FS4 / FS4 Pro HD various topics

David Yuen · February 14th, 2005, 09:22 PM

Would there be any issues splitting the Firewire signal to both the FireStore FS-4 and a laptop running DV Rack?

Bill Ravens · February 15th, 2005, 01:06 PM

Firewire will support multiple devices on the same bus.

Daniel Kohl · February 15th, 2005, 05:35 PM

This should work, but you will most likely need to use a Firewire hub to do this with the FS-4.

Matt McEwen · February 15th, 2005, 08:46 PM

Hi Mihnea,

There will be separate PAL and NTSC versions of FS-4. 24p QuickTime and AVI Type 2 will not be choices in the PAL version. If your camcorder supports a 25p mode, you should be able to simply select any of the DTE recording formats and record the 25p to the file. It is not as drastic a difference when compared to NTSC-DV and 24p-DV. We are actually testing this feature shortly, so I will post the results here.

Hope that helps,

Matt

Arthur To · March 1st, 2005, 12:09 PM

i was comparing the fs-4 and fs-4 pro charts on the focusinfo website.

apparently the fs-4 does not have LOOP PLAYBACK feature.

so lets say i get the fs-4 (non-pro)

and i shoot something, does this mean i cant hit a button and have it playback right on my viewfinder directly?

or does it mean i CAN, but i cant have it go over continuously or.....?

explain, im a tid bit confused

thanks

-arthur

Daniel Kohl · March 2nd, 2005, 07:44 AM

I just looked at the difference between play clip and loop clip on the beta FS-4 which I'm testing. Play clip, plays the clip and stops at the end, loop clip plays the clip and then starts at the beginning of the clip again. It does this until I press the stop key.

I don't know if this really answers your question, because the beta device I have seems to be a mix between the FS-4 and FS-4 pro. But at least we know that Focus is talking about two separate functions here, when it lists loop playback and playback.

John Sandel · March 15th, 2005, 06:05 PM

Mine came today by UPS---the 40GB bottom of the line. Sorry if a thread like this already exists, I just got excited ...

Heck, there's nothing to this thing! No problem mounting it on my MagiqCam. Shipped with a 1394 cable, too.

Matt McEwen · March 15th, 2005, 06:16 PM

Hi John,

Post some pictures! We'd love to see how you are mounting FS-4.

Thanks,
Matt

Frank Yap · March 21st, 2005, 05:17 PM

I just got my FS-4 today and here are some observations with my Sony VX-2100.

Not shure if the FS4 battery is being charged via 1394, I don't see the green led on. I've tried both VCR, Camra, with battery and AC adapter. Only when I connect the AC adapter to the FS-4 I see the green LED on, so I am shure it's charging.

VX-2100 doesn's support syncro slave (without tape) and tapeless recording, must press rec manualy on the FS-4 (not a big deal for me, I can live with that)

I didn't get mine with the FS-4 camera mount kit. The FS-4 has an internal fan that an on-camera mic might pick.

Later tonight I'll test it with Canon GL-2.

Frank Yap · March 21st, 2005, 06:27 PM

Normaly the VX-2100 should shut down after 10min if on battery but with the FS-4 connected it seems to keep the camera alive.

I did a test record and after 30min it's still running. It's awsome.

Frank Yap · March 21st, 2005, 07:24 PM

After shooting some test for about 2 hours, when I connect the FS-4 to my computer and import clips into the bin, Edius just closes and disapear. This on two computers. I did the same thing with Premier Pro 1.5, no problem.

So I guess its Canopus Edius is not compatable with the FS-4

Matt McEwen · March 21st, 2005, 08:54 PM

Hi Frank,

We do have an issue right now with Canopus Edius 3. We should have a resolution for this shortly. Previous versions of Edius should be OK.

When FS-4 is connected to another DV video device such as a camcorder or a deck, it does not get power from the 1394 port. When it is connected to some 1394 ports on computers, it is possible to power FS-4 if enough power is coming down the cable. My Power Mac G4 will power an FS-4, but it does not provide enough power to charge the battery.

With the VX2100, you will need a tape in the camcorder in order to use Syncro Slave. This is due to the fact the the VX2100 does not have an external DV control option. As you have pointed out though, it is possible to control record from the FS-4 itself.

Hope that helps,

Matt

Frank Yap · March 21st, 2005, 09:20 PM

The reason Canopus Edius 3.22b shuts down may be the file format. I've tried avi type2 and canopus avi both shuts Edius down.
However when I use quicktime, there is no problem. Edius can read mov files, so that works fine.

Karl Heiner · March 26th, 2005, 01:34 PM

hi gang,

can i record directly (firewire) from a fs-4 onto a vcr or dvd?
if yes which brand.

planning to buy a vcr/ dvd combo from b&h could have problems to figure it out.

thanks

karl

Daniel Kohl · March 27th, 2005, 01:19 PM

Hi Karl,

I don't think that you can record directly from the FS-4. You would have to go through your camera or a digital / analog video converter. But that shouldn't really be a problem since you can use the camera you captured to the FS-4 with, for this purpose (unless it doesn't have a DV in).

And you would need to use a firewire hub to split the signal if you want to do this directly over firewire to the VCR / DVD recorder. Otherwise you would have to record using the composite video signal coming out of the camera or A/D video converter.

I'm not sure that the degradation in video quality would be that noticeable though, going this route. (I know that I am going way out on a limb here) but the quality loss of VHS or the realtime coding of the DVD recorder would subjectively exceed the visible quality difference between the pure DV signal and the composite signal.

But that's just a guess. Someone would have to make real world test to make the comparison to confirm that.

February 14th, 2005, 09:22 PM	#16
David Yuen Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 185	FireStore FS-4 and DV Rack? Would there be any issues splitting the Firewire signal to both the FireStore FS-4 and a laptop running DV Rack?

February 15th, 2005, 05:35 PM	#18
Daniel Kohl Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 571	This should work, but you will most likely need to use a Firewire hub to do this with the FS-4. __________________ Daniel Kohl Frankenstein meets XL1

March 1st, 2005, 12:09 PM	#20
Arthur To Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cerritos, CA Posts: 78	Question about the FS-4 i was comparing the fs-4 and fs-4 pro charts on the focusinfo website. apparently the fs-4 does not have LOOP PLAYBACK feature. so lets say i get the fs-4 (non-pro) and i shoot something, does this mean i cant hit a button and have it playback right on my viewfinder directly? or does it mean i CAN, but i cant have it go over continuously or.....? explain, im a tid bit confused thanks -arthur __________________ xL1s

March 2nd, 2005, 07:44 AM	#21
Daniel Kohl Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 571	I just looked at the difference between play clip and loop clip on the beta FS-4 which I'm testing. Play clip, plays the clip and stops at the end, loop clip plays the clip and then starts at the beginning of the clip again. It does this until I press the stop key. I don't know if this really answers your question, because the beta device I have seems to be a mix between the FS-4 and FS-4 pro. But at least we know that Focus is talking about two separate functions here, when it lists loop playback and playback. __________________ Daniel Kohl Frankenstein meets XL1

March 15th, 2005, 06:05 PM	#22
John Sandel Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: stately Eldora Road Posts: 386	Firestore FS-4 Has Landed Mine came today by UPS---the 40GB bottom of the line. Sorry if a thread like this already exists, I just got excited ... Heck, there's nothing to this thing! No problem mounting it on my MagiqCam. Shipped with a 1394 cable, too.

February 15th, 2005, 01:06 PM	#17
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	Firewire will support multiple devices on the same bus.

February 15th, 2005, 08:46 PM	#19
Matt McEwen Focus Enhancements Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Campbell, CA. Posts: 508	Hi Mihnea, There will be separate PAL and NTSC versions of FS-4. 24p QuickTime and AVI Type 2 will not be choices in the PAL version. If your camcorder supports a 25p mode, you should be able to simply select any of the DTE recording formats and record the 25p to the file. It is not as drastic a difference when compared to NTSC-DV and 24p-DV. We are actually testing this feature shortly, so I will post the results here. Hope that helps, Matt

March 15th, 2005, 06:16 PM	#23
Matt McEwen Focus Enhancements Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Campbell, CA. Posts: 508	Hi John, Post some pictures! We'd love to see how you are mounting FS-4. Thanks, Matt

March 21st, 2005, 05:17 PM	#24
Frank Yap New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 20	Fs-4 Vx-2100 I just got my FS-4 today and here are some observations with my Sony VX-2100. Not shure if the FS4 battery is being charged via 1394, I don't see the green led on. I've tried both VCR, Camra, with battery and AC adapter. Only when I connect the AC adapter to the FS-4 I see the green LED on, so I am shure it's charging. VX-2100 doesn's support syncro slave (without tape) and tapeless recording, must press rec manualy on the FS-4 (not a big deal for me, I can live with that) I didn't get mine with the FS-4 camera mount kit. The FS-4 has an internal fan that an on-camera mic might pick. Later tonight I'll test it with Canon GL-2.

March 21st, 2005, 06:27 PM	#25
Frank Yap New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 20	Normaly the VX-2100 should shut down after 10min if on battery but with the FS-4 connected it seems to keep the camera alive. I did a test record and after 30min it's still running. It's awsome.

March 21st, 2005, 07:24 PM	#26
Frank Yap New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 20	FS-4 with Canopus Edius 3.22b crahes After shooting some test for about 2 hours, when I connect the FS-4 to my computer and import clips into the bin, Edius just closes and disapear. This on two computers. I did the same thing with Premier Pro 1.5, no problem. So I guess its Canopus Edius is not compatable with the FS-4

March 21st, 2005, 08:54 PM	#27
Matt McEwen Focus Enhancements Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Campbell, CA. Posts: 508	Hi Frank, We do have an issue right now with Canopus Edius 3. We should have a resolution for this shortly. Previous versions of Edius should be OK. When FS-4 is connected to another DV video device such as a camcorder or a deck, it does not get power from the 1394 port. When it is connected to some 1394 ports on computers, it is possible to power FS-4 if enough power is coming down the cable. My Power Mac G4 will power an FS-4, but it does not provide enough power to charge the battery. With the VX2100, you will need a tape in the camcorder in order to use Syncro Slave. This is due to the fact the the VX2100 does not have an external DV control option. As you have pointed out though, it is possible to control record from the FS-4 itself. Hope that helps, Matt

March 21st, 2005, 09:20 PM	#28
Frank Yap New Boot Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 20	The reason Canopus Edius 3.22b shuts down may be the file format. I've tried avi type2 and canopus avi both shuts Edius down. However when I use quicktime, there is no problem. Edius can read mov files, so that works fine.

March 26th, 2005, 01:34 PM	#29
Karl Heiner Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: california Posts: 342	from fs-4 to vcr/ dvd? hi gang, can i record directly (firewire) from a fs-4 onto a vcr or dvd? if yes which brand. planning to buy a vcr/ dvd combo from b&h could have problems to figure it out. thanks karl

March 27th, 2005, 01:19 PM	#30
Daniel Kohl Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 571	Hi Karl, I don't think that you can record directly from the FS-4. You would have to go through your camera or a digital / analog video converter. But that shouldn't really be a problem since you can use the camera you captured to the FS-4 with, for this purpose (unless it doesn't have a DV in). And you would need to use a firewire hub to split the signal if you want to do this directly over firewire to the VCR / DVD recorder. Otherwise you would have to record using the composite video signal coming out of the camera or A/D video converter. I'm not sure that the degradation in video quality would be that noticeable though, going this route. (I know that I am going way out on a limb here) but the quality loss of VHS or the realtime coding of the DVD recorder would subjectively exceed the visible quality difference between the pure DV signal and the composite signal. But that's just a guess. Someone would have to make real world test to make the comparison to confirm that. __________________ Daniel Kohl Frankenstein meets XL1