FireStore FS-4 and DV Rack?
 

Would there be any issues splitting the Firewire signal to both the FireStore FS-4 and a laptop running DV Rack?

Firewire will support multiple devices on the same bus.

This should work, but you will most likely need to use a Firewire hub to do this with the FS-4.

Hi Mihnea,

There will be separate PAL and NTSC versions of FS-4. 24p QuickTime and AVI Type 2 will not be choices in the PAL version. If your camcorder supports a 25p mode, you should be able to simply select any of the DTE recording formats and record the 25p to the file. It is not as drastic a difference when compared to NTSC-DV and 24p-DV. We are actually testing this feature shortly, so I will post the results here.

Hope that helps,

Matt

Question about the FS-4
 

i was comparing the fs-4 and fs-4 pro charts on the focusinfo website.

apparently the fs-4 does not have LOOP PLAYBACK feature.

so lets say i get the fs-4 (non-pro)

and i shoot something, does this mean i cant hit a button and have it playback right on my viewfinder directly?

or does it mean i CAN, but i cant have it go over continuously or.....?

explain, im a tid bit confused

thanks

-arthur

I just looked at the difference between play clip and loop clip on the beta FS-4 which I'm testing. Play clip, plays the clip and stops at the end, loop clip plays the clip and then starts at the beginning of the clip again. It does this until I press the stop key.

I don't know if this really answers your question, because the beta device I have seems to be a mix between the FS-4 and FS-4 pro. But at least we know that Focus is talking about two separate functions here, when it lists loop playback and playback.

Firestore FS-4 Has Landed
 

Mine came today by UPS---the 40GB bottom of the line. Sorry if a thread like this already exists, I just got excited ...

Heck, there's nothing to this thing! No problem mounting it on my MagiqCam. Shipped with a 1394 cable, too.

Hi John,

Post some pictures! We'd love to see how you are mounting FS-4.

Thanks,
Matt

Fs-4 Vx-2100
 

I just got my FS-4 today and here are some observations with my Sony VX-2100.

Not shure if the FS4 battery is being charged via 1394, I don't see the green led on. I've tried both VCR, Camra, with battery and AC adapter. Only when I connect the AC adapter to the FS-4 I see the green LED on, so I am shure it's charging.

VX-2100 doesn's support syncro slave (without tape) and tapeless recording, must press rec manualy on the FS-4 (not a big deal for me, I can live with that)

I didn't get mine with the FS-4 camera mount kit. The FS-4 has an internal fan that an on-camera mic might pick.

Later tonight I'll test it with Canon GL-2.

Normaly the VX-2100 should shut down after 10min if on battery but with the FS-4 connected it seems to keep the camera alive.

I did a test record and after 30min it's still running. It's awsome.

FS-4 with Canopus Edius 3.22b crahes
 

After shooting some test for about 2 hours, when I connect the FS-4 to my computer and import clips into the bin, Edius just closes and disapear. This on two computers. I did the same thing with Premier Pro 1.5, no problem.

So I guess its Canopus Edius is not compatable with the FS-4

Hi Frank,

We do have an issue right now with Canopus Edius 3. We should have a resolution for this shortly. Previous versions of Edius should be OK.

When FS-4 is connected to another DV video device such as a camcorder or a deck, it does not get power from the 1394 port. When it is connected to some 1394 ports on computers, it is possible to power FS-4 if enough power is coming down the cable. My Power Mac G4 will power an FS-4, but it does not provide enough power to charge the battery.

With the VX2100, you will need a tape in the camcorder in order to use Syncro Slave. This is due to the fact the the VX2100 does not have an external DV control option. As you have pointed out though, it is possible to control record from the FS-4 itself.

Hope that helps,

Matt

The reason Canopus Edius 3.22b shuts down may be the file format. I've tried avi type2 and canopus avi both shuts Edius down.
However when I use quicktime, there is no problem. Edius can read mov files, so that works fine.

from fs-4 to vcr/ dvd?
 

hi gang,

can i record directly (firewire) from a fs-4 onto a vcr or dvd?
if yes which brand.

planning to buy a vcr/ dvd combo from b&h could have problems to figure it out.

thanks

karl

Hi Karl,

I don't think that you can record directly from the FS-4. You would have to go through your camera or a digital / analog video converter. But that shouldn't really be a problem since you can use the camera you captured to the FS-4 with, for this purpose (unless it doesn't have a DV in).

And you would need to use a firewire hub to split the signal if you want to do this directly over firewire to the VCR / DVD recorder. Otherwise you would have to record using the composite video signal coming out of the camera or A/D video converter.

I'm not sure that the degradation in video quality would be that noticeable though, going this route. (I know that I am going way out on a limb here) but the quality loss of VHS or the realtime coding of the DVD recorder would subjectively exceed the visible quality difference between the pure DV signal and the composite signal.

But that's just a guess. Someone would have to make real world test to make the comparison to confirm that.