Are you guys gonna miss the tape drive in the HPX170?

DavidBeier

DavidBeier

Veteran
If I get a few more decent contracts, I'm probably going to sell my HVX200 and upgrade to either an HVX200a or an HPX170. Now, I love all the additions I'm seeing with the HPX170. I love the that it's lighter, better designed, and has some really spiffy new features.

However, I must say I have a love/hate relationship with no tape drive. On the one hand, I HATE tape and love the idea of going purely digital and never having to look at it ever again. On the other hand, as much as I prefer the corporate videos and commercials I usually get hired for, I'm finding I'm getting more and more event videography work these days and I don't know if P2 is going to cover that. Unless the HPX170 is going to ship with a 32 gig card bundled with it, it seems that a lack of a tape drive could really hurt for those long days where I won't be able to bring a lap-top or hire a dedicated camera/loader.

It seems silly that I'd be nixing a better camera for the part of my business I like least (I despise event videography and hate shooting tape), but I've also been finding that event videography is a handy way to pay the rent when I'm waiting for the next contract to come through.

How does everyone else feel this will effect their workflow?
 
You sound like a perfect candidate for the HVX-200a, rather than the 170. I own a DVX-100a so I could care less about the lack of a tape deck on the HPX-170. I am number four on the Abel Cine LA office waiting list. Will definitely be selling my HVX-200 to get it.

Dan
 
screw tape. that's how i feel. if you're doing events, just rent more p2's if you need to. or if you do a lot, buy more p2's. if not, you'll be buying tape and i hear the resale value is better on p2... not to mention the hours of time you'll save in post not having to capture tape.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you record 50 minutes of SD video with a 16 GB P2 card?

If you get two you can hot-swap them on the fly.

The problem is if the client asks you for HD footage, but if he did, you wouldn't be using tape anyway, so.
 
Daniel.Valle said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you record 50 minutes of SD video with a 16 GB P2 card?
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More like about 68 minutes. One card will last as long as the DV tape does.

If you get two you can hot-swap them on the fly.
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Yep, for perpetual recording. The question is: how long do you need to record for? If you're willing to shoot DV anyway, you can get quite a bit of footage (about 2:15:00) on two 16GB cards, IINM. And by the time the HPX170 is out, I bet the 32GB cards will be available too (or very shortly thereafter). With two 32GB cards you should be able to record over five hours of DV in-camera with no swapping.

The problem is if the client asks you for HD footage, but if he did, you wouldn't be using tape anyway, so.
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Yes, good point. But the other problem is if the client wants to walk away from the shoot with a DV tape...

... of course, if someone wanted to get really ridiculous, you could always buy the cheapest DV tape camera and use it as a "FireStore" kind of device. Run a firewire cable to the tape camera, heck, even mount the tape camera onto the top of your HVX and run a short firewire cable to it. You could buy something like this new for under $180; it'd probably work. The HVX and DVX have the ability to start and stop an external tape recorder already, I'm sure the 170 will as well. So you could shoot all day direct to tape and turn those tapes over at the end of the shoot if you really needed tape. I'm not recommending this as a viable/valid workflow, but -- if the idea appeals to you, I bet it'd work. :)
 
i've never put a tape in mine.

however it is nice to have it there if needed.

oh well, rent if a tapes needed.
 
To be honest, my HVX never saw a tape at all.
And I never shoot anything other than 1080/25p even if it is a SD Job.

Fast cards, computers and huge, chep drives make it possible and today it makes no difference for me in workflow or render times compared to SD/Tape.

How much? Well a HVX200, Firestore (used) and a fast, self build Monster Workstation for about 2000 Euros.

But I could even edit on a laptop - that DVCPro HD Stream is not too hard to handle.

Frank
 
I won't miss it. I used the tape drive once in an emergency, not to record, but to get a MiniDV tape from another camera into my NLE.
 
Whoooo People, STOP!

The HVX has a tape drive thingymagigg?

How does it work and where do I get these mini DV recording devices at for $6?
 
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