iPod 60GB (Firewire) facts
 

Hi all,

I came back to this forum after trying virtually all brand of HDV cams and here I am, I purchased a second hand HVX200. The reason why is that HVX200 does the best in capturing fast motion without breaking up much.

Anyhow, I figured out some facts of using iPod with HVX200, so here it is.

1. The fastest way to make the iPod work with HVX200 is to initialize it back to the factory default by iTunes. After initializing it, connected to HVX200, go to 1394 host mode and format the drive.

2. I was able to save 4GB card 10 times on iPod with one battery charge. But the 11th attemped led to failing the backup although I had little more battery life and more space on the hard disk. So, may be 10 backups would be safe? I will try that again.

3. Now you can buy extra battery packs for iPod. I bought the one that you can put four AA batteries to add more juice to iPod.

4. With the error I had on the 11th attempt to back up, may had been corrupted something, so in order to copy all of the backups to Mac, few time some files looked corrupted upon playing back. When this happened, I had hard time removing the mounted P2 volumes unless I conducted initializing with Disk Utilities then go to iTunes to conduct factory defualt initializing.

5. I probably had more problems when I try to initialize it with DOS format using the Disk Utility then try to mount it on HVX200. I always should go to iTunes and initialize the iPod before I take it out with HVX200.

Kaku,

The fact you got it to work at all is surprising. At issue, is that unlike a typical external FW drive, all iPods have their own controller software built into the unit which wants to act as the primary control device for I/O to the internal storage of the iPod. External drives however (the Firestore being the exception), do not have a built-in controller or I/O bridge and the in HOST mode the camera is the controller, not the external drive. This could be why after only 10 attempts the iPod finally said "no more" transfers.

I strongly recommend that anyone considering using an iPod for HOST mode not consider it a preferred method but instead, only as an emergency back-up if you have no other options at that moment. External FW drives with their own power supply, be it corded or cordless, is the proper transfer methodology.

Robert,

With the other battery operated Firewire drive I have which won't even let me save one time, to me iPod method is a lot better. The battery life on iPod is just amazing. But yes, it is odd solution, so if anyone has one lying around and use it for emergency, there you are.

There are a host of 3rd party drive manufacturers that make an external, customer-loaded FW enclosures that have Li-Ion or LiPo battery packs. This solves the problem of being in the field and not having power for the FW drive.

Another alternative to location powered drives is to bring a car-socket adapted inverter which would power both camera and external drive easily. In fact, I've been using both of these methods for location HOST mode transfers for over a year without a hitch.

what kind of iPod are you talking about? my video iPod is USB.

this is 3rd generation firewire iPod.

Your iPod sould have also came with a firewire cable.

30Gb Video iPod
 

Nope, I have a video iPod purchased last fall. only the USB cable with the multi-pin ipod connector on the other end was in the box. I don't believe it is possible to use it with Firewire, there's nothing in the docs about that.

Sure it works with firewire. I don't think they have ever made an iPod that didn't work with firewire.

And it "should" have came with a cable.

I still, for the life of me, cannot understand why on earth you would WANT to use a $300+ ipod? Ipods have a much higher failure rate when used a storage in this manner, you have to re-flash your ipod EVERY time you want to use it as an ipod and there are MUCH cheaper, MUCH better solutions. You can get a battery powered USB enclosure for $25 and a 160GB drive for $125... for HALF the price you get twice as much. Battery power will last ALL DAY, I have filled these things up multiple times before recharging. There are now firewire external enclosures with battery power as well. Ipod back-up should IMHO be an emergency solution only.



ash =o)

None of the current iPods have FW.

-gl

Hmmm..where? I am not familiar with a battery-powered usb enclosure for that price.

-gl

Thanks George, I thought I was missing something.

The problem with externals is they need to be Firewire if you want portable battery operated because the camera only outputs via firewire in host mode. If you have AC power available then your options are much greater. That's why Kaku wants to use the iPod (must be an earlier model tho.)

You *can* get power from USB of course but, I don't know if the HVX will support that.

-gl

There's no juice coming from HVX's firewire nor USB.