Digital Recording Solutions

[dnathan]

It’s imperative for me to go to digital recording, using tapes as a backup. I just don’t have time to wait for uploads. I’ve been looking at Firestores, but it seems to me that a Mac Mini would offer more at about the same price, and then be able to serve in the editing process. They’re small enough to clip onto a tripod or possibly the top of my FX1…hmm.

I’m also in the market for a monster computer. I’ve heard that some people have a computer for rendering and another for uploading. Is the Mac Mini sufficient accompany a larger comp for either function? Could it serve also as an on-camera digital recorder?

I now have two PC laptops and plan to utilize them as digital recorders under stationary tripods but have no idea how to accomplish that. Thoughts?

[dnathan]

The mac mini is pretty portable but I don’t think it’s as portable as you think it is. You also would need a monitor for it, and a keyboard and mouse. I don’t think you could clip it onto anything.

Maybe you should consider a portable recording device like an iriver or the new ipod.

[dnathan]

Is NLE ‘Non-Linear Editing’?

Since I already own two PC laptops, here’s what I’m thinking about doing:

Cam A:
[own] FX1
[need] Firestore 40GB $650 approx…Firestore 40GB – I could dump the data to the External (Cam C) after the prelims and after the ceremony as it fills up
[need] Ambience Mic
[need] Light
[own] Manfrotto Tripod

Cam B:
[need] FX1 $2000
[own] Inspiron 6000 70GB HD
[need] Backup Laptop Battery
[own] Milk Crate for Laptop
[need] Light
[own] Bogen Tripod

Cam C:
[own] HC3
[own] HP ZT Laptop (old and w/o firewire)
[need] 250 GB External Firewire HD (Dell) $127.96 (I would have to use USB with this laptop)
[own] Extention cord
[need] Milk Crate for Laptop
[own] Light
[own] El Cheapo Tripod
__________________

[need] Blu-ray burner $700
[need] Pentium D Dual Core Editing PC with 4MB Ram and 512k Video Card, using TV as monitor
[need] Wireless keyboard/mouse?
[own] 3 FX1 Batteries
[own] 3 HC3 Batteries
[own] 21 HD Tapes
[own] 2 wireless laviliers, 1 lavalier w/recorder

[dnathan]

Yeah, I don’t know if it’s crazy to think of dumping data from a Firstore to a laptop w/ external HD…I don’t know how long that would take at a wedding. Thoughts? I suppose if I didn’t have time at a particular wedding I could just use tape for the reception.

Anyone know if USB would be fast enough for tapeless recording? Do I need to buy laptop with firewire?

I bought my last FX1 for $2,600…I’m trying to out-do myself. 🙂

[Endeavor]

Oh! I thought he said Audio recording. No wonder! Yeah, in that case, the ipod is a bad idea lol.

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