# Media Composer Guide EditReady can converrt your source media into Avid codec-based MXFs to speed up and simplify your dailies (or rushes) workflow. There are two types of MXF that Media Composer supports: 1. OP-Atom 2. OP1a ## OP-Atom With OP-Atom, there are separate MXFs for the individual video and audio streams. Media Composer then combines these into one Clip inside a Bin. When Media Composer transcodes MXFs, it typically names these files like this on your filesystem: * Video - `V01.(Some Hexadecimal Numbers).MXF` * Audio - `A01.(Some Hexadecimal Numbers).MXF` With EditReady, you can transcode your source media into DNxHD-based OP-Atom MXFs Media Composer will recognize as one Clip. It also uses the name of your source media for your transcoded MXFs so you can quickly identify them on your filesystem and in your Bin. ## OP1a OP1a MXFs contain all the video and audio streams captured by a camera or recording device in one container, which Media Composer will see as one Clip inside a Bin. EditReady can transcode your source media into OP1a MXFs – DNxHD or DNxHR – you can use in an editorial workflow. ## How to use ### **1. Transcode your source media to MXFs** 1. In EditReady, add the clips you wish to transcode. 2. Transcode your source media to the MXF that's best for your workflow, OP-Atom or OP1a. {% tabs %} {% tab title="OP-Atom" %} 1. In the `Preset:` dropdown, choose the desired `DNxHD... (MXF)` preset. 2. Next, select `Custom` from the `Preset:` dropdown. Selecting a `Custom` preset enables the `File Format:` dropdown. 1. From `File Format:`, choose `OPAtom (.mxf)`. 2. If needed, customize your transcode settings with: 1. `Dest Folder:` - the destination folder where EditReady creates your transcoded files. 2. `Additional Options` such as `Frame Resizing`, `Color Conversion`, etc. 3. (Optional) Go to `Batch > Save Current Preset` and name your new preset. {% endtab %} {% tab title="OP1a" %} 1. In the `Preset:` dropdown, choose the desired `DNxHD... (MXF)` or `DNxHR… (MXF)` preset. 2. If needed, customize your transcode settings with: 1. `Dest Folder:` - the destination folder where EditReady creates your transcoded files. 2. `Additional Options` such as `Frame Resizing`, `Color Conversion`, etc. {% endtab %} {% endtabs %} 3. Click `Convert All.` Your transcoded MXFs are now available in the `Dest Folder:` location, alongside the corresponding `*.aaf` files for each clip. ### **2. Copy the transcoded MXFs into one of Media Composer’s media folders** {% tabs %} {% tab title="OP-Atom" %} Copy the transcoded MXFs from the `Dest Folder:` location to one of these folders: * Shared Storage - `/(Volume)/Avid MediaFiles/MXF/(Someones Computer).(N)` * Local Storage - `/(Volume)/Avid MediaFiles/MXF/(N)` {% endtab %} {% tab title="OP1a" %} Copy the transcoded MXFs from the `Dest Folder:` location to one of these folders: * Shared Storage - `/(Volume)/Avid MediaFiles/UME/(Someones Computer).(N)` * Local Storage - `/(Volume)/Avid MediaFiles/UME/(N)` {% endtab %} {% endtabs %} {% hint style="danger" %} Do not mix Shared and Local storage media management folder structures on the same volume. {% endhint %} {% hint style="info" %} Media Composer will index and use the `MXF` and `UME` folders if they exist inside `/(Volume)/Avid MediaFiles` on the same volume. {% endhint %} ### **3. Launch Media Composer to index your media folders** The result of Media Composer’s indexing will be a `msmMMOB.mdb` file in each media folder: * `../Avid MediaFiles/MXF/(Folder)` * `../Avid MediaFiles/UME/(Folder)` ### **4. Use the associated `*.aaf` file to import a specific clip into a Bin** 1. In Media Composer, create a new Bin. 2. In Finder (macOS) or File Explorer (Windows), open the destination folder from your transcodes and locate the `*.aaf` file for the specific clip you want to import. 3. Drag and drop the `*.aaf` to your Bin. ### **5. (Optional ) Use the `.MDB` file to fill your Bin with Clips** 1. In Media Composer, create a new Bin. 2. In Finder (macOS) or File Explorer (Windows), open one of those media folders – `MXF` or `UME` – and locate the `msmMMOB.mdb` file. 3. Drag and drop the `.MDB` to your Bin. \ You now have a Bin with the exported Clips - ready to use in Media Composer.
## Questions ### Should I rename the folders inside `../Avid MediaFiles/(MXF | UME)/`? Many teams do, but we strongly recommend leaving those folders named as-is. If identifying those MXFs by filename is important to your workflow, EditReady uses your source media filenames for the transcoded file names so you can easily do so. [A complete discussion on this topic is available in Mimiq's documentation.](https://docs.hedge.video/mimiq/questions#should-i-rename-the-folders-in-..-avid-mediafiles-mxf-or-..-omfi-mediafiles) ### What if I add new MXFs to an existing `../Avid MediaFiles/(MXF | UME)/` folder? If you haven’t renamed those folders to something Media Composer doesn’t expect, Media Composer will reindex that folder, resulting in a new `msmMMOB.mdb` file. You can drag and drop that `MDB` file on a new or existing Bin, which will update your Bin with new Clips created from your transcoded MXFs. ### Can Media Composer *really* use OP1a MXFs as media in an editorial workflow? Yes. Avid released the Universal Media Engine (UME) to support OP1a MXFs natively in Media Composer 2019.6. Since 2019, Avid has removed installers for Media Composer versions that do not support UME. You can read more about the Universal Media Engine and Media Composer’s native OP1a support at Avid’s Knowledge Base: * [Avid Universal Media Engine FAQ](https://avidtech.my.salesforce-sites.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Knowledge/Avid-Universal-Media-Engine-FAQ) * [Avid Media Composer, Apple macOS Catalina Support, and the Universal Media Engine](https://avidtech.my.salesforce-sites.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Knowledge/MC-macOS-Catalina-Support-Universal-Media-Engine) * [Media Composer File Type Support Without QuickTime Installed](https://avidtech.my.salesforce-sites.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Knowledge/Media-Composer-File-Type-Support-on-macOS-Catalina)