Vosonic for SxS Storage Viewer
 

I've been communicating with a couple of companies that manufacture "multimedia storage viewers" with hard drives that are in the 250/320/500 GB range (not impressed with Sony's 60GB drive unit - sure, you can record to it directly, but not when overcranking).

This is the unit I've been most interested in:

http://www.vosonic.com/product.php?P...&kind=1&id_1=9

Offloading via USB is certainly availabe from the EX1/3 cameras, but since that ties up the camera, I suggested to them that they include an ExpressCard slot and driver for the SxS cards. They've just replied that as a result of the request, their engineer (one guy?!) has begun looking into this. This unit (320GB version) sells for around $400 to $450, and though smaller than a notebook, you wouldn't be able to edit from it. However, I still think it would be a great tool for offloading in the field.

If anyone has any interest, it might help convince them of the need if you took a moment to contact them and let them know. You can email to: service@vosonic.com.tw

Thanks!

thaz a cool idea. Yup, the new Sony HDD cant do cranking unfortunately. Some of the oflks here are suing those mini HP laptops for offloading. U cant edit from that as well but it does handle SxS.

Email to Vosonic
 

It's a great idea to encourage companies like Vosonic to put out products that actually make sense for video recording (i.e. digital recording through Firewire instead of useless analog recording). With that in mind, here's the email I just sent to them. The more of us that write, the better our chances of finally having our needs met with decent, affordable solutions!

*********************

To whom it may concern,

I got this email address from a post on the DV Info forums (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/sony-xdca...ge-viewer.html), regarding your VP8860. Other companies sell similar products to this one, most namely Archos, but unfortunately they all fail to tap into the significant professional/hobbyist video market for one major reason - they only provide analog recording!

What videographers need is a product just like the VP8860, but with the following changes:

- video/audio recording through FIREWIRE! (with Rec Start/Stop detection so that a new file is created for every clip and so the device only records when it's supposed to).
- ability to record in SD and HD as well
- ability to use the device to record video and to monitor the video being recorded at the same time (thus dual-purposing as an external LCD monitor and recorder)
- a huge bonus would be a retro-record feature which Sony have inexplicably failed to deliver with their PMW-EX1 camera.

With the entire video production field quickly moving to tapeless recording, and with memory cards currently costing so much, the window of opportunity for a company like Vosonic to cash in on this transition from tape to solid state recording is right now, but it won't last long! Once memory cards become much more affordable, the value of a device like the VP8860 will become very small, since why buy a device for offloading pictures/video once extra memory cards become a cheaper and, arguably, more failsafe option?

The only real current player on the market offering a practical and portable product that records video live through Firewire is Focus Enhancements. However, at over US$2000, their device (FS-5) is prohibitively expensive for what it actually does and its tiny screen voids it's usability as an external LCD monitoring device.

Your response to these ideas would be greatly appreciated, by myself and by the hundreds of readers of DV Info who are also looking for a decent recording alternative to Sony's (currently) overpriced media cards, as well as their ridiculously limited 60GB external hard drive unit for direct recording (which will become available soon).

So what will Vosonic do? Follow the example of all the other competing companies on the market that sell analog video recorders - completely useless to video professionals and hobbyists alike, since analog recorders don't offer Rec Start/Stop detection? Or will Vosonic decide to take the lead and become the only company to truly cash in on the growing market for digital tapeless video recording solutions by offering an affordable, practical and compatible product? The VP8860 is almost there, and could cater to this market with the few necessary changes mentioned above.

The choice to profit or not on this great yet time-limited opportunity is up to you.

Thank you,

****************

I realize that the EX1 will only output 1080i 25Mbit/sec footage through Firewire, but would there be another way for a device like this or Focus Enhancement's FS-5 to interface with the EX1?

The video playback may require patent purchasing from Sony or MPEG group. However I'd LOVE something like the Wolverine PicPac: Wolverine | PicPac - 320GB Capacity Portable Data Storage | 7532

Can you imagine a P2 and Expresscard34 reader with like 500 GB-1 TB inside it for $500-$700?? I think that price range is feasible. I'd buy one of those over a laptop I'll be needing real soon to offload footage onsite. I don't need to see what I taped, all I want is to be able to transfer data. The problem is the SxS card needs drivers so that's definitly a design hurdle.

I have one of those Wolverine units for my digital camera, love it and use it to do on-site backup during events (it's especially useful when I work with second shooters) but would get a lot more use from an SxS compatible drive. Add support for drive to drive copying and put me on the list for one!

What would be nice, via a firmware upgrade (won't happen then) is for us to be able to plug any portable usb hard-drive into the EX1 usb port,then using the EX1 in playback mode
look into that portable drive using the EX1 screen to make sure footage is on the portable drive.
Look at the price of ordinary portable hard-drives nowadays.

Paul.

I don't really expect video playback on any of these - I don't believe the processor could handle it, let alone licensing codecs, etc. I would just like a place to be able to dump files and keep shooting!

Adam,

I just passed along this request to Wolverine. They replied already and indicated they are aware of the requests for the SxS cards as they are the sister company to Vosonic!

So, any other requests can be made to info@woverinedata.com as well!

Jump on board, people! Let's get a new product with lots of storage space in a small package for a little money! Cheaper than a notebook and smaller than a notebook!