Calling all Avid experts

I have a single .mxf (avid format, not sure which one) that I'd like to convert to quicktime to be able to edit in FCP. After doing some research it seems that without a third party plugin, my only option is to bring it into Avid (I am using MC 5.5) and export to QT through the program.

This is my first time using Avid and I can't believe how difficult it is to import a clip, I get "you cannot import this file into a bin". I have read that this might be an issue with how Avid deals with media but I'd rather not deal with a whole project, reconnecting, etc...

I just want to start a new project, import that one clip and export as QT, is that possible?

Just taking a stab at this: try using the Sony XDCAM Transfer plug-in to import the file into FCP7.

MXF is a container architecture like QuickTime, able to carry numerous codecs, plus timecode and other metadata. It's often generated by Avid systems but also others.

- Loren

Today's FCP 7 keytip:
Temporarily mix down audio tracks with Command-Option - R !

Your Final Cut Studio KeyGuide? Power Pack
with FCP7 KeyGuide --
now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

As stated, Avid captures to a different media format...MXF. Also shared by P2 and XDCAM. Avid also captures Audio and Video separate...so if you have ONE MXF file, it will be picture or audio only, not both.

Try the ClipBrowser route...that's an interesting idea. But barring that, you need Avid. But there is a 30-day demo available for it, so you can download that and use that to convert to QT. But you need to be aware that Avid can only see that media if it is in a very specific folder structure. And it isn't like FCP where you import the MXF file, you have to use the MEdia TOOL to get it. Avid is VERY different from FCP.


www.shanerosseditor.com

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In so many ways....;-)

- Loren

Today's FCP 7 keytip:
Temporarily mix down audio tracks with Command-Option - R !

Your Final Cut Studio KeyGuide? Power Pack
with FCP7 KeyGuide --
now available at KeyGuide Central.
www.neotrondesign.com

The ClipBrowser (2.6) doesn't work for me. I get an error about file structure.


www.shanerosseditor.com

Listen to THE EDIT BAY Podcast on iTunes
[itunes.apple.com]

Echoing the sentiments above - access your clip through avid & export a quicktime.

If you have an .mxf file, you don't need to import it, or go through the "import" dialog. That's why you're getting that error - importing is for quicktime files, the MXF is already converted to what AVID wants.

Do this:

Quit Media Composer (makes this easier). On your media drive, find the "Avid MediaFiles" folder, and drag your MXF into Avid MediaFiles>MXF>1 folder. Relaunch MC - you should get a flash of a "scanning media directories" window, depending on how much media exists on your drive.

That process files your clip where MC wants to look for it. Now inside MC, enter a project, and go to Tools>Media Tool. Select the partition you just dragged the clip to and "all projects". (Unless you know which project the clip was initially created in.) Selecting 'all projects' will show you every clip AVID has on that drive partition. Find your clip in that bin, drag it into a project bin, and export away.

Seems like a lot of steps, but it's not that bad.


Jeff

Jeff,

That seems like a viable option if I ever need to do this again. This time I was able to figure out what project it was in, loaded up that project, found the correct sequence and exported that sequence.

>The ClipBrowser (2.6) doesn't work for me

Clipbrowser? How about XDCAM Transfer? XDCAM Transfer rewraps XDCAM media into Quicktime. The process is lossless, but I haven't tried it on non XDCAM formats.



www.strypesinpost.com

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