Portable 2.5 Self powered Sata HD

[erniediaz]

Hi friends, I want to share this with you and view your opinions.

If you are using a laptop (PC) in order to download you P2 content, then you can use a 2.5" USB powered HD or a USB OTG.

I have done it and no problems.

But I do have a better arrangement, I Use DV rack HD in a Pavillion Laptop, with an PCMCIA Sata card (this comes in MAc Version Too), hooked to a 2.5 Self powered Sata HD (made by myself)

I made a device with an Ipod 12 to 5v charger, an 3 Ah 12 volts Acid battery, a 80 GB Sata HD, a plastic box and a 2.5" Sata - USB housing (It is a 2.5 Sata/USB portable housing without the aluminuim case, just the circuit nd connectors board wich comes with the housing. )

See this:

This has become a must in my production gear!!!

I Have another equal but with Fire Wire instead of Sata, for download directly from my HVX, works fine!

Hope this post will help some body

Regards

 

[Cool Lights]

Good job.

Are you operating in areas where battery power is your only choice? That looks like it was a lot of work. Also, what speed is the drive? a 5400RPM or a 7200RPM?

 

[erniediaz]

is 5400 RPM 2.5" Sata Hd.

Yes we are making a long feature in a place far away from civilization in a beautyfull harbor in the pacific jungle, here in my country, Colombia.

I use the HD with my Dv Rack HD in a pavillion zv6000 laptop, works ok.

Every thing I made have to be portable and rust free. (I made a mini jib, lamps, steady cam, light stands, etc. by myself, aluminiun most of it).

Here some, the young man in the picture is my 25 years old son (I have three sons, one girl and two men, all working with me in our enterprise)

Later I´ll let you see my new HMI

Regards

Ernesto

 

[Jeff Anderson]

Ernesto - thats some awesome work on the drive and also on the lamps and steadicam too. Pretty incredible.

 

[Cool Lights]

Yes those really look great. Looks like you're using some of the GX24Q type triple twin tubes in those fixtures on the left. Are they 42w? I used that type in some fixtures I built too. Can't wait to see the HMI.

 

[erniediaz]

Looks like you're using some of the GX24Q type triple twin tubes in those fixtures on the left. Are they 42w? I used that type in some fixtures I built too.

Yes they are.

Tomorrow I'll receive the first HMI lamp from the paint work.

I have to make banners for it.

 

[erniediaz]

I just release that I have posted this topic twice!!!


http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=96517


How could I, I do't know, i'm sorry.

 

[NOMADIC]

correct if I'm wrong but this is like a homemade cineport (or porter, i dont know) .firestore? Straight from the p2 slot to harddrive?

if so, did you have to preformat the harddrive so it could do that?

 

[Carlos_E._Martinez]

Hi, Ernesto,


Can you tell a bit more on those triple fluo units you use? Did you adapt them from existing units or did you build them yourself?


Carlos (desde Rio de Janeiro)

 

[Cool Lights]

Looks like he built them from scratch.

It's a 42w triple twin or also known as triple biax tube like the one's I used in my "softlight" unit in my Cool Lights video. You don't see them used often. Here's an example product at Atlantalightbulbs.com.

http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=CF42DT.E.IN.835SYLVANIA

They require a separate ballast and use a GX24Q-4 4 pin socket. They're great for when you want to make a smaller unit than 55w tubes will allow and you prefer to not have to use self-ballasted spirals. Like the 55w tube, they are dimmable with the right (expensive) ballast or not dimmable with the less expensive ballasts.

It'll be harder to get those 42w bulbs in 3200K or 5600K but you can get 3500K and 4200K and CRI 82 no problem from GE and Sylvania.

 

[Carlos_E._Martinez]

Looks like he built them from scratch.

Well, it's that scratch I would like to know more about. They look to me as if they could have been adapted from some other fixture. But if you can assemble them from available parts, like aluminium used on windows, that I could arrange here too.

It's a 42w triple twin or also known as triple biax tube like the one's I used in my "softlight" unit in my Cool Lights video. You don't see them used often. Here's an example product at Atlantalightbulbs.com.

http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com/ecart/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=CF42DT.E.IN.835SYLVANIA

They require a separate ballast and use a GX24Q-4 4 pin socket. They're great for when you want to make a smaller unit than 55w tubes will allow and you prefer to not have to use self-ballasted spirals.

I think the lamps used have a ballast on their base. I have seen units like those over here, I think, but I might be wrong on the type. For me the problem is that I think those lamps are too large, so I would certainly go for the spiral types. Which I am sure they can be used on that same fixture.

[/QUOTE]Like the 55w tube, they are dimmable with the right (expensive) ballast or not dimmable with the less expensive ballasts.[/QUOTE]

If you have three separate lamps I don't think a dimmer is so important.

It'll be harder to get those 42w bulbs in 3200K or 5600K but you can get 3500K and 4200K and CRI 82 no problem from GE and Sylvania.

Yes, I also don't know what lamps I can get here.

 

[Cool Lights]

I think the lamps used have a ballast on their base. I have seen units like those over here, I think, but I might be wrong on the type. For me the problem is that I think those lamps are too large, so I would certainly go for the spiral types. Which I am sure they can be used on that same fixture.

Well I could be wrong but it very close to the ones I used although Ernesto's bases are a bit bigger. I've enclosed pictures of the units I built which could be used in different ways with different attachments and barndoors, etc. I like those bulbs a lot but I finally chose the 55w tube for all my products to sell because it's what most of the rest of the film/tv world has standardized on (for the most part). Using the 42w bulb isolates you a bit more for choices in color temperature and CRI when that's important to you. The 42w bulb size is great as they're only about 6 5/8" long (since they don't have a ballast in them). I hid my ballasts underneath the reflector and it took two to drive 3 bulbs.

If you have three separate lamps I don't think a dimmer is so important.

It'll take 3 ballasts then. You can only switch by ballast. I had two in my case because that's all I really had room for--one 42x1 ballast for one bulb and another 42wx2 ballast for two bulbs. I think I built 5 of these units total, 2 of which had dimmers and the other three had two switches--one switch for 1 bulb and the other for 2 bulbs.

As I'm sure you're aware dimming ballasts, even for these 42w units are horribly expensive and you still need a special expensive dimmer controller for the 10v input to control the ballast output. I did luck out and get a few of this type dimming ballast on ebay and saved a bunch of money though. Sometimes you find them on clearance somewhere. I mounted dimmer controller dial on the back of my units in a junction box as it was another "big bump" that had to go somewhere and no room left in the chassis underneath the reflectors.

 

[Carlos_E._Martinez]

Well, it seems we are hi-jacking Ernesto's thread on a portable SATA HD.

Perhaps if he is willing to talk about those lighting units of his (and yours too, Richard, of course), I would very much enjoy that.

But there's something which is related to the use of external HDDs which I think we should discuss here: the interconnects.

It seems as if nobody is paying attention to SATA interconnects and to 1394 interconnects. The latter are being used, if I am not wrong, to link cameras to Firestore-type HDDs or to laptops.

I think that is a very fragile non-locking interconnect that shouldn't be used for such an important application.

SATA interconnects are even worst I think. Even in my stationary PC I have had problems when I accidentally moved that red flat cable when arranging something else. That never happened to the old multi-pin cable used on IDE/PATA interconnects.

Does anyone know if some sort of interconnect is being used or researched for SATA or 1394 in portable on-the-move situations?

From my side, I will not try any external HDD application on my camera until that issue is safely solved.


Carlos

 

[erniediaz]

correct if I'm wrong but this is like a homemade cineport (or porter, i dont know) .firestore? Straight from the p2 slot to harddrive?

if so, did you have to preformat the harddrive so it could do that?

Not, it is just a portable hard disk with his own rechargeable batery, on he USB/SATA version you can download rigth from he PCMCIA slot of your computer not the P2 slot of your cam to the hard disc, however, in the FireWire version, yes, you can connect directly to your HVX and DOWNLOAD (not record!!!) to the hard disc; finally, yes you have to preformat the HD with your Camera before in order to make this DOWNLOAD.

the Sata conector is the eSATA wich means external Sata and have a special clamp on both ends to "hook" the card and the HD.
rogar-Mark-04(DBG)

Hi, Ernesto,


Can you tell a bit more on those triple fluo units you use? Did you adapt them from existing units or did you build them yourself?


Carlos (desde Rio de Janeiro)

I made by myself the aluminium housings, from scratch; the aluminium stands and the electrical connections; I bought the bulbs, they come with the ballast in their base (brand: UNOMAT from japan, 6000 k°, 120 V, 45 or 48 w) abot US$ 10.00 in my country (Colombia).

Sorry, a little out of focus

the Big lamp has 5 bulbs and the other have 3. The bigger have 8/30 W tubes.

those bulbs are very reliable, flicker free and stable; I have used them in seveal features (4) for about two years and only 2 of them failed.

I call them "kinofluo"

Here some details about stands:

These clamps are the ones that came in the bicycle seats.

The stand is made of aluminium pipes (square and round) and a plastic flor/ceiling support

 

[erniediaz]

Well I could be wrong but it very close to the ones I used although Ernesto's bases are a bit bigger. I've enclosed pictures of the units I built which could be used in different ways with different attachments and barndoors, etc. I like those bulbs a lot but I finally chose the 55w tube for all my products to sell because it's what most of the rest of the film/tv world has standardized on (for the most part).

Wow!!! Richard what a beautyfull lights!!!

I wish I can made or have a couple of them.

I really don't know about dimming fluo lamps, I want to know a little more about.

 

[erniediaz]

At last, here my HMI prototype (w/o barn doors):

this is the balast housing ( too heavy to be part of the lamp housing):

Sorry, out of focus too.


What do you think?

 

[Cool Lights]

Yes a lot of people like the design of that unit but the 55w units are more practical to manufacture. Perhaps at some point I'll go back and use that design though. There are 3 parts to it: the base, an indirection hood for more diffusion and a barn door unit. The barndoor unit can be used on the base or on the hood. The base can have the hood or not. So it was pretty versatile but of course, more expensive to have made at the sheet metal shop.

I bet you can find those non-ballasted 42w bulbs somewhere in your country and that's about the only way you'll be able to do dimming because self-ballasted dimming is rare and the choices when you do find it are low quality, low CRI output.

I talked about dimming in my Cool Lights Video and all the options there for how it works. It's a pretty deep subject and there is a lot to get into on it.

 

[Cool Lights]

Wow, that looks great. Looks like you found an aluminum pipe extrusion perhaps and some other kind of "end cap" for the back. Where did you find that? What is the wattage and is the ballast electronic or magnetic?

Not to be critical or anything but I want to offer some constructive ideas. This is an open face light so just be careful with UV output. Even if the bulb is shielded you shouldn't depend upon that. Also, as I said in my article these bulbs have been known to explode so a glass protection lens on the front of it is a really great idea. In addition, the zip cord on the back between the light and the ballast is probably not rated for the voltage going through there so you might want to replace that with some higher voltage rating wire.

Looks like a real pro job though.

 

[Carlos_E._Martinez]

Well, now that the gate is open, let's go.

One thing I found interesting in Ernesto's fixtures is that the lamps are vertically installed, instead of horizontally. As I already have a large fixture where the 42W fluo lamp is horizontal, I don't feel too safe as the lamp, being quite large and heavy, moves up and down when you move it. I wonder if that wouldn't shorten its life span.

 

[Carlos_E._Martinez]

Wow, that looks great. Looks like you found an aluminum pipe extrusion perhaps and some other kind of "end cap" for the back. Where did you find that? What is the wattage and is the ballast electronic or magnetic?

You certainly mean the HMI unit. I was very much impressed by it too. By the size, I'd say the ballast is magnetic, and probably quite heavy too. I don't know if it would be possible to design an DIY elecronic one, but the secret would be in the output transformers. A great project.

Not to be critical or anything but I want to offer some constructive ideas. This is an open face light so just be careful with UV output. Even if the bulb is shielded you shouldn't depend upon that. Also, as I said in my article these bulbs have been known to explode so a glass protection lens on the front of it is a really great idea. In addition, the zip cord on the back between the light and the ballast is probably not rated for the voltage going through there so you might want to replace that with some higher voltage rating wire.

Yes, HMI lamps output a lot of UV and should be filtered. A protection safety glass is certainly a must. Thicker cables, fuses and larger switches would be certainly in order for the ballast.

Looks like a real pro job though.

Completely agreed on that. My congratulations too.