I'm thinking of buying a 160 Gb external hard drive with fire wire input to cut back on head wear and tear. I like to shoot in remote areas where there isn't power. My answer to this problem is to get one of those step up transformers that plug into your car lighter and a long extension cord. Is this feasable, anyone else trying it?
shooting to hard drive
- Thread starter Mino
- Start date
mickeloaf
Well-known member
Re: shooting to hard drive
It would be very cool to make a DIY (do it yourself) portable hard disk recorder. If you could run imbedded linux with some kind of aquisition program on a small card hooked to a hard disk and rechargable battery, that might fit the bill. Anybody, know something about this?
It would be very cool to make a DIY (do it yourself) portable hard disk recorder. If you could run imbedded linux with some kind of aquisition program on a small card hooked to a hard disk and rechargable battery, that might fit the bill. Anybody, know something about this?
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: shooting to hard drive
mino, for what you're describing, you should look at the Firestore FS-4... camera-mountable, battery-operated hard-disc recording.
mino, for what you're describing, you should look at the Firestore FS-4... camera-mountable, battery-operated hard-disc recording.
Drew599
Veteran
Re: shooting to hard drive
Having it portable would be a good idea. I tried recording to an external firewire drive using a 32' firewire cable and that was a pain in the ass. It worked but the set up time for everything was taking to long. Also when we had to move to somewhere else in the buliding that was further away that 32' I had to move my PowerBook, the hard drive and the small table everything was sitting on. When I can I'm going to get one of the firestore recorders.
Having it portable would be a good idea. I tried recording to an external firewire drive using a 32' firewire cable and that was a pain in the ass. It worked but the set up time for everything was taking to long. Also when we had to move to somewhere else in the buliding that was further away that 32' I had to move my PowerBook, the hard drive and the small table everything was sitting on. When I can I'm going to get one of the firestore recorders.
Jim Brennan
VHS Member Old Skool
Re: shooting to hard drive
Barry,
Would it make more sense to buy a new laptop and DVrack for about the same pice? I realize that the application is slightly differnt since the firestore is so portable. But DVrack gives you a lot of other stuff besides hard disc recording.
Barry,
Would it make more sense to buy a new laptop and DVrack for about the same pice? I realize that the application is slightly differnt since the firestore is so portable. But DVrack gives you a lot of other stuff besides hard disc recording.
Barry_Green
Moderator
Re: shooting to hard drive
That's the thing -- different purposes to each. I went with the DV Rack + laptop route, because it's much more powerful in many ways. But Mino said he's going to remote areas with no power, and it sounded like portability would be key -- and unless you've got a dedicated assistant to haul around the laptop, DV Rack isn't portable... whereas the firestore fs-4 could be mounted on the shoe of the camera.
Now, if you could get DV Rack to work on one of those ultra-micro-portable PC's, then maybe you're talking about something that could do both jobs... but I think those are a) way more expensive, and b) not fast enough yet...
That's the thing -- different purposes to each. I went with the DV Rack + laptop route, because it's much more powerful in many ways. But Mino said he's going to remote areas with no power, and it sounded like portability would be key -- and unless you've got a dedicated assistant to haul around the laptop, DV Rack isn't portable... whereas the firestore fs-4 could be mounted on the shoe of the camera.
Now, if you could get DV Rack to work on one of those ultra-micro-portable PC's, then maybe you're talking about something that could do both jobs... but I think those are a) way more expensive, and b) not fast enough yet...
mickeloaf
Well-known member
Re: shooting to hard drive
Barry, you are right about that. I took a look at Tablet PC's but most of the top end models are like 1.1Ghz, and don't meet the minimum requirements for DVRack. I might end up going with the new Firestore FS-4, but prefer DVRack if I can figure out something else besides lugging my huge laptop around.
I have considered something like this:
http://www.cappuccinopc.com/mochae7042b.asp
or this
http://www.cappuccinopc.com/slimpro-sp615.asp
but it could get spendy by the time you get a 16x9 touchscreen LCD and the other options needed. ..and, its still a bit on the bulky side.
Barry, you are right about that. I took a look at Tablet PC's but most of the top end models are like 1.1Ghz, and don't meet the minimum requirements for DVRack. I might end up going with the new Firestore FS-4, but prefer DVRack if I can figure out something else besides lugging my huge laptop around.
I have considered something like this:
http://www.cappuccinopc.com/mochae7042b.asp
or this
http://www.cappuccinopc.com/slimpro-sp615.asp
but it could get spendy by the time you get a 16x9 touchscreen LCD and the other options needed. ..and, its still a bit on the bulky side.
10s
Veteran
Re: shooting to hard drive w/ DV Rack
Re: shooting to hard drive w/ DV Rack
I'm still testing my new 3.2 Ghz Toshiba laptop & DVRack. It works great for limited moving about type shooting.
I just need a long firewire cable, say 30+ ft. I'll direct from the laptop and let others shoot.
I love these new laptops because we are now able to write scripts, plan storyboards, overheads, business papers, releases, etc... capture, edit, color correct & author & burn DVDs, make cover art posters, WEB sites, record music & audio, ADR, foley, etc... and Master all in a laptop while your travleing or stationary!
The revolution is here. Rough cut/editied dailies could be produced during lunch hour and within an hour of wrapping a rough cut of the days work could be played back on a Large screen monitor to give everyone an idea of how it's all coming together.
The laptop is cumbersome for going out shooting ( hiking along & getting shots, B-roll, I tried it but for this I'll still use tape) Now for a location with power it's very nice to have the waveform & vector scope with a calibrated monitor in DV Rack. DV Rack also let's you show full screen while shooting, & you can get a good idea how it will look cropped, 1.85:1, 2.40:1. because it has a feature that I use to letterbox these aspect ratios.
DV uses 12 gigs per hour. Beside the internal 60 gig drive I also have an external 180 gig hard drive for storage. I should be able to have enough room for a project!
Bottom line, check out this combination for all phases of production. These Toshiba laptops run about $1,300.00 US, I think it's the ticket. DV Rack and a few other tools will be another chunck of $ but you have it all in one place available 24/7.
Re: shooting to hard drive w/ DV Rack
I'm still testing my new 3.2 Ghz Toshiba laptop & DVRack. It works great for limited moving about type shooting.
I just need a long firewire cable, say 30+ ft. I'll direct from the laptop and let others shoot.
I love these new laptops because we are now able to write scripts, plan storyboards, overheads, business papers, releases, etc... capture, edit, color correct & author & burn DVDs, make cover art posters, WEB sites, record music & audio, ADR, foley, etc... and Master all in a laptop while your travleing or stationary!
The revolution is here. Rough cut/editied dailies could be produced during lunch hour and within an hour of wrapping a rough cut of the days work could be played back on a Large screen monitor to give everyone an idea of how it's all coming together.
The laptop is cumbersome for going out shooting ( hiking along & getting shots, B-roll, I tried it but for this I'll still use tape) Now for a location with power it's very nice to have the waveform & vector scope with a calibrated monitor in DV Rack. DV Rack also let's you show full screen while shooting, & you can get a good idea how it will look cropped, 1.85:1, 2.40:1. because it has a feature that I use to letterbox these aspect ratios.
DV uses 12 gigs per hour. Beside the internal 60 gig drive I also have an external 180 gig hard drive for storage. I should be able to have enough room for a project!
Bottom line, check out this combination for all phases of production. These Toshiba laptops run about $1,300.00 US, I think it's the ticket. DV Rack and a few other tools will be another chunck of $ but you have it all in one place available 24/7.