[Patrick Bronte]

Thanks agin Craig.

This industry is dam expensive! Prices for somethings at the consumer are coming down but the more I learn and research the more I learn how things like the AJA KI PRO. are out of my reach. There might be somewhere in NZ that I can hire on from.

What did you think of that eSata dock and HDD combo? Like you said it’s a funny time because firewire is on its way out, Thunderbolts coming in etc.

I need to start some serious saving!

Thanks for your all your help you’ve opened my eyes and taught a fair bit .

[Patrick Bronte]

Thanks Craig,

For a novice, getting help from a Pro like you and Todd is a real godsend.

Your knowledge is helping me sort out my priorities and what my budget will be workings towards.
I’ve done a lot of “filmed” oral histories on consumer grade Digi8 & HDV cameras and miniDV tapes. They were just point and shoot jobs because I was only wanting to record their experiences for posterity. Now I’m doing a project that requires a much more professional approach for the end recordings will be used in a variety of different ways.

My tasks at this stage require me to have a lot of storage space for I need to archive the taped recordings. For that part I’m thinking that this set up would be good for that:
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/VOYQHDB4.0T/
Then I can store the drives in those cases you sent the link to. What do you think? For my current project I’m going to take your advice and upgrade my internal storage. Do you use the drives produced by Apple or do you find drives made by the likes of WD would be just as good? My second internal drive is from Apple but they are twice as much.

A couple more queries I hope you can help me with before I get out of your hair.

How do I make use of the focus assist option Peaking 2?

When I digitise (in FCP) the HDV tapes, 80% of the time I can expect dropped frames. I’ve followed so much advice from forum posts but they still occur. Would something like this breakout box help minimise the amount I get?
https://www.dvcreators.net/matrox-mxo-2/
I use a Canon HV40 for the HDV recordings. I don’t get any dropped frames using the Digi8 camera. To be honest I’m unsure what these breakout boxes do but from reading around it sounds like it could help solve the drop frame issue which can really cause havoc when putting together a story from the HDV recordings. What a advice can you offer me on this problem.

Lastly, I’m improving my editing skills and am learning the Art of colour correction/grading. I don’t feel I need a field monitor for the camera at this stage for there are more important products on the shopping list as far as the big picture goes. I do however feel that a broadcast monitor is required for the post production work – especially colour grading. Is it possible to purchase something that can be plugged into both my camera and computer (if there is a PCI card that would allow for HDMI output).
What do you think of the following option and offer any suggestions towards something that is cheap but will work:
Is this to good to be true for doing both the field and post tasks?: https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Lilliput-969A-O-P-BNC-Composite-HDMI-Out-Broadcast-Director-DSLR-Monitor-/350818267742?pt=UK_Photography_Movie_Camera_Accessories&hash=item51ae65f25e

Thanks again Craig!

[Patrick Bronte]

Craig, tell me what you think of this solution:

4TB HDD
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Western%20Digital/WD4001FAEX/
and a Dock
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Western%20Digital/WD4001FAEX/

All up (with the HDD case you sent me the link to) thats a cost of around $400

I was keen on getting something like this:
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Icy%20Dock/MB561US4S1/
but it would cost me four hundred for only 2 TB

What do you think? This HDD would be intended long term storage so I wouldn’t be using it to edit with etc. I use the second HDD in the Mac Pro for that. Having all this storage problems mean no field monitor oh well.

[Patrick Bronte]

No it doesn’t, it’s to old I got it mid 2009. After looking around those sites I think I’ll have to get a eSata port multiplier installed into the PCI expansion slot because a lot of these hot swappable drives require them. Is that how I could get a Dock up and running on my machine? Some of these HDD enclosures have say four bays and express they can take up to 8TB storage or whatever. But what if you bought four 4TB HDs? I really need to replace the whole computer. I’m really looking forward to find out how much these new Mac Pros cost.

[Patrick Bronte]

a bit out of my price range unfortunately. what would work is a hotwswable that would allow me to buy the unit then fill it as my budget permits. i’m sure they are out there……

[Patrick Bronte]

Cheers Craig.

What was the name of the 8TB hot swappable drive? I’m on OWC looking at prices. I also have an old (2009) Mac Pro with two 1TB drives and half a dozen firewire drives. One recently died on me so I feel new project new hard drives! Have you seen the new Mac Pro – total make over but with no firewire. Apples way of getting us to use their Thunderbolt I/O. It looks very different, looking forward to them to release a price! Will probably come out when the release their Mavericks OS.

[Patrick Bronte]

It came out far to wide which is strange because it wasn’t originally framed that way but I did zoom out and frame it it in magnification mode. I’ll certainly save the footage. I need to invest in a lot of HDD space though. Two hours = 52Gb and that’s just the MXF files. What storage set up do you use?

Cheers Craig.

[Patrick Bronte]

Cheers Craig and Todd,

I’ve certainly learn’t my lesson. I’m just very lucky the vet was so understanding and is going to let me redo the interview!

I won’t be forgetting that again!

Thanks again guys.

Regards,

Pat

[Patrick Bronte]

Hey Todd,

A very embracing thing happened to me today. I was very meticulous about using all your advice. I used the magnification function to help with focusing but didn’t push the button again, stupidly recording the whole interview with it on. It looked great until I turned it off and the image went right back past the point I had originally zoomed in at. If it looked good with the magnification tool on I’m assuming it was recorded o.k. would there be anything it post that could help me get that picture back?

[Patrick Bronte]

Thank you.

sometimes the specs don’t tell you their line count. Is it under a different title? I.e 8.9″ LCD WXGA (1280h x 768v) does that 768v mean it’s got the right count?

Thanks for your patience!

Pat