6, but upgraded to v8 or v9 (forgot which) and was unable to import my footage. So apparently it still does not. So I gave him the link to Clip Browser and instructed him to rewrap to MXF.

The only area where I use Vegas (I have v4 on my laptop computer that I use for remote recordings) is field multitrack concert recording. I use it only because it's the only DAW I could find for PC that writes the tracks directly to disc and not a temp file, so that closing the project happens instantly, not 45 minutes later after distilling the temp aggregate to eight 24/96 PCM files.

I really don't like the way Vegas works. Something about it feels flimsy and consumerish.

The interlacing artifacts are clearly visible in Premiere Pro CS3 and in renders out of PPro.
XDCam MP4 looks and renders fine. It's just the MXF that looks really bad.

[Chadfish]

Yeah I don't do Vegas any more. I'm a mac convert. Never had an issue since day one around may 2007. Not one bug. FCP works solid as a rock. Like butter.... I wish FCP had Vegas' audio abilities though.

[Jay Gladwell]

Originally Posted by basspig

One of my buddies just recently tried to edit some XDCam footage I gave him on a hard drive. He's a steadfast Vegas user. He was using v6, but upgraded to v8 or v9 (forgot which) and was unable to import my footage. So apparently it still does not. So I gave him the link to Clip Browser and instructed him to rewrap to MXF.

Using Vegas Pro 9 here and not having a second's problem. Shooting with the EX3 and editing with V9 is like shooting on DV again--it's that easy.

But it's not for everyone.

[Michael B. McGee]

whatever happened to the "Copy All" feature from version 1 of CB? i haven't used v2.0, but v2.5 and now v2.6 don't offer this technique/procedure either. in CB v1.0? i was able to select a "source" folder in the upper left corner which was called an Information Window now in v2.6 its called an Explorer Window. this "source" folder is usually an SxS card. that i wanted to transfer to my hdd. so, in the upper left window i have my SxS card footage and when i select Copy All it would transfer footage to whatever folder i had created in the "destination"/Inforamtion Window that is positioned below the "source" window. Now with v2.5 & v2.6 i have to go into the Tool tab and enter where i want the footage transfered to. i'm aware of the fact that i could create a new folder in the destination window and just drag and drop the footage, but i really miss the Copy All option from version 1. its a minor inconvienence, but i miss having that option.

ok my rant is over.