Support for XAVC-S in FCPX HELP

Hi I have posted this problem in just about every Forum that I have thought about looking for an answer to some strange behavior when trying to import the new Sony Codec for consumer cameras like the newly released 4K Sony FDR-AX-33. I hope to get some help here.
Hi Guys:
I am posting this in your Forum because I assume that many of you also edit in FCPX an since the AX-100 uses the same file system that the new AX-33 has may be some of you may have ran into this problem before since your camera has been out for some time. I don't think it is a camera problem but I have not had any luck anywhere else to resolve this problem. I think it is actually a lack of support for the XAVC-S CODEC.

I think I may have found a partial solution or a workaround to this problem.
I was trying to insert in the card reader a new card that I shot on the Sony AX-33 that only contained XAVC-S files that is 4K files shot at 100Mbps on the XAVC-S and HD at 60 Mbps at 60p for 1920×1080 also utilizing the same XAVC-S codec so I try importing the clips into FCPX thru the Import window and again the same problem occurred FCPX would see the card only as a Volume And not as a Camera I did this several times even powering down the computer and powering back up and still no go, so I could not even create an archive of the card.
I thought That I ran out of options when it occurred to me that I had one more format to try on the actual camera setting that did not require the use of XAVC-S codec,,,…. that was MP4 so I set it to that and using the same card that I had shot the previous clips, I shot 3 clips of MP4 at their default setting using the same camera and card and took the card out and reinserted it in the reader, opened FCPX and the import window and ……..VOILA!! the card showed up as a Camera in the import window not only with the 3 MP4 files that I just added BUT ALSO WITH ALL THE CLIPS THAT I HAD SHOT IN 4K AND HD USING THE XAVC-S CODEC of course now being displayed as a Camera I am now able to select and play the 4K files and HD files and even select ranges for import or create a camera Archive. Freaking Amazing!!!
I have a theory FCPX does not show at this point any new supported cameras from Sony that shoot with the New codec XAVC-S but they do show supporting the XAVC (without the S) codec in their support page I kind of wonder if this is actually the problem and it may be fixed in future upgrades.
I know that the XAVC-S codec is the consumer version and the XAVC is the Professional version for the XDCAMS from Sony and that one has a Sony Propietary plugging for import on to FCPX, but I don’t know if it applies to the XAVC-S that is used in consumer cameras like mine.
The Sony AX-100 uses the same codec and file system on the card and it has been out for more than one year I wonder if there are any AX-100 users out there that can comment on this finding.
I will have to do more testing but for now I think this is a work around I still can not find any explanation.

I work out of a new late 2013 MacPro with 6 cores and dual 700 FIREPRO AMD graphic card with 32Gigs of memory I never have trouble with 4K playing in this machine.
Thanks,
Luis

Hi Luis, welcome to the forum.

And thank you for posting this very interesting find. Yes, Sony is inventing new crazy formats faster than anyone can support them these days What's even more amusing is that even their own Media 100 software does not support some of their new XAVC flavors, so go figure.

Anyway, everything seems to indicate that this problem should be solved in a next FCP X update.

- Ronny

Sony, the company that brought us the 4 pin Firewire connector, which shorted out Firewire ports left and right, because they thought a ground wire was unnecessary. And making monthly mortgage payments on your software for the rest of your working life was a good idea. Yay Sony!

Final Cut tries to recognise different camera card structures so it can display logical clips from the editor's point of view, not actual files and folders from a programmers point of view. Looks like Final Cut recognises one aspect of this newer Sony structure, but doesn't recognise or show files that don't follow that structure. Once you add mp4 files, Final Cut 'realises' that it needs to look at all the files and make video files available for import.


The free Sony Catalyst Browse can handle all Sony codecs.
www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/catalystbrowse

Last weeks new version of iMovie (10.0.7) supports AVC S. That means the same support will be in the next version of Final Cut.

@Alex4D

Thank You Ronnie:
That is unbelievable they must be in a mad rush to the 4 K revolution by real easing things that are not ready for prime time. At least I was able to find some answers and Alex4D has expanded on the explanation at least there is light at the end of the tunnel.

What puzzles me the most is how the users of the Sony AX-100 that has been out for a year have been able to cope with editing their clips on FCPX with this problem existing already... I am sure there has to be many that use FCPX to edit their clips. I will post something to Alex4D that I also discovered today when attempting to open archives for import.

Thanks a lot it makes me feel better.

Luis

Thank You Alex4D

Now I find a logical explanation that really makes sense to this whole mess but your news about the upcoming support are even better.
I need to try Catalyst browser and how to use I did not know it existed, I have always been a Canon Guy, but apparently they have taken a sleeping pill to ZZZZ thru the 4K revolution That's why I had to jump to Sony.

Another thing I found is that once I am able to create the archive after adding the mp4, if I try to open the archive again in FCPX sometimes it will show the the XAVC HD and 4K files and sometimes it will not and only show the AVCHD files, the JPEG and the mp4's but not the XAVC-S files, furthermore when they do show up they show up with a WHITE LINE covering the whole clip underneath (see insert) and you can not choose a range tool to import part of the clip, you have to import the whole clip, or use the In/Out method to choose the part you want.
In the finder the Archive shows all the clips and their appropriate hierchy folders just fine.

Really strange behavior.

Thanks Alex4D you have been very helpful and I have enjoyed many of your pluggings on line

Luidoly (Luis)

I find that all too often camera manufacturers are just too slow in implementing this kind of workflow stuff. I mean, wouldn't you think they'd do it before their product launches? I've started using Divergent Media's EditReady as part of my workflow with my A7s and it goes like this:

1. Drag "private" folder to a reel named folder on a backup drive.
2. Drag folder into Edit Ready. Select Pass-Through (rewrap) and change the file name to creation date. This solves a huge issue on the A7s which is that the camera resets to C001 every time you format a card. That, combined with the fact that FCPX wasn't reading proper timecode, made this a necessary investment.
3. Export out to a project media folder on my RAID
4. Import into FCPX (leaving files where they are)

So far, it's a system that's working really well for me. If I wanted EditReady to make prores I could, but I find optimizing using FCPX is still much much faster.

Thank You fcpguru:
This also looks a good work around although I am trying to avoid extra steps I may try this, I am encouraged by news from Alex4D about the iMovie support on their latest version for the XAVC-S support so I will see what happens with FCPX.

Thank You
Luis

My A7s also shoots in XAVC-S, while FCPX actually support XAVC from camcorders like F55, why not simply add XAVC-S into the support list?
As for now I have to transcode XAVC-S into master file(ProRes) .

Whitemax, I find with the latest version I can cut XAVC-S natively. Actually with previous versions too. I just use EditReady as a workflow tool since up until the latest, FCPX didn't recognize it as a camera and I couldn't make camera archives.