Differences between XML and EDL

[Tanner Stauss]

Basic question but probably a complicated answer. This is regarding FCP, if that makes a difference. I know the basic purpose but I just want to know the main differences/advantages/disadvantages between EDL's and XML's.

 

[Ziggy Uszkurat]

Put simply, XMLs contain more information about the edit and (in principle) offer an easier way to exchange that data with other XML capable programs. XMLs should be more robust too. But like everything else YMMV

Ziggy

 

[GlennChan]

In my opinion...
XML is a standardized way of representing a proprietary format. Each kind of XML is a different format essentially.

EDL is a mostly standard format for editing interchange. Cut, dissolve, speed changes (no ramps). No effects, no pan/crop/scale/etc. XML is capable of representing those things.
I saw mostly standard because there are many ways to make EDLs that don't work. Timecode (DF versus NDF, different frame rates), reel names that are too long, reel names that are the same, etc. etc. Many offline editors don't know what they're doing... especially FCP editors (ok I am cynical!!).
There are also many EDL variants, but it's not a big issue. (Then again, there is Sony Vegas... which can export both fake non-industry-standard EDLs and real EDLs.)

2- Where XML is useful is that it's easy for other companies to look at the XML file and figure out what the file format is. And then they can program support for that particular kind of XML file.

3- There is also AAF, which is Avid's attempt at standardizing project interchange (and kudos to them for that). And it carries over more than just cut, dissolve, and speed changes. It actually works in many cases... e.g. you can get Sony Vegas projects into Adobe After Effects.

FCP does not support AAF, you need Automatic Duck.

Unfortunately there are differences in the way AAF is implemented, so it does not always work in all situations.
There are also differences in the way the media is stored... so if the other system can't read a certain flavour of MXF, quicktime, AVI, etc. then the whole system breaks down.
Whereas with EDL, you usually transfer all the media over a standard SDI link... so this gets around the file format issues. But you can use EDLs in data-centric workflows too, and then you need to worry about metadata and whether the other system understands the files.

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Anyways, the bottom line is that many problems occur because:
A- There are too many ___ing formats. File systems, frame rates, DF versus NDF timecode, media containers/wrappers, essence/codecs, EDL XML AAF this and that, etc. etc.
B- If you capture material over SDI, you will have sync issues and some online assistant has to sit there manually fixing these sync issues.
But SDI solves many of the format issues since (pretty much) everybody gets the video + audio over SDI right. Metadata over SDI not so much.

You also can't move 24p over SD-SDI, so that can create issues. In this exception, another format (24p SD-SDI) would've helped. Otherwise, too many formats causes problems.

 

[Tanner Stauss]

Thank you so much. Good info.