Firestore FS-C various topics

Nathan Quattrini · August 8th, 2008, 11:13 PM

How should I capture HDV from a Canon XH-A1 onto the Firestore for dumping to a Final Cut Studio 2 machine? I remember trying QT once with my Mac and Premiere and it couldn`t be used. Anyone know which to use? QT or M2T?

Gary Bettan · August 10th, 2008, 08:44 AM

Use the Quicktime HDV setting.

Gary

Guy Shaddock · August 10th, 2008, 10:27 PM

I just purchased a FS-C to use with my Canon XH-A1. I use Canopus Edius Broadcast as a NLE app. I find that when I import HDV m2t footage to the timeline the resultant playback studders miserably.
I have been told that m2t files will cause this effect and that it is better to use the Canopus HD. But since using the Canopus HD involves capturing from tape, it kind of negates the value and purpose of the FS-C.
My computer has 3 gigs of ram and is a quad core 2.4GHz. It would be pretty disappointing if this is the best FS-C and Edius can do!

Guy Shaddock · August 11th, 2008, 12:09 AM

Hum. The problem may have been a faulty Maxtor media drive. When I tried to defragment it it froze. I pulled it out of my machine and ....no more problems!

Guy Shaddock · August 23rd, 2008, 06:47 PM

I am PC based. I am doing a shoot where the footage will be delivered and edited with Final Cut. I want to deliver the best possible files from my FS-C which should be the Quicktime HD option the Firestore has. Unfortunately I can't preview the HD Quicktime file on my PC. Is there a way or does Apple reserve that to a Mac?

Guy Shaddock · August 25th, 2008, 02:14 PM

This actually goes back a few posts but I was wondering if those who replaced their small HD's with a larger hard drive, is it possible to change from FAT32 to NSTC thereby avoiding the 2 gig (or is it 4 gig) limit?

Guy Shaddock · August 25th, 2008, 04:17 PM

On another thread there were posters that changed out the smaller drives in their Firestores to a larger drive. Has anyone tried this with the FS-C? Also apparently when drives are replaced they need to be re partitioned. Anybody try NTFS rather than Fat 32?

Guy Shaddock · August 29th, 2008, 06:55 PM

Interesting discovery is that when using the FS-C with an A1, the FS-C will record SD whether set to SYNC or TAPELESS. This comes in handy because I am switching between my Panasonic DVC 30 and the Canon (with no tape in it).

Edit the above
I could not repeat the sync/tapeless as mentioned above. Sorry may have led some astray. I find that I do need a tape in the Canon to have the FS-C record in SYNC mode. All of the "tally " lights on the camera and FS-C work properly. I need to set TAPELESS not SYNC on my A1 (with no tape in it) for everything to work flawlessly.

Jaymes Smith · September 26th, 2008, 05:25 PM

I just received my FS-4 HD (60GB) and WD 120gb PATA drive with the intent of upgrading the hard drive. When I opened the FS-4 I found that the interface was no longer IDE, but instead SATA. But what's even more distressing is the fact that factory installed is an 80GB. Of course, the system boots to the 60GB recording times suggesting that the system may be limiting the space of the hard drive installed and this may be permanent, i.e. it doesn't matter if I install a 300gb SATA, it will be formatted to 60GB by the firmware.

Please tell me someone out there upgraded a newer FS-4 HD, with the SATA interface, and had success formatting the extra space...

Please...

Jaymes Smith · September 26th, 2008, 06:06 PM

UPDATE:

My math sucks and I was wrong. My 60GB model is using all 80GB of the hard drive (365 mins in DV mode = 80GB). After the Focus Enhancements bankruptcy announcement, I wonder if they just aren't clearing out product - putting extra 80GB hard drives into 60GB models to liquidate instead of ordering more 60GB drives...

The sticker on the back plate also says "FS-4 Pro HD" though I do not have a Pro model.

Hmm..

Regardless, there is still hope that I can swap out a SATA drive and take advantage of the extra space. I'll post an update when I find out more.

Jaymes Smith · September 30th, 2008, 05:10 PM

UPDATE: I installed a 160gb WD SATA drive into my FS-4 HD (60gb), formatted the drive, and was left with 595 mins of recording time (~10 hours or 120gb worth of space). So it appears that installing larger hard drives into the new SATA FS-4s yields the same result (with 120GB max recording space) as with the older ATA interfaced models.

Note: Upon firing up the unit after installing the new hard drive the screen locked at the login splash screen with the statement "please wait." I hit the select button and it took me to the main screen but it still said "please wait." I menu'd over to the format screen and told the unit to format the drive. It did with no problems and now the device boots as normal.

Cheers.

keywords: mod, modification, upgrade, firestore, hard disk

Guy Shaddock · September 30th, 2008, 06:32 PM

Jaymes
I not quite following you. You said that you formatted the 160 gig drive and then when the FS was booting up you had to format again? It sounds like you had to format it twice in the FS?
Also if you had installed a 120 gig drive does that mean that you would have got 120 gigs (I am assuming that 160 still will only give you 120)... is that right? You might as well installed a 120?

Jaymes Smith · September 30th, 2008, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guy Shaddock

Jaymes
I not quite following you. You said that you formatted the 160 gig drive and then when the FS was booting up you had to format again? It sounds like you had to format it twice in the FS?

I can see how the second update confuses the timeline. No, it was not formatted twice. The unformatted drive was installed and I went through the onboard format routine outlined above. The update was meant to detail the formatting method the SATA enabled FS-4 HDs seem to require.

Quote:

Also if you had installed a 120 gig drive does that mean that you would have got 120 gigs (I am assuming that 160 still will only give you 120)... is that right? You might as well installed a 120?

Presumably. Yes, it seems I would have been better off installing a 120GB drive - but for the sale price of the 160GB WD Scorpio, it would have cost me a tad more for the 120GB model. I would suggest to anyone upgrading their FS-4 HD SATAs to install the most cost effective drive 120GB and above in capacity, but know that the max volume size is 120GB.

Guy Shaddock · September 30th, 2008, 10:35 PM

OK thanks Jaymes

I hope when I try this it will work for the FS-C (Canon specific firestore)!

Bill Spearman · January 16th, 2010, 11:43 PM

The power brick for my unit has suddenly started producing a humming noise when it is plugged in - historically for me with electronics this has been the warning sign of an imminent failure. Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips or successes? Any thoughts on obtaining a new power brick? I am assuming I can order one from Focus Tech, but wanted to check for options anyway. Thanks.

August 8th, 2008, 11:13 PM	#151
Nathan Quattrini Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Warwick, Rhode Island Posts: 740	Firestore FS-C to final cut? Which file type? How should I capture HDV from a Canon XH-A1 onto the Firestore for dumping to a Final Cut Studio 2 machine? I remember trying QT once with my Mac and Premiere and it couldn`t be used. Anyone know which to use? QT or M2T? __________________ Cinematography Site

August 10th, 2008, 08:44 AM	#152
Gary Bettan Sponsor: Electronic Mailbox Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Glen Cove, NY Posts: 758	Use the Quicktime HDV setting. Gary __________________ Check out http://www.videoguys.com 800 323-2325 We are the video editing and live video production experts! DV InfoNet members save 5%! Use Coupon Code DVINFO5OFF

August 10th, 2008, 10:27 PM	#153
Guy Shaddock Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 131	I just purchased a FS-C to use with my Canon XH-A1. I use Canopus Edius Broadcast as a NLE app. I find that when I import HDV m2t footage to the timeline the resultant playback studders miserably. I have been told that m2t files will cause this effect and that it is better to use the Canopus HD. But since using the Canopus HD involves capturing from tape, it kind of negates the value and purpose of the FS-C. My computer has 3 gigs of ram and is a quad core 2.4GHz. It would be pretty disappointing if this is the best FS-C and Edius can do! Last edited by Guy Shaddock; August 11th, 2008 at 12:10 AM.

August 23rd, 2008, 06:47 PM	#155
Guy Shaddock Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 131	QuickTime HD preview on a PC I am PC based. I am doing a shoot where the footage will be delivered and edited with Final Cut. I want to deliver the best possible files from my FS-C which should be the Quicktime HD option the Firestore has. Unfortunately I can't preview the HD Quicktime file on my PC. Is there a way or does Apple reserve that to a Mac?

August 25th, 2008, 02:14 PM	#156
Guy Shaddock Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 131	Replace HD with larger This actually goes back a few posts but I was wondering if those who replaced their small HD's with a larger hard drive, is it possible to change from FAT32 to NSTC thereby avoiding the 2 gig (or is it 4 gig) limit?

August 11th, 2008, 12:09 AM	#154
Guy Shaddock Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 131	Hum. The problem may have been a faulty Maxtor media drive. When I tried to defragment it it froze. I pulled it out of my machine and ....no more problems!

August 25th, 2008, 04:17 PM	#157
Guy Shaddock Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 131	Changing drives in Firestore On another thread there were posters that changed out the smaller drives in their Firestores to a larger drive. Has anyone tried this with the FS-C? Also apparently when drives are replaced they need to be re partitioned. Anybody try NTFS rather than Fat 32?

August 29th, 2008, 06:55 PM	#158
Guy Shaddock Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 131	FS-C & Canon A1 Sync...Tapeless Interesting discovery is that when using the FS-C with an A1, the FS-C will record SD whether set to SYNC or TAPELESS. This comes in handy because I am switching between my Panasonic DVC 30 and the Canon (with no tape in it). Edit the above I could not repeat the sync/tapeless as mentioned above. Sorry may have led some astray. I find that I do need a tape in the Canon to have the FS-C record in SYNC mode. All of the "tally " lights on the camera and FS-C work properly. I need to set TAPELESS not SYNC on my A1 (with no tape in it) for everything to work flawlessly. Last edited by Guy Shaddock; August 29th, 2008 at 08:06 PM. Reason: Miss information

September 26th, 2008, 05:25 PM	#159
Jaymes Smith Tourist Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 4	FS-4 HD with a SATA drive installed I just received my FS-4 HD (60GB) and WD 120gb PATA drive with the intent of upgrading the hard drive. When I opened the FS-4 I found that the interface was no longer IDE, but instead SATA. But what's even more distressing is the fact that factory installed is an 80GB. Of course, the system boots to the 60GB recording times suggesting that the system may be limiting the space of the hard drive installed and this may be permanent, i.e. it doesn't matter if I install a 300gb SATA, it will be formatted to 60GB by the firmware. Please tell me someone out there upgraded a newer FS-4 HD, with the SATA interface, and had success formatting the extra space... Please...

September 26th, 2008, 06:06 PM	#160
Jaymes Smith Tourist Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 4	UPDATE: My math sucks and I was wrong. My 60GB model is using all 80GB of the hard drive (365 mins in DV mode = 80GB). After the Focus Enhancements bankruptcy announcement, I wonder if they just aren't clearing out product - putting extra 80GB hard drives into 60GB models to liquidate instead of ordering more 60GB drives... The sticker on the back plate also says "FS-4 Pro HD" though I do not have a Pro model. Hmm.. Regardless, there is still hope that I can swap out a SATA drive and take advantage of the extra space. I'll post an update when I find out more.

September 30th, 2008, 05:10 PM	#161
Jaymes Smith Tourist Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 4	SATA upgrade a success. UPDATE: I installed a 160gb WD SATA drive into my FS-4 HD (60gb), formatted the drive, and was left with 595 mins of recording time (~10 hours or 120gb worth of space). So it appears that installing larger hard drives into the new SATA FS-4s yields the same result (with 120GB max recording space) as with the older ATA interfaced models. Note: Upon firing up the unit after installing the new hard drive the screen locked at the login splash screen with the statement "please wait." I hit the select button and it took me to the main screen but it still said "please wait." I menu'd over to the format screen and told the unit to format the drive. It did with no problems and now the device boots as normal. Cheers. keywords: mod, modification, upgrade, firestore, hard disk

September 30th, 2008, 06:32 PM	#162
Guy Shaddock Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 131	Jaymes I not quite following you. You said that you formatted the 160 gig drive and then when the FS was booting up you had to format again? It sounds like you had to format it twice in the FS? Also if you had installed a 120 gig drive does that mean that you would have got 120 gigs (I am assuming that 160 still will only give you 120)... is that right? You might as well installed a 120?

September 30th, 2008, 10:35 PM	#164
Guy Shaddock Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Posts: 131	OK thanks Jaymes I hope when I try this it will work for the FS-C (Canon specific firestore)!

January 16th, 2010, 11:43 PM	#165
Bill Spearman Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 161	Power brick for FS-C The power brick for my unit has suddenly started producing a humming noise when it is plugged in - historically for me with electronics this has been the warning sign of an imminent failure. Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips or successes? Any thoughts on obtaining a new power brick? I am assuming I can order one from Focus Tech, but wanted to check for options anyway. Thanks.