Serious Magic/HVX

I really want to get this product but I see one issue in using this in true production.

When I am recording to a P2 card I am confident that the footage is safe until offloaded because it is a solid state device. When using dvrack, the footage is saved to a hard drive. That is a less safe place for the footage and until it is backed up to another drive it is vulnerable.

Lets say you are shooting a "only can do once shot" - explosion etc. Would you trust a hard drive for that knowing that just a short fall can lose the footage. I would trust, and do trust a P2 card. But a hard drive - not really sure about that.

Is it possible to record to both the laptop harddrive AND a p2 card at the same time?

One area that this product may solve is the quirky nature of how AVID works with the hvx footage - since dvc rack saves as avis - you can then import normally into avid and can actually give the footage a tape name - that SHOULD allow a workflow with an offline SD proxy for an HD project.
 
Yes, you can record to a P2 card and DVC Rack or a FS-100 at the same time, provided you don't record in native modes, because in native modes, the HVX200 doesn't send any data to the DV port. That also rules out overcranking/undercranking, which you might want to use for a shot like the one you mentioned.

I have used DV Rack in the past to record to record live events to tape and a laptop because there was no chance of getting a second take -- I didn't want to find myself up a creek without a paddle if the tape had a dropout.
 
We did all of "Siren" (www.sirenthemovie.com) on DV Rack, except for a few inconvenient setups (handheld in the desert) and the big multicamera days. Filled up two 300GB Seagate drives with 600gb's of footage. DV Rack performed admirably, and the director declared he wanted to never work without it again.

As far as dropping a hard drive, let's just say that someone (NOT ME) did exactly that. One of the 300GB Seagates tumbled off the Magliner and bounced about five times in a parking lot. We all had a few heart attacks, but then picked it up, plugged it in, and -- yep, worked fine. Those Seagates are tough!

That said, obviously having your sole copy exist only on a single hard drive would be a little perilous; you could always back up during lunch or whatever. And, as THoff said, you can record on the card and simultaneously to the laptop as well.
 
I'm doing beta testing on DV Rack for HD but can't get the files to read in PPro 2. When I use the AVI 1 setting it won't play at all and when I use the AVI 2 setting all I get is audio.

Anyone know what to do?

Bird
 
Since DVC Rack and the FS100 both use firewire, how do you record to both at the same time?

THoff said:
Yes, you can record to a P2 card and DVC Rack or a FS-100 at the same time, provided you don't record in native modes, because in native modes, the HVX200 doesn't send any data to the DV port. That also rules out overcranking/undercranking, which you might want to use for a shot like the one you mentioned.

I have used DV Rack in the past to record to record live events to tape and a laptop because there was no chance of getting a second take -- I didn't want to find myself up a creek without a paddle if the tape had a dropout.
 
Sorry. I misunderstood THoff. I read it too fast. It obviously means that you can record to P2 and ( DVC Rack or FS-100). Parse error. My bad.
 
smelni said:
over and undercranking work in the non-native modes - frames are tagged
smelni, I am in the final stages of ordering my HVX here in PAL-land, so I have not had a chance to use the HVX. From your statement, does this mean you can record over and undercranking cranked footage to DVC Rack, and if so, does it drop the none tagged frames or is it recognised in a FRC, and if so, is there a PC FRC?

yours contingently,
-td :D
 
I am using the AMS DS3R (2 disk fw400/800 raid external enclosure) together with DVRack. It feels alot safer recording to a raid-1 array than to one single disk. Of course things can still go wrong and you can drop this baby as well, but it's really sturdy (aluminium housing!) and feels like it's made for use in the field. With two disks chances are good that at least one of them make it to post. :)

Link to AMS DS3R:
http://www.meritline.com/ams-venus-ds3r-3-5-firewire-enclosure.html
 
smelni said:
IWhen I am recording to a P2 card I am confident that the footage is safe until offloaded because it is a solid state device. When using dvrack, the footage is saved to a hard drive. That is a less safe place for the footage and until it is backed up to another drive it is vulnerable.

Let me say something:

Never, but never you can be absolutely sure about nothing and less talking about cyber-digital world,
(data, speed, storage, performance, etc. :badputer: )
but in practice, is really strange to have that kind of misfortune that you loss all your effort and work if you have plan everything carefully, add a dedicated and professional work (that's what "professional" means), and a good and confident equipment and team. (an explosion may be need tree or more cams)

So you are no more sure recording to a P2 card than to a Hard disk or a tape, accidents happen and no one of those supports are excluded. (back up son, back up, my grandfather says :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG) )

A couple of years before, we "had to" (no alternatives) record to tapes (I did in 1 Inch 20 years ago), and television did survives to all of the inconvenients of this supports, now we are afraid of a more developed technology !!!

My advise is: Do not be afraid, get as much resources as you can, provided that this do not overload your abilities and skills, creativity is also a resource.



PS: it needs nerve to jump with a parachute from an airplane ten kilometers in air, it's stupid doing this without one or with four.

:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

PS 2: oh! I almost forget it: DVCRack is a must have, is the best tool you can get apart of HVX200 !!!
 
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Barry_Green said:
Yes you can run in full-screen mode, just press <ALT-ENTER>. On my lame Pentium M 760 single-core laptop it can actually display a full 1080/60i screen, at full-screen, and full frame rate. Which is just amazingly cool. I expect it will completely fly on a new MBP dual-core system.


hmmm...you saying that the software doesn't really need the fully 2ghz cpu speed that the manufacturer recommends? That'd be useful info--most laptops in my neck of the woods fall below that threshold.

btw, any chance of a dedicated dv rack forum? the only one i know of is on the SM homepage and it's members only.
 
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"B & H price for DV Rack and HDV bundle is 339, but they're out of stock:crybaby: "

"JON videoguys.com - 375$
"

I actually just ordered today and Video Guys nearly matched B&H: 350 + free shippng.
 
Can anyone post a link for the longest possible fire wire cable to go from the HVX to macbook? Dont want to get the wrong one. Thanks.
 
If you want to play it safe, you can't go over 4.5 meters / 15 feet -- that's the maximum distance allowed by the IEEE 1394a specification. Anything longer than that will likely not meet the electrical and timing requirements.
 
The HVX has a 4-pin Firewire socket, I don't know what you need on the computer side. Most PC laptops have 4-pin connectors as well, while some (if not all) Mac laptops have 6-pin (powered) Firewire connectors.

A right-angle 4-pin Firewire connector seems like the way to go to avoid the cable sticking out horizontally and putting an excessive amount of torque on the socket. I bought mine from Markertek, but there are lots of other sources.
 
Jon Oskar said:
Can anyone post a link for the longest possible fire wire cable to go from the HVX to macbook? Dont want to get the wrong one. Thanks.


THoff said:
If you want to play it safe, you can't go over 4.5 meters / 15 feet -- that's the maximum distance allowed by the IEEE 1394a specification. Anything longer than that will likely not meet the electrical and timing requirements.

It seems that we can break the law, I had a 70 Feet Laird Telemedia (Very fine) cable wich did not work with DVCRak and the HVX200 (in 720 or 1080) but did in 480 (24p, 30p. 30i, etc)

I cut that cable in halves and begin making tetst (3 feet shorter at a time) untill finally I get a 20 feet working Fierewire cable in DVCpro 100 (HD720 and 1080, 24p, 30p, 30i, varycam, etc)

Here the diagram,

1154055290.jpg


Please note the cross-connection between TPA - & + and TPB - & +

Good Luck
 
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PS: You can use the diagram to make 6 to 6, 6-4 and 4 to 4 cables.

I had to disassemble a 4 pin Connector because could not find one on stores, so be very carefully disassembling and welding, make sure not to made a shortage!!!

:badputer:

Good luck !!!
 
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