GL2 Direct-to-disc

[Will Hayes]

Hey guys i have another conundrum. I saw an external hard drive at target and was very interested. So is there any way to stream directly to the hard drive and bypass the tape with the GL2? and would i need a special hard drive to do this? Thanks again guys?

[Tom Elliott]

Hey Will,
If you scroll halfway down this page http://www.videoguys.com/pyro.htm
there is an external hard drive that I think is just what you are looking for.
Yours,
Tom

[Will Hayes]

Thanks for helping me so much today Tom. Yeah, are you refering to the pyro drive? If so thats a whole lotta money. So i cant use a regular external usb 2.0 hard drive to record?

[Graham Bernard]

Firstly you can not get a USB video stream out from a XM2, and therefore secondly to feed a USB drive. We only have firewire out/in for the video. I recently tried doing this via the USB lead to do a static WebCam thing! Silly boy . . . !

Now when I first researched, and yes played with the XM2 at the shop, I took my Dell Schlaptop and used capture in Sony Vegas to capture - well I think it was VideoFactory, anyway - and it worked.

But you do need firewire throughout. Also try out web searches for FireStore devices - there are others too. Not cheap! However what you WONT be able to do without a pc/laptop - in the circuit - is to capture directly to an external USB drive - were it that simple! If somebody wants to contradict me, go ahead - I'm all ears! It would be a potentially neat and inexpensive solution. End of the day, things like Firestore have a ready to go interface that allows for the f/w OUTs to go directly into their devices. Personally I think we ARE getting the rough end of the stick on this - no change there then.

Grazie

[Tom Elliott]

Graham,
What do you mean by rough end of the stick?
Yours,
Tom

[Graham Bernard]

Tom - Delighted!

We can now purchase a 300gb external harddrives for . what? . . over here something like £125GBps? Yes? Okay give it a low voltage supply, slap on an interface for f/w . .. what another £50? We gotta drive to take f/w. Yes I realise it isn't as straight forward as that . .but? £500 Squids for a 40gb direct to drive lump? Now THAT'S what I call the rough end of the stick! No? You think I'm incorrect. I don't think so. I really don't.

The problem we've got is the f/w to external h/d is at present going thru a pc/laptop. Do YOU think "Direct-to-Disc" manufacturers/suppliers DON'T know this? Right . ..

OOps.. just seen another one . . A 80gb HD hd M2T compliant drive for WOW! Cheapo! ! ! £999.0 . .. ! ! Cooo . . . . Larf? I don't know where to turn first!

Rough end of the stick? . . Oh yes . . maybe others knew what I meant . .

Look, if I had and earned this sort of money, no problemo. I don't and subsequently would wish that a version of the same was created for my end of the market.

Grazie

[Tom Elliott]

I understand your upset, for I too think to have that capability is a LITTLE HIGH. However, I do not know just what the physical/technical requirements are to have portable hd capture since one is bypassing a computer. It might be that there is a mini computer of sorts that enables one to use the Firestore. I have not done a cost breakdown, but Firestore still may be a little cheaper that strapping a laptop to your back and a portable long lasting power source to power the camcorder, laptop and the hard drive. I have a small 12volt battery pack I some times use while on location, but IT IS VERY HEAVY.
Yours,
Tom

[Graham Bernard]

Originally Posted by Tom Elliott

I understand your upset

. .actually it is "you are" = you're not "your" . . anyways, upset? Nah . . just a bit wordly. That's all.

Originally Posted by Tom Elliott

It might be that there is a mini computer of sorts that enables one to use the Firestore.

Yes of course, I'm sure. But think of all those PDAs and SatNavs out there. Plenty power there. May even be more.

Originally Posted by Tom Elliott

I have not done a cost breakdown, but Firestore still may be a little cheaper that strapping a laptop to your back . ..

Yes, maybe, but the manufactures know this too.

Guess there aint a BIG enough market for all this to be competitive enough to "drive" down the actual retail price.

I'd really like to get a professionals view on the cost to market for something like this though.

Grazie

[Alan Craven]

You can get 40GB HDD units for storing still images and some of these have firewire sockets. They are generally around £300, but I suspect their write speed would be too slow.

[Will Hayes]

Graham, hey about buying a hard drive and slapping on a interface, how does one do that? That seems like a reasonable solution.

[Andrew Todd]

lacie external hard drive 1000 gb
2 x FireWire 800 (9-pin) ports
1 x FireWire 400 (6-pin) port (compatible with iLink, DV)
1 x Hi-Speed USB 2.0 (compatible with USB 1.1)

buy it now price: US $689.99

http://cgi.ebay.com/LaCie-Bigger-Dis...QQcmdZViewItem

try to fill that in a day

[Graham Bernard]

FULL ON RANT - you have been warned!

Originally Posted by Alan Craven

You can get 40GB HDD units . . They are generally around £300 . . .

Alan, yes. At £300 this is STILL having a larf! And yes that would be the ticket. Once Solid state capture comes down in price, bectha gonna see these HD options crash through the floor!

Originally Posted by Will Hayes

Graham, hey about buying a hard drive and slapping on a interface, how does one do that? That seems like a reasonable solution.

Where there is a "Will" ( apologies couldn't resist! ) - yes you are totally correct. Will, that is EXACTLY what I mean:-

Here's an 500gbHD: here's a PDA/GPS/PSP ( whatever, making this up .. plenty of pc power here I would have thought! ); here's a suite of Scopes/Vectors/Chroma Keying/Focus and WB setups to boot thrown in too! ! !

. .. see, if yous can think it, it is possible.

Hell man, we've had graphics and stuff on all sorts of tiny itsy bitsy thingies for at least a decade. I've got that wretched, totally addictive Backgammon on my Cheapo Cheapo cell phone for goodness sakes!!!

Just think of it: A 500gb drive PLUS Scopes PLUS Chroma keying stuff all for around £450 quid. Done! It will come . . . It WILL come!!!

Originally Posted by Andrew Todd

lacie external hard drive 1000 gb . . . buy it now price: US $689.99 . . try to fill that in a day

Andrew, a man after my own heart here! EXACTLY! 1Tb = $689 = £370GBp plus change . . These things are costing very little. We are soaking up the costs for the ROI at the moment.

Yup, an all-in-one mission control centre for capture ( a "CCC" )IT IS GONNA COME! ! ! ! Maybe not for whirling discs but for solid state - has too, it just has too.


Now PLEASE don't get me started on the price for external MONITORS! That is just a complete joke! At present I can buy 3 x 19" superb LCD flatties for an equivalent price for an average pro external 7" monitor. MAD!!! Nope, supply and demand .. supply and demand.

Upset? Me? Nah . . just World weary . . . just World weary . .

Grazie

[Tom Elliott]

Graham,
I realize you are ranting, however ..... I do hope you are feeling better, for IMHO and based on my own rants, only us webites (new word! so maybe come up with a better spelling but I am very sensitive so no corrections ;-)) are willing to listen and offer possible solutions. Other than that rants, at least mine, never work.
Now as to monitors, only recently have the LCDs, the default ones with a package, come up to the point of being able to calibrate with any dirgree of accuracy. Us photographers still have to bite the bullet and at least get as close as possible to a fully calibrateable LCD and if one has the money use a CRT for the CRTs are the bench mark in graphics/photgraphy. Photographers may have gotten rid (I haven't) of the darkroom but we still end with an electronic equivilant for MUCH MUCH money. And now with camera manufactures encryping their algoriythms (sorry for the spelling) there is a potential down the road of not being able to print from MY "negatives". My solution is to shoot film and scan if needed.
It is forums like these that us creatives are able to survive and perhaps the manufactures will "get it". The internet does not allow the "bullies" to survive for long. Yea the bullies are out there, however they are quickly discovered and PUNISHED!
End of my Rant
Have fun, make films and continue to create is the solution.
Yours,
Tom

[Graham Bernard]

Tom, I agree with everything you say.

Thanks

Grazie