Media Composer 4 Mac with DNxHD files out of ROCKETcine-X

[Kaku Ito]

I've been away with MC but I've tested the 30 day trial of MC4 software on Mac with ROCKETcine-X output of DNxHD format. The footage seems to be rendered but when I import the files, they are offline. I read through the white paper but I couldn't make it work. Is there any likely issues that I could look over?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Job ter Burg]

Where did you place the mediafiles that the clips point to?
They need to reside in a subfolder named "1" or "2" or "3" etc. which should reside in a folder named "MXF", which should be in the folder "Avid MediaFiles", which should reside at the root level of a media drive.

If you want to do it a little more easy, import a graphic or create tone or title media on the drive you intend to use. The Avid will automatically create the desired folder structure on that drive, and you may then add the media to that folder structure.

Also, if your media drive is your system drive (not reccomended), you may need to make sure that in your Media Creation settings, the boot drive isn't unchecked. (On second thought, I think that only prevents you from writing to the boot drive, not reading from it).

 

[Alexander Ibrahim]

Where did you place the mediafiles that the clips point to?
They need to reside in a subfolder named "1" or "2" or "3" etc. which should reside in a folder named "MXF", which should be in the folder "Avid MediaFiles", which should reside at the root level of a media drive.

Also, if your media drive is your system drive (not reccomended), you may need to make sure that in your Media Creation settings, the boot drive isn't unchecked.

That is SO unnecessarily complex for such a basic function. Thinking like that is why I have a hate-love relationship with Avid. (And why FCP got on my systems to begin with!)

How about letting the media files be wherever I want them to be, in folders named whatever I want?

I don't like the complexity of it, but I have to agree with the reasoning behind not allowing the boot drive to store media by default- but that should be clearly indicated. A little note like "You are attempting to access/save media on your startup drive. This is disabled by default. Change settings here" would be very nice.

Oh, Avid.

 

[Job ter Burg]

That is SO unnecessarily complex for such a basic function.

Actually, this way, you always know where your media is. Unlike systems that allow users to drop their stuff all over the place. It also makes it more easy to (temporarily) hide your media from your system, which can be more than convenient at times.

I have a hate-love relationship with Avid. (And why FCP got on my systems to begin with!)

The most annoying thing about Avid and Final Cut is that in each and every topic in each and every forum, someone feels the need to compare the two, without constructively contributing to the topic in question.
Do you really feel your post is being helpful to anyone, let alone to the OP?

How about letting the media files be wherever I want them to be, in folders named whatever I want?

As said, it allows for faster (re)linking and much, much easier media management.
On other systems, like ProTools, you would add the media, but then you would have to tell the application where the media is.
It's cool if you prefer that. I do not.

I don't like the complexity of it

Then, by all means, use another editing system.
I haven't thought about where media resides for ages. I won't lose a second of sleep over it. In fact, this thread might constitute the most time I've ever spent on the issue in my entire career.

, but I have to agree with the reasoning behind not allowing the boot drive to store media by default- but that should be clearly indicated. A little note like "You are attempting to access/save media on your startup drive. This is disabled by default. Change settings here" would be very nice.

You seem to be missing the point that adding these mediafiles (created by a third party app) to the system happens at finder level, without the need to have the application open. How on earth would you expect your OS to know where and where not an application likes to have some data stored, or what user settings might be active at the time of the next launch? Or how would you expect the application to see that media is being added if it is not running?

Oh, Avid.

Oh, boy.

 

[Jason Diamond]

You can load to the boot drive if you wish and it is actually not disabled by default. However it is not recommended.
AVID's AMA program will eventually allow most filebased workflows to be your much desired "store it yourself" style of media organization, but try to see the benefit of what is most definitely NOT an Uber-Complex directory structure only meant to protect and maintain performance for your media.

 

[Alexander Ibrahim]

Well, I didn't think my post would garner a point by point argument! I figured it would be an offhand throwaway comment, left unremarked upon.

I am not dissing Avid- I think they have superior technology for the most part - especially for working on larger projects with distributed staff and very high performance online solutions. I haven't used Media Composer in a very long time, and I plan on taking a good hard look at this version.

Let me be very clear: What I dislike is the notion that I have to use Avid's AMA to store media using my way of organization. That should be built in, and readily accessible.

If there are valid technological reasons for Avid's limitation in this regard, then instead of not "seeing" the files, there should be some sort of prompt/wizard/UI for finding files elsewhere and moving them into Avid's folder stucture. (Not that I can imagine a valid technological reason for this.)

Its part of a simple philosophy- software should conform to the user, users should not conform to software.

Final Cut has a pile of limitations and aggravations. Stupid stuff like this (and a lower price) led to Final Cut's marketplace dominance. This is something very easy for Avid to fix.

As to helping the OP, it doesn't help today. You can rest assured that Avid engineers/project managers etc. are reading forums like this. Companies are paying more attention to blog and forum posts than they do to direct complaints these days. So, they might catch a clue. Thus it may help future Avid users.

I also think that Apple has more concern and respect for their users- and the way those users might want to work. Given Apple's track record for making users work "the Apple way" this is not a compliment.

 

[Kaku Ito]

I'm gonna take a look at the file location and try it again, thanks.