The is my very first post at DV info!

I am a previous HVX200 owner, and sold it for the HD110 as I have been staying tuned to all the discussions regarding the HD100 and I have gained valuable experience here before even touching the camera!

I want to go the tapeless route, and use the Firestore HD, and was wondering if the FS-4 HD 40 GB will work with myHD110, and/or if all the Focus Drives will work.

Also, I want to avoid using HDV by all means possible, importing the footage from the Firestore and converting it to DVCPROHD into my Final Cut. Can Final Cut Pro handle this, or does anyone reccomend using a third party converter to first convert to DVCPROHD and then use that in Final Cut?
I just shot a film in Brasil with the HD100, we then used the Kona Card to capture the footage as DVCPRO HD, and it worked excellently, so I would like to stay on the route and workflow.

We do precisely this - HD110 > Firestore FS-4 HD - Works great, although we tend to get gaps in the footage in HDV mode when it comes to our NLE (Vegas 7). In DV mode, it works fine. We have not narrowed the problem down yet, but we are working on it.

If you're recording to DV, a FS-3 Drive will work, but you'll have to be in DV mode on the camera. The FS-4 series is the only ones from Focus Enhancements that will record HD in a mobile package.

As for FCP, we're PC guys, so can't comment on that workflow.

Have you installed the recently released updates to the Firestore? How many/frequency of dropouts do you get?
And you don't need the designated JVC DR-HD100 drives? They seem to be more a lot more, then the DV -FS 4 HD drives.

We get a consistent 6 frame drop - audio & video, between clips when imported to vegas. Like I mentioned before, this may or may not be a Vegas issue. Vegas 6 drops a bit of audio (like 3 frames), but little of the video. We do a lot of live stuff, and typically shoot 3 or 4 cameras, combine most of the audio, so it's not a big deal except fot that every 12 minutes of video, we have to bump the footage 6 frames back to match. We have already done a handful of long projects, making this a time consuming problem, but by no means does it "ruin" the project. We are actively working to rectify the situation, trying to figure out where the problem is. We have been testing with other programs to see what the pronosis is, importing it different ways, recording using different methods, and we will post our findings when the testing is complete.

Yes, we do have the latest firmware updates, as we just actually got the drives about 2 weeks ago, drop shipped directly from Focus, overnight. They were pre-installed with the latest firmware. We may try re-installing the firmware, as it may be corrupt, but I doubt that is the issue, since it is happening with all 6 of our drives, so that would indicate to us a problem in the code somewhere if in fact it is a Focus problem. But until testing is complete, we won't have a final answer.

As far as the DR-HD100 goes, it is basically a "pro HD" version that adds a bit more functionality in the camera, specifically the time remaining on the drive displayed in your viewfinder / on the lcd screen and a power down function if your camera runs out of juice. I assume you're looking into the HD version instead of the pro HD version because you don't need quicktime support, and you don't rally care about the time lapse / 10 second retro record. I don't believe that all of those functions warrant an extra $600, especially when your Firestore will most likely be mounted where you can see it anyways. Whether not you have the time displayed in the LCD, it's only minutes, so if the drive freezes, the display just stays at the minutes remaining where it froze.

We had problems early on with out DR-DV5000's for our SD Cameras, which is a rebaged FS-3. Although nice, If you don't worry about looking at the Firestore's LCD and trust your viewfinder, you may not realize that your drive has stopped recording. If it says "Minutes remaining, 125 for longer than a minute, you know there's a problem. We didn't have a huge problem with it, but there are a few times that it did, and we lost maybe 10-15 minutes of footage, having to get creative with the other cameras.

Overall, I don't think the DR-HD100 is worth the extra investment over the FS-4HD. We're not using FCP, which means we don't need quicktime, so the "pro" version really won't do anything extra for us anyways. With the money we saved on ours, we can almost purchase another camera, or lots of cool accessories for everything, which is much more valuable to us than having a minute counter in the display.

The is my very first post at DV info!

I am a previous HVX200 owner, and sold it for the HD110 as I have been staying tuned to all the discussions regarding the HD100 and I have gained valuable experience here before even touching the camera!

I want to go the tapeless route, and use the Firestore HD, and was wondering if the FS-4 HD 40 GB will work with myHD110, and/or if all the Focus Drives will work.

Also, I want to avoid using HDV by all means possible, importing the footage from the Firestore and converting it to DVCPROHD into my Final Cut. Can Final Cut Pro handle this, or does anyone reccomend using a third party converter to first convert to DVCPROHD and then use that in Final Cut?
I just shot a film in Brasil with the HD100, we then used the Kona Card to capture the footage as DVCPRO HD, and it worked excellently, so I would like to stay on the route and workflow.

It will work and work rather well. There is one hitch, the FS-4 HD will not capture in QuickTime HDV only m2t raw HDV stream files. If you don't want HDV in QuickTime then this drive should work however m2t files are HDV anyway so you are not avoiding the pitfalls of MPEG2 recording. Programs like MPEGStreamclip will convert the m2t files to DVCProHD but it takes time.

I suggest that you invest in the DR-HD100 especially if you are intending to do a lot of 24p shooting. Edit in HDV and export via Compressor a DVCProHD master file when the edit is finished. The benefits are explained in many other posts in this forum. If the prospect of bulk transcoding of m2t files isn't daunting to your production methods, the FS-4 HD should work.

The only way to avoid MPEG2 recording with the HD-110 or the HD-200 is to take the analog component video out and record directly to a portable HD deck. Which one? Someone else will have to volunteer that info since I don't know.

Do any of the Firestore Drives have a video out so that I can playback the video from the firestore drive on a monitor, on location?

Do any of the Firestore Drives have a video out so that I can playback the video from the firestore drive on a monitor, on location?

No. They have the ability to play back the recorded file back through the FireWire connection to the camera which can be hooked up to a monitor.

You are looking for a deluxe model that doesn't exist. I wish it did.

I am about to order a firestore drive, but need some help on my final decisions.

I am trying to pick between the FS-4 and the FS-4 PRO HD. Talked to Firestore, and although they were trying to convince me to buying the more expensive FS-4 HD version, it sounds like the FS-4 should work.
I want to work in DVCPRO HD so I would need to convert the .m2t (FS-4) and qt (FS-4 PRO HD) both to DVCPRO HD anyway. So, would I be able to get away with the lesser expensive FS-4?

I use the FS4HD without any dropped frames, whatsoever. If you're outputting m2t files, you must get the fs4hd. the standard fsf will do only avi and qt.

The FS-4 records HDV? I don't think that model exists anymore. It would need a paid upgrade to recognized HDV. The current model is the FS-4 HD.

How much do you value your time? If you are shooting less than 2 hours a week then whatever records m2t files will work. Plan on at least double the length of you footage to transcode. 2 hours = 4 hours of transcoding time, depending on your computer. A Quad Mac Pro should cut that time down a bit. For a reasonable amount more you could get the FS4 HD Pro and just transfer the files. Especially if you are planning on lots of footage.

The FS-4 records HDV? I don't think that model exists anymore. It would need a paid upgrade to recognized HDV. The current model is the FS-4 HD.

How much do you value your time? If you are shooting less than 2 hours a week then whatever records m2t files will work. Plan on at least double the length of you footage to transcode. 2 hours = 4 hours of transcoding time, depending on your computer. A Quad Mac Pro should cut that time down a bit. For a reasonable amount more you could get the FS4 HD Pro and just transfer the files. Especially if you are planning on lots of footage.

The standard FS-4 does not record HD files - you are correct. The FS-4 HD and the pro record the same exact thing - .m2t. The pro only adds features that have nothing to do with the way it records HD, unless you're using quicktime HD.

Just to make sure of all of my options, I did a search under B&H for 'HD100'
and this item came up.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=435276&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Does anyone know if it would work with the HD100? It appears that they record everything as .avi or .mov
And how is the quality compared to the Firestore FS-4?

Ben check out the direct to disk forum on this site for reviews of the Citidisk

Andrew

i would avoid citidisk.

Ben check out the direct to disk forum on this site for reviews of the Citidisk

Andrew
Yes, I did, and that was helpful.

Just two more questions, How does the FS-4 HD handle timecode. Does it sync to the camera when you are simultaneusly recording to tape?

If I am using MPEG Streamclip to transcode the footage from the FS-4HD to DVCPRO HD from what my HD100 shot, what is the process? Can I just drag and drop the files from the FS-4HD into my desktop and have MPEG Streamclip convert, or do I need to log and capture with Final Cut first?

It seems like I only get a TC readout in the Firestore display, and everytime I start recording, it resets to zero. The TC readout in the HD110 stays frozen.
When I put a tape in and put the Firestore in Sync mode, everything works fine. Just when I go tapeless is when I can't get the TC.

In order for TC to work, there's gotta be a tape in the camera.

Just to make sure of all of my options, I did a search under B&H for 'HD100'
and this item came up.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=435276&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Does anyone know if it would work with the HD100? It appears that they record everything as .avi or .mov
And how is the quality compared to the Firestore FS-4?

i would avoid citidisk.

As a former Citidisc HDV Drive owner, you should listen to Bill.

Here is what I have learned about DRD recorders, and the "hype" that is just that, Hype.

I film weddings, so I will come home with 6-7 hours of footage. I purchased 2 Citidisc drives (the 100gb HDV models) so I would never have to sit through 6-7 hours of importing again.

Problem #1 with DTD
98% of the DTD drives are FAT32 file structures. Each of these drives can only record 8 minute long m2t, or avi, mov, or dv files to the drive. once it has reach 8 minutes of constant recording, it makes a new file. when your recording a 2 hour Bat Mitzvah Ceremony, that is alot of files.

Problem #2
Those nifty 8 minute clips.
Each of those 8 minute clips drops a frame or 2 (4 in my case) at the front, and back end of each of those clips. So that 3 hour ceremony, HA jumps and sputters through the entire thing. Forget about non stop smooth 3 hour clips.

Problem #3
Staying on.
I had massive issues with filming 6 hours, and only getting 20 minutes of footage on the Drive.I had external power cells, and at one time the drives were powered by the Anton Batteries on the camera. Turns out, any quick movement, jolt, jump, would cause the drive to stop recording, example, I am filming a MotoGP race, I need to run across the pits, the Drive shuts down, I am not aware of it, and it fails to record 80% of the day. Happened on all of the projects I used those drives on.

Problem #4
Marketing.
Manufactors market these things as the "must have" all of the people on here buying Firestores, Citidisk, etc must not film Weddings or need to shoot a 3 hour long event, because there is only 1 brand of DTD that has an NTFS file structure, Nnovia.
From what I have read, talked to reps about, and researched on Nnovia, I can film 3 hours, and have a 3 hour clip, in an HDV QT file. I am sure there are other brands, but this was before I decided to go to good old fashion HDV tape only recording.



Dont ever waste your time on Citidisc, complete pieces of crap. Over priced laptop drives that are only good for a powered firewire drive to connect to your laptop. If you shoot long Ceremonies or corporate events, look into an NTFS drive, even then, you still have to export into a format from the m2t if you use FCP, or any other NLE that does not handle raw m2t files, I know Canopus will edit raw m2t files.

I used them, and now do not see the point anymore. DTD drives are pointless in my eyes now, for what I do.

That is just my opinion.

Jim I think you've got a fair point with the kind of work you do. However, for people doing work involving shorter takes these hardrives can be a really handy way of a) reviewing footage B) storing and C) giving an invaluable back-up sytem.

G