Need HDD for capturing...cheap? firestore?

A

Avenger007

Well-known member
Im heading off to school soon (for film), and one thing everyone has been recommending to me is an external harddrive for moving large files around to different computers. So i figure i may as well look into something that can be used in the field, for example allow me to capture straight to HD. I know firestore is available but at $1K+ i cant afford it. I know I can use my DV Rack, but can i use it with an external drive? and its not very portable.

So how does datarate play into this, and what options do i have that are inexpensive. I've heard the old ipod thing doesnt work. So does anyone have software developed that will for any old harddrive?? Or should i just get a huge 250gig external drive at kosko for less than $100. Thanks alot

jason
 
Go get the 250GB external HD ..make sure it has USB2 as well as Firewire.

infact get the biggest drive that you can reasonably afford. I have a 250, and a 300, the first is full and the 2nd is abou 70% full... ..you can never have enoguh HD space.

Firestore still needs a External drive to write to.. it's only a controller box (and one that I'v had bad luck with.. once we finally found a HD it worked it, it killed it after aboút a week.)

- Mikko
 
So is that my best bet? Im using the drive for other data and not just video but i mostly wanted to knock out two bird by getting a drive "compatible" with the dvx ala capturing w/o a laptop.

Whats a good inexpensive brand thatll handle the job? And doesnt firestore have 40-80gig built in? Why do you need an external with it?
 
Avenger007 said:
...And doesnt firestore have 40-80gig built in? Why do you need an external with it?
Click to expand...

I think there are different models of Firestore devices. The FS4 comes with a drive built in. The other models are for broadcast-type cameras, I believe.

I agree with getting a massive 250 to 400 GB hard disk. You'll really need it. Worry about direct-to-disk capture when you get there. And as Barry said, you can use DVRack with external drives.
 
thanks for the help guys. Ill probly be picking up an external firewire/usb2 250gig drive tomorrow (Western Digital has one for $150). Then hopefully my laptop can handle DV rack.

Can i stream DV/SD footage straight to disk through firewire with dvrack?
 
Yes you can stream directly with DV-rack (right guys? ..it's been a while)

Western Digital makes perfectly good drives, Maxtor makes nice ones too. I've heard that Lacie is goign downhill a little (they are expensive anyway)

- Mikko
 
Avenger: "Can i stream DV/SD footage straight to disk through firewire with dvrack?"
Mikko: "Yes you can stream directly with DV-rack (right guys? ..it's been a while)"

That's confirmed. Be aware that if you're using firewire to your external drive, you'll need to have two FireWire busses on your computer--one for the drive and one for the camera--they cannot share a bus. You can get a PCMCIA card that will give you this capability.
 
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