I just had a thought about RED-DRIVE that I'd like to suggest to the RED dev team.

From what I've read we're likely to see a RED-DRIVE solution that records onto one (or more?) harddrives (probably 2,5" ?) - for less than a thousand dollars.

I'm guessing a big part of the module (in terms of monetary value) would be the interface and controller for the physical drive, and only a small part would be the actual drive.

How about making the drives removable by putting them into removable drive brackets. You'd be able to order multiple drive brackets to easily change 'cartridges' that wouldn't have to cost more than a drive+bracket. As long as the bracket doesn't contain complicated components, this would allow for very cost-effective removable recording media.

Something like this:
http://store.orbitmicro.com/commerce/ccp21091-enhance-technology-beige-er1710sa-hot-swappable-2-er1710sa-242227.htm

Except better looking ;-)

As a second thought:
You'd only have to have a USB or firewire enclosure to slide the drive into, hook it up to your NLE and you're good to go.

Probably suggesting the obvious here, but just in case it sparks a useful idea...

Barend

This is exactly what the Silicon Imaging cam will do AFAIK. They even said they would include a few extra drive carriers with the camera so that you can use your own drives or buy them seperatly, I thought that was pretty cool. I'm not sure the interface but I can only assume they plug right into a eSATA port on the cam or attached computer.

I thought that was a pretty cool thing to do. Doesn't RED say they will have eSATA ports right on their camera... going to check now.

EDIT...

Okay from the StudioDaily interview... Jim says
"That’s why when we talk about internal recording using our REDCODE codec to SATA based RED-DRIVE or REDFLASH magazines, we’re not describing any other codecs."

Sounds like the drive carrier would have the controller chips in it which makes sense since that would be why that type of storage would be around $1000.

Plus removing complexity and putting it into the storage unit would lower the cost of the camera if you don't want that type of storage and make it more reliable I would think. Also, if that part of the camera fails you only have to replace the $1000 storage part, not the camera.

What I'm suggesting is:

You buy a RED-DRIVE back for the camera. It connects to the camera. The RED-DRIVE would have a drive bay that would take regular eSATA drives, probably in removable brackets.

Extremely modular, and the expense for extra recording media would be minimal unlike P2.

Barend

P2 pretty expensive. I'd like to be able to source my own drives that go into the RED-Drive bay. This way I can add drives as large capacity become available.

Really don't want to be tied into dedicated drives like Avid used to do or Discreet with their Stones.

Drives are cheap and getting faster and cheaper by the day.

This is a good idea Barend but I don't think this is the way they plan on going. If you look at the back of the camera it looks like there are a couple slots, one for a red flash module and one for a red drive module. Of course they can change their plans. Also, who's to say a third party couldn't sell an attachable module that'll except hard drives. I'm speculating here :)

I don't know if they have revealed what these two slots are exactly for and I dont' think its going to be one for RED-FLASH and one for RED-DRIVE. They still need to put the Infiniband links, the HD-SDI links, the new link that will be based on SMPTE 425 (Dual link over single wire, draft spec currently). I was of the understanding that these are going to be changable so I'm thinking that those slots will connect to a special internal bus. (RED bus maybe?). One will probably be a streaming feed from the sensor, the other a data feed.

This is totally idle speculation, I don't have a clue whats intended to be behind those slots.

Unfortunately for the engineers out their working on stuff looks like RED got most every required solution covered in house.

Yeah, it's probably pointless to speculate too much on this type of stuff at this point. For some reason I thought I read somewhere that the mockup camera with the two rectangular port looking things on the back were for docking the red flash and red drive modules.

Recording to HDD has never excited me... I would love to see a blueray drive added in the future...



ash =o)

Go XD-Cam it up then. Let us know how it works out for you.

I wouldn't be suprised if they have this, actually I'm counting on it. Especially
since they mention raid (multiple) drives. Swappable drives is just a small
step from that.

Are the early BD-r writers likley to support a reasonable data rate?

I can't help but think even a 2.5inch notebook drive is going to knock BD rates into last century for a long while.

I would really like to see a on-board recording media that can be taken out and docked with a Powerbook/Macbook Pro/ PC laptop.

So you can empty the drive to a laptop while you shoot with your spare drive in the RED-ONE then just bounce drives to keep production moving.

What about Rev Pro, as decided on for Grass Valley Infinity?

What about Rev Pro, as decided on for Grass Valley Infinity?

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