AAF on mixbus?

[Jostein]

Mixbus used to have quite good support for AAF (I know - because I wrote it!!) But the problem with AAF was that the spec itself was too open to interpretation 

Avid's interpretation was usually the best - but everyone else's was pretty flaky. Typical problems included crossfades not getting handled correctly- or for stereo material, sometimes only the left-hand channel got exported!!

Can your client export sessions in ProTools format? I've never tried Mixbus's PT import feature but by all accounts it's quite good... Worth a try maybe?

Yes, I have noticed that the AAF spec and the different implementations are somewhat funky!  :-)

I finished the mix by aligning the files manually and the client is happy. I have only imported PT sessions where the tracks are consolidated to the full length, so I can't really tell how well the PT import works. It might be better to ask the client to deliver full-length consolidated files in a project like this, it was only 8 extra clips in addition to the music file itself (which I mixed a few months ago).

A year or so before the first version of Mixbus32C came out, I got a request for mixing a full-time movie (approx. 2 hours I think). Regarding the audio mixing alone, I knew I had the best program (Mixbus) for the job but I had to turn the offer down. They mixed the audio for the whole movie in some Adobe program, maybe it was Adobe Audition (did it exist around 2015) but I'm not sure.

I'm currently studying the AAF file I got through a hex editor in the hope that I can make a Perl script to tell me where the files should be aligned according to the AAF. I found the references to the audio files and now try to figure out where to find their starting points.

I enjoy mixing projects like the one I just finished and hope for more jobs like this, it was great fun!

[johne53]

It might be better to ask the client to deliver full-length consolidated files in a project like this

The only problem with consolidated files is that you'll have no 'handles' at the edit points. So if an edit sounds bad, you'll probably be stuck with it 

I'm currently studying the AAF file I got through a hex editor in the hope that I can make a Perl script to tell me where the files should be aligned according to the AAF. I found the references to the audio files and now try to figure out where to find their starting points..

To be honest, that's probably not a great idea. AAF files are composed of objects called MOBs - but the MOBs don't need to be in any particular order and even the same type of MOB can have different sizes. And the bytes can be in different orders too - known as little-endian and big-endian.  In fact about 10 or 12 years ago a programmer submitted some code to do something similar -(except with OMF files, rather than AAF) but it never really worked.

I'd be inclined to contact the AATranslator guy and ask if he'll do a couple of conversions for you as a favour, with a view to trying the paid-for service for future projects.

[Jostein]

It might be better to ask the client to deliver full-length consolidated files in a project like this

The only problem with consolidated files is that you'll have no 'handles' at the edit points. So if an edit sounds bad, you'll probably be stuck with it 

I'm currently studying the AAF file I got through a hex editor in the hope that I can make a Perl script to tell me where the files should be aligned according to the AAF. I found the references to the audio files and now try to figure out where to find their starting points..

To be honest, that's probably not a great idea. AAF files are composed of objects called MOBs - but the MOBs don't need to be in any particular order and even the same type of MOB can have different sizes. And the bytes can be in different orders too - known as little-endian and big-endian.  In fact about 10 or 12 years ago a programmer submitted some code to do something similar -(except with OMF files, rather than AAF) but it never really worked.

I'd be inclined to contact the AATranslator guy and ask if he'll do a couple of conversions for you as a favour, with a view to trying the paid-for service for future projects.

I had the luxury of having unedited raw files (I specifically asked for that), so nothing could really go wrong in this case as far as I'm aware.  :-)

Thanks for warning me about digging into the file, but in this case, it's only 312 KB big, so it's only referencing the attached audio files (and strangely enough the client's DropBox as well - sounds dangerous and strange). But that also emphasizes what you said about different ways of implementing AAF because of the loose specs. Isn't it so that many of these programs can export an XML file that refers to where one should align files in a project? I think I see something about this on the 'Net.


Maybe I should just let it all go for now and simply concentrate on the next project. One thing is for sure: -It would be awesome to mix the audio on a full-fledged movie with Mixbus32C!  :-)

[johne53]

Thanks for warning me about digging into the file, but in this case, it's only 312 KB big

That sounds like what's called a non-embedded AAF file (i.e. the audio comes in separate clips). If you've some way of getting it to me I could probably dump the contents into a text file for you - so you could see the various MOBs and properties etc more easily.

[Jostein]

Thanks for warning me about digging into the file, but in this case, it's only 312 KB big

That sounds like what's called a non-embedded AAF file (i.e. the audio is in separate clips). If you've some way of getting it to me I could probably dump the contents into a text file for you - so you could see the various MOBs and properties etc more easily.

I'm finished with that project, but let's do it for the fun of it!  :-) I just sent you a PM.

[johne53]

Hi Jostein - this morning I was amazed to find that someone's working on an AAF importer for Ardour

The bad news is that it doesn't look like there's a pre-built version available but if you post on the Ardour forum someone there might've already built it. Or someone might know who's developing it, so that you could contact the developer and ask if they've anything you could try. It's intended for Ardour version 6 but I'm pretty sure that Ardour6 sessions can be loaded into Mixbus.

[Dingo]

I have moved this thread into general discussion as it is not OS specific

[Jostein]

Hi Jostein - this morning I was amazed to find that someone's working on an AAF importer for Ardour

The bad news is that it doesn't look like there's a pre-built version available but if you post on the Ardour forum someone there might've already built it. Or someone might know who's developing it, so that you could contact the developer and ask if they've anything you could try. It's intended for Ardour version 6 but I'm pretty sure that Ardour6 sessions can be loaded into Mixbus.

This is interesting but appears to be abandoned or in the best case: paused. I can most likely build it by myself by installing RedHat Linux inside a VirtualBox and do it from there. The reason for using RedHad is that many parts of the source code for libaaf library seem to be RedHat-specific (paths, library and package names, and so on). I think that explains why a program like DaVinci Resolve's Linux version is made for RedHat.

I have to think a little about this and if it's worth it or not. My client is using DaVinci Resolve and I might ask him to export it as XML for me. But the project is finished and I'm done with it, so, yes, I must think about it.

[johne53]

I have moved this thread into general discussion as it is not OS specific

Thanks Dingo.

[rods]

For me AAF works perfectly going from Samplitude and Logic Audio (both ways). AATranslator works perfectly with ProTools Sessions, Samplitude, Reaper and Mixbus. I use it regularly.