Non-Mac Laptops at DVinfo.net

Graeme Fullick · January 16th, 2008, 06:37 PM

I am considering buying a laptop for my EX1.

I definitley want a PC based laptop - so if anyone is using a PC based latop successfully for their back up etc., can you let me know what you are using and what sort of transfer speed you are getting with the express card slots?

Any info. is much appreciated.

Would I be better in just buying the Sony Express card reader (when it is finally available), and using a laptop with a USB slot (which I can get on a loan)?

Clark Peters · January 16th, 2008, 07:06 PM

I believe the Sony card reader requires household electricity.

Pete

John McCully · January 16th, 2008, 07:23 PM

I use a PC laptop Graeme, a Dell Precision Workstation M90 laptop to be precise. It has a built in Express Card slot. I find I can transfer a full 8 Gig S x S card in about the time it takes to down a 7 ounce Tooheys on a hot day. In other words: fast.

OK, later today I shall be transferring clips and I shall time the event and get back to you.

Charles Young · January 16th, 2008, 07:27 PM

I am using a Toshiba G45 Core 2 Duo at 2.0Ghz. It has a PCMCIA slot and a Expresscard slot. I have just been popping out the SXS card from the camera and poking it in the laptop. It takes about 20-30 seconds to transfer 1GIG to the internal hard drive. I have 2 320GIG Western Digital SATA300 drives not RAID0, I wish they were. Benchmark with Streampix puts the SXS card at about 75MB/sec and the Western Digital hard drive at about 65MB/sec. All in all it works out fine, so far...

Brent Ethington · January 16th, 2008, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clark Peters

I believe the Sony card reader requires household electricity.

Pete

Pete - you're right. it does

Brent

John McCully · January 16th, 2008, 08:18 PM

Graeme, as promised: 40 sec a gig. I guess that's two Tooheys :)

Graeme Fullick · January 17th, 2008, 03:26 AM

Wow John,

THat is fast - I was looking at a smaller Dell the XPS M1330 - which has a very similar processor, but is ultra compact with only a 13.5 inch screen. If I am going to carry it around I don't want it to be too big and heavy.

Paul Newman · January 17th, 2008, 04:48 AM

You might want to check out Sony Vaio AR51M - 2ghz core duo, express 34/54 slot, 320 Gb of hard drives, and a dual layer Blu-ray burner (that's 50Gb) on sale in the UK for £850 ( with 4Gb RAM ) perfect for fast express card transfers and Bluray archive. Maybe a bit large for you, as it's 17".

Just a thought.

Paul

Bill Ravens · January 17th, 2008, 07:34 AM

I wouldn't touch a Vaio for video editting with a 10 ft pole.

Andreas Johansson · January 17th, 2008, 12:36 PM

Buy one that has a xpress card reader built into it.

Jon Carlson · January 17th, 2008, 02:41 PM

I have an HP Pavilion tx1000. I didn't buy it with video editing in mind (didn't know I was going to be getting the EX1 when I picked it up), and I haven't even bothered to try video editing, but it works great for field transfer. Similar speeds to what others were posting. I think your main concern is the speed of the hard drive... nothing in the architecture of the Express/34 slot should slow you down. When I get a chance, I want to see what speeds I can attain transferring from SxS to an external USB 2.0 drive. I know it will be slower, but if it's still at least 5x-7x realtime, I can just pick up a large USB 2.0 hard drives for longer shoots.

Here's a related question: Does anyone which is faster: transfer from the USB 2.0 port of the camera OR transfer from Express/34 card slot over Gigabit ethernet to my main editing system?

Paul Newman · January 17th, 2008, 02:46 PM

Dear Bill,

The word is editing, and no one suggested that it was an edit laptop, the primary purpose was for off-loading the express cards, for which the Vaio is perfectly suitable; at least that was my understanding of the needs of the original poster.

I'm sure you have good reason for your sweeping remark, very constructive.

Paul

January 16th, 2008, 06:37 PM	#1
Graeme Fullick Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 337	Non-Mac Laptops I am considering buying a laptop for my EX1. I definitley want a PC based laptop - so if anyone is using a PC based latop successfully for their back up etc., can you let me know what you are using and what sort of transfer speed you are getting with the express card slots? Any info. is much appreciated. Would I be better in just buying the Sony Express card reader (when it is finally available), and using a laptop with a USB slot (which I can get on a loan)? __________________ Graeme

January 17th, 2008, 03:26 AM	#7
Graeme Fullick Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Newcastle, Australia Posts: 337	Wow John, THat is fast - I was looking at a smaller Dell the XPS M1330 - which has a very similar processor, but is ultra compact with only a 13.5 inch screen. If I am going to carry it around I don't want it to be too big and heavy. __________________ Graeme

January 17th, 2008, 04:48 AM	#8
Paul Newman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Agua Blanca Ibiza Posts: 305	You might want to check out Sony Vaio AR51M - 2ghz core duo, express 34/54 slot, 320 Gb of hard drives, and a dual layer Blu-ray burner (that's 50Gb) on sale in the UK for £850 ( with 4Gb RAM ) perfect for fast express card transfers and Bluray archive. Maybe a bit large for you, as it's 17". Just a thought. Paul __________________ Another Sunny Day in Ibiza

January 17th, 2008, 02:46 PM	#12
Paul Newman Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Agua Blanca Ibiza Posts: 305	Dear Bill, The word is editing, and no one suggested that it was an edit laptop, the primary purpose was for off-loading the express cards, for which the Vaio is perfectly suitable; at least that was my understanding of the needs of the original poster. I'm sure you have good reason for your sweeping remark, very constructive. Paul __________________ Another Sunny Day in Ibiza

January 16th, 2008, 07:06 PM	#2
Clark Peters Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Manhattan, Kansas Posts: 123	I believe the Sony card reader requires household electricity. Pete

January 16th, 2008, 07:23 PM	#3
John McCully Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: South Island, New Zealand Posts: 609 Images: 2	I use a PC laptop Graeme, a Dell Precision Workstation M90 laptop to be precise. It has a built in Express Card slot. I find I can transfer a full 8 Gig S x S card in about the time it takes to down a 7 ounce Tooheys on a hot day. In other words: fast. OK, later today I shall be transferring clips and I shall time the event and get back to you.

January 16th, 2008, 07:27 PM	#4
Charles Young Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Heeney colorado Posts: 103	I am using a Toshiba G45 Core 2 Duo at 2.0Ghz. It has a PCMCIA slot and a Expresscard slot. I have just been popping out the SXS card from the camera and poking it in the laptop. It takes about 20-30 seconds to transfer 1GIG to the internal hard drive. I have 2 320GIG Western Digital SATA300 drives not RAID0, I wish they were. Benchmark with Streampix puts the SXS card at about 75MB/sec and the Western Digital hard drive at about 65MB/sec. All in all it works out fine, so far...

January 16th, 2008, 08:18 PM	#6
John McCully Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: South Island, New Zealand Posts: 609 Images: 2	Graeme, as promised: 40 sec a gig. I guess that's two Tooheys :)

January 17th, 2008, 07:34 AM	#9
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	I wouldn't touch a Vaio for video editting with a 10 ft pole.

January 17th, 2008, 12:36 PM	#10
Andreas Johansson Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Stockholm Posts: 93	Buy one that has a xpress card reader built into it.

January 17th, 2008, 02:41 PM	#11
Jon Carlson Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Reading, PA USA Posts: 61	I have an HP Pavilion tx1000. I didn't buy it with video editing in mind (didn't know I was going to be getting the EX1 when I picked it up), and I haven't even bothered to try video editing, but it works great for field transfer. Similar speeds to what others were posting. I think your main concern is the speed of the hard drive... nothing in the architecture of the Express/34 slot should slow you down. When I get a chance, I want to see what speeds I can attain transferring from SxS to an external USB 2.0 drive. I know it will be slower, but if it's still at least 5x-7x realtime, I can just pick up a large USB 2.0 hard drives for longer shoots. Here's a related question: Does anyone which is faster: transfer from the USB 2.0 port of the camera OR transfer from Express/34 card slot over Gigabit ethernet to my main editing system?