Hi all,
I have just changed my editing pc and am now looking at my storage options.
One of the options i have is to use external Firewire hard disks for projects. This would provide major benefits of interchangeability both between projects and also between computers.
On reading the Matrox manual for the RTx100 it does however clearly state that firewire drives are not fast enough for use with the card.
Does anyone here have experience of using firewire drives with a Matrox RTx100 and if so is it good or bad?
Mike
Hi
Whilst FW400 drives are generally quite fast enough for basic DV editing using a FireWire connection to a camcorder or deck, any system with effects, transition or compositing real-time preview capability will benefit from increased data transfer bandwidth.
This is best achieved with FW800, ATA or SATA (or SCSI/Fibrechannel) hard drive sub-systems.
never had a problem.
never had a problem.
Nor me, though I must admit that I have never tried capturing to a firewire drive. I have no trouble editing and exporting to tape from firewire, but I do not use multiple layers of video, or complex effects.
As I have said elsewhere, I use PATA HDDs in caddies fitted in a firwire box - this saves an awful lot of power supply problems.
most of what I do is straight cuts or fades - quite long jobs so lots of data but not so many files detailing whizzy effects.
I take stuff to and fro between work and home on Maxtor and Span firewire drives and all seems ok.
The RTX100 is a bit of a pain as the 2500 used to have 2 firewire ports - one for the deck and one for drives. With the the 100, you have no option but to connect the deck to the fw -drive and pass through to the PC. It seems ok but I'd have liked the extra fw socket.
May move to Mac soon ( 2 x 400 fw ports and 2 x 800 fw ports) but still.....
Thanks guys - that is truly excellent news. Most of my editing is longish jobs but the majority is simple cuts and fades with just small sections using a lot of effects. I will try firewire and see how i get on.
Thanks for the input.
Mike