To Focus Enhancements
 

Could Focus Enhancements design and produce an aditional cable (a P2 Cable) for the Firestore FS-100?

I believe, by this way we can have a better and more reliable tool, we can to record in native mode too and Focus can to compete "hand to hand" against the Cineporter from Specialized Communications Corp.

Is this possible? Or the FS-100 is condemned to have a short life?

Just to ask

FP

The FS-100 is based off of firewire technology so I cannot see that they can modify it easily to work via the P2 slot. To build a P2 style DTE device would require designing and engineering the device almost from scratch (ala Cine-porter fomr Spec-Comm). I don't know if this will be possible or not using the foundation that Focus has with all of their firestore products.

Hello Marty...thanks for the explanation....So that means that cineporter, if works well, will be far superior than the Firestore?

If recording native modes as well through firewire is "fair superior," then yes.

If you don't need native modes, then it's a question of which you prefer and which is more reliable.

Like it was already said. If Native mode is very important to you then that puts the Cineporter ahead of the Firestore on "your" list. It is yet to be determined how reliable the Cineporter is. I am not doubting it but you never know until it reaches the masses.

Focus has a lot invested in "firewire" devices that span all types of cameras and formats. They make a product for just about every brand of DV or HDV camera and they are even covering the HVX DVCPRO formats too. Cineporter is marketed directly for P2 devices and will not work with others. I would imagine Focus is happy to rake in the sales of all the "remaining" non-P2 devices that use firewire. I doubt that they are heavily interested in designing a P2 style DTE device to compete directly with the Cineporter. From a business point of view they are probably better sticking with what they already do well.

At least that seems logical to me. Maybe they will surprise us all.....I just wouldn't count on it.

Thanks to Marty and David for the useful info

FP

There are draw backs to the Cineporter design. We are using the FS-100 (and are super happy with it) on a documentary here in south Louisiana. We shoot most of our stuff out doors. That means everything from rain to tropic zone humidity to dust and pollen.

Cineporter is too heavy for our handheld work. And leaving a P2 slot open and exposed is not something we think would bode well for the camera.

Let me put it like my Firestore rep told me, Focus is not in direct compatition with the Cineporter, nor do they wish to be. Each divice has it's good points and it's not so good points. They will be used by folks doing very different types of work. Each has it's place. Again, Focus has no intention of going one on one against the Cineporter.

Also, Cineporter has no built in repair utilities. If the drive gets currupted files, there's no way to repair them in the device itslef, as there is with the FS-100. You'll have to rely on whatever Panasonic built into the camera for P2 card work.

Focus is looking into a future software upgrade that will allow it to take 24p footage via firewire, and record in a Native format. Stripping out all the unnessisiary frames in the 24pa format is a trick, but they're working on it. So you'd get 24p native, but your HVX would be set to 24pa for the firewire signal. Panasonic decided there would never be a need for 24pN to go via firewire, so they didn't format it for the firewire port. Now, Panny regrets that move.

Each has it's place. And again, it amazes me how much GOOD PRESS the CinePorter gets when no one's ever used it. How good do you know a product will be if no one has ever actually used one?

Ben...

What are you using to protect your Firestore from rain while keeping the vents clear for cooling? I'm planning to put this on a shoulder mount along with my wireless receivers and a battery pack, and sometimes end up shooting in the rain or where there's some water spray.

There's no other option available today, if you want to over/undercrank for more than 20 mintues at a time.

I think people are celebrating the specs and the promise of the Cineporter. Let's hope they get the details right... In version 1.0. ;)

I bought a firestore one month ago in BH (I did not received yet) and if they (Focus) makes a software upgrade for to get native format, I will be very happy......For me native is very important....And about the GOOD PRESS Cineporter received b4 its release, I think it is for the native capability it will have....

In any case, I preffer the Firestore size end weight....A LOT

As for how I protect the FS-100 from rain, same way I protect everything. Depends on it we're in the woods, on our production boat in the swamp, hand held, tripod, Cinesaddle? Sometimes I hang it on the HVX hand strap and it sits under theh HVX's rain cover. Sometimes we just lay a peice of clear plastic we cut especially for it, sort of a home made rain cover. It's not hard if you use a tiny bit of imagination. Every situation is different. We don't cover the HVX the same in every situation, either.