AC130: Disastrous file loss

E

ELN614

Well-known member
Shooting in SD (ie AVI)
Well I was taping a deposition and I suddenly lost power to the camera along with everything else on the power strip.
I thought I only lost the last file that was being recorded. WOW was I wrong!!!!! I lost all 3 files on that card.
How can this camera destroy the other files by a simple power loss??

Camera saw nothing wrong with the files so it won't "repair" anything.
 
not sure why the other files disappeared but I no longer use power from an outlet or power strip when I do depositions, the batteries for these cameras last a long time, I can usually get thru a 4 hour depo with one battery, but I bring 4.
I plug my mono mixer and anything else - external monitor if I'm using one- into a power strip as I have no portable power source for them.
I outlet power goes down at least my camera will be running long enough to be powered down correctly.
The other option is to carry around a back up power supply.
Hope your client wasn't too upset.
 
Gary Huff said:
There is recovery software available from Panasonic that I have used to recover cards I thought were lost.
Click to expand...

I tried that, too.. no luck. I think it is only good when the file was originally good. If the file is bad right off the bat -- I'm pretty sure I'm/you're screwed.

tazza said:
not sure why the other files disappeared but I no longer use power from an outlet or power strip when I do depositions, the batteries for these cameras last a long time, I can usually get thru a 4 hour depo with one battery, but I bring 4.
I plug my mono mixer and anything else - external monitor if I'm using one- into a power strip as I have no portable power source for them.
I outlet power goes down at least my camera will be running long enough to be powered down correctly.
The other option is to carry around a back up power supply.
Hope your client wasn't too upset.
Click to expand...
I have the batteries, but in the 20 years of doing depos I never had a problem with AC. I am thinking about doing batteries in the future -- but what a pain to keep charging constantly. I do use a iVDR for back up recording but the last file was corrupt on that too (even though it has it's own internal battery -- I guess when it lost the connection it freaked out vs close file)
 
sewolla said:
What caused the power loss ?
Click to expand...
Not entirely sure but the power strip I plugged into may have not have been completely plugged in even though it looked it. (outlet was on floor) They wiggled the plug and the power came back. needless to say I just plug my equipment in some place totally different. I didn't want to run the risk of another loss.
 
I remember Barry advising never to use electric power. Could you put the SD card in an SD reader then, from a PC, navigate to the external drive and write down the hierarchy you see and screenshot each level into an MS Word doc and then send that to me? at kwkeirstead@civerex.com. I own a software company and have data recovery specialists, we might be able to tell you what is there, not there.
 
Thanks for the offer kwkeirstead. I appreciate it!! luckily my backup (iVDR-VC102) has enough to survive. I think I only missed a few minutes. On the iVDR it showed the file had zero kb to the file. When I did a Windows scandisk/chkdsk... it 'fixed' the file, but didn't fix it... it duplicated the file right after it (very odd) so now I have two Identical files which should never be.
What kills me is the idea that I have three bad files from the AC130 vs one.
Fortunately it was discovery video and the witness would be showing up live anyways. They just record it for possible impeachment. I will talk with the client tomorrow. If they want the few minutes I might consider it. (there was a bit of confidential stuff they may not like sent out)

If I was to do batteries I would need to purchase a second charger and probably one more battery. 8+ hours would require three batteries and I would need to charge two at a time since they take so long to charge and I would need them all the next day. (I have owned this camera about 11 months and have 310 hours on this puppy). I might consider a UPS, but that would add some serious weight. I would pay a few extra bucks for a camera with internal battery which would last 1-5 minutes --- both for emergency power loss and allow for seamless recording while switching batteries.
 
I think if I were in your shoes, I'd just bite the bullet and get a second charger and battery. Yeah, it's initially expensive, but remember, it's also a write-off!
Definately try and stick with the Panasonic battery as opposed to some third party supplier.
Even if you got the UPS....most of the good ones beep loudly when power supply is interupted and they go to battery. My office has 4 of them, and once we had a power out and the noise drove me crazy! I could technically still work, but....
that kind of beeeping could really blow a shoot.
 
I would never use a plain power strip for powering audio visual equipment or computers. You need to make sure that you use a quality strip that includes not only surge and lighting protection, but also both advanced EMI and RFI noise filtering.

Power strips from companies like APC and CyberPower can prevent such problems as this.

I would recommend that you bring your own strip with you, instead of relying on your host client's equipment.
 
I used my own Belkin power strip with surge protection once on a shoot. Worked alright. Yes, always use only your own gear, that way you know you can depend on it.
 
sewolla said:
I used my own Belkin power strip with surge protection once on a shoot. Worked alright. Yes, always use only your own gear, that way you know you can depend on it.
Click to expand...


Make sure that the strip also has the EMI and RFI noise filtering built into it, as it is my understanding that those issues are what usually result in data loss. Get a strip that can provide up to a 60 dB filtering reduction. I think that the Belkin strips only provide that level of protection on their more expensive model Commercial strips, and not on their Home Office models. So it is always good to check the specs on your equipment.

Is your strip a Belkin SurgeMaster Professional by any chance? If so, it should have that level of filtering. If not, they are not expensive, and can even be purchased at a local WalMart:


http://www.walmart.com/ip/Belkin-BE112230-08-SurgeMaster-Professional-12-Outlets-Surge-Protector/13073630?findingMethod=rr
 
I would only use an on-line UPS.

This type of UPS uses a "double conversion" method of taking in AC input, rectifying the AC to DC and from there, an inverter generates independent AC that goes to your end device.

Your end device is isolated from the power company source.

Spikes, overvoltage, undervoltage conditions will not transmit through to your end device.
 
LanceOregon said:
Make sure that the strip also has the EMI and RFI noise filtering built into it, as it is my understanding that those issues are what usually result in data loss. Get a strip that can provide up to a 60 dB filtering reduction. I think that the Belkin strips only provide that level of protection on their more expensive model Commercial strips, and not on their Home Office models. So it is always good to check the specs on your equipment.

Is your strip a Belkin SurgeMaster Professional by any chance? If so, it should have that level of filtering. If not, they are not expensive, and can even be purchased at a local WalMart:


http://www.walmart.com/ip/Belkin-BE112230-08-SurgeMaster-Professional-12-Outlets-Surge-Protector/13073630?findingMethod=rr
Click to expand...


Yes, that is the one I have. Used it once, but again....really do not like relying on others systems (like having power to the outlets I "need"). It is I beleive, best to use your own batteries.
 
Yep, go with the batteries.

The on line UPS will start to beep the moment the electrical power goes so you have to be able to block the beeping and have the UPS engage a red flashing light that clearly needs to be behind the camera - easy to not see the light when you have one eye on the scene and one peering into the EVF.

From the time the power goes off you have to be ready to gracefully shut down before the UPS battery runs out, so you will have to go to a battery in any case.

However, since the camera draws very little power, with a proper UPS you might be able to work using the UPS battery for quite some time.

I have a UPS that supports two servers and two PCs - they have mechanical rotating parts so the UPS under this loading will only will keep things going for about 5 mins.
 
You can also make your self a BIG battery pack using generic batteries (like the big CGA-54) and then buy the really cheap chargers and rip out the board and just use the charger bases as battery "docks" and connect 4 together and use them via the mains adapter that comes with the camera ...that way it will power the camera all day if need but you won't get any battery remaining indication as the cheap CGA's don't have a decoder but shucks it's a cheap and easy way to make a nearly 22000mah pack that has to last the entire day without even getting low!!

Chris
 
I went the Chinese V-mount direction and all my usable cameras power supply is covered GH1, GH2, HMC151 and the AC130, my battery problem gone.
 
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