Mike Schell
July 9th, 2008, 11:22 AM
Here's our list of the Top Ten Reasons to Go (Solid-State) Tapeless, as compiled by our staff and with suggestions from Dan Keaton. We would be interested if anyone has additonal thoughts or comments.
1) No Digitization/Capture
a. No need to digitize (convert from analog to digital) your analog video tape or to perform a laborious 1X capture of your material (no more batch captures).
b. Edit instantly from the solid-state media (card).
c. Transfers to other media (hard-drives) are performed at speeds much greater than real-time (typically 3x to 6x)
d. Random access to any frame in any clip, no need to fast-forward / rewind tape.
e. No drop-outs or time-code breaks!
2) No Deck Required
a. Significant initial (purchase) cost savings as well as long-term maintenance (head/drum replacement) cost savings.
b. Solid-state memory card readers are very low in cost (US $60), very reliable, and do not require maintenance.
3) Lower weight, size, noise, vibration and power
a. Much lower weight (3 lbs vs. 5 ~ 50 lbs)
b. Much smaller (1/4 to 1/10 the overall volume)
c. Zero noise (no fans)
d. No vibration (no moving parts inside)
e. Very low power consumption (12W vs 40 ~ 100W)
4) Performance increases as size decreases
a. Hard-drive performance decreases with smaller physical size drives (due to slower rotational speeds). For example, 1.8” drives don’t have insufficient I/O performance for data-rates much above 35 to 40 Mbps. Hard drive performance also drops off as the volume reaches capacity.
b. Solid-state performance, on the other hand, improves with decreasing chip size and the performance is uniform across the entire volume.
c. Tape storage capacity is directly related to the physical size of the tape for a given technology. If you want more capacity on your tape, you have to buy a physically larger cartridge. Solid State media capacity continues to double every 12-18 months, while the physical size of the media remains constant.
5) Superior Reliability
a. No mechanical parts to fail / tape to jam.
b. Much better reliability in harsh conditions.
c. Will work in extreme conditions, where a tape-drive will likely fail, such as in very high humidity.
6) Instant Replay
a. Instant review of just recorded footage can revolutionize shooting on the set. Catching problems while on the set, before striking the set, can be priceless. The director can ensure that he or she has the desired footage without any worries about rewinding tape or time-code breaks.
b. Even during a playback session, recording starts immediately, as appropriate, without a delay to reposition the tape.
c. The system is ready to record instantly, even during a playback session. All recording is done after the last recorded file, no need to position the tape. No danger of recording over valuable footage, one of the main reasons that rewinding and playback of tape is discouraged on the set.
7) Redundant Recording
a. Identical video can be written to multiple cards simultaneously, an impossible option with tape and difficult to achieve with portable hard-drives.
b. In the unlikely case of a media error, the other original will be unaffected.
c. Individual masters can be transported via independent means for safety.
d. One card can be handed-off to an editor, while a second card is given to the producer/director for review on a PC/MAC.
8) MetaData Support
a. The ability to document and record extra data about each take is very useful in post and while reviewing footage.
b. User specified metadata can be very useful for a production (director, cameraman, take, event, location, camera number, etc.)
c. Custom notes about a take can be recorded with the audio and video.
d. Takes can be easily marked as Bad, Good, or “Best”.
9) Wider Operating Environment
a. Solid-state media works at extreme hot and cold temperatures.
b. Hard disk drives cannot be used at high altitudes or in very cold conditions.
c. Few problems from condensation when going from one environment to another.
d. Operates in high G-Force conditions (airplanes, helicopters, race-cars), where tape or hard-drives would fail.
10) Ever decreasing costs
a. Tape costs have bottomed out and show no signs of further cost reductions.
b. Solid state media has a significant track record of providing higher capacity and lower cost each year.
c. Solid state media is already used in many professional environments (such as digital cameras).
d. Our industry can benefit from the widespread use, wide availability, high volume, and low cost of solid-state media (such as CompactFlash).
1) No Digitization/Capture
a. No need to digitize (convert from analog to digital) your analog video tape or to perform a laborious 1X capture of your material (no more batch captures).
b. Edit instantly from the solid-state media (card).
c. Transfers to other media (hard-drives) are performed at speeds much greater than real-time (typically 3x to 6x)
d. Random access to any frame in any clip, no need to fast-forward / rewind tape.
e. No drop-outs or time-code breaks!
2) No Deck Required
a. Significant initial (purchase) cost savings as well as long-term maintenance (head/drum replacement) cost savings.
b. Solid-state memory card readers are very low in cost (US $60), very reliable, and do not require maintenance.
3) Lower weight, size, noise, vibration and power
a. Much lower weight (3 lbs vs. 5 ~ 50 lbs)
b. Much smaller (1/4 to 1/10 the overall volume)
c. Zero noise (no fans)
d. No vibration (no moving parts inside)
e. Very low power consumption (12W vs 40 ~ 100W)
4) Performance increases as size decreases
a. Hard-drive performance decreases with smaller physical size drives (due to slower rotational speeds). For example, 1.8” drives don’t have insufficient I/O performance for data-rates much above 35 to 40 Mbps. Hard drive performance also drops off as the volume reaches capacity.
b. Solid-state performance, on the other hand, improves with decreasing chip size and the performance is uniform across the entire volume.
c. Tape storage capacity is directly related to the physical size of the tape for a given technology. If you want more capacity on your tape, you have to buy a physically larger cartridge. Solid State media capacity continues to double every 12-18 months, while the physical size of the media remains constant.
5) Superior Reliability
a. No mechanical parts to fail / tape to jam.
b. Much better reliability in harsh conditions.
c. Will work in extreme conditions, where a tape-drive will likely fail, such as in very high humidity.
6) Instant Replay
a. Instant review of just recorded footage can revolutionize shooting on the set. Catching problems while on the set, before striking the set, can be priceless. The director can ensure that he or she has the desired footage without any worries about rewinding tape or time-code breaks.
b. Even during a playback session, recording starts immediately, as appropriate, without a delay to reposition the tape.
c. The system is ready to record instantly, even during a playback session. All recording is done after the last recorded file, no need to position the tape. No danger of recording over valuable footage, one of the main reasons that rewinding and playback of tape is discouraged on the set.
7) Redundant Recording
a. Identical video can be written to multiple cards simultaneously, an impossible option with tape and difficult to achieve with portable hard-drives.
b. In the unlikely case of a media error, the other original will be unaffected.
c. Individual masters can be transported via independent means for safety.
d. One card can be handed-off to an editor, while a second card is given to the producer/director for review on a PC/MAC.
8) MetaData Support
a. The ability to document and record extra data about each take is very useful in post and while reviewing footage.
b. User specified metadata can be very useful for a production (director, cameraman, take, event, location, camera number, etc.)
c. Custom notes about a take can be recorded with the audio and video.
d. Takes can be easily marked as Bad, Good, or “Best”.
9) Wider Operating Environment
a. Solid-state media works at extreme hot and cold temperatures.
b. Hard disk drives cannot be used at high altitudes or in very cold conditions.
c. Few problems from condensation when going from one environment to another.
d. Operates in high G-Force conditions (airplanes, helicopters, race-cars), where tape or hard-drives would fail.
10) Ever decreasing costs
a. Tape costs have bottomed out and show no signs of further cost reductions.
b. Solid state media has a significant track record of providing higher capacity and lower cost each year.
c. Solid state media is already used in many professional environments (such as digital cameras).
d. Our industry can benefit from the widespread use, wide availability, high volume, and low cost of solid-state media (such as CompactFlash).