Markers Greyed Out Part II

[csgaraglino]

I have read most of what is posted on the subject and while it does not make sense to me, it seems with the lack of Adobe response they know there is a problem but don't want to acknowledge it?

Let's look as some specific issues I am facing, can only imagine that I am not alone here?

1. I have Sony EX3 and NX5u footage and both require that I use Sony's proprietary software to get the files off the card or SSD. If you don't you lose the metadata that is already there such as GPS location information and various other data. Also, on clips larger then 2gb (like on longer events with unmanned cameras) you'll have serious issues if you don't let Sony's software ingest the files creating the link between them. And while Sony does not duplicate the files structure, it does copy over the XMP file for each clip.

2. I have several years of footage that has come form these cameras that are NOT in the native file structure - footage that gets used all the time in other various projects.

3. This is not limited to just native M2T files. I have files from HDV tape (Sony A1u and Z7) that were imported digitally as raw M2T files right from Premiere that do not work.

4. GoPro files will not work.

One of the main reasons I went from CS5.5 to 6 was specifically for Prelude so that I could actually orginaze, log, tag and marak my clips before starting a Premier project. I was sold on the fact that this is exactly what Prelude was suposed to to and dipped my cup into the Adobe Kool-Aid tank?

Adobe's own website makes no mention of this serious problem, nor did Richard Harrington, with all his cautions on Lynda, did not bother to mention these issues either? It would have been nice if somewhere relevant we would have been told of what Prelude is and can actually due, rather than what Adobe wants it to be (some day)?

[wplate]

We are aware of these issues and are investigating. In the mean time transcoding is a workaround.

[3ljun]

Hi West Plate

Any updates regarding this issue?

Thanks,

[wplate]

3ljun wrote:

Any updates regarding this issue?

Not yet, this is still something we hope to get addressed.

[olaxvx · Accepted solution]

This problem was bugging me too. I had both .MTS files without their original filestructure and GoPro files that Prelude would not let me log and use markers on. Since the files are already mp4's, just in the wrong container, I did not like the idea, of transcoding them since it's both timeconsuming and would mean a loss of quality. I struggeled a bit to find a good program to re-wrap these files in a new container, but in the end I found a solution.

I came across this tutorial on how you can use FFmbc to re-wrap mts-files into mp4-files: http://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_kunena&func=view&catid=26&id=11548&Itemid=81

Folloow the instrucions there and I also recomend following the instructions in one of the comments on how to make this into an automated script so that you don't have to convert one file at a time.
Put all .mts files I want to re-wrap in one folder. Run the script and it will re-wrap all the files into mp4-files.

The new .mp4-files are now fully compatable with Prelude's marker functions.

As for the GoPro .mp4-files i cheated a bit and just renamed them to .mts so that I could use the same script. It worked like a charm.

I'm sure there are more elegant ways of doing this, but at least this works and you don't have to transcode anything.

Now I'm just hoping that Adobe will add re-wraping features to Media Encoder and their other tools cause that would make the workflow much easier.

[csgaraglino]

Thank OLAXVX - this seems to work perfectly.

For my GoPro files - I created a batch file that does the renaming, wraping and cleanup all in one fail swoop.

Here is what I have.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:: AVCHD to MP4 for GoPro files to be used with Adobe Prelude.

:: This batch files needs to be placed int he same dDIR as the GoPro files.

:: Updated: Aug. 6th, 2012 - Chris Sgaraglino

MD ori

MD mp4

REN *.mp4 *.mts

FOR %%f IN (*.mts) DO (

"C:\Program Files\ffmbc\ffmbc.exe" -i %%f -vcodec copy -acodec aac -strict experimental -ab 512k %%~nf.mp4

)

MOVE *.mp4 "mp4\"

REN *.mts *.mp4

MOVE *.mp4 "ori\"

PAUSE

[marknekk]

Thank you all very much!!!

Ffmbc + this script = LOTS of GoPro-transcoding saved!!!!! Works great!!!

[snet89]

Awesome solution!

I, too, was getting annoyed with the transcoding workaround.

My situation is I have over a weeks worth of dive video in a rather complicated folder structure, and copying the current version

of the batch script to each subfolder would be rather tedious. So in the spirit of giving back, I expanded on the posted script idea

to include recursion and folder structure replication. Put the following batch script at the root video directory, and watch it go!

The final output of the script, as seen below, is a new folder "~CONVERTED" in the script directory, containing a converted

replication of the subroot directory tree. It even outputs a log just for debugging if needed!

:######## Convert GoPro Video to Prelude Compatible Video ########

:## Script Requirements:                                                  ##

:##                     FFmbc.exe                                                    ##

:##                                                                                ##

:## Author: Ryan Lally                                                            ##

:## Email:                                          ##

:## Updated: 02/24/2013                                                            ##

:#################################################################

@echo off

:################### Configure Script Here #######################

:Destination Folder

set DEST=.\~CONVERTED

:Conversion Log Path

set "LOG_PATH=%DEST%\log.txt"

:FFmbc.exe Path

set FFmbc=C:\Program Files\FFmbc\ffmbc.exe

:#################################################################

:Suppresses "subdirectory already exists error"

2>NUL MD "%DEST%"

:Echo Log Header

echo Converstion Started - (%date% %time%) > %LOG_PATH%

call:ProcessDirectory .

PAUSE

goto:eof

: End of Main Script

:######################## Functions ##############################

:ConvertFiles

set var=%~1

call:LOG "Mkdir - %DEST%%var:~1%"

2>NUL MD "%DEST%%var:~1%"

FOR %%f IN ("%~1\*.mp4") DO (

          : Conversion String

          set DI=%%f

          setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion

          set DF=%DEST%!DI:~1!

          2>NULL "%FFmbc%" -i "%%f" -y -vcodec copy -acodec aac -strict experimental -ab 512k "!DF!"

          call:LOG "Convert - !DF!"

          endlocal

)

goto:eof

:ProcessDirectory

call:ConvertFiles "%~1"

FOR /d %%d IN ("%~1\*") DO (

          IF NOT %%d == %DEST% (

                    call:ProcessDirectory "%%d"

          )

)

goto:eof

:LOG

echo %~1

echo %~1 >> %LOG_PATH%

goto:eof

:#################################################################

Email address deleted to protect privacy.  Message was edited by: Jeff Bellune

[BudKCatalog]

I have found this link. Seems a bit old of a product (2010) but I have tried out the demo product and it works well! I needed it for GoPro video to injest into Prelude and it has worked for video on a Hero2 and Hero3. Anyone else find this software? How does it work for you?

http://www.videotoolshed.com/product/66/mp4-to-quicktime/3