I froze an XDCAM disc into a block of ice while up in the arctic. You can watch the video on youtube. It worked perfectly once dried off with a hair drier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chri7TU4_GI

That's fun and all, but what possessed you to do this?

Awesome! I'm linking your clips to a friend of mine that asked me "What have you heard about the reputation of the XDCAM recording media?"

Wow, that's great Alister! Actually you are nuts! ;-)

I really love all the experiments you are doing with this tapeless medium!

Keep on testing and brewing disc soup!

So, dishwasher, arctic ice - what next...? ;)

How about boiling the disc in a pan of Heinz tomato soup? ... you never know, it could be a genuine scenario to test! lol

I suggest something to do with fire, chemicals or explosions! ;-)

XDCAM Disk Soup - fantastic!!

;-)

uli

Remind me to NEVER buy some of your used equipment ;-)

Some Sony engineer is probably going nuts over this test :p

I froze an XDCAM disc into a block of ice while up in the arctic. You can watch the video on youtube. It worked perfectly once dried off with a hair drier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chri7TU4_GI

Well Alister, since you are over here storm chasing this week, I suppose the next thing to do is to get an XDCAM disc in the direct path of a tornado and see how it holds up (that is, if you can find it afterwards). <grin>

-gb-

Attach a GPS to it :)

I should have left one out in the hail storm we intercepted near Fort Worth. I only have the EX1 with me on this trip. I'll be back later in May with the F350 and maybe a pre production 700.

Just one issue with the this test. The footage you show on the camera at the end is from the camera that was shooting you doing the experiment!

So what to Sony marketing pay you per episode Alister? ;)

...if they don't then you should really be charging them!

Simon, I did a piece to camera that was recorded to the disk that was then frozen and that's what is played back. Watch the sequence again and you'll see me go up to the camera to get the disc out.

Paul, I got given some free discs and SxS cards to abuse and freeze. I also got to go talk about it at NAB.

Ahhh right. Okay. Must pay more attention next time!

BTW, absolutely loved your tornado mini doc! Hurry up and get that second part uploaded!

BUT...

Will it blend?

Have you seen any of those videos? I suspect the disk won't survive that test for sure!

Chris

Nothing survives the blender :p

That's amazing...

I heard of Beta SP footage surviving plunges into water along with the cameras surviving. I remember one Global BC cameraman got soaked when the first nations canoe he was in tipped over while recording!

This thing just made my day.

Simon the second part of the doc is on Vimeo now, shot primarily with my F350. If you've watch the programme you'll see the amount of dust and rain I film in all the time.
http://www.vimeo.com/1019112

Alister, what lens did you use on your F350 to shoot this incredible tornado footage?

Mainly my Canon Kh20x6.4 but some with my old Canon 19x 1/2 inch SD lens