What Are The Solutions For Better Interoperability With MXF?

As a SMPTE member Cube-Tec International is consequently working within the standards development process. Cube-Tec supports the development of Application Specifications as an AMWA member and also works at the Expert Communities at EBU level to improve the situation. But for ad-hoc needs, Cube-Tec has developed the MXF Legalizer.

Here are some practical strategies and recommendations to minimize incompatibility issues within MXF files:

  • move to highly restricted use-case definition like the AMWA MXF Application Specifications (see AMWA MXF box page 3)
  • use constraints of the SMPTE Interoperability Specification in the Registered Disclosure Documents
  • use in-house restriction to clearly define MXF format constraints
  • only use tools based on well tested and widely used MXF libraries
  • foster and support regular Plug-Fests for checking and documenting compliance issues
  • use file-based QC engines to report incompatibilities early in the workflow
  • report analysed issues to SMPTE and EBU

Fix potential dangerous format variants

Depending on your in-house rules, you can convert potential dangerous format variants like:

  • known Sony e-VTR MXF issues
  • convert midnight TC Wrap 24:00:00/00 to 00:00:00/00
  • force conversion of 20 bit resolution audio to 24 bit
  • ignore Audio Channel Valid Flag
  • unclosed or incomplete MXF files
  • not aligned to typical KLV Alignment Grid size of 512
  • wrong/missing TC-counting in system element
  • MXF-header/footer issues TM