I couldn't get the firestore...

Green Hornet

Green Hornet

Veteran
I have been dying to get something to record long events in one gulp, but the fire store is not yet it for me for the following reasons.

1. Someone mentioned drop outs.
2. No clear information about the ability to do 24p or 24pn.
3. Kind of concerned about the firewire port getting worn out due to duration of being attatched and reattatched and maybe bumped or tripped over.
4. The $2,000+ price tag is about double what I want to spend for this luxury
(but I also bought a P2 store that I felt the same about).

So today, I bought a third 8 gig p2 card. That should hold me off untill a real solution for 1080p, 24p, 24pn storage over an hour, comes along.
 
How come people aren't just offloading to an external HDD? That's what I did with just an 8gb card and a large firewire HDD.
 
Given this is not a p2 device, it's pretty certain it won't due 24pn.

I'm still waiting to be convinced that Firestore, CitiDISK and Cineporter are the real deal
 
I have the FS-4 and it works fine, but mentally it's a bit scary. Great device, but I still run to tape as back up just in case. That's not going to be possible with HD on the HVX.

In all fairness the only problems I've ever had where in the beginning with user error. I didn't think their manual was great and had to fumble my way to optimum settings. And the one thing that seems to be constant is that they get a little noisy when they heat up. The noise can be an issue for the mic. Almost makes me think that it's a device best suited for things that we'll be narrated or covered with music.
 
Hi,

Here is some answers to your questions...

!) We are still investigating the drop out issue. I will post some more information when we know more.

2) FS-100 will record 24p, but it will not record the native 24pN modes.

3) You do need to use care when working with FireStore and the FireWire cable. But we have been using the same 6-pin FireWire port on thousands of FireStore products since 2001 and the failure rate has been very, very low.

Hope that helps,

Matt McEwen
Focus
 
Matthew McEwen said:
Here is some answers to your questions...
Click to expand...

Could you also comment on the issue of movement? Because if I cannot walk during recording, the Firestore FS-100 is useless to me.
 
Pascal_Parvex said:
But you are willing to spend almost the same for just 8 Minutes of recording time?
Click to expand...


Yes.

in 720 24p, an 8 gig card gives me 20 minutes of recording time.

I get my 8 gig cards for $1,270.

Since I had 2 of them already, adding a third and using it to download to a P2 store, which I also already had, made more sense at this stage, as I knew it would work in any fashion 24p, 24pn, etc.

I wasn't, and am still not comfortable with what I have been hearing with the firestore, so for may 2006, yes I would rather spend almost the same, as it gained me a constant workflow (the 2 cards did not alllow me continuous shooting due to the transfer taking longer than the filling of the cards. The third card solved this.)

Maybe in 6 months to a year, the firestore like products, will be foolproof, and lower in price, and at that time, that product will do what I can do now, but eliminate the card shuffle.
 
I'm testing one for review in the July issue of Event DV magazine (free subscriptions on-line at eventdv.net). It will record in native P2 format, but not in 24pN, and you don't get some of the P2 features like thumbnails.

It uses the same hot shoe mount as the F4, which bothers me, as that puts it right up to both the built-in mics and the external mic mount, and it's loud enough for either to pick up the sound really well. I don't have the shoe mount, as they haven't gotten it to me in time to check out. So I'm guessing on these issues.

Only other major problem, transfer of the P2 data to your editing hard drive takes FOREVER! A 1Gig shot in 720p took almost 15 whole minutes to transfer.

I will also mention that Focus seems to not have anyone Mac savvy there, as the Mac specific info in the User Manual was WAY off the mark! I've emailed them and hope they correct the bad Mac info. It really looks like some PC user wrote it based on rumors about Macs. That irks me as I'm a Cert'd Apple Trainer and like Mac specific info to be acurate the FIRST time.

Good unit, good points, bad points, it'll all be in the July issue of EventDV. We're taking it on it's final paces at the Tunic-Biloxi Powwow in Marksville, LA this weekend (May 20, come see us and check it out). Shooting all day in the sun, should be fun!

I have a major long form documentary project about to start. P2 cards won't do a long enough shoot time for us. I'm not happy with some things about the FS-100, but I may have no choice. That not doing 24pN thing may kill it for us. It's a great product, but what it lacks is stuff that I consider CRUCIAL to professional shooting. Or at least to my immediate needs.

I really wish the CinePorter 2 was ready!!!!

If anyone is in the south Louisiana area, drop me a line!
 
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I have created some cool velcro aids to keeping the firewire ports sung and secure on both the Firestore FS100 and the camera. The camera side is a small bit of problem with the headphone connector but I made it work. I've done a lot of walking around and Glidecam stuff and not 1 issue. As well, not a single drop-out yet and I hope never. I like the thing, I'm not in love yet. But I got the new camera mount and extended battery two days ago and my like factor went up a lot. I look forward to the CinePorter as well and will buy one if it works as promised. I love the P2 cards but it is highway robbery. Panasonic claims they don't make any money on them but I'm wary of that comment. I own 2-4gigers but that's it until they're bigger by a lot and fairly priced. Between the Powerbook/FCP combo and the Firestore I have all situations under control. Lot's of Pelican Cases.

Don Wilson
AmericanaMediaInc.com
 
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hotchkiss said:
Green Hornet,

Where you get your 8GB P2 cards for $1,270.00

thanks
Click to expand...


I can not say due to them giving me a special deal, and they don't like to sell them without buying a camera.

They always seem to have 8 gig cards though.

I bought one camera from them, and 3 8 gig cards, and paid cash, so I think that is why they let me get that price (also gave me a sweet deal on the camera because I turned them on to this site where they sold other cameras)

So your price may be different.

I will say that they are an advertiser on here, if that makes it easier to figure out.



....Not trying to "not share info" but they told me I got special pricing and that they couldn't sell to everyone at that price.

If they are reading this, then follow up and announce yourselves if you want to honor that price for everyone.
 
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ON the Cineporter. Why is it that their website is still as it was two months ago? I woiuld guess some updates? summer is right around the corner like June is a step away. Hello?
 
Currently niether set up really works for me. I like P2s and have a 4 gig but almost $1300 for an 8 and $1700 for a P2 store is just rediculous. I'm waiting untill a better solution presents itself. Untill then, I'll just bring a laptop and offload to that in between shots.
 
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