Firestore FS-C various topics

[Philip Fass]

I believe the "C" is the only one that will be triggered by the camera's start/stop button. IE, you might otherwise have to use the FS's own controls.

Everyone has their own opinion, but I looked extensively and never found an explicit and reliable statement that the 4 and the C were essentially identical. If they were, why would there always be separate firmware updates for the two drives? (The confusion isn't helped by the fact that neither Canon nor FS replies to emails.)

Anyway, I tend to play it safe, and I figured if something went wrong, I'd have a better argument if the Canon version didn't work as promised with the Canon camera.

[Buddy Frazer]

I have a Canon A1 and an FS-4 Pro HD. The camera stop/start will trigger the FS-4 on that model. Don't know about the XL series.

[Jim Andrada]

GL-2 will also run either tapeless or with tape and trigger the regular old FS-4 with the camera's start button as long as you set the DV Control parameter to ON. Works fine.

[Brad Bonczkiewicz]

It seems according to the Focus Enhancements product literature comparing models that the XL1/1s/2 and GL1/GL2 are not compatible with the FS-C model. Instead only the XL-H1/A1/G1 will work with the FS-C. For my Canon XL2, Focus Enhancements recommends the FS4 and FS4-Pro devices based on compatibility but doesn't specify reasons. Perhaps it is something as simple as a mounting bracket.

See the official website literature for more info:

http://www.focusinfo.com/dynassets/d...18Jun07-US.pdf

[Matt Carroll]

I appologize in advance if this has already been addressed.

I was wondering if there is a way to have 2 FSC's sync timecode together each recording a different camera? I have 2 XH-A1's that don't have timecode I/O so I'm trying to figure out a way to have them sync. I like the idea of having the FSC's expecially if they can sync together.

[Nathan Quattrini]

When i power down a line stays illuminated across the screen and slowly after about 30 seconds fades away. This can`t be normal. Anyone have an answer to what causes it and if it means my screen will one day not function?

[Brian Spatz]

Originally Posted by Philip Fass

I've only done limited testing on my new FS-C, but it worked fine the first time I tried it.

Good to hear a positive trial. What are the specs you were using?

HDV / DV?
16x9 / 4x3?
24f / 30f / 60i?
QT / mt2...?

Someone had mentioned issues with the actual tape when going back and trying to capture through the camera at a later time. Notice anything there?

Also, I'm trying to find out if you can transfer previously shot tapes into the drive. I would be so grateful if you could give this a test for me.

[Brian Spatz]

Originally Posted by Harry Bromley-Davenport

Ring me and I'll give you the sacred secret method. 323 851 2942.

Best

Harry

Harry,

Is this still a secret? Please share as I plan on purchasing an FSC model soon.

Brian

[Brad Bonczkiewicz]

I found out that the FS-C is basically the FS-4 Pro with larger hard drive and "Pro" sets of features including specialized NLE support, timecode, time-lapse, etc. So that will explain the price difference.

I ended up purchasing the FS4-HD (40 GB) and the special Canon XL series mounting bracket and really like them so far. I did set the XL2 camera into Ext Control mode so that I could let the camera control the firestore independent of the tapes (in case I run out of tape!) I tested running tapeless...

1) Eject tape
2) Hit record on camera (Firestore starts recording)
3) Insert tape
4) Hit record on camera (tape starts recording & Firestore remains recording)
5) Hit record on camera and they both stop.

I didn't have any trouble with timecode or assembling the short clips together to make a very large video file. I use Scenalyzer to do that and that software works great.

Thanks again

[Harry Bromley-Davenport]

Well, it's not really a secret. I just managed to actually get hold of a guy at Focus and he walked me through it step by step.

But now I have returned the unit to them for a different reason which they are attempting to analyze and correct: if you shoot a scene where there is a big and rapid light change - like someone switching on a light on set - the recorder freaks out and produces a few frames of corrupt material and black frames.

Not too great.

Fortunately we were running tape simultaneously, and the backup was fine which shows the problem was not in the camera.

In any case, they have my unit right now and are "looking at it". I hope to hell they can fix it because it's a really handy unit which has saved me hours of boring digitizing time.

So, to sum up, I solved one set of problems and discovered another.

Best

Harry

[Brad Bonczkiewicz]

Hi Nathan, I just purchased a Firestore FS-4 last week and noticed mine did that as well. Just one time though while plugged in to the wall. It could be discharging its power. Does yours display the line every time you turn it off?

[Harry Bromley-Davenport]

We recently shot a small feature on the XL-H1 using the Focus FS-C and also running tape for backup.

A good thing we ran the tape backup too: whenever there was a radical change of light level, such as an actor entering a dark room and switching on a practical lamp, the FS-C recorded a series of distorted frames and then a few frames of black.

This was only on the FS-C recording and not on the backup tape.

At the end of shooting I contacted Focus, sent them examples of this fault and they asked me to send them the unit - which I did.

A couple of days ago I received the unit back from them. There was no note or explanation, nor did they email me. I assumed all was well and fixed.

So I emailed them to find out what had been wrong, and this is their reply:

"Hi Harry,

They ran multiple tests on the drive, reviewed the clips of corruption but unfortunately found no problem with the unit.

Bonnie
Support
Focus Enhancements".

I think that's astonishingly bad treatment of me as a user.

Is this typical of them?

Perhaps someone on this board can direct me to a person higher up the food chain at Focus who would be more courteous and willing to help me get this - their faulty unit - fixed.

I look forward to hearing from one of you people out there.

Best

Harry.

[Michael Wisniewski]

Harry, have you done any tests to rule out a defective firewire connection? For example, have you tested the FS-C with a different camcorder and a different wire?

[Bob Hart]

Would the unit's resources for processing data be already highly committed then momentarily overwhelmed by sudden changes which might cause increased bursts? There's other circumstance which would provoke it and it would have raised its ugly head before now.

I'm a total luddite when it comes to these things. The people who design and make these things, I think might have taken you quite seriously and probably sweated away in their basements or garrets trying to make happen what happened to you.

I would favour the thought that something in your location environment caused the problem.

There are any number of things could happen which might not be attributable to the unit. It lives apart from the camcorder, is fed information along wires which have plugs and sockets.

Plugs and sockets can be momentarily resistive or open circuit during movements and wires make good RF aerials if earths and shield connections are interrupted.

If a light is actually switched on during the take as you mention, a spike or surge in the power can be expected which can feed through to the device or into and through the camcorder in any number of ways. If you are powering the camcorder from mains, you are even more vulnerable.

My personal preference is not to switch powered appliances during a take. It would be interesting to listen to your camera sound recording with the level up and headphones on. You might just hear a spike in the high frequency audio.

[Harry Bromley-Davenport]

Hi folks,

Thanks so much for your encouraging and prompt replies about my problems with Focus Enhancements and our film "Darkness Visible".

I will try another Firewire cable, although this one was provided by Focus and came with the kit.

The camera and Focus recorder were both running on battery power, so no interference from mains power was really possible. Also, the light being switched on in one of the scenes was a practical lamp which was only about 75 watts. I find it difficult to believe that this is the problem.

I will endeavo to reproduce it on another camera - that's a good idea from you guys since Focus could not reproduce it on their camera.

I guess that what I truly object to is their cavalier attitude of just returning the unit to me without a note or explanation. I think that, perhaps, they might have offered to exchange the unit in case there was some peculiar and arcane mismatch.

In any case, I thank you for the ideas and for taking the time to calm me down ... although I remain annoyed with the Focus people who have, in my experience, been somewhat arrogant and inefficient in this matter and, by the way, in their promises and failures to deliver the unit on time.

Best wishes and thanks again.

I will update this in the next few days just in case any of you want to hear me whining again.

Best

Harry