XDCAM Disks are waterproof. at DVinfo.net

Alister Chapman · May 2nd, 2006, 02:21 AM

Apparently XDCAM disks are not effected by water. If you drop a cartridge in a puddle (or the sea) all you need to do is to rinse it with clean water, let it dry and off you go again. Don't think a tape would be so forgiving, not sure about a P2 card either. This also suggests that humidity should also not be a problem.

Charles Perkins · May 2nd, 2006, 02:28 AM

how did you find that out?

Alister Chapman · May 3rd, 2006, 12:07 AM

I was chatting with the XDCAM product manager on the way back from a conference. I explained that I filmed a lot of severe weather and he told me the disks are not effected by water. Haven't tried it, but If the substrate is sandwiched between two layers of plastic it should be at least water resistant.

Dean Sensui · May 3rd, 2006, 05:07 AM

Well, the problem with dropping one into the sea isn't the water... it's having to dive in after it... ! :-)

I know that compact flash cards are laundry-proof as it happened to some of the photogs I worked with at the newspaper.

I would guess that a P2 card would be equally immune to such abuse, but I wouldn't want to bet one that I owned on it.

Matt Howell · May 3rd, 2006, 02:43 PM

Oh my GOSH what an amazing revelation! ...Wow, who woulda thunk it!

Here's a test:
Drop a DVD in a rain puddle
Rinse off with clean water
Dry with a soft cloth from the center to the edge (not in a circle)

Does it still play?

Ok, but seriously...I don't think a P2 card would take a good dunking like an optical disk. Remember, a P2 card is really a chassis holding 4 SD cards and a raid controller chip.

Simon Wyndham · May 3rd, 2006, 03:55 PM

Quote:

I would guess that a P2 card would be equally immune to such abuse, but I wouldn't want to bet one that I owned on it.

I thought Panasonic dunked a P2 card in one of their demos to prove that it was robust?

Bill Pryor · May 3rd, 2006, 04:10 PM

Sony dunked an XDCAM disc into a swimming pool to show off that feature 2 or 3 years ago.

Greg Boston · May 3rd, 2006, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Howell

Oh my GOSH what an amazing revelation! ...Wow, who woulda thunk it!

Here's a test:
Drop a DVD in a rain puddle
Rinse off with clean water
Dry with a soft cloth from the center to the edge (not in a circle)

Does it still play?

Ok, but seriously...I don't think a P2 card would take a good dunking like an optical disk. Remember, a P2 card is really a chassis holding 4 SD cards and a raid controller chip.

Just dunk it in Isopropol Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) after it comes out of the water. IPA will displace water, remove small amounts of oxide, and won't conduct electricity. If possible, blow dry with compressed dry air after the alcohol bath, or wait for the alcohol to evaporate.

The chips on a P2 card would not be affected because they are hermetically sealed. The danger from a water dunking is creating a short circuit between all the external connections of the chips. This is what the procedure I outlined above would take care of.

-gb-

May 2nd, 2006, 02:21 AM	#1
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	XDCAM Disks are waterproof. Apparently XDCAM disks are not effected by water. If you drop a cartridge in a puddle (or the sea) all you need to do is to rinse it with clean water, let it dry and off you go again. Don't think a tape would be so forgiving, not sure about a P2 card either. This also suggests that humidity should also not be a problem. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

May 3rd, 2006, 12:07 AM	#3
Alister Chapman Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bracknell, Berkshire, UK Posts: 4,957	I was chatting with the XDCAM product manager on the way back from a conference. I explained that I filmed a lot of severe weather and he told me the disks are not effected by water. Haven't tried it, but If the substrate is sandwiched between two layers of plastic it should be at least water resistant. __________________ Alister Chapman, Film-Maker/Stormchaser http://www.xdcam-user.com/alisters-blog/ My XDCAM site and blog. http://www.hurricane-rig.com

May 3rd, 2006, 05:07 AM	#4
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	Well, the problem with dropping one into the sea isn't the water... it's having to dive in after it... ! :-) I know that compact flash cards are laundry-proof as it happened to some of the photogs I worked with at the newspaper. I would guess that a P2 card would be equally immune to such abuse, but I wouldn't want to bet one that I owned on it. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

May 2nd, 2006, 02:28 AM	#2
Charles Perkins Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: paris, fr Posts: 102	how did you find that out?

May 3rd, 2006, 02:43 PM	#5
Matt Howell Regular Crew Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raleigh, N.C. Posts: 26	Oh my GOSH what an amazing revelation! ...Wow, who woulda thunk it! Here's a test: Drop a DVD in a rain puddle Rinse off with clean water Dry with a soft cloth from the center to the edge (not in a circle) Does it still play? Ok, but seriously...I don't think a P2 card would take a good dunking like an optical disk. Remember, a P2 card is really a chassis holding 4 SD cards and a raid controller chip.

May 3rd, 2006, 04:10 PM	#7
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Sony dunked an XDCAM disc into a swimming pool to show off that feature 2 or 3 years ago.