The Incredible Advances of Mass Storage at DVinfo.net

Ken Tanaka · December 11th, 2002, 05:28 PM

I've just received one of WiebeTech's new MicroGB+ Firewire drives and can't seem to lift my jaw. Here's a 40Gb 5400rpm drive smaller than their previous MicroGB drives (which also astonished me) and even smaller than a deck of cards for $270!

I'm old enough to remember removable "disk packs" the size of cakes with capacities in the 10-50Mb range that fit into $50,000 washing-machine-sized drives connected to computers that usually had (much) less than 1Mb of memory. It's absolutely astonishing what the mass storage industry has accomplished during the past 30 years.

Sorry, I couldn't help expressing this amazement publicly.

Adrian Douglas · December 11th, 2002, 07:12 PM

To top that off Ken, they are going to get smaller and faster with more storage very soon. The stuff that's being worked on here in Japan will blow your jaw clean into orbit.

Robert Knecht Schmidt · December 11th, 2002, 07:15 PM

Just a few years ago everybody was holding off buying a 1 GB jaz drive because we all heard that ORB drives were just around the corner.

(I'm stuck with a jaz drive and a bunch of expensive and bulky jaz media...)

Rob Lohman · December 12th, 2002, 07:54 AM

Very sweet indeed. I think it would be time to mount these
tiny harddisks directly to cameras. Would love to have swapable
harddisk support on my XL1s without any other external devices
and batteries etc... Oh well

Ken Tanaka · December 12th, 2002, 10:48 AM

Rob,
Indeed, Sony just introduced this feature to their 370 and 570 series cameras. I certainly think it's do-able, although the XL1s' price-point might make it a bit of a challenge.

Rob Lohman · December 13th, 2002, 05:00 AM

I don't know Ken. I think an drive interface would actually be
cheaper then a whole tape assembly! They wouldn't have to
include a drive if they didn't want to. Would be sweet if they
did (but then I don't want something small like a 5 GB drive
ofcourse)

Steve Leone · January 12th, 2003, 12:04 PM

believe it or not I just saw Maxstor 60 gig / 7200RPM firewire drive for $149 after factory rebate...

Mark Austin · January 12th, 2003, 12:34 PM

Are the drives available now? Do you know where to get one?
Thanks,
Mark

Ken Tanaka · January 12th, 2003, 01:06 PM

Mark,
If you're referring to the WiebeTech MicroGB+ drives, yes they certainly are available now from WiebeTech.

If you're referring to Sony's hard disk recorders, yes they are also available now. See the page on the Sony DVCAM site.

Steve Leone · January 12th, 2003, 01:32 PM

believe it or not, I saw the Maxstor ad on a newspaper flyer for one of the big box stores.....maybe Staples, or Best buy.....sorry, not sure which

December 11th, 2002, 05:28 PM	#1
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	The Incredible Advances of Mass Storage I've just received one of WiebeTech's new MicroGB+ Firewire drives and can't seem to lift my jaw. Here's a 40Gb 5400rpm drive smaller than their previous MicroGB drives (which also astonished me) and even smaller than a deck of cards for $270! I'm old enough to remember removable "disk packs" the size of cakes with capacities in the 10-50Mb range that fit into $50,000 washing-machine-sized drives connected to computers that usually had (much) less than 1Mb of memory. It's absolutely astonishing what the mass storage industry has accomplished during the past 30 years. Sorry, I couldn't help expressing this amazement publicly. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

December 11th, 2002, 07:12 PM	#2
Adrian Douglas Trustee Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Chigasaki, Japan. Posts: 1,660	To top that off Ken, they are going to get smaller and faster with more storage very soon. The stuff that's being worked on here in Japan will blow your jaw clean into orbit. __________________ Adrian DVInfo.net Search for quick answers Where to buy? From the best in the business...DVInfo.net sponsors

December 11th, 2002, 07:15 PM	#3
Robert Knecht Schmidt Wrangler Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,933	Just a few years ago everybody was holding off buying a 1 GB jaz drive because we all heard that ORB drives were just around the corner. (I'm stuck with a jaz drive and a bunch of expensive and bulky jaz media...) __________________ All the best, Robert K S Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| The best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

December 12th, 2002, 07:54 AM	#4
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Very sweet indeed. I think it would be time to mount these tiny harddisks directly to cameras. Would love to have swapable harddisk support on my XL1s without any other external devices and batteries etc... Oh well __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

December 12th, 2002, 10:48 AM	#5
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Rob, Indeed, Sony just introduced this feature to their 370 and 570 series cameras. I certainly think it's do-able, although the XL1s' price-point might make it a bit of a challenge. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

December 13th, 2002, 05:00 AM	#6
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	I don't know Ken. I think an drive interface would actually be cheaper then a whole tape assembly! They wouldn't have to include a drive if they didn't want to. Would be sweet if they did (but then I don't want something small like a 5 GB drive ofcourse) __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

January 12th, 2003, 12:04 PM	#7
Steve Leone Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 116	storage believe it or not I just saw Maxstor 60 gig / 7200RPM firewire drive for $149 after factory rebate... __________________ Omens carry only as much weight as we choose to assign them.

January 12th, 2003, 12:34 PM	#8
Mark Austin Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 188	Ken Are the drives available now? Do you know where to get one? Thanks, Mark __________________ I'm humbled by the greatness that surrounds me.

January 12th, 2003, 01:06 PM	#9
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Mark, If you're referring to the WiebeTech MicroGB+ drives, yes they certainly are available now from WiebeTech. If you're referring to Sony's hard disk recorders, yes they are also available now. See the page on the Sony DVCAM site. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

January 12th, 2003, 01:32 PM	#10
Steve Leone Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 116	Firewire drive believe it or not, I saw the Maxstor ad on a newspaper flyer for one of the big box stores.....maybe Staples, or Best buy.....sorry, not sure which __________________ Omens carry only as much weight as we choose to assign them.