Why XAVC files suddenly upload without video but good audio

I just had this happen (April 7 2025) on my M1 iMax running Sequoia 15.4. I shoot XAVC 4K on two Sony cameras and upload to FCP. Been doing this for years no problem. Last time I did it was around March 10 with no problems. I tried on April 7, and nothing but problems. Was having problems even copying the card to a hard drive in the finder. FCP wasn’t even running. When I finally was able to copy it, I would go into Import in FCP and even the Preview track would show black. A full upload would result a black screen and good audio. Much experimenting for two days ... and it’s any XAVC footage that I have ... even old stuff that I know transferred and uploaded OK in the past ... but it will not do it now. Tried cards from both cameras and on 4 different computers in 2 locations ... 2 M1 iMacs and 2 Intel iMacs. None worked.

One bizarre twist ... sometimes ... not all the time ... when I navigated to the folder in Import, all the clips would be duplicated in the Preview Window. If I had 10 clips, there would be 20 clips. The first 10 would not have any video, the second 10 were fine and uploaded OK. But I could copy the same card immediately again, and there would be only the 10 bad clips. All the video plays fine in the camera. I had a deadline this week and couldn’t devote my full attention to this ... so I’ll be running more organized tests over the weekend, and then contact Apple next week.

From my last successful upload on March 10 till now, I did the update on March 27 for Pro Video Formats 2.4 and the FCP update to 11.1 on March 30. No XAVC issues on March 10 … nothing but problems now.

iMac 24″

Posted on Apr 12, 2025 4:08 PM

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joema

Level 4

1,107 points

Posted on May 22, 2025 11:47 AM

This was just fixed in FCP 11.1.1, just released. As usual, for a day or so after an FCP update, it does not show on the App Store's first page. You have to click on the icon in the App Store, then it shows the Update button.

I tested it on several different XAVC-L clips, and it seems fixed.

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37 replies

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,777 points

Apr 12, 2025 4:15 PM in response to VideoGuyHawaii

Please post an EtreCheck report https://etrecheck.com giving the application Full Disk Access in Privacy & Security System Settings. Copy the report and use the Add Text button to paste the result into reply box.

terryb

Level 4

3,340 points

Apr 12, 2025 10:06 PM in response to VideoGuyHawaii

In addition to the etrecheck report requested by Tom,

What are the exact specs of the XAVC footage?

Do they play properly in Sony Catalyst Browse directly from the cards? After they've been copied to disk?

Which Sony cameras?

How is the disk formatted that the camera cards are being copied to?

joema

Level 4

1,107 points

Apr 15, 2025 1:10 PM in response to VideoGuyHawaii

Yes that it, the 'private' folder. Please only shoot about 2 seconds at 1080p/23.98 with each camera. Verify those files reproduce the problem, then upload them. The purpose is to have the smallest files that show the problem.

joema

Level 4

1,107 points

Apr 24, 2025 12:57 PM in response to VideoGuyHawaii

I finally got my 2019 i9 Macbook Pro 16 updated to Sequoia 15.4.1. I tested 4k/23.98 XAVC-L from my FX6 on the import dialog of FCP 11.1 and MacOS 15.4.1 on this machine, and it worked OK.

If you have an Intel Mac where the import dialog "black frame" problem happens with FCP 11.1, what MacOS version is it running? Can that machine be updated to Sequoia 15.4.1?

joema

Level 4

1,107 points

Apr 28, 2025 11:42 AM in response to VideoGuyHawaii

Re "I wondering if/when Apple sees this and the other posts about this issue and might offer an update. It's been a month since I've noticed this issue was first reported"

FYI, to make headway on a problem, Apple engineering typically requires a formal support case, a clear problem description, and the files and procedure needed to reproduce it. IOW, they don't monitor discussion forums and attempt to deduce that info from the evolving discussion.

This is why I've been pushing so hard to get all the needed camera files to file a comprehensive bug report and contact Apple Support. This is an example of a prior bug I filed using the MacOS Feedback Assistant app:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-FTqsKZf/0/NTsqxwq9F9xT8tcv66KNtMMqdQktjjJmMgZjMpvLP/X4/i-FTqsKZf-X4.jpg

joema

Level 4

1,107 points

Apr 24, 2025 3:05 PM in response to EagleEye1893

If at all possible, please upload to this link a brief XF-AVC sample file that demonstrates the problem. That ensures it will get fixed for Canon also, not just Sony:

https://we.tl/r-6VNNPxmq0c

May 21, 2025 1:39 PM in response to VideoGuyHawaii

Lucky to have stumbled on this post. have been so aggravated over XAVC-L footage over the past couple of months. FX6, and PXW-X70 also XAVC-L? though is named XAVC QFHD. confirmed drag and drop works fine. I have spent so many hours trying to figure this out, I was ****** near buying a new Mac and Video camera., though I realize that's dumb until you identify the problem.

Apr 15, 2025 12:33 PM in response to joema

joema ... thanks for the upload offer. I will get to that late this week. I'll shoot a couple of short clips on both cameras. I'm assuming you would want the Private folder right off the cards ... so that's what I'll send.

Apr 21, 2025 3:46 PM in response to VideoGuyHawaii

Thanks for everyone’s help with this matter. I just another general search for problems uploading XAVC clips into FCP 11.1. And to my surprise there are a couple mentions …

Larry Jordon March 30, 2025 … https://larryjordan.com/articles/new-features-in-apple-final-cut-pro-11-1/ …

and on a couple of FB pages but I don’t have an account and can’t see it …

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FinalCutProTipsTricks/posts/3886676598327953/

joema

Level 4

1,107 points

Apr 21, 2025 7:03 PM in response to VideoGuyHawaii

Thanks for those details. If you don't see the problem at 1080p, don't upload those. I'll do more testing tomorrow morning, including FCP 11.1 on Intel at both resolutions and different frame rates. It's important we understand the problem boundaries, so this is useful info. I have a M1 Ultra Mac Studio, M4 Pro Mac Mini, M2 Pro Mac Mini, M1 Max Macbook Pro, 2017 i7 iMac 27, and 2019 i9 Macbook Pro 16.

joema

Level 4

1,107 points

Apr 22, 2025 9:10 AM in response to VideoGuyHawaii

Something happened to my 2019 i9 MacBook Pro 16 and after upgrading to Sequoia 15.4.1 it won't boot. That is my only Intel machine that can run Sequoia and FCP 11.1. My work on this will be delayed until I can fix the MacBook problem. I also have an urgent family health problem to handle.

Apr 23, 2025 3:59 PM in response to joema

joema: OK ... your reply makes sense. I should be able to run some more tests specific to your points over the weekend and early next week. And at that time, I will get you the private files from the 2 cameras with the files with the issues.

Apr 24, 2025 4:54 PM in response to joema

That is interesting. My home 2018 i5 Intel MacBook Pro is running Sequoia 15.3.2 and FCP 11.0 and Pro Video Formats 2.4 ... and it works the upload OK. I'm not anxious to upgrade the OS or FCP until Apple jumps in with a response since it is working.

But I do have an office 2019 Intel iMac with Sequoia 15.4.1 but with FCP 10.8.1. I would be willing to upgrade to FCP 11.1 for this test. Can't do it until this coming Sunday or Monday. I'll also upload the Sony Private file at the same time.

Apr 27, 2025 3:38 PM in response to joema

Thanks for all this testing. I love the efficiency of your methodology. I'll be back in that office Wednesday. I'll talk to the person operating the Intel iMac with OS 15.3 that is producing the black frames about upgrading to 15.4.1.

Also if EagleEye can send you the clip you asked for, that might indicate the problem also exists with Canon.

I wondering if/when Apple sees this and the other posts about this issue and might offer an update. It's been a month since I've noticed this issue was first reported.

Apr 30, 2025 3:07 PM in response to joema

I typed up a doc with some screen shots explaining what I think happened and some new information. But I cannot figure out how to attach it or paste it in without loosing the screen shots.

In about an hour, I'm going to send you two new Private folders that I think will show you the problem. I might attach a PDF to that upload.

BTW ... working with these private folders, I noticed something ... sometime the folder shows up as "private" and other times as "PRIVATE" ... I can't imagine that would do anything but it is a strange thing.

ALSO ... any chance that the Pro Video Formats might be contributing to this?

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Why XAVC files suddenly upload without video but good audio