Live from the Panasonic NAB press conference...

[ChipG]

im happy to hear it gracefully fails without loss of data - just curious how it knows that NEXT time it will fail?

I am to, it could be a concern in a few years getting cards passed around in the field and from rental houses and wondering if you won't be able to offload the final footage. I don't care about the cards being used up just getting the final footage off them.

 

[Barry_Green]

I wonder why its lifespan is shorter than the A series.

Because it uses MLC memory instead of SLC. MLC is cheaper, denser, and even faster, but it's got a limited lifespan. Just google SSD drives for tons of articles about SLC vs. MLC.

 

[Barry_Green]

im happy to hear it gracefully fails without loss of data - just curious how it knows that NEXT time it will fail?

Because there's a complete computer inside the P2 card that keeps track of the usage. It'll start warning you long before the fail point.

And, as I understand it, it won't just "shut off". You can keep using it as long as you want, but you do so at your own risk. But I'll try to find some engineers and ask them if it actually shuts down, or if it continues to let you try to use it but you run the risk of corrupted data, etc. When MLC memory is worn out, it's worn out, so you don't want to use it beyond its wear-out period or you run the risk of errors.

 

[DavidNJ]

Now that it seems all DSLRs will probably support HD video since the massive success of the 5d MKII, it does sort of seem to exist in a nowhere land. The still guys don't seem to know much about video and the video people probably see the further success of VDSLRs as a threat to their own video product lines.

Wish I had a crystal ball to see where this wil all be at this time next year.

Dan

Canon is rather frozen on the still side; they are using the features of Digic 4 which doesn't give them headroom. There is a rumor that the Canon video guys will have something next year.

Panasonic (this is a Panasonic thread after all) has the GH-1. It has some issues. The question is what those issues are and are they surmountable.

There are really 4 issues the DSLR craze has brought to the surface: large sensors with native interchangeable still lens support, large photosites with less noise, oversampling to maintain high MTF to higher spatial frequencies, and in the case of the Canon high quality recording (arguably equivalent to AVC Intra 100, 12-bit long GOP at 45Mb/s vs 20-bit I-frame at 100Mb/s).

My guess is everyone (Sony, Panasonic, Canon, etc.) will capture those attributes in video cameras within the next 24-36 months.

 

[ullanta]

P2 Formatter will allow you to monitor its use and look at a Fuel Gauge. Additionally there will be warnings in the VF that say your card is running out of life. When it finally unable to record, and you will be well aware in advace that it is happening, you will be able to offload the last recorded video, nothing has failed.

Does this imply a firmware update for the old cameras, or do they already have software in place to give these warnings? Will all previously-released P2 cameras support this? (Many of us never use P2 Formatter!)

 

[Tom 4]

Barry can you please check and report on this card Reader on the Sonnet stand...
I have posted in the Hardware forum also..

NEW Sonnet Card Reader for P2 ?
Has anyone seen this little reader from Sonnet I believe it's at NAB this week, it may be an alternative to the current P2 Readers out there... with esata connection it should be FAST....
It has me very excited.....

Cheers
Tom K
olinevideo.com.au


Sonnet's Qio eSATA controller / all-in one card reader




Sonnet's a fun little company -- when not hustling iPod chargers and transmitters, it's providing the world with more sober, serious hardware, such as its Raid Storage solutions.
Among the company's newest kit is Qio, a media card reader / writer that includes a E4P SATA host controller, four eSATA ports, and the usual array of P2, SxS and CompactFlash slots.
If that weren't enough, this device also includes an adapter so that your SD and XF cards don't feel left out. Available for both desktop (PCIe) and laptop owners (ExpressCard),
the HDD controller supports port multipliers allowing users to access up to 20 drives. Available sometime next month, pricing to be determined.