Don't all the FireStores have the ability to record to tape and HD simultaneously? If so, use it. This is a perfect example of why hard drives aren't in every camera right now. If I had one I'd always back up to tape, just in case.

My leaning would be towards communications radiofrequency interference or maybe some electromagnetic interference from the helicopter's own electrical power system.

I seem to recall reading in some notes on the Kenlabs gyros that the turbine powered helicopters, more certainly the larger ones, have electrical power which is AC and at a frequency of 400Hz. My recollection is somewhat vague about the voltages.

Whichever, if the Firestore is no better shielded against radiofrequency interference than modern videocameras, then the intrusion of radiofrequency interference might be more a case of certainty to the point of guarantee that something stray and unwanted is going to be running around in the camera and Firestore circuits, possibly interactively between both.

The length of a firewire cable might be a bit long to make a good VHF quarter wavelength antenna but coils wound in it by a cameraman to keep it short and from snagging on things might help it to unintentionally become part of a tuned circuit.

Don't take too much notice of my comments as in this case, my little bit of unqualified knowledge might be more dangerous than valid.

You can't record to both HD and tape at the same time. The HVX only records DV to tape. As for the electrical interference, I suspect that was the issue. Was hoping though that other experiences confirmed that.
ric

RF interference has been previously reported on dvinfo as a likely suspect in spontaneous violent set-offs of the optical steady shot.

I had an FX1 on record, locked off on a tripod, stop and rewind its tape from 1/3rd in. I think a mobile phone may have set it off at a live gig which was being recorded as the rewind coincided with a check visit to the camera and a mobile phone was being carried.

There is also an urban myth about clowns going to gigs with universal remotes programmed for different camera types to mess up people bootlegging shows or just for simple mischief, so RF breakthough might not have been the culprit.

FS-100 Quicktime Issue
 

I've just purchased a FS-100 Firestore. I was really excited about the product, but I've never been able to get it to work! Once I was able to view some footage which I had shot with it on my LCD screen, but I can't figure out how to open it once I have downloaded it to my computer. The clips are blank, sometimes with audio--maddening.

So, the particulars. I'm shooting with a Panasonic HVX200, and I will edit with Adobe Premiere Pro--I think that in that alone, I will be having some problems.

Okay, so, lots of problems. Any help appreciated so much!

Thanks,

Neil

http://www.focusenhancements.com/sup...cs.asp#answers

Try this link Neil to ensure you are using correctly - click on FS100 if it is not already up. YOu may have to transcode your QT files for APPro - I've only use PP2 when forced to and then never for your workflow.

Hey, thanks, John--

I'll try it out and get back to you!

Can or will the FS100 be compatible with Panny's new AVCIntra Codec?
 

I just acquired the HPX2000 and the FS100 has worked very well with it - all frame rates (so far anyway).

I've been looking forward to their new AVCIntra board & firmware to allow recording to that format. I plan to continue using my Grass Valley/Canopus SP system, which is reported to support the Intra option in version 4.5.

Any chance/word that the FS100 will be able to record the Intra codec (50-100Mb options)?

Thanks.

no !
 

The data rate would be way to high for any single drive. Typical data rate of hdv is 3.2 mb/sec.
So unless you build a raid and have a uncompressed capture card forget about it 1

Doug

very little on this
 

can't find much on this subject so I guess its not ready !

It's coming out this summer - it records at 1/2 the data rate of DVCPROHD with similar quality, or at the same data rate 100 mb/s touting close to D5 quality. I disagree with the speed assessment - it's a codec/recording issue/option & it's at the same recording speed as DVCPROHD. Hopefully Focus can/will adopt it.

Playing back longer form FS100 clips back-to-back & seamlessly?
 

I've just acquired a Panny HPX2000 and I've started to preview clips recorded on the FS100 back through the camera (have to change the setting on the cam to 1394). It seems to work out very nicely, and also dumps the signal through the HDSDI port to boot.

However, if I've got a longer form recording - say one that was 40-60 minutes long, I've noticed that the FS100 divides that recording into sub clips (assuming because it's a Fat32 drive/structure). If I start playing back the beginning of that clip, playback lasts for a few minutes, and then it stops - asuuming on the last frame of that subsection, without going on to the next subsection of that master long-form clip (hoping this makes sense).

Is there a way to play a long-form clip back so that it doesn't stop in the middle? If it was ultimately 40 minutes long, can I hit 'play' at the beginning, and have it play straight through all of the content without stopping at the end of each subsection (and having to hit the 'next' button ( >>| )? This may be handy for dumping to tape units, client showing, etc.

Hopefully an easy menu remedy and not an operational limitation.

Thanks.

I think I've got it - there's a selection in the menu "Play All". That seems to be taking care of everything. Looks seamless so far.

spx800 to Focus via FireWire
 

Hi Matt,

I have a spx800 and shoot at dvcpro50.

What has your expierence with focus been using the Ieee
output ? Thanks,

Patrick

I've used the FS100 with two SPX800's (even last weekend again) - the interaction ultimately has been good. It seems a bit glitchy sometimes - I might have to unplug and replug the firewire cable, but then it seems to light up and go from there.

I've recently tested it with the HPX2000 (the HD guy), and that interaction has been very good all around. If I could successfully downconvert the footage to SD without edge tearing I'd have 3 of these by now.

The SPX is worth the firewire board install - you'll get incredible DVCPRO50 footage.