Ingesting mxf files

BrianJK wrote on 3/29/2011, 11:35 AM
My first experience with mxf files. Pardon the naive question.

A customer has given me a hard drive containing a nested series of folders; Contents, Audio, Clip, Icon etc which seem to contain sets of mxf files. The drive and files are provided by a third party.
The few XML files that I checked indicate that these are 720/59.94p files shot on Panasonic AG-HVX200P cameras.

I'm running Vegas v10 64bit.

How do I bring these files into a project ?

Thanks

Comments

Tom Pauncz wrote on 3/29/2011, 12:48 PM
Brian,
You can use Clip Browser (from the SONY Business microsite). Or from the view menu use 'Device Explorer'.

Look up MXF in the online help or call me....

Tom
LReavis wrote on 3/29/2011, 1:48 PM
Do these .MXF files somehow open in a different manner than the .MXFs created from within Vegas? I simply drag'n'drop them onto the TL - just like any other video files . . .

BrianJK wrote on 3/29/2011, 2:10 PM
Hi Tom.
I looked briefly for clip browser on the Sony microsite but didn't find it. Who knew a microsite would have so much stuff. Do you recall the proper name of the clip browser. Also, the site wanted me to register but wouldn't accept Ontario as my location.
Device Explorer isn't happy with the external hard drive as a device.

Brian
BrianJK wrote on 3/29/2011, 2:12 PM
Hi LReavis.
They don't open at all. When I drag them from Windows explorer to the timeline, I see a ghost of an outline as if it's going to work but when I release it nothing happens.

Brian
Tom Pauncz wrote on 3/29/2011, 2:26 PM
Brian,
Not sure where you ended up, but I never had to register.

Start here and scroll down.

Tom
rs170a wrote on 3/29/2011, 2:36 PM
Brian, are these folders labeled BPAV or something else?

Mike
farss wrote on 3/29/2011, 3:24 PM
Assuming these files are from the Panasonic AG-HVX200P then they are DVCpro HD in a MXF wrapper. Vegas cannot decode DVCPro HD, period.
You will need a 3rd party tool such as Raylight to handle them, sorry.

Bob.
BrianJK wrote on 3/30/2011, 3:26 AM
Tom - thanks for the link. I'll give it a try

Mike - The top level folder is OURFILES. It contains LASTCLIP.TXT and a folder named CONTENTS. The CONTENTS folder contains AUDIO, CLIP, ICON, PROXY, VIDEO and VOICE.

Bob - The few XML files that I checked all say AG_HVX200P so I'll search for Raylight today. Will Raylight give me HD files that I can bring into the timeline or SD or ??

Thanks to everyone for their support
Brian
farss wrote on 3/30/2011, 6:19 AM
"Will Raylight give me HD files that I can bring into the timeline or SD or ??"

Sorry but I don't know that much about it, Google it. I know there's quite a few Vegas users using it and you do get HD out of it.

Bob.

Baron Oz wrote on 3/30/2011, 8:49 PM
I use an HPX500. Raylight seamlessly adds the files to the timeline in their original definition and frame rates. Just drag and drop from the explorer tab in Vegas, look in the contents/video file for your clips.
BrianJK wrote on 3/31/2011, 4:03 AM
Thanks to all for your advice on this. Man these forums are one of the best features of Vegas & SoundForge !!

Baron Oz - I downloaded the trial version of Raylight Ultra & it works as you describe. Too bad it's so expensive. At least I have a customer for all this madness.

Thanks.
rs170a wrote on 3/31/2011, 5:51 AM
Glad you got it sorted out.
Now tell your client to get a "real" camera that won't cause you so much grief :)

Mike
JohnnyRoy wrote on 3/31/2011, 7:41 AM
> "Now tell your client to get a "real" camera that won't cause you so much grief :)"

Or more realistically add the price of Raylight to the customer's bill.

So what have we learned? You need to post the formats that you accept as part of the contracted job price and explain that there will be an additional charge for converting non-standard formats. ;-)

~jr
rs170a wrote on 3/31/2011, 8:03 AM
Or more realistically add the price of Raylight to the customer's bill.

John, you make an excellent point that should be followed by anyone in business for them self.
Raylight is only $200 so hopefully it won't be too hard to find a way to fit that into the client's budget.

Mike
JohnnyRoy wrote on 3/31/2011, 9:34 AM
> "Raylight is only $200 so hopefully it won't be too hard to find a way to fit that into the client's budget."

Yea, the only thing to be careful of is how other NLE's handle these files. If, for example, Premiere Pro or FCP ingests these files without the need for Raylight, then you don't want to charge more because you use Vegas. I don't know if this is true but it's something to be conscious of when pricing.

~jr