Premiere Pro CS6 6.0.5 on Windows - Generic Import Error with XDCAM/MPEG-2

[zopiro]

I'm having trouble importing XDCAM HD footage to my CS6 Windows editing computers.

If I drag the mxf files, I get a "generic import error". If I use PPro's Media Browser to navigate to the folder with the proper file structure copied from the XDCAM disc, it won't read, give me thumbnails, and won't import (same generic error!)

This works just fine on a Mac machine with PPro CS6, but not on Windows machines.

Premiere Pro is supposed to read XDCAM file structure properly on Windows, right?

Could I be having codec problems? How can I clean my codecs and keep only what CS6 installs?

[smrpix]

Premiere handles XDCam very well. If you've been messing around with codec packs you may want to re-install Premiere so it resets its proper priorities. Otherwise I would look to see that the XDCam disk was properly copied to the PC. Were the files on an HTFS (Mac) formatted card? Can you play any of the individual media files on VLC or MPC-HC for example?

[zopiro]

It's a PC. I can play the files just fine on VLC.

The issues could be due to codec packs. Is reinstallation really the only way to fix this? No cleaner utils, codec management, no better way to inspect it, log files, etc?

[aedipuss]

codec packs have been known to cause enough problems to require re-formatting the hard drive and re-installing windows to start over fresh. feel blessed if it only requires a program re-install.

[Cornucopia]

I'd suggest:
1. Uninstall codec packs
2. Codec pack cleaner utils/regedit pruning
3. Uninstall+Reinstall PPro
4. Prayer/Fingers-crossed

And if that doesn't work, then you go on to aedipuss's suggestion of Reformatting & Reinstalling your OS + apps (without codec packs, obviously).

Scott

[zopiro]

I just tested this on a machine with absolutely no codec packs installed, only Premiere CS6.

After importing, I get the error "The importer reported a generic error", and the file isn't ingested to Premiere...

[Cornucopia]

Did you check the disc FS formatting, as was previously suggested? What app/device did you use to copy the files/folders/structure?

Scott

[zopiro]

Disk formatting is fine, copied straight from XDCAM disc. Worked on a mac, same Premiere CS6 version, through media browser.

I've also tested importing a single MXF file, which also should work. Works on mac, doesn't work on PC.

[aedipuss]

xdcam disc? xdcam is usually written to fast mem cards like p2's.

[smrpix]

Specifically, what hardware did you use to transfer the disk contents? So far we haven't been able to rule out either a codec issue or a file handling issue.

[Cornucopia]

Could also be the simple gotcha of PCs vs. Macs: QuickTime.

QuickTime is built into the OS subsystem in Macs, so you don't have to install anything. PCs, OTOH, use QT only as one of a number of possible subsystems (and usually it is ~3rd in the list). So unless you specifically installed QT as an additional option on the PC, if the format is expecting to use that as the underlying subsystem and cannot find it, that might explain it.

I've always installed QT Pro on my PC machines, as I have regular need for its services to my clients, so I don't know what kind of errors PPRo would throw without it...

Scott

[zopiro]

Cornucopia, isn't Premiere CS6 supposed to natively support XDCAM on Windows? Why would QT Pro be needed?

[zopiro]

Is there no tool out there that lets you meticulously manage codecs installed on your system, including Premiere? Is there no way I can manually check these files to try and fix this?

[smrpix]

There are a number of tools here. I haven't personally used any of them in years so cannot give a recommendation, though I would stay away from anything too dated.

https://www.videohelp.com/software/sections/codec-video-identifiers

Be aware they all have the potential to make things worse.

[zopiro]

So, yeah... Reinstalling on a clean system didn't work, I still get the same error. I've reached my wit's end, unfortunately. This means I'll have to go the Creative Cloud way and pay for a subscription, instead of using my CS6 license... Which sucks. It was supposed to work.

[Brainiac]

Are you able to create an XDCAM sequence? If not, maybe this will help:

https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/kb/features-presets-missing-premiere-pro.html

Brainiac

[zopiro]

Brainiac, I'm not. That's an interesting advancement, thank you. It was weird that some PCs were able to read XDCAM files just fine, while the others that can't have the "activation" option under Help greyed out.

It's possible that those machines have pirated copies of Premiere, now that I think about it. I'll get into that.

Thanks a lot! I'll come back with results next Monday.