Firestore FS100 - Deconstructed (Err, well, I took it apart)...

Abaddon, look at thread #23 (that has some pictures), that has the FS-100 with the Hard Drive unit outside. I'm waiting for rail mounts which will take 1-2 weeks from the manufacturer.

The beauty is that it barely add any weight and minimal size to the whole setup. I actually used it on one of my shoots yesterday.

I will try to set up a video to show how easy it is to switch hard drives.
 
siniarch said:
Abaddon, look at thread #23 (that has some pictures), that has the FS-100 with the Hard Drive unit outside. I'm waiting for rail mounts which will take 1-2 weeks from the manufacturer.

The beauty is that it barely add any weight and minimal size to the whole setup. I actually used it on one of my shoots yesterday.

I will try to set up a video to show how easy it is to switch hard drives.
Click to expand...

I look forward to seeing that.
 
Just wanted to say that I really wish I had the cash to drop on an FS-100 and I would probably go the Frankenstore way (much better than FS-Forever IMO, so catchy... lol) lo long as it can take a light beating I would get it if I had the funds available...

I would prefer a second 8GB P2 and a genny to run my laptop 24/7 but this would allow for shoots to go smoothly without the added breakdown and setup of the laptop "tent"
 
Hey guys,

using swappable HDs will be the 1st step.

Ever thought of exchanging the HD against a SSD (solid stat disk)?

Some manufactureres announce 100GB and more - with a PATA interface!!!!

Guess what? If the SSD disks come into these memory dimensions, using a Firestore + SSD could give you cheaper recording media (+ same robust technology) like P2.

See example http://www.geekstuff4u.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=563

(kit for inserting 3 CF Cards = 1 PATA SSD drive 2,5")

;-O

ULI
 
Also, just got back from a shoot, and i got to tell you. Having the extra HD saved my ass. I filled the first one, so normally I would have called it a day. but since I had done the modification to my FS-100 already, I just swapped HD and was able to go for another round. was able to capture some COPS looking out of the car while they were arresting someone. Wohhoooo!!!
 
siniarch said:
ok ProjX,

I wasn't sure if you were interested on the mount for the FS-100 and the Tekkeon Battery to the rails, or if you were interested in the FS-100 and the ability to swap hard drives.

I'm working on both, and have just place the order for the units. Nothing to do for the moment, but wait. Here are pictures of the rough prototype of the
FS-Forever.

Right now I'm using rubber bands to hold it together. This is not the final product. There will be a belt doing that, and some Velcro to keep it from sliding as well as creating an air space between the hard drive and the Fs-100.

I will have people send me their units and I will retrofit them to be able to swap their hard drives. the initial price will include a case for the existing hard drive. I'm shooting at an introductory price of $250 to be able to do this.

Then I will sell additional hard drives for about $50 extra what you would pay for the same hard drive at your local electronics store.

Someone suggested using an enclosure that takes in Hard drives like a floppy drive. I've considered this, and providing a whole new enclosure for the FS-100, but this would require much more engineering, and prototyping, and I'm afraid the price would quickly climb above $600 not to mention adding a substantial amount of weight and size to the unit. (of course, if the demand is there, I can make it happen. I just think that most people doing this are on the same boat as me. counting pennies)

So let me know what you think.
Click to expand...

Sinarchi, first off the fsw-01 is working out excellent, thank you.

This new project of yours has really piqued my interest. I am in the market for a new Firestore so I was wondering if you would have units already converted for sale or would it be better just to send my own unit in for conversion?

Also I was wondering if this Tekkeon MP3400 battery that you are using is able to power the HVX200 and if so what sort of run times you are getting?

All the best.
 
Hi SAujla,
Thanks for your interest. If you already have a FS-100, I'd recommend waiting for me to finish this and then just sending your existing one in for retrofitting. You'll save a lot of money this way.
As for the MP3400, yes it can power the HVX. I haven't tested to see for how long, but I imagine it would be for a very long time. The thing to remember is that if you power your HVX, then you will not be able to power the FS-100 as well at the same time. you can only power one device per battery.
 
Firestore users,
I haven't taken the Firestore apart but thought some of you might be interested in seeing how I use mine. I've mounted it on a Camhandle, a device I make, and I don't have to have it mounted on top of the camera, which I don't like at all, and it leaves the top free for a light or wireless mic receiver. The firewire cable stays out of the way and the Firestore remains with the camera whether I'm using it handheld or on a tripod. If someone would like to try a Camhandle with their HVX200, let me know. Learn more about it at http://www.camhandle.com
Here's some pictures. Yes, it's shown with a Z1. Sorry.
http://www.camhandle.com/firestore.php
 
Last edited:
This would definitely be a bit of a rig, but I think you could get from 44pin ATA to SATA by using these two adaptors in succession, thereby allowing the use of SATA drives.

http://biz.pcconnection.com/IPA/Shop/Product/Detail.htm?sku=7641185
http://dalcoelectronics.com/ProductDetails2.aspx?sku=71224


Since only the ATA to SATA involves any actual conversion, it shouldn't affect latency, but you'd have to find some way to "pretty it up." But it might provide a good option for increased upgrade options. I read that Seagate, at least, intends to drastically curtail or discontinue ATA drives entirely by the end of 2007.
 
Thanks. I got some parts in and as soon as I get a chance to take some pictures, I'll post them. I'm still working on the cable because right now it is the weak link. (I've been using it with no problems, but I can see how others will damage their connection if not careful.)
 
Hi,

I guess its just a question of time when Foc.Enh. comes up with other harddrives.

If you are afraid that you cant buy IDE ATA drives anymore - just buy 10 or 20 (or more?) of them ...

I do Mackie Designs Tec Support in Germany - and when all customers complained about "20GB IDE drives not build anymore" it took YEARS until they weren´t available (even today you can jumper most drives to 32GB Cap Limit to work with older motherboards).

My interest: There are many companies announcing larger SSD drives - if this get much cheaper than the P2 adequates, I´d like to have at least on of those for a Firestore too (to swap).
But anyway: if SSD gets cheaper , P2 will be cheaper either...
 
Why not a Firestore that just stores onto flash disks like the P2 card?
we can all afford 20 4 gig flash disks just need some fancy electronice to make sense of the signal?
 
Attic6 said:
Why not a Firestore that just stores onto flash disks like the P2 card?
we can all afford 20 4 gig flash disks just need some fancy electronice to make sense of the signal?
Click to expand...

That wouldn't help me at all. I need to film two music sets. The first set is usually an hour, and the first set is usually an hour and a half.
 
in this case you can only use a FS 100 - if I will buy one I´d probably have at least one of the more ruggadized HDs to work in it (or in a swap case)

If I could chose, I´d like the HPX pixel shift body + XDCAM HD recording... but thats just my 2 cents...

ULI
 
Why would you prefer XDCAM-HD recording? Do you just want it on disc, or do you actually want the XDCAM-HD recording format?
 
Hi Barry,

I´d like to have both XDCAM HD disc AND compression:
I love the xdcam HD media (the disc), since its reasonably cheap and robust.
I also like the compression - I am not too much into "bits and bytes" and simply like the results I made with a loaner f330.

Consider this:

I do a lot of event (concert) filming, social and company events etc.
My problem are long record times. Until final master, it takes weeks/months - in this time I must hold all footage on Tape/P2/Harddrive/whatever media to edit when decisions are made or editing finishes.
At the moment, I am storing 3 concerts (6hrs total each (2 cams) ) and 8 weddings (5hrs total each, 1-2 cams) plus some edits+footage of older projects that need to be archived later.

Today, I fill several harddrives with it or leave it on tape (SD, DV/DVCAM).

In the future, I want to shoot all the next projects in HD and deliver in SD (with option to HD edit).
Going DVCPRO HD simply means to multiply storage by ~4.
A simple wedding (usually taking 50-80GB SD DV) will sum up to (lets say 5hrs) around 300GB or more (what about BACKUPS?).

I know that the HPX gives me more sensitivity by 2/3" + pixel shift technology and good pic quality by intra compr. - but I simply dont need the high data rates for the projects I am doing today.

I already thought of rendering all HPX500 footage overnight down to xdcam hd mxf to save space... (doesnt work 100% due to some TC / AUDIO bugs in Vegas´batch renderer).

Why not taking a f330 / f350 simply?

I LOVE the workflow, the settings, the form factor etc.
But refering to what have been said by different users the HPX simply delivers more dynamic range and offers >f10 @2000lx. My work often is in low- or midlight (concerts, hi sophisticated weddings), light can often not be setup to my satisfaction.
Shooting with my Pana dvc200 makes me happy even in BAD light situations - when going to HD I do not want a "fair weather camera" as somebody else said in a review. F330 /350 show their weaknesses under these conditions - its the head, not the codec.

I´d wish, Panasonic would implement a "LP" mode in the HPX to satisfy event video filmers that cant (or dont want to) affort a bunch of P2 cards (I also dont want to swap cards every 15 minutes when working on stage). Even HDV codecs would satisfy me under certain conditions.
If recording times get longer (by at least 32gb or 64gb cards) , my concerns will be mostly sorted out (4 x 32gb would be 120minuts - fine). Until then, the HPX must be driven with a firestore (huuu, more weight, more battery worries, more vulnerability to the whole system). Can I throw out the P2 card cage and replace it by a swapable 2,5" harddrive??????

As you see, I am putting more focus on the camera head than to the codec. There might be productions coming up for me where I´d be happy to have a 100mbit/s compression but at the moment , for me recording time is more important over pic quality.

Last point: I am editing with VEGAS for years (I´ve been hired by SONY Mediasoftware to do Vegas presentations on the XDCAM HD roadshow in germany) and would like to stay with it. Hopefully they implement dvcpro hd with the next update to avoid workarounds like RAYLIGHT.

Uli
 
XDCAM's coming out with a 2/3" body sometime soon, which should give you better sensitivity and dynamic range than their 1/2" system. It'll also have a 50-megabit 4:2:2 recording mode. Might be what you're looking for, but I expect it'll cost at least twice as much as the HPX500 so -- still not quite the same.

Larger cards might accomplish what you need; the 32's are *supposed* to arrive around November or so, which is only a few months away. Four 32's give you more storage than a FireStore does, so maybe that would be an appropriate option?

I believe Sony's putting the V1U into a shoulder-mount body that can take large cassettes, so that'd be 3 or 4 hours of HDV continuous recording. But the V1U's two stops slower than the 1/2" XDCAM, probably 4 stops slower than the HPX500, so that may not work out for you.

So -- I'm not sure what to tell you right now. Doesn't seem like there's an ideal situation out for you yet; if you don't need to buy right away maybe you can wait for bigger cards? Or maybe your budget could stretch to accord the 50-megabit 2/3" XDCAM-HD?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top