Firestore FS4 - 40GB Upgrade to 100GB

Daniel Kohl · July 11th, 2005, 02:52 AM

The swap was painless for me - 40GB to 80GB.

Be aware though, that you will kill the guarentee on your unit as soon as your screwdriver touches the first screw. So make sure everything else on the device is working to your satisfaction before you open it.

Mark Geiser · July 11th, 2005, 04:26 AM

Daniel..

I take it all you did was do a reformat the HD using the utilities in the FS4...

I have to say I should have thought of that before I purchased the 80GB Pro version, woiuld have saved £££'s

Mark

Daniel Kohl · July 11th, 2005, 04:31 AM

That's it.

However, I think that there are some functions which the FS-4Pro promised, which I wouldn't take for granted. That is if they are really there. Like time-code Free-run and time-lapse.

If you have a chance, I would still like to know if it is possible to set the Pro version's TC to Free-run. This function would make a lot of sense for those of us who would like to do multi-cam shooting using the FS-4.

Mark Geiser · July 11th, 2005, 05:02 AM

Daniel..

Let me know what specifically you want to know, test criteria and i will try for you, have a bit of time today...

I'm guessing you are looking at setting the timecode to a particular value so that the theoretically start at the same time for multicam work. But unless you press record on all machines at the same time wont it be out of sync anyway, or do you have some remote triger ?

Regards

Mark

Daniel Kohl · July 11th, 2005, 05:15 AM

If you look under the menu SETUP, scroll down to TC EXT and TC REC RUN, there should (hopefully) be something that says TC SET and TC FREE RUN.

If so, one could set all the FS-4Pros to say the time of day and then trigger the FREE RUN. The TC would function like a clock on each of the units. The FS-4s would not be synced frame accurate, but they would have a constant offset which would make syncing them in post much easier.

Mark Geiser · July 11th, 2005, 05:45 AM

OK i'll check it out and let you know...

Although doesnt the fs4 save the files with the date and time of the unit for every file it creates ?? Would this not achieve the same thing, so long as you set the date and time on all the units to the same values, although i guess this has a greater chance of drift according to the internal clock rates..

Mark

Mark Geiser · July 11th, 2005, 06:58 AM

Daniel...

OK made the tests finally.

Indeed it works as you described. Set the clock to current time and recorded a few clips, also advanced the clock to check it took the new times and verified in FCP that the timecode had changed to the new time.

It appears that as soon as you set the time and click on the 'back' button the clock starts, therefore so long as you press back on all the units at the same time you should be all set..

Hope this helps..

Mark

Daniel Kohl · July 11th, 2005, 07:43 AM

Thanks Mark,

This is good to know.

Using the file creation date as a reference is ok. But you can't change the creation date of the clips in post, like you can the TC (at least with FCP). But most importantly, there is also no way of seeing the time-date information imbedded in the clips metadata while editing (which is a real shame). So, the second best way to synchronize multiple cameras, is to have them all run real time free run. (The first best, is to have them TC synced, but that function is only available on pro cameras.)

One other advantage in having free run real time, is that a third person can makes notes about what is happening at an event by writing down the time on there watch, instead of looking at the camera's TC display. This gives a reporter or editor/director more freedom (frees the cameraman from them breathing down there neck) and makes finding things in the edit, much easier.

This function is valuable for those who need it. And is, at this point, the major reason for me to buy two FS4-Pros.

As soon as I'm sure that the fan noise problem has been solved, I will be getting them.

Thanks again for checking that.

Mathew Hamilton Green · July 11th, 2005, 08:23 AM

Hi
With the FS Pro version you can connect multiple drives together -for increased recroding time - if you were attempting to sync them up maybe bby connecting all the drives together -daisy chaining- and then specifying the Free Run option it would snyc them all up? Maybe focus could confirm that..maybe you shuold email them!!
cheers
mat

Frank Dago · July 21st, 2005, 03:50 AM

Hi Daniel Kohl, your fs4 still working ok after your upgrade ?

Daniel Kohl · July 21st, 2005, 04:05 AM

It is still working, in-spite of all my modifications.

Frank Dago · July 21st, 2005, 04:11 AM

Hi Daniel Kohl,
How do u remove the IDE cable (properly) ,as i find the connector very delicate.

Thanks in advance.

Daniel Kohl · July 21st, 2005, 05:41 AM

I removed it by grasping the two ends of the plastic plug with one hand (thumb and forefinger). You have to rock the plug back and forth along it's length, making sure that you don't bend the last two pins on the last side you rock to. If the pins get bent, then you will have to straiten them with a small screwdriver using light pressure. If any of the pins are not strait when you re-insert the plug, you will damage the plug by poking the pin receptacles in the plug up through the ribbon. This happened to me. I had to push the receptacles back down into the plug and carefully re-solder them.

I think you can only really do damage to the ribbon cable when you re-insert the plug. Or if you pull on the ribbon itself to get it out of the plug. The soldered points on the plug are a pretty delicate.

There is also probably some tool that is made specifically for this purpose.

Good luck,

Peter Jefferson · August 3rd, 2005, 10:10 AM

so.. call me drunk and stupid on a lonely night as i avoid a client whom i despise.. but can someone reassure me that any Laptop HDD will run on this unit??

If so ill keep my forestore, if not, im gonna ditch it..
80gb just isnt enough sometimes, especially with that dodgy battery capacity...
either way, if someone has been succesful in swapping drives and has not had issues, what was the biggest drive?
I see some pics and stuff here, but for some reason im not convinced.. i guess when more and more people start doing it, then i'll really look into it.. but if i can wack a 120gb 2.5' HDD into my FSPro, then yeah, why the hell not?? its only 200 bux extra and i can do a hellofalot more with the unit, instead of being forced to buy another one...

Daniel Kohl · August 3rd, 2005, 02:29 PM

I won't bite.

All I can say, is that switching the 40GB drive with the same-make 80GB drive works.

If you are going to ditch the unit anyway, give swapping the 80GB HDD with a same-make 120GB drive a shot. If the the FS-4 baulks, then put the 80GB back in, and buy a housing for the 120GB HDD and you still have a handy FW pocket drive. Just don't mention that you were tinkering around with the unit when you sell it on Ebay.

Let us know how it goes.

July 11th, 2005, 02:52 AM	#16
Daniel Kohl Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 571	The swap was painless for me - 40GB to 80GB. Be aware though, that you will kill the guarentee on your unit as soon as your screwdriver touches the first screw. So make sure everything else on the device is working to your satisfaction before you open it. __________________ Daniel Kohl Frankenstein meets XL1

July 11th, 2005, 04:31 AM	#18
Daniel Kohl Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 571	That's it. However, I think that there are some functions which the FS-4Pro promised, which I wouldn't take for granted. That is if they are really there. Like time-code Free-run and time-lapse. If you have a chance, I would still like to know if it is possible to set the Pro version's TC to Free-run. This function would make a lot of sense for those of us who would like to do multi-cam shooting using the FS-4. __________________ Daniel Kohl Frankenstein meets XL1

July 11th, 2005, 05:15 AM	#20
Daniel Kohl Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 571	If you look under the menu SETUP, scroll down to TC EXT and TC REC RUN, there should (hopefully) be something that says TC SET and TC FREE RUN. If so, one could set all the FS-4Pros to say the time of day and then trigger the FREE RUN. The TC would function like a clock on each of the units. The FS-4s would not be synced frame accurate, but they would have a constant offset which would make syncing them in post much easier. __________________ Daniel Kohl Frankenstein meets XL1

July 11th, 2005, 07:43 AM	#23
Daniel Kohl Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 571	Thanks Mark, This is good to know. Using the file creation date as a reference is ok. But you can't change the creation date of the clips in post, like you can the TC (at least with FCP). But most importantly, there is also no way of seeing the time-date information imbedded in the clips metadata while editing (which is a real shame). So, the second best way to synchronize multiple cameras, is to have them all run real time free run. (The first best, is to have them TC synced, but that function is only available on pro cameras.) One other advantage in having free run real time, is that a third person can makes notes about what is happening at an event by writing down the time on there watch, instead of looking at the camera's TC display. This gives a reporter or editor/director more freedom (frees the cameraman from them breathing down there neck) and makes finding things in the edit, much easier. This function is valuable for those who need it. And is, at this point, the major reason for me to buy two FS4-Pros. As soon as I'm sure that the fan noise problem has been solved, I will be getting them. Thanks again for checking that. __________________ Daniel Kohl Frankenstein meets XL1

July 11th, 2005, 08:23 AM	#24
Mathew Hamilton Green Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Swindon, Wiltshire ENGLAND Posts: 36	Syncing Hi With the FS Pro version you can connect multiple drives together -for increased recroding time - if you were attempting to sync them up maybe bby connecting all the drives together -daisy chaining- and then specifying the Free Run option it would snyc them all up? Maybe focus could confirm that..maybe you shuold email them!! cheers mat

July 11th, 2005, 04:26 AM	#17
Mark Geiser Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: london Posts: 59	Daniel.. I take it all you did was do a reformat the HD using the utilities in the FS4... I have to say I should have thought of that before I purchased the 80GB Pro version, woiuld have saved £££'s Mark

July 11th, 2005, 05:02 AM	#19
Mark Geiser Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: london Posts: 59	Daniel.. Let me know what specifically you want to know, test criteria and i will try for you, have a bit of time today... I'm guessing you are looking at setting the timecode to a particular value so that the theoretically start at the same time for multicam work. But unless you press record on all machines at the same time wont it be out of sync anyway, or do you have some remote triger ? Regards Mark

July 11th, 2005, 05:45 AM	#21
Mark Geiser Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: london Posts: 59	OK i'll check it out and let you know... Although doesnt the fs4 save the files with the date and time of the unit for every file it creates ?? Would this not achieve the same thing, so long as you set the date and time on all the units to the same values, although i guess this has a greater chance of drift according to the internal clock rates.. Mark

July 11th, 2005, 06:58 AM	#22
Mark Geiser Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: london Posts: 59	Daniel... OK made the tests finally. Indeed it works as you described. Set the clock to current time and recorded a few clips, also advanced the clock to check it took the new times and verified in FCP that the timecode had changed to the new time. It appears that as soon as you set the time and click on the 'back' button the clock starts, therefore so long as you press back on all the units at the same time you should be all set.. Hope this helps.. Mark

July 21st, 2005, 03:50 AM	#25
Frank Dago New Boot Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 8	Hi Daniel Kohl, your fs4 still working ok after your upgrade ?

July 21st, 2005, 04:05 AM	#26
Daniel Kohl Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 571	It is still working, in-spite of all my modifications. __________________ Daniel Kohl Frankenstein meets XL1

July 21st, 2005, 04:11 AM	#27
Frank Dago New Boot Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 8	Hi Daniel Kohl, How do u remove the IDE cable (properly) ,as i find the connector very delicate. Thanks in advance.

July 21st, 2005, 05:41 AM	#28
Daniel Kohl Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 571	I removed it by grasping the two ends of the plastic plug with one hand (thumb and forefinger). You have to rock the plug back and forth along it's length, making sure that you don't bend the last two pins on the last side you rock to. If the pins get bent, then you will have to straiten them with a small screwdriver using light pressure. If any of the pins are not strait when you re-insert the plug, you will damage the plug by poking the pin receptacles in the plug up through the ribbon. This happened to me. I had to push the receptacles back down into the plug and carefully re-solder them. I think you can only really do damage to the ribbon cable when you re-insert the plug. Or if you pull on the ribbon itself to get it out of the plug. The soldered points on the plug are a pretty delicate. There is also probably some tool that is made specifically for this purpose. Good luck, __________________ Daniel Kohl Frankenstein meets XL1

August 3rd, 2005, 10:10 AM	#29
Peter Jefferson Inner Circle Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Aus Posts: 3,884	so.. call me drunk and stupid on a lonely night as i avoid a client whom i despise.. but can someone reassure me that any Laptop HDD will run on this unit?? If so ill keep my forestore, if not, im gonna ditch it.. 80gb just isnt enough sometimes, especially with that dodgy battery capacity... either way, if someone has been succesful in swapping drives and has not had issues, what was the biggest drive? I see some pics and stuff here, but for some reason im not convinced.. i guess when more and more people start doing it, then i'll really look into it.. but if i can wack a 120gb 2.5' HDD into my FSPro, then yeah, why the hell not?? its only 200 bux extra and i can do a hellofalot more with the unit, instead of being forced to buy another one...

August 3rd, 2005, 02:29 PM	#30
Daniel Kohl Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 571	I won't bite. All I can say, is that switching the 40GB drive with the same-make 80GB drive works. If you are going to ditch the unit anyway, give swapping the 80GB HDD with a same-make 120GB drive a shot. If the the FS-4 baulks, then put the 80GB back in, and buy a housing for the 120GB HDD and you still have a handy FW pocket drive. Just don't mention that you were tinkering around with the unit when you sell it on Ebay. Let us know how it goes. __________________ Daniel Kohl Frankenstein meets XL1