Anyone using the Field Recorder Import feature?

Nuendo
1

This feature has been available in Nuendo for quite a few versions now, but
since it imports files as regular WAV copies instead of Broadcast WAV (BWF), the embedded timecode information gets lost.
Because of this limitation, I had avoided using it for practical work.

Recently, I had a project that required me to use this feature — but unfortunately, as before, the metadata (such as timecode) was not recognized during import.

I previously submitted a request for improvement to Steinberg via Yamaha,
but as far as I can tell, this issue still hasn’t been addressed.

Is anyone else experiencing the same problem,
or has chosen not to use this feature because of it?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences or workarounds.

2

I have tried to reproduce your issue, but without luck.
On my system, the “imported files” still reside in the original folder and maintain their BWF status, including all metadata.
I tried to find a way to make the system copy the files “as a new file”, but without luck.
After “preparing archive” in the pool (thereby copying the files to the local Audio folder), the files maintain their BWF status including metadata.

Must say that I use this feature a lot (understatement of the year) and have never seen this.

So, how do you make the Field Recorder import feature directly importing the files into the project folder? Must be missing something. please provide repro.

Fredo

3

Hi Fredo,

Thank you very much for your reply.
It’s helpful to hear that you frequently use this feature — I’d love to learn from your experience.

Let me share how I’ve been using the Field Recorder Import function in my workflow.

⸻

Usage context:

I’m using the Field Recorder Import feature to conform field recorder audio files to an AAF timeline using metadata.

First, I need to export an AAF from Premiere Pro with metadata included.
It’s important that the AAF is exported with full media copies, preserving the original metadata.
(Note: When working with Media Composer, metadata tends to be stripped when exporting as MXF, so the procedure is more complicated — but I’ll skip those details here.)

⸻

My workflow:
1. In the Field Recorder Import window, I specify the location of the poly WAV files recorded with Sound Devices (or similar), and establish a link to that folder.
2. After importing the AAF into the Nuendo edit window, I match clips one by one using metadata — and if metadata isn’t available, I rely on the description name to match against the linked field recorder files.
3. At the import stage, I have the option to bring files into the pool or place them directly into the lanes.
In my case, I prefer importing to lanes so I can line them up on the timeline for easier review and editing.
4. From the interleaved poly WAV file, I select only the tracks I need and import them.

⸻

The issue:

At this point, the files are imported not as Broadcast WAV (BWF), but as regular WAV files, meaning the original metadata (e.g. timecode) is no longer preserved.

⸻

Please let me know if this behavior sounds familiar or if I may be missing a crucial setting.
Thanks again for your support!

4

Just to add one more detail:

If you try assigning the current session’s Audio folder as the destination path when using the Field Recorder Import function,

you’ll likely notice that the files are copied as new WAV files, even if the original files were Broadcast WAV (BWF).

In this case, it seems that the timecode and other metadata are stripped during the copy process,

which could be the root of the issue I’m experiencing.

5

FRI
FRI1888×1236 186 KB

Not seeing this here.
As you can see in my test, all metadata is present.

How do you do that?

Fredo

6

Thank you for testing this.

Would you be able to check the details of the imported file
by selecting the event in the timeline and using “Find Selected in Pool”?

I suspect that the file is actually a WAV file and that the Timecode metadata has been stripped during import.

7

Can’t confirm.
I suspect you are performing some kind of action that breaks the BWAV.

Screenshot is taken’ after “find selected in pool”.
As you can see, the files still resides in the original folder after import.
And it still is a BWAV.

FREC_02
FREC_022095×531 72.5 KB

For importing the file into the project audio folder, I have selected the “prepare archive” in the pool.
This is how it looks after import:
Still a Broadcast Wave, including all metadata.

FREC_03
FREC_032173×1272 278 KB

Fredo

8

Thank you for the detailed testing, Fredo.

You’re right — it does look like the files are being referenced directly.
It’s possible that when polywave files are split and copied during import, new WAV files are being generated instead.

That said, in the screenshot you shared, the “Original Timecode” field appears to be set to 0.
Could you confirm if that’s the case on your end?

FREC_02
FREC_022095×531 72.9 KB

9

Of course, on my system as well,

the metadata is visible in the Event Info in the Edit Window.

However, my workflow relies on the original timestamp (Original Timecode) as the reference,

so losing that timecode information is a significant problem for me.

10

Activate the “origin time” in the event line.
That however will give you the origin time of the Location recording, not the origin time of the placement in the AAF.

The procedure of Field Recorder Import however is:
-Import AAF or assemble using third party application.
==>>> All of the imported files are ate the corredt place.
-Select one of these files
-Find matching field recorder files
-Import them in lanes.
===> Which places the imported files at the exact same position and lenghth of the selected file.

I can’t see a way to reproduce your problem.
You must be using the Field Recorder import in an incorrect way.
I really don’t know…

Fredo

11

Dear Fredo,

Thank you so much for your detailed testing and for taking the time to look into this.

I think the issue may stem from my not fully explaining the specifics of my audio post-production workflow — I realize now that my earlier comments may have lacked clarity.

I agree — in my environment as well, the Field Recorder Import feature technically functions as intended.

However, this is the key point I want to highlight:

That however will give you the origin time of the Location recording, not the origin time of the placement in the AAF.

What I truly rely on is the “Original Time” metadata that Nuendo reads and stores in the Pool — the actual timestamp from the original field recording session.

⸻

Example Workflow:

As a rule in my workflow, I import all production recording takes into the session and place them on tracks sorted by their original timecode. Even for projects with over 40 days of material, I just keep adding tracks.

Let’s say Scene 1 contains five takes. Due to editorial decisions, it ends up like this:
Take 1 → Take 2 → Take 1 → Take 3 → Take 1 → Take 4 → Take 5

In this scenario, rather than processing the same audio file (Take 1) three separate times, I apply Direct Offline Processing to the single original take lined up at its correct timestamp.

As long as the Original Timecode is preserved, I can quickly copy and paste processing to all uses of the same take — often using macro shortcuts to streamline the process.

⸻

Problem with Field Recorder Import:

However, when using the Field Recorder Import function, the moment I import the matches to lanes, the timecode metadata is lost.

This means I can no longer use commands like “Move to Origin”, and it becomes much harder and slower to reference alternate takes or check adjacent recordings for comparison.

If I rely solely on the Field Recorder Import function, every time I want to try a different take, I must manually search and replace — which significantly reduces editing efficiency.

That’s why I still prefer to use the EDL Conform function for most of my conforming work.

⸻

It feels like such a missed opportunity — even though the audio files already exist in the session, and the system recognizes them, the act of placing them into lanes causes the timecode to be dropped.

I realize I might be overly concerned with the fine details, but I’m very committed to maximizing efficiency in my workflow, so these small things have a big impact for me.

That said, your method of referencing files directly — as shown in your test — was new to me, and I’ll definitely try it out to see if it offers a better solution.

Thanks again, Fredo, for taking the time.

12

As far as I understand your method -which is rather exotic- the issue is not the Field Recorder Functionality. My guess is that the DOP process screws up the metadata.

Fredo

13

I can also confirm that metadata remains with Field recorder import.

14

“The term ‘metadata’ might be a bit too broad here and could lead to misunderstanding.

I believe Nuendo can display metadata within the session — such as in the Info Line or Event Info.

What I’m specifically referring to is that the actual file copied into the Pool no longer retains its Broadcast WAV ‘Original Time’ information, and that’s the problem.”

15

Original time is the “time” the file has been initially recorded on location or studio.
Thus can be 3 days and 40 hours…
Unless I am mistaking that is not the same/and/or related to the placement in the AAF.

If you move the files from within the AAF, there is no way you can let the “snap” to their original placement in the AAF. Unless I am mistaking. (I never been in that scenario)

What might work is performing an “update origin” when all of your files of the AAF is imported.

But then again, I don’t see the issue because the Field Recorder Import places all of your newly imported files (through the FRI) at the correct place.

Fredo

16

Dear Fredo,

Thank you again for your thoughtful reply.

As you mentioned, the Field Recorder Import feature placing audio clips precisely at their correct positions in the AAF is something I also find extremely valuable.

However, the “Original Time” (i.e., the recording timestamp) is not only important for clip placement within the AAF.

I also work in production sound recording, and we synchronize Sound Devices recorders with cameras using various timecode workflows. In my case, I use an Ambient timecode generator to sync the devices. This setup uses TOD (Time of Day) timecode, which keeps camera and recorder in perfect sync.

This timecode information is critical throughout the production and post-production process, and in workflows involving field recorder files, I believe preserving this data is standard practice — particularly for accurate conforming.

That’s why I consider it essential that this timecode metadata must not be lost at any stage between production and final post.

However, when I use the Field Recorder Import feature to bring in files via lanes, the resulting WAV files copied into the Pool lose their Original Time data.

As a result, time-based operations — such as “Move to Origin” or global processing workflows — become impossible, and my editing efficiency is significantly affected.

So, to clarify: the core issue for me isn’t the clip’s position during import — which works correctly — but rather the loss of the recording’s Original Timecode in the imported files.

If there’s something I’m misunderstanding or doing incorrectly on my end, I would sincerely appreciate any clarification you can offer.

17

Well, All I can say is that I don’t have that problem and that the “origin time” in the pool does not reflect the “origin time” in the infoline, read from the metadata.
As you can see in my screenshots.

Fredo

18

Dear Fredo,

Thank you again. I feel that some parts of our conversation may have led us slightly off-topic, so I’d like to clarify my main point from a technical perspective.

In general, when importing audio files into Nuendo using the standard import method, the Broadcast WAV metadata — including the “Original Time” — is not altered. The files are simply copied while preserving all timecode information.

However, when using the Field Recorder Import (FRI) feature, although the metadata can still be viewed within the session (for example, in the Info Line), the copied files in the Pool lose their “Original Time” information.

This is the core issue I’m highlighting — it’s not about the placement of events on the timeline, but rather the fact that the metadata that should remain intact is somehow being stripped or not preserved during the FRI copy process.

This behavior differs from standard import in Nuendo, and I would strongly prefer that the FRI process not modify or degrade the original metadata embedded in the file.

Perhaps this is something that only affects my workflow, but it’s the reason I still rely primarily on the EDL Conform function.

Of course, in some projects — where there’s no need to revisit alternate takes or make detailed audio comparisons — FRI might be sufficient. But in projects that require flexible editing, having access to the original recording time is essential.

19

Did some more testing, and you are correct that “origin time” is lost after splitting/importing the files through Field Recorder import.

Will report.
Fredo

2 Likes
20

Things you can do:

Import your files the “normal way” and split them; this will retain the origin time.
(Move to origin will work)

Or
Use WaveAgent (https://www.sounddevices.com/product/wave-agent-software/) to split all of your location files. This is what I do because Editload’s AAF export has a hard time dealing with multichannel files.

Fredo