Using the EX1 with ASUS EEE to dump video to external HD

[Sandor Jancso]

Does anyone use the ASUS EEE netbooks for moving files between camera and External HD? How long does it usually take to move 16GB of video to a Western Digital My Passport Drive?

[Sandor Jancso]

topping this because i need to buy a laptop soon

[Tuy Le]

I woundn't use camera as reader - too expensive reader.
A laptop with Express card 34/54 slot - can read Sony SxS and MxM/MxR adapters.
with an eSATA port so you can transfrer the video from memory card to external drive - very fast :-)
For 32GB SxS card to eSATA drive will take around 15 minutes.
You can use the USB port and it will be slower.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Tuy Le

A laptop with Express card 34/54 slot - can read Sony SxS and MxM/MxR adapters.with an eSATA port so you can transfrer the video from memory card to external drive - very fast :-)

Correction - with SDHC adapters, it will only be the USB speed.

[Matt Davis]

Originally Posted by Sandor Jancso

Does anyone use the ASUS EEE netbooks for moving files between camera and External HD?

I bought a Dell Mini-9 for this purpose, with decent RAM and a 64 GB SSD.

It was, as we say in England, a 'chocolate teapot' - a pointless exercise due to the poor performance, icky build quality, poor battery life, pesky keyboard and so on. I then put OS-X on it (a 'Hackintosh' as they're sometimes called), and it was just the same - upleasant to use.

If I am going to the lengths of carting even a SMALL computer around to manage cards on location, I simply cannot do without the chance to look at my footage. An Asus may do the copying for you, but will most probably baulk at actually playing them back in a way that's better than your camera's LCD panel.

But remember, I speak as one who is used to a 17" MacBook Pro, and I was using the XDCAM Transfer process* rather than just using the Dell to copy files from one to the other, so perhaps my opinion is a little biassed!


* This involves setting metadata including interviewee name/affiliation, location and so on whilst we're shooting (during breaks). This has become so totally useful for me that I can't live without it, even if it's done at the hotel after the shoot.

[C.S. Michael]

I believe Asus has now released a Dual Core netbook. That might be up to the task.

I once edited a short 720P AVCHD video on my Asus EEE. Yes, it was kind of like driving to work in a golf cart. (I love the "chocolate teapot" expression, by the way! That's a new one to me.)

[Walter Brokx]

Just copying files should work when all drivers are installed: it's just copying files from 1 drive (the camera/cardreader) to another one (external harddisk). Maximum speed is limited by the USB connections and the harddisk's speed (which should be faster than USB, but I can't garantee it).

Just don't expect to properly view it on the netbook. No graphic card and insuffient memory to handle it will not help your mood ;-)
A big plus is offcourse that netbooks are very cheap.
If you really want to streamline things you should compare the cost of a better laptop with internal cardreader and the netbook plus the sony standalone cardreader. (But the Sony cardreader can be connected anywhere).

Good luck with deciding!

[Alister Chapman]

I used to use a Fujitsu Amilo 3520 netbook to off load cards on location. The 3520 has an express card slot so no need to use the camera. A 16Gb card takes around 15 mins to backup to a USB drive with the Amilo. The USB drive connection is a bottleneck. I don't use it any more as I have a Nexto NVS2500, much faster and simpler.