If it hadn’t already been taken, E pluribus unum would have been a great motto for Sony’s latest development, XDCAM® Browser version 1.00. This free, downloadable software unifies and simplifies what had been five separate applications for XDCAM and XDCAM EX products. This unification is particularly important now that the recently introduced PMW-500 camcorder and PDW-HR1/MK1 field recorder support both XDCAM and XDCAM EX file types. The new software also operates under both Windows® and Mac® OS.

XDCAM Browser integrates the key features of the following applications, previously available separately:

• PDZ-1 XDCAM proxy browsing software (Windows OS)
• XDCAM Proxy Viewer Application (Windows OS)
• PDBZ-KP1 XDCAM Transfer Plug-in for Final Cut Pro (Mac OS)
• PDZ-VX10 Sony XDCAM Viewer (Windows OS)
• XDCAM EX Clip Browser (Windows and Mac OS)

You may have noticed the weasel words “key features of.” In the short term, some functions will remain available in the separate applications only. As XDCAM Browser gains full functionality, we anticipate that the individual applications will be discontinued and there will be one app to rule them all.

Version 1.00 of XDCAM Browser already includes the ability to copy, move and delete clips from XDCAM and XDCAM EX media and copy to a card image on your hard drive. You can play video including XDCAM proxy on your computer, rewrap MP4 files as MXF, correct for CMOS flash banding, view and edit metadata and even format SxS™ cards as UDF (instead of FAT-32) to support the PDW-500 in XDCAM mode.

Devotees of MainConcept’s handy Conversion Pack 1.0 will be pleased to note that the new XDCAM Browser supports this valuable plug-in, which enables exporting files in a variety of formats.

XDCAM Browser Version 1.00 is compatible with 32-bit Windows XP SP3; 32/64-bit Windows Vista Business, Professional, Ultimate Editions; and 32/64-bit Windows 7 Business, Professional, Ultimate Editions. (Home Editions are not qualified to use with XDCAM Browser or XDCAM device drivers.) On the Macintosh® side, you’ll need OS X Leopard or 32/64-bit Snow Leopard (Intel® Macs only).

The application is currently available for free download here. You can also get software updates automatically by signing up for the RSS, feed here on the Sony Livewire homepage.