I'll try and get more info tomorrow but Sony have a development model of a new USB 2 XDCAM drive at IBC. It has a slot for the XDCAM HD disk plus an integral hard drive. This would be a very handy device for capturing and export without the cost of a deck.

Hi, any news on the firmware upgrade?

Andy

Make that drive $2000, and I'm sold.

Has anybody tested the existing PDW-V1 or whatever it is data drive with an HD disc? I can't imagine it doesn't work, but I know it's $4k.

Price expected to be 2000 euros so not too bad. Firmware update for cameras and decks out very soon will add 10 second memory cache mode on F350, improved gamma with increased camera dynamic range.

Mmmmm. Very interesting. I know there are some very nice new features in the new firmware, but the bit about the gamma sounds really interesting. Especially as both the SD and HD XD's are having the update.

How about the ability to delete any clip, not just the last one? And what if the new firmware fixed the problem of taking longer than realtime in FAM mode to transfer a clip with in/out points using XDCAM transfer with FCP.

Not that I have any knowledge or anything ;-)

-gb-

My lips are sealed sorry. :-)

My lips are sealed sorry. :-)

I was told to keep quiet, but I've seen others such as Clive and Allister posting info so I have to question why I should keep silent.

-gb-

See, I'm not encumbered by the fact that anybody actually told me anything.

I heard that the new firmware will cook me dinner :-)

The partial clip import on FCP is slow because the software has to stream through the whole clip until it reaches the in point and at that point it starts to transfer the clip to the hard drive. So if you only want the last 10 seconds of a 30 sec clip it has to go through the first 20 secs before the transfer starts. There may be some small improvements in the speed when V1.1 of the transfer software comes out along with FCP 5.1.2 which we had up and running at IBC and should be out in the next few weeks. There will be some changes to clip naming and arbitrary clip delete comming very soon. Avid will release full XDCAM support on media composer by the end of the year.

The difference in the ways Avid and FCP handle and use the proxies are quite interesting. Avid can edit the proxies in the timeline while FCP uses the proxies to pre-select the full res images. With FCP you can transfer in the background while avid can not. Avid are working on a way to import the full quality audio with the proxies as it is a common complaint that the proxy audio is too poor.

I was told to keep quiet, but I've seen others such as Clive and Allister posting info so I have to question why I should keep silent.

Dunno, maybe Sony told them they could go around telling everyone one. Myself. I'll just do as I'm told. :-)

The partial clip import on FCP is slow because the software has to stream through the whole clip until it reaches the in point and at that point it starts to transfer the clip to the hard drive. So if you only want the last 10 seconds of a 30 sec clip it has to go through the first 20 secs before the transfer starts. There may be some small improvements in the speed when V1.1 of the transfer software comes out along with FCP 5.1.2 which we had up and running at IBC and should be out in the next few weeks.

Alister,

I was told it is a camera issue that should be addressed in the next firmware upgrade. Perhaps the software will get optimized as well, but the firmware is supposed to optimize speed of cueing up the clips in the camera so I'm thinking this is where they'll fix it.

I have to give kudos to Sony for being so supportive and seeking input from the early adopters.

-gb-

I heard that the new firmware will cook me dinner :-)

It will. I heard that it makes the camera very good at steaming vegetables.

It will. I heard that it makes the camera very good at steaming vegetables.

Will we be able to download additional recipes and load them via memory stick? I get tired of steamed vegetables in short order. ;-)

-gb-

Sony will be releasing vegatables in different colour tones. Standard, and Cinetones. Cinetones will be a bit more exotic.

XDCAM HD owners will benefit from the new 'Chefs special order' menu option.

Sony will be releasing vegatables in different colour tones. Standard, and Cinetones. Cinetones will be a bit more exotic.

XDCAM HD owners will benefit from the new 'Chefs special order' menu option.

Excellent. Check your email Simon. I sent you an urgent PM.

-gb-

Greg.. You may be right about the firmware improving the file transfer, I don't know.

Most of the cameras and decks at IBC had a beta of the new firmware, if anyone had bothered to look at the menus they would have seen the new features for themselves. The USB drive was also on display and if you asked you would have been given the estimated price. I'm only passing on information I was told I could tell anyone that asked at IBC.

Hey, I dug up this old thread, does anyone now the status of this device? Can not find a word about it on the official Sony websites.

Of course you will find nothing on Sony's website. Officially there hasn't be anounced such a device yet!

Well, since they showed it at the IBC (working if I remember correctly), I say the thing myself, I assumed they would make it into production pretty soon. So yeah, not official, but showing stuff at a tradeshow is IMHO nearby official...

Just asked my dealer about it, and he said Sony reps. @ the IBC talked about a March/April launch. But he never heard about it ever since.