Joining Panasonic 4K MP4 files with HD Writer AE 5.2

[Benoit]

Hi

So far, the only (easy) way I found to join spanned (4k) MP4 clips created with my Panasonic VX870 camcorder is using the provided HD Writer AE 5.2 software.
My problem today is that I could not find a way to join clips that were not imported (from the camcorder or SD card) using that software: I have two MP4 files from that cam that must be joined, but they were previously moved to another storage [without the accompanying files containing metadata, i.e. without the complete containing DCIM folder], so copying them back to a SD card doesn't work (HD Writer AE doesn't see these clips on the card without the missing metadata files) and I couldn't find a way to import these files back into HD Writer AE, in order to join them.
Any suggestion ?

[Baldrick]

Have you tried join with mp4box? Or a frontend for mp4box like mymp4boxgui (under the join tab)? If they now can handle those mp4s.

[Benoit]

I haven't tried MP4Box yet...but for the record, Pegasys' TMPGEnc Smart Renderer 4, which is quite comprehensive and usually...smart, doesn't allow to encapsulate the resulting concatenated clip into a MP4 container because the source MP4 is "illegal"...Any other container allowed by TMSR4 for these clips (MPEG TS or MPEG PS) causes problems with my editing software.

[smrpix]

See if changing the audio settings in TMPGenc Smart Renderer will allow for mp4 output. Also, what editing software are you using that doesn't allow for ts or ps files?

[Benoit]

I am AMA-linking the MP4 files in Avid Media Composer 8.2; it uses QT as MP4 file reader and that's pretty restrictive

[Benoit]

See if changing the audio settings in TMPGenc Smart Renderer will allow for mp4 output.

When I force MP4 output, TMSR says"The Variable Quantization Matrix of the MPEG-4 AVC parameter does not meet the standard"

[smrpix]

I am AMA-linking the MP4 files in Avid Media Composer 8.4; it uses QT as MP4 file reader and that's pretty restrictive

Does it link to the original files? If so, is there some reason you can't just join the clips on your timeline?

(Also, unless you're exporting QT from Avid, there shouldn't really be any bottleneck. The presumption is you'll transcode to a DNxHR resolution to work with.)

[Benoit]

Well, yes, the workflow is somewhat more complex: I need to join the files and use the resulting [single] long clip in a multicam (group) clip; also I am not working with DNxHR in a 4k project, but will do Frameflex pan&scan on this 4k AMA clip in a HD project: this means working with a proxy DNxHD res during the editing, but relinking to the original AMA source at a later time to get full res in the "zoomed in" clip before final render; in such a scenario, keeping the source MP4 files separate (joined on the timeline) is definitely possible but slightly more complex (time-consuming): need to create multiple group clips, etc.

[Benoit]

mp4boxgui did it - tx all for the help !

[smrpix]

keeping the source MP4 files separate (joined on the timeline) is definitely possible but slightly more complex (time-consuming): need to create multiple group clips, etc.

Got it. I've recently discovered that if I've got 3 or 4 breaks in one camera of a multicam show it's less time consuming to just make multiple groups. If you've got more than that it's a pain, I agree.

The route I was using previously was to create my sync map in Avid and then AAF the track with gaps into Resolve and output as a single clip directly into a numbered Avid media folder.

Glad you got it working.