One obvious solution to offloading the SDHC combos in the field would be lagging around a laptop.

But what about the little devices photographers use to back up their cards on location?

Like PhotoSafe II 160Gb (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/555786-REG/Digital_Foci_P19_160_Photo_Safe_II_160GB.html/BI/2187/KBID/2932). Or this PicPac (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/568562-REG/Wolverine_7512_PicPac_120GB_Capacity.html/BI/2187/KBID/2932) device.

Would it work for video footage on SDHC card as well? Apparently these devices are simply copying the entire card, without regards to the content, so it should work?

160Gb capacity seems to be enough for ten 16Gb cards/ ten hours of HD footage in HQ mode...

The transfer speed may be an issue though, since it seems to transfer 16Gb in about an hour, which is no faster than real speed.

But if you are in the mountains and you need to offload 4 cards so to re-use them again tomorrow... I guess it may be better than the laptop...

But then again, if that devices' HDD fails...? With laptop, I always offload to both internal HDD and external USB HDD at the same time, having 2 copies at once using Shotput software.

Looks like a good idea... in theory. From the looks of the reviews, it didn't fair very well at all. Three out of five said they would not recommend the unit to their friends.

Yes, and look at the reviews for the 80Gb unit - completely different picture, almost 5 star rating, and the pin problem is only mentioned as a slight inconvenience.

I guess 5 reviews is simply not much of a statistical data, so depending on reviewers' mood it can tilt either way...

I just got the Nexto DI (160gb) to review and will report back as soon as I've had the opportunity to run it through its paces.

Looks interesting. They say Nexto (http://www.mydigitaldiscount.com/SPD/nexto-160gb-extreme-nd-2700-portable-storage-unit-160gb-nexto-extreme-nd-2700--8000070F-1208441888.jsp) is the fastest yet in copying data off card. Hmm

Just had a look at this unit online and don't see a file/folder renaming function. I guess it has to have some kind of overwrite protection but I don't see one here.
Don't forget that coming off the SxS or SDHC, everything lives in folders called BPAV...

I don't really see the need to add this extra complexity and area of risk given the low cost of SD cards. Just buy more cards! There not really any more expensive than pro grade tapes.

There was also a unit on display next to the EX workflow demo in Sony's NAB booth. It wasn't available then and I'm not sure if they got it to market. The unit Ned describes doesn't sound like the right name. I should be able to remember it, having stood next to it for 3 full days.

But long story short, yes, there are those who are making or are attempting to make, dedicated offload boxes for field use.

-gb-

I agree with Alistair. The Transcend/Sandisk - Kensington solution means that for little cost a full days work can be recorded and dumped after the shoot. I have a project coming up that will now be based on taking enough cards for a weeks foreign shooting without taking MBP etc. Life has become simple at little cost thanks to this forum.

I guess the idea is to either go unprotected with keeping the original footage on SDHC cards until you get to your computer; or, to offload on location but with backup.

I'd really think backup is necessary, since footage loss would be catastrophic to most any production.

So to prevent the end of the world, I guess the mobile offloading solution must have redundant backup storage (like Raid 1), not just one HDD that might fail, I think, with more statistical probability than the card itself...