Avid® MetaFuze™ v2.
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Contents Using This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Symbols and Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 If You Need Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Accessing the Documentation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Avid Training Services . . . . . . . .
Chapter 2 Avid MetaFuze Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Scan Folders Dialog Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Group View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Detail View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Details of a group... . . . . .
Using This Guide This manual is intended for Avid® MetaFuze™ users from beginning to advanced levels. Unless noted otherwise, the material in this document applies to the Windows®, Linux® and Macintosh® operating systems. It covers the features and hardware of all models and applies to all operating systems. Therefore, depending on the hardware model that you have purchased, your system may or may not contain certain features and hardware that are covered in the documentation.
Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action Courier Bold font Courier Bold font identifies text that you type. Ctrl+key or mouse action Press and hold the first key while you press the last key or perform the mouse action. For example, Command+Option+C or Ctrl+drag. If You Need Help If you are having trouble using your Avid product: 1. Retry the action, carefully following the instructions given for that task in this guide. It is especially important to check each step of your workflow. 2.
Avid Training Services Avid Training Services Avid makes lifelong learning, career advancement, and personal development easy and convenient. Avid understands that the knowledge you need to differentiate yourself is always changing, and Avid continually updates course content and offers new training delivery methods that accommodate your pressured and competitive work environment. To learn about Avid's new online learning environment, Avid Learning Excellerator™ (ALEX), visit http://learn.avid.com.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze Avid ® Metafuze™ provides a complete offline-to-finish file-based workflow when used in conjunction with Avid Media Composer® and Avid DS. Metafuze allows the generation of MXF media from DPX, R3D, TIF, JPG, AVI and QuickTime files, which can be offlined in Avid Media Composer, and conformed for finishing in Avid DS.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze ACQUISITION CG OFFLINE EDITING (OPTIONAL) DIGITAL CAMERA OUTPUT & DISTRIBUTION TAPE Export TIF files Avid MetaFuze TIF FILM HIGH-RES EFFECTS & FINISHING DPX Scan or transfer to DPX Avid Media Composer Avid DS Import MXF R3D 1 Group highres files into MXF files Output High-res files 4 HD 4:4:4 HD 4:2:2 NTSC PAL QuickTime Output to tape or file EDLFILE EDL 2 Edit and produce final AFE 3 DPX CINEON (2K, 4K) Conform AFE Link or capture original files RECORDER FIL
Opening a Project in MetaFuze In the case of DPX files, necessary information such as KeyKode™ (key number) and timecode is inserted as metadata into the DPX file during the scanning process. If the DPX files do not contain the timecode information, the ALE is required in order to make the necessary correspondence to the associated DPX files. The ALE is usually supplied by the film-scanning facility or output by MetaFuze/Avid Media Composer.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze Click and drag a view by its title bar. Select an existing preset view (if any). Shaded blue area will appear to indicate where the view can be dropped. Click to save your column settings to a preset. Click on the extreme left to select a toolbar. To move a view within the main window: 1. Select a view or toolbar that you want to move. To select a view, click its title bar. To select a toolbar, click the extreme left where you see the vertical dotted line. 2.
Scanning your Folders n Some views can be undocked from the main window by clicking and dragging their title bar outside the main window. Doing this creates a new window that you can stretch out if you need to see the values more clearly. It also allows you more viewing space for the other views in the main window. The changes that you make to the window display are automatically saved and reloaded each time you open MetaFuze.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze Select a path in the list and then click this button t refocus your Available folders view to this path. Add folder button Remove folder button 4. Select and add as many folders as you want. 5. Option. You can reorder the selected paths using the Up and Down Arrow keys. 6. Option. To remove a folder from the list of selected paths, select the path and click the X button. 7.
Transcoding your Files 12. Click the Scan button to begin scanning your files. MetaFuze scans the list of selected paths and forms groups based on the options you have selected. Once the scan is complete, the main screen displays the list of groups that have been found in the selected paths. After groups have been found, you can proceed to transcode your files. n If you have selected the Show scanned information option, the Scan Details dialog box opens when all folders have been scanned. 13.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze Drag right or left to enlarge/shrink viewer sizes. To reset size, right-click on any viewer and select Auto-adjust. Source viewer Output viewer Group view Expand tree to show individual files within group Select a scanned group n Detail view An XML command script can also be used in the Avid MetaFuze console mode to automatically create a list of files for transcoding. For more information, see “Transcoding your Files in a Batch” on page 27.
Transcoding your Files The Source viewer displays the original images. 3. In the Detail view, you can experiment with the Format and Conversion Mode options to set the best image format and aspect ratio for your output MXF—see “Detail View” on page 41 for definitions of the different settings. The Output viewer shows you how the image will appear based on the transcoding settings in the Details view. 4. If you need to select a LUT for your files, click the LUT field in the Detail view.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze n You can also create a new transcode job from another transcode job. Simply select the transcode job, change any detail settings, and then click the New Transcode button. The new job will inherit the settings from the original transcode job. 8. Select this new transcode job, and in the Detail view, set the necessary transcode options—see “Detail View” on page 41. 9. In the Detail view, click on the Folder option, and specify a location where the transcoded MXF media is to be saved.
Transcoding your Files Option Description Auto-rename If a file with the same name exists, appends an incremented number to the end of the file name. e.g. Transcode_1080p001.mxf. Auto-rename All Appends an incremented number to the end of the file name that already exists, without prompting you each time that it encounters a matching file name. Cancel Cancels the transcode process. When the transcoding is complete, the MXF files are available in the output folder that you specified.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze To create a stereoscopic group: 1. Scan the appropriate folders as described in “Scanning your Folders” on page 15. 2. In the Groups view, select the folders for the left and right eyes. (The order in which you select your left and right eye groups is important as it determines the order in which the frames will be combined for transcoding. For Avid Media Composer editing, make sure that you select the left eye group first and then the right.
Transcoding your Files In the Detail view, you can select a data field to burn-in on your images. If you want to burn in more than one field, however, you need to use the Burn-in Editor. To open the burn-in editor: 1. Select the scanned group and click the Burn-in button on the toolbar. The Burn-in Editor opens—see “Burn-in Editor Dialog Box” on page 48 for details on the settings in this dialog box.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze Configuring the MetaFuze Transcoder If you have a multiprocessor system, you can increase the number of processsing threads that will be used by MetaFuze when transcoding single-frame files such as DPX, JPG or TIF. To configure the system transcoder: 1. From the main menu, select Options > Transcode Configuration. 2. MetaFuze shows the number of threads available on your system for processing. 3.
Using LUTs in MetaFuze n In the case of R3D files, the LUT information is encoded with the file. In addition, if a certain “look” needs to be applied on this footage, an RLX file will also be provided. This file can be imported into MetaFuze before transcoding your files—see “Importing Other Image Settings” on page 27. If a LUT was provided with the files you are transcoding, then you should import it into MetaFuze before transcoding the group.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze To edit a LUT: 1. Select the group for which you want to modify the LUT. 2. Click the Edit LUTs button at the bottom of the main view. n This button is only enabled when you are working with a group of DPX or Cineon files. 3. In the LUT Editor, select a Template type. 4. Click Create. A new dialog box opens with the settings of the template. 5. Adjust the values as necessary. n The Lock option links values to each other.
Transcoding your Files in a Batch Exporting a LUT You can save the LUT settings and export them for use with other MetaFuze groups or external applications. To export a LUT: 1. Select the group whose LUT settings you want to export. 2. Click the Edit LUTs button at the bottom of the main view. 3. Select the LUT that you want to export. 4. Click the Export button. 5. Select the folder where you want to place the file, and click Save. 6. Click Close.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze To create the XML batch file: 1. In the Group view, select the transcode job that you want to convert. 2. In the Detail view on the right side of the screen, set the necessary transcode options—see “Create XML Batch Dialog Box” on page 47. 3. Click the Create XML Batch button. The Create XML Batch dialog box opens. 4. In the Script Name textbox, type the name of the XML batch file that you want to create. 5.
Transcoding your Files in a Batch 5. Option. Open the .xsd with Liquid Studio to find the correct enumeration values. Once you have a valid .xml file, it can be interpreted by MetaFuze. Running a Transcode Batch File When you execute the batch transcode command, your XML file will first be validated against the XSD to check for the syntax and format. If there are no errors, an MXF file is generated based on the job settings in the XML file. To run the batch transcode: 1.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze XML Batch File Example A MetaFuze XML batch file contains the same settings found in the Detail view of MetaFuze—see “Detail View” on page 41. The following is an example of an XML batch file: 2 2 - - H:\Public\GraphicsF
Transcoding your Files in a Batch H:\Public\GraphicsFiles\Still Seq\DPX\253\154_213C-2_B_03\368851.dpx H:\Public\GraphicsFiles\Still Seq\DPX\253\154_213C-2_B_03\368852.dpx H:\Public\GraphicsFiles\Still Seq\DPX\253\154_213C-2_B_03\368853.dpx H:\Public\GraphicsFiles\Still Seq\DPX\253\154_213C-2_B_03\368854.dpx H:\Public\GraphicsFiles\Still Seq\DPX\253\154_213C-2_B_03\368855.dpx - x.0 Z:\Project_D
1 Using Avid MetaFuze ANAMORPHIC DNxHD 36 Exporting an ALE from MetaFuze If you have created multiple MXF files that you want to edit on your Avid Media Composer workstation, you can export an edit list of all these clips via an ALE file. If the selected transcodes have different frame rates, then an ALE is generated for each different format that is detected.
Importing MXF Files into Avid Media Composer Option Description Auto-rename All Appends an incremented number to the end of the file name that already exists, without prompting you each time that it encounters a matching file name. Cancel Cancels the export ALE operation. Importing MXF Files into Avid Media Composer To import MXF files into Avid Media Composer, you can import the ALE created by MetaFuze and link to the associated MXF files.
1 Using Avid MetaFuze Importing MXF Files The Media tool displays all captured video and audio data files stored on the media drives. It also displays media that is stored on local drives directly connected to the Avid editing system and on unmanaged shared storage. You can use it to import the MXF files that were transcoded in MetaFuze. To import an MXF file using the Media Tool: 1. In Avid Media Composer, select Tools > Media Tool. 2.
Exporting the AFE File from Avid Media Composer Exporting the AFE File from Avid Media Composer Once the edits are completed in the Avid Media Composer, export the sequence as an AFE to Avid DS for finishing. To export an AFE from Avid Media Composer to Avid DS: 1. Right-click the sequence and select Send To > Avid DS. The Send To: Avid DS dialog box opens with the default export template. 2. Optional: Change the file name. 3.
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2 Avid MetaFuze Reference Scan Folders Dialog Box The following table describes the options available in the Scan Folders dialog box. Option Description Available folders Allows you to browse to the folder where your source files are located. The folders can be on your local workstation or on a remote storage. (For remote storage, you might need to use the full pathname, e.g. \\\). Press the Enter key after typing in the path name.
2 Avid MetaFuze Reference Option Description No merge Searches for file patterns for each item in the selected paths list, as well as their subfolder levels. Unique groupings are formed for each level. selected path selected path Merge across subfolders In this example, 15 searches are done. For each item in the selected paths list, searches for file patterns down through all the subfolders. Unique groupings are formed for each selected path in your list.
Group View Option Description Merge all Searches for file patterns and forms groupings across all folders in your list of selected paths. selected path selected path n In this example, 1 search is done. For all the preceding merge options, duplicate files are discarded in each grouping and only the most recent is kept. Include subfolders Scans all subfolders in the list of selected paths as shown in the preceding examples.
2 Avid MetaFuze Reference ** A double asterisk beside a tape name indicates that the information has been generated by MetaFuze based on your entry. Sort arrow Some column headings have a little arrow at the top right. Click on the arrow to sort the column in ascending or descending order. Column Description Name Name of the group. Folder Name of folder where this group was found. Clip Name Indicates the name of the MXF file that will be generated.
Group View Column Description KN Start The key number found in the first file of the group . If key number metadata was found in the source file, then this field cannot be changed. If the key number was not found in the source file, you will be able to enter a key number if necessary. Set Tape Info This option is always selected. Tape information metadata is automatically embedded in the MXF. Tape Name The source tape name. For some file types, this name can be changed if necessary.
2 Avid MetaFuze Reference Column Description Conversion mode Lets you select the aspect ratio that will be used during conversion. When converting between film/HD and NTSC formats, you must make sure that the aspect ratio is respected. Film/HD uses the aspect ratio of 16:9, while NTSC/PAL uses 4:3. Choose the mode that will be used for final output. Anamorphic If your images are 16:9, they are stretched vertically to fit into a 4:3 NTSC frame.
Detail View Column Description Resolution The resolution quality of the image being extracted by the RED parser. The higher the resolution, the slower the encoding process. Import Settings You may use Avid DS or a third-party tool to simulate the “look” of your images. These settings (such as black levels, brightness, etc.), can be saved to a file, and applied within MetaFuze to the entire group of images when generating the MXF file. Such an example is the .
2 Avid MetaFuze Reference Details of a group... Field Name Description Name Name of the group. Folder Name of the source folder where this group was found. Project Lets you enter a name for this project. This name should be meaningful or correspond to the name of your project in your Avid editing application. Film Type Displays the film type found in the source media. If this metadata is not found, then the default is set to 35 mm 4 perfs.
Details of a file... Field Name Description Conversion mode Lets you select the aspect ratio that will be used during conversion. When converting between film/HD and NTSC formats, you must make sure that the aspect ratio is respected. Film/HD uses the aspect ratio of 16:9, while NTSC/PAL uses 4:3. Choose the mode that will be used for final output. Anamorphic If your images are 16:9, they are stretched vertically to fit into a 4:3 NTSC frame.
2 Avid MetaFuze Reference Details of a transcode job... Field Name Description Name Displays the name given to the transcode job. Folder Lets you specify the destination folder for the MXF file. If you will be using this media on a Avid Media Composer workstation, you can save the media directly to a shared media folder. Select the appropriate drive, and make sure that you save the media in a path name \Avid Media Files\MXF\1\.
Details of a transcode job... Field Name Description TC Start The timecode found in the first file of the group. The start timecode can be changed if necessary, and the end timecode will automatically be adjusted. TC End The timecode found in the last file of the group. Burn-in Lets you select metadata for burn-in. If you want to burn-in more than one field, see “Burning-in Information on the Frames” on page 23.
2 Avid MetaFuze Reference Field Name Pillars Description Select this option to preserve the aspect ratio when going from NTSC to HD. The 4:3 image is placed in the center of the 16:9 HD frame and black bars are added to the left and right sides of the image. LUT Enter the type of Lookup Table to be associated with these files. (Only available for DPX file types.) Status Indicates if the job has been transcoded or not. Eye Enter the appropriate text to indicate the left or right eye frames.
Details of R3D groups or transcode jobs... Details of R3D groups or transcode jobs... The following additional options are available when you select groups or transcode jobs that have R3D files. Field Name Description Chroma Select the level to filter the noise of the chroma component. Debayer Select the amount of detail correction in the debayering process. OLPF Select the OLPF (Optical Low Pass Filtering) level. This value can be set before capturing or linking.
2 Avid MetaFuze Reference Burn-in Editor Dialog Box The following table describes the options available in the Burn-in Editor dialog box. Field Name Description Burn-in Preset The name of the file where the settings are stored. Save button Click this button to create a new preset, or save changes to a selected preset. Delete button Click this button to delete a selected preset. Import Import a burn-in preset file (.xml). Export Export a burn-in preset file (.xml).
Transcode Configuration Options Increasing the number of processing threads generally provides greater performance, but it may decrease the power of other applications that are running simultaneously. n When transcoding stream files such as AVI, MOV or R3D, the threads will be used to their full capacity, therefore you will not be able to use other applications during the transcoding.
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