March 2, 2010
 The tapeless workflow demands offloading solid-state media, so we need both capacity and redundancy in our on-the-go storage tools. Here, Ned Soltz offers five solutions for mobile data storage:
NVS2500
Nexto DI • Solid-state storage unit • www.nextodiusa.com • $1,995 (with 500GB)
The Nexto DI NVS2500 is a real lifesaver for field workflows. The Nexto unit does direct copy of SxS, CF, SDHC, P2 and any other solid-state media directly to hard drive, recognizing the type of media and correctly performing x-copy, retaining the proper file and directory structure for the media type. At the end of the day of shooting, go back to your studio, remote location or hotel room and copy to your editing system via FireWire, USB 2.0 (USB 3.0 forward-compatible) or eSATA interfaces. The NVS2500 features rechargeable internal battery or external battery packs. The hard drive is ruggedized, and the enclosure’s rubber end caps protect in case of accidental drops. Preview clips on the color LCD screen.
iStoragePro iT2PKTV
Ci Design • Two-bay 2.5" eSATA/FireWire/USB RAID • www.istoragepro.com • Pricing TBA
iStoragePro has long been an OEM for a number of enterprise systems and now enters the storage market with a line of portable to desktop high-capacity RAIDs. The iT2PKTV holds two 2.5" drives, either 5400 or 7200 rpm, for capacities up to 1TB. Its built-in controller allows selecting JBOD, RAID 0 or RAID 1 operation. The larger form factor (9" x 5.8" x 6") permits inclusion of an LCD display of user settings. It can be bus-powered via FireWire 800 or USB interfaces, and universal external power supply is included if interfacing to computer via the eSATA port. Of particular note is that the iT2PKTV drives are swappable.
G-RAID mini
G-Technology by Hitachi Global Storage Technologies • Two-drive 2.5" FireWire/USB/eSATA RAID • www.g-technology.com • $219-$579
The G-RAID mini’s polished aluminum case is both stylish and functional. The grille allows for good ventilation, defeating that greatest enemy of hard drives: heat. With dimensions of 5.8" x 3.2" x 1.5" and weighing 1.15 lb., the G-RAID mini goes easily into your bag and on the plane for remote shoots. Format in JBOD, RAID 0 or RAID 1, depending on your needs.
Fusion F2
Sonnet Technologies • Two-drive 2.5" RAID with eSATA interface • $399-$549 • www.sonnettech.com
The Fusion F2’s flat dimension and 1.2 lb. weight make for easy carrying. It measures 5.9" x 6.2" x .072". Sonnet contends that the vibration of drives in too close a vertical proximity could lead to malfunctions and data loss, hence the F2’s side-by-side placement, which minimizes that potential problem. Also, F2 is strictly an eSATA interface, meaning that it achieves a faster throughput than USB or FireWire. Add Sonnet’s eSATA Express34 adapter and it’s the fastest notebook solution available.
RTX-400-QR
WiebeTech • Four-bay FireWire 400/800, USB 2.0, eSATA RAID with built-in controller • $899 (bare)-$2,047 (with 8TB) • www.wiebetech.com
The WiebeTech RTX-400-QR is a four-bay 3.5" RAID with handy carrying handle and swappable drives. Take this on the road to deal with large volumes of data or throughput-hungry codecs. It connects with a single cable and has an on-board controller that can configure the unit as RAID 0, 1, 10 or 5. (RAID 5 has just the right balance between redundancy and speed.) The RTX-400-QXR is no lightweight — at 16 lb. bare or 21 lb. drive-populated. This is definitely the unit to consider for that big remote shoot.
| COMMENTS (1) | | 03/03/2010 | | We archive video of all the HD music performances we produce. Over 50 per year, the last three year, primary and backup, roughly 2hrs per show. Have it all on tape! HDV was chosen. We favored color space loss for economy of equipment and media. The problem with drives is they fail. If we have a bad tape there's another one. Bad machine, there's another. The oxides are good for at least 10 years (still have 20 year old 3/4' tapes that play). Sometimes we get too caught up in the digital buzz to look at the big picture |
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