Re: Xdcam Content Browser Serial Number
Lillia Iniguez
I recently upgraded to a PIX-E5 for my Sony F3, but I still use SxS cards as a back up ( and plan to do so in the future ). Only problem is, I am not able to access one of the most valuable features of XDCam: clips metadata. None of the Sony programs have allowed me to view metadata info off the clips. By this I mean things like: AE Mode, Gamma, Gain, Shutter, ND Filter, Rec Mode, WB Preset, FStop, Shot Marks, OK Marks, etc. I think XDCam metadata even lets you write comments and other data on the clips ( in cam ).
I am also losing the ability to create subclips ! Again, none of the programs I have tried makes it clear that they can do this.
I think I have tried most of the programs Sony has released for XDCam :
XDCam EX Clip Browser V 2.6 ( only compatible with early F3s, mine has the 4444 RGB upgrade )
Content Browser V.2.4 ( no metadata access at all here and they expect me to pay $20 for the full version? )
Catalyst Browse ( very nice slick browser here, but ... where's the metadata? I don't want color correction features, I want XDCam metadata!! No subclip creation support here also. )
I come from using Panasonic cameras before and I am relatively new to XDCam, but I will say I never had any of these problems with P2 metadata! Their content browsers work with old P2 cameras as well as new! And they are free to download and use too! Sony's software does not even work as expected and they want to charge me money for it? Okay, so you can tell I am not happy about this, believe me, I do not give up easily... but Sony is really testing my patience by also ignoring my requests for support. I have waited for almost 2 weeks to hear from them in regards to these matters and still no reply!! Only default automated message "we will answer your question soon" !
Okay, well hopefully this forum can help.
Thanks in advance!
I use Cat Browse (free version) for playback without any problems.. metadata all there.. far right window..all the other programs my mention are old and discontinued .. are you sure you have that main "window" configured to show MD.. should be far right under a small preview window.. sorry I have never found a way to post pics or screen grabs here..!!
Hey Robin. I'm referring to the files from the SxS card. The clips from the PIX-E5 are all ProRes files. My SxS is only used as a back up, as they are 8 bit 4:2:0 clips. Nevertheless, SxS are still super reliable and very useful when you have access to all the metadata and functions.
I took a screen cap of Catalyst Browser to look at the Metadata window . Yes it's all there, but I still see a lot of metadata missing. Things like what I mentioned before: AE Mode, Gamma, Gain, Shutter, ND Filter, WB Preset, FStop, Shot Marks, OK Marks, Comments. In some cases even Lens Info was available from the metadata ( only with some lenses ). Where is all that metadata? Have a closer look and tell me if you see it anywhere there :
P.S. You may need to expand the clip to full screen. Under Acquisition Metadata, there are only two parameters: Recording mode and Cache Rec. There should be many more!!
Okay, it seems "Comments" ( Title, Creator, Description ) are available under "Logging". You also have to "Unlock" the fields if you want to edit it. But I'm still not finding other acquisition metadata there like Gain and Gamma. Under Picture Profile Set ( on the F3 ) there is even more metadata info that I don't find anywhere here... Does this info have to be manually "saved" on the SxS for it to be viewable from Catalyst Browser?
No manual saving needed.. I get all the lens info etc.. maybe depends on the lens of course ..I have Canon CN7 which talks to the camera though the C(cooke) type lens interface pins.. sorry Im not an expert with Cat browse.. I just use it for playback really..
The only thing I can think is that your using an F3.. and that cat browse is not seeing your info due to older firmware.. what works with the F3.. ? f5/55 is now V8.1.. most likely the new Sony software is not giving you everything due to the older firmware of the F3..? the F5/55 dont have any picture profiles.. they are now only on the "lower" end camera s..
Bummer. Never had these kind of limitations with Panasonic P2 Browsers.
XDCam EX Clip Browser V 2.6 was supposed to work with the F3, but once I updated to the latest firmware ( I can record to 10 bit ProRes 4444 XQ now ), my F3 became unsupported by XDCam EX Clip Browser. So it seems my F3 is " too new " for XDCam EX Clip Browser and " too old " for Catalyst Browser ?
Not that I know of.. have you tried the Sony US backed forums online.. there is one for F5/55 and one for Fs7.. alot of good info on those and some F3 users I believe.. there are also quite a few second hand f5/55,s that come up FS too..
What is the correct way to create a sub-clip in Catalyst Browser? I tried Mark In / Out points, then Export and it rendered the subclip but ended up with a low resolution crap version of the original clip. Not at all what I wanted.
Thanks Robin. Well it seems the best way to create a subclip is to go into Catalyst Prepare. I am impressed with the results I got here, and the ease of use. Acquisition Metadata was still missing though, and it seems there is indeed a lack of support for cameras like the PMW-F3. This reason alone may put me off paying the annual fee for this software.
Yes Cat B is the free software.. then you pay for the prep.. think there are a few others too.. they seem to be concentrating in this area now more than actual hardware.. if NAB is anything to go by.. alot of back end stuff.. and only one new EVF and a card reader :)..
The F3 is still very capable. Once you have the CBK-RGB01 upgrade installed and the PIX-E5 setup, your "outdated" Cinealta becomes 10 bit ProRes 4444 XQ capable... and some of the other recorders can even let you get uncompressed dpx out of it. I don't think enough people got to play with these features because there's new cameras coming out all the time and people want to believe they can "future proof" themselves by buying the latest. Here in Australia most TV channels are still SD, and Blu-Rays are still not out-selling DVDs... so I don't see a need for 4K. Besides that, the F5 is listed on B&H as a $16,490.00 cam... roughly what the F3 was worth when it was first released.
Yes F3 is still firing Im sure.. but for usability . the F5 is undoubtedly an advancement .. as of course it should be going out after the F3.. just had a play with the variable ND on a Fs7 MkII.. great feature.. total control over your DoF.. this alone would make me buy a new F6 or what ever is coming.. Im not sure if Sony have a Patient on this .. but its a big step forward for digital cameras.. and would I think a major selling point.. or maybe its just me thats thinks its thing since sliced bread..
Sony support never answered my question!! Nearly one month has gone by!! Shame on you Sony... other companies answer questions within 24 hours... sometimes even within minutes if you're lucky! ( Convergent Design ) The fact Sony Reps don't even get involved on this section of the forum speaks volumes of the commitment they have to their loyal customers, most of whom have spent a small fortune on their products.
Dont take it personally ..Sony support is legendary is their uselessness .. very decent cameras but their support is well known to be the worst.. I called them all day in Singapore and no one even answered the phone.. !.. in Tokyo a Sony engineer denied out a hand a very well known problem.. that Sony Europe was even offering a free replacement at the same time..!! total shambles .. refused to give me his name even..
We went back and forth with the issue, apparently they thought the F3 did not record all this metadata... which is of course incorrect.
Anyway here is part of my last e-mail to them... Persistence pays off!
Now, however, when I follow this same process, I still see one clip (653_0529), but it will only be the 13 minute segment 653_0529_01, thus, the rest of the video content is not there. If I instead change the directory viewer to the "File Directory" setting, I am able to then access the rest of the video content, but it will treat each segment as its own clip which I have to import into my project. All of the content is there, but sometimes the transitions between these clips will be a little jittery and regardless having to edit a long video as seperate segments makes things a little tedious.
This is a visual image of what I mean, as you can see the clip in the media browser is labelled 653_0529 but when I double click it to move it to the source window it's only 13 minutes and is labelled 653_0529_1.
Currently the solution I am using is to just put all of those clips individually into a multicam sequence and then use that sequence as a "combined clip", but this feels like an unneccesarily convoluted step to me and makes the workflow a bit annoying. I am also aware that probably the easiest thing to do would be to just combine those clips in some external software but having it all be on Premiere does just save the one extra step which is helpful.
Broadcasters are moving to compete with the global scale, local reach, and rapid response of Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Hulu. The transition to IP and software-defined video (SDV) infrastructure will eventually see them move from bricks and mortar to cloud-based content suppliers.
Outsourcing operational processes to private data centers offers broadcasters not just capex and real estate cost savings, but the strategic ability to flex up or down to launch new ventures, respond to short-term demand spikes with pop-up channels (e.g., around major sporting events), and change aspects of channels in real time. The goal is to spin up a channel in hours, not months, as is currently the case.
With processing, storage, and networking infrastructure as pooled resources rather than dedicated independent infrastructures, a software as a service (SaaS) model delivers economies of scale and replaces manual workflow with automation.
b1e95dc632