QuickStreamDV with XL1S

[Mark A. Foley]

Anyone use the QucikStreamDV drive? I'm trying to decide the ROI (return on investment) with going to this type of hardware. I like the idea of no wear and tear on the on camera's recording heads and tape mechanism...plus major reduction in capture time to the NLE.

Downside would be a another point of failure in recording.

Tape is cheap and very reliable...hmmmm


Thoughts?

[Jason Opat]

There are many way that the QuickStream DV can save you time and money. Log and Capture is the longest part of the editing process, meaning that for every minute of video you have to then spend that same amount of time or longer logging or capturing video.
The QuickStream DV allows you to now capture direct to the built in hard drive in DV format. With a tape in hte camera you can use the record button to remotely control the QuickStream DV. That means that every time you start and stop the record process the same video being captured to tape is also simultaneously captured to the QuickStream DV. There is a record button the QuickStream DV that allows you to record independantly to the drive if you wish to not use tape in the camera. You can capture up to six hours of video directly on the drive.
Your return on investment will be pretty noticable. Once you finish shooting the footage is viewable immediatly when you connect to a Powerbook in the field or you desktop system in your studio. The Stream Manager software that we have created helps you manage the data by viewing the clips, moving the clips, and or deleting unwanted clips. You don't have to use th software you can import the footage directly into your edting system and start working or copy the files over to your RAID system yourself.
I guess the best way to say it, is you are now able to be in a true nonlinear world. You are not dependant upon a tape and it's linear approach. to see teh end of a six hour record all you have to do is open the file and preview it immediately.
As you mentioned tape is a cheap. Think of tape as your inexpensive back up. The time saved really adds up when you think about the hours you keep your system tied up for digitizing purposes. YOu can always be using your system to edit not log and capturing.

[Imran Zaidi]

Jarred Land over at http://www.dvxuser.com has a good review on the QuickstreamDV.

For me, I'm chomping at the bit to be able to lay down the change for this product; it would so pay for itself in the long run. That and the peace of mind that you're instantly recording to two places, so no fear of tape heads or failed drives. Plus I really, really hate the capture part of editing, so it would be worth the cost just to never have to do that again.

[Mark Williams]

Take a look at this thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=21200

You need to make sure the file format that you are capturing in on the Quickstream is compatible with your NLE system. For me I never got an answer from MCE, thus I am looking elsewhere.

Regards,

Mark

[Jason Opat]

The QuickStream DV is progammable to
QuickTime MOV (.mov), Windows AVI2 (.avi), Raw DV (.dv), and Canopus AVI2(.avi).

If you editing system is compatible with this file format it will work. Here are a few Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Express, iMovie, Quicktime Pro, Sonic foundry Vegas Video, Canopus DV Storm, Pinnacle Studio to name a few. If your system captures DV footage Via Firewire it would be safe to say any of the above formats will work in your system as long as they are DV based.

[Mark Williams]

Nope. It is my understanding that none of these file formats are directly compatible with Matrox without first running the Matrox file conversion program. Kind of defeats the purpose to have to go thru one more step. Also, is it confirmed that there is no loss of quality in the file conversion process? Of course this would not even be a concern if the Quickstream used the Matrox codec as one of the file capture formats. For one reason or another I guess the Canopus avi format was selected instead. Oh well, maybe it will eventually be included by MCE or maybe by someone else.

Regards,

Mark

[Kevin Kimmell]

I know this isn't directly related to the original post, but can anyone who has used the QuickStream with an XL1s or GL1 or GL2 offer any device pecific comments about it?

I've got a GL2 and am considering buying the 4.5 hour version.

Thanks,
Kevin

[Jason Opat]

I have been using the Canon XL1S for the last year with the QuickStream DV. The QuickStream DV works with any DV camera that provides DV out of the built in FireWire port.

In using it with the XL1S just remember to turn off the DV Control function in the cameras built in menu.

[Kevin Kimmell]

<<<-- Originally posted by Jason Opat :
In using it with the XL1S just remember to turn off the DV Control function in the cameras built in menu. -->>>

I'm planning on using it with my GL2 and my partner's GL1. I've never turned the DV Control function on so it shouldn't be an issue.

Are you able to sync the recording to the record/pause button on the XL1s or do you have to use the record on the QuickStream?

Thanks,
Kevin

[Jason Opat]

When you activate the record button on the camera it simultaneously starts the record process on the QuickStream DV. The QuickStream DV has its own record button as well, but it does respond to the standard 1394AV signal that triggers the record start and stop functions.

[Kevin Kimmell]

Okay... so you're verifying that the GL2 will also trigger the record function. Now for the more important question...

What if I'm recording to tape also as a backup, and I get to the point where I need to swap tapes but want the Quickstream to continue recording (I record live performances) ?

Is this even possible or will I need to completely disregaurd the tapes to ensure no loss?

Also, since this is based on FAT32 for MAC compatibility, what happens at the 2gb limit? Does it start a new clip on it's own without loss?

Thanks,
Kevin

[Jason Opat]

Yes of course the GL2 will trigger the record function. The only way for the camera record button to work is that a tape has to be in the carriage. If not it will jsut flash and give you a message to insert tape. Every time you start and stop the record button on the camera a new clip or file is created with timecode data and date information from the camera itself.

The FAT32 file structure is actually MSDOS based and it is the only file format that is cross compatible between Mac and PC systems.

The QuickStream DV overcomes the 2 gig file limitation by automatically rolling over to a new file. There is no loss in data as the QuickStream DV has the technology built into its own capture hardware to compensate and create sequential files.

For continuous recording of a long meeting you will have to use the record function on the QuickStream DV's record button. If you hit the record button on the camera to stop the tape it will stop the QuickStream DV as well. the signal sent bay all cameras is a blind and its function is to start and stop. there is no way to make it run independantly. Secondly the trigger only sends the signal if there is a tape in the camera.

The limitations of the external record are not with the QuickStream DV but rather with th cameras as the cameras were created to record to their own tape system.

To tape longer meetings with tape as a back up I jsut time the tape change so that the the QuickStream is still recording during the change.

You will have to stop the camera record and then quickly hit the record button on the QuickStream DV. Second change the tape. Now, remember when you go to hit record on the camera to start teh new tape it will stop the record funtion on the QuickStream DV. Once you are certain the tape is recording jsut reach up and hit ht record button on the Quickstream. The time codes will match. the clip will be isolated and time stamped that was created during the the tape change. However, it will not have timecode as none was being generated when you were not recording to tape.

With our Stream Manager you can quickly find those clips and back them up to tape if need be as they would be the only data not on tape, if you feel the need to have all data backed up.

I have successfully recorded many 2 hour shows this way with no issues. It is a little bit of a learning curve to integrate the QuickStream DV into your workload, but once you understand its easy process the time it saves you, especially on long format shows, is tremendous.

[Kevin Kimmell]

Well then... if suggestions are accepted I would say that whatever mini-os you guys are running on the Quickstream device should implement a record override function in the future.

Perhaps something that says if I manually press record on the device, ignore the firewire DV signals.

Are the Quickstreams updatable (like flahing the mini-os) in any way?

Thanks for all of the info,
Kevin

[Kevin Lawson]

I'd like to second that. I sounds like there will end up being a gap on disk, unless the drive records beyond when you hit the record button on the camera.

The timeline:

Hit record on camera (Tape and disk start recording)
At end of tape, hit record to stop tape (Tape and disk stop recording)
REALLY quick hit record on disk (Disk starts back up again, after however long it was between button pushes.)
Place new tape in camera
Hit record on camera (Starts tape, and STOPS disk.)
REALLY quick hit record on disk (Disk starts back up again, after however long it was between button pushes.)
Client flips out when sees a gap in the CEOs big speech
Client DOESN'T pay bill, OR hire you again.
Bank reposses house and business.
Videographer sleeps on park bench... glad that this happened coming into spring-time. ;>

Having been in the presentation business for 20 years, and video-taping meetings that whole time, I can say that NO client will accept a gap in thier tape. I'll have to hold off buying one of these babies until that 'FEATURE' is fixed.

Please send me an email when that's true. Thanx!

[Jason Opat]

No matter what there is still a gap in the tape when you have to change them. You are obviously covering this so called "gap" currently. All you have to do is continue shooting the way you currently do. You can also record the whole thing nonstop without a tape in the camera and back it up to a VTR via composite signal if needed. I am not sure of your reasoning as you have to compensate for the tape change now in your current shooting environment.

A CEO or any speaker for that matter does not speak to a group for more than an hour at a time without some sort of a break. If you are recording an event of such high profile nature than you are geared up for the tape change going in. All you are doing is putting the QuickStream DV into your current work load. I currently tape seminars and always have two cameras to give me a cover shot for any unexpected issues. Afterall as you indicated the customer wants not excuses for gaps in their speech. The difference most likely on the second camera will be the change in audio. your wireless microphone will be running to one camera and the second cover camera will have shot gun or the PM mic. Different sounding audio is still better than missing it all together.

Especially for long format recording the time saving s is not having to log and capture all that footage. You can take a PowerBook to location, if you want, and review all 6 hours of footage in minutes. You can't be that instantaneous with tape.