Firewire 800 or USB 2

B

BrenMyster

Well-known member
I just about to get a LaCie Rugged All-Terrain dive and I'm up in the air about getting the firewire 800 version, its more expensive but is obviously faster.

I was thinking that since the ex1 was only 35mbs then USB 2 will be fine,
 
Correct me if I am wrong... your not going to play back your footage via USB2. Firewire 800 is the way to go for playback. USB2 is great for dumping data to not for playback of your EX1 footage.

JK
 
USB2 will be tremendous overkill for EX1 footage. FW800 even moreso, and eSata even moreso.

Point is, any of them will work just fine. Faster drives are always better, but don't go thinking that you need eSata just to handle 35mbps footage.
 
Barry,

You can play back footage via USB2? I did not know this! I did not think the drives could keep up as a scratch dive playing footage back.

JK
 
I've played DVCPRO-HD off a USB drive, and that's 100mbps. EX1 footage is 1/3 that data rate. As long as your CPU can handle the load, I can't see why a USB2 drive wouldn't be able to keep up.
 
Barry,

I guess I was thinking of it as a scratch drive for FCP. In Edius do you use USB2 drives for capture and playback of DVCPRO-HD? Or are you playing back a clip in its own window like an AVI or QT movie? Thanks...

JK
 
only thing you need to worry about is if playing off of a mac generally you cannot power USB2 drives from the BUS, they put in a second usb lead that is solely for the power.
 
Ahh i see Phill, maybe i will just go with the 250gb firewire 800 LaCie.

it's actually only about $20 more if you get it from the right place ;)
 
Jim Kinsey said:
Barry,

I guess I was thinking of it as a scratch drive for FCP. In Edius do you use USB2 drives for capture and playback of DVCPRO-HD? Or are you playing back a clip in its own window like an AVI or QT movie? Thanks...

JK
Click to expand...
I have captured to and played back footage from external USB drives. I don't capture externally very frequently anymore, I capture to solid state. But playback from USB drives is no big deal, it just basically works.
 
Cool thanks for that info. My workflow is I shoot to solid state HVX / EX copy the contents folder and .text/ BPAV to a folder I name that makes sense to me usally on a external drive of some sort then in the log and transefer window of FCP I navatgate to the folder I created then unwrap. I have heard good things about Raylight.... maybe you could elaborate for me on this? Something to do with not having to unwrap the MFX files and editing the original files native? I meant to ask you at the Panny booth at NAB but you were working with someone on the overcrank feature on the HVX.

JK
 
Jim Kinsey said:
then in the log and transefer window of FCP I navatgate to the folder I created then unwrap.
Click to expand...
Your workflow sounds like everyone else's, yes.

I have heard good things about Raylight.... maybe you could elaborate for me on this? Something to do with not having to unwrap the MFX files and editing the original files native?
Click to expand...
Raylight is, IMO, absolutely essential for FCP users wanting to use P2. It does many things for you. The first of which is, all that time you spend in the log & transfer window just disappears. Raylight creates quicktime reference files instantly, so you can just plug in your external drive and edit instantly. No importing, no logging and transferring, just immediate editing.

Second thing is, FCP's import window occasionally just refuses to import perfectly valid clips. Raylight always imports them. So you'll save yourself some frustration there.

Third, Raylight uses the metadata, and in fact can use it rather intelligently. It can sort your clips based on the metadata into individual project folders, doing some manner of media management for you automatically.

Fourth, you get access to the User Clip name function, so you can name your clips with custom names in-camera, and Raylight preserves them. So when it comes time to edit, you don't face a bunch of 0003RU.MXF files, you instead get "Marriott Commercial Take 1.mov"-style names.

Fifth, Raylight lets you author virtual P2 cards and export them back out to cards, if you have need of doing so.

Run, don't walk, to get it. It's the best P2/FCP workflow enhancement tool on the market.
 
I am running or will be in the morning. Thanks for the insight on this piece of SW. It has killed me to rename everything and try to capture the clips that hang from time to time in the log and transfer window. Looks like one more piece to the never ending puzzle of NLE.... but a vital piece. Thanks!

JK
 
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