Firestore and Alternatives
by Dustin Park
on
Apr 30, 2008 at 4:20:13 pm
Gear: Camera -- Panasonic AG HVX200
Record Drive -- Firestore FS100
Record Format -- DVCPRO HD
Edit System -- Final Cut Pro 6.0.3
OK so yesterday we had our Firestore go down. After numerous manual resets, it still would not function. We had to send it in and it won't be repaired for three weeks. My question is what are viable alternatives to the Firestore? We are shooting for the web outputting at H264. We went with the Firestore because of its cost to capacity ratio. However, we are and will continue to be in the field every day with this thing, loading it on the camera, shooting hand held and on sticks, putting it in the case, offloading and doing it all again. Essentially this thing is getting a lot of work for a spinning functioning hard drive. Which makes me wary of it. Not to mention when you load that guy on the camera, with an LED light and a shotgun, it's a serious pain. We are potentially getting another camera system and are deciding whether to get another Firestore, or the nNovia QC Deck or P2 cards. Is it worth it to get a 32GB P2 card and shoot 24p or 30i vs. 60i? Many thanks for the advice.
Re: Firestore and Alternatives by Michael Sacci on May 1, 2008 at 5:11:02 pm
If you are shooting for the web, I would recommend shooting 720P24PN with a 32 GB P2 Card you are going to get 80 minutes of record time. Cost $1600, the 64GB P2 cards should be out by the end of the year and hopefully the prices will shift and the 32s will be $900 and the new 64s will be $1600.
Now with the firestores doing the pull down removal you can get over 4 hrs of recording and unless you need the extra record time the P2 are a lot easier to deal with, especially HH.
