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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Media Backup Box

S

Sean Michael Johnston

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OK, I'm working on ideas for a small, self-contained backup unit. About the size of a loaf of bread. Battery powered off standard broadcast batteries(AB or V-mount & 4-pin xlr). Small 4-5" lcd(480x320). FW 800(RED drive), Expresscard 54(P2, Sony, CF cards), USB2(other stuff) inputs. 2 SATA trayless hotswap drive bays for redundant, endless backup. Embedded Windows or Linux OS with a simple idiot-proof software interface running on a CF module.
I'm thinking of using the PC/104 format(@3.5" square, robust, stackable units). The main board is a "single board" pc(processor & chipset, RAM, CF module, 2 SATA ports, and header pins for USB, serial, etc. all soldered to the board) The rest of the stack would be FW800, Expresscard 54, and Power boards. All of this in a 3.5" cube of space.
This form factor offers industrial level field performance and long-life durability. These are used in military/aerospace environments as well as industrial applications, like your neighborhood ATM.
I've already specced out most of the hardware I'll need, but I only know enough about programming to get me into trouble.

I'd like to hear any feedback from the community. Especially any programmers that would be interested in helping build an "open source" type of hardware-software system like this.
Or tell me I'm nuts for trying to make this thing.
 
This is not a DIT box. This is to relieve the stress of the DIT station. Backup your stuff first with this, THEN take a look at it on a nice large screen on a "real computer". This allows a faster, safer on-set workflow.
 
Hey Sean,

This is exactly what our SolidStore device aims to be (only without the screen - it's basically a 'dumb' device)... Take a look at our page and ask questions if you like.

I will say the the whole thing is a lot harder than it seems at the outset. Although our end product is pretty much loaf-of-bread size.

Incidentally our research pretty much ruled PC/I04 out - there are very few PC/104-Express products out there and the cost of what is available is prohibitively high for the performance.

Oh, and we also ruled out the idea of bare-drives pretty early on. They are far to vulnerable to use in any sort of adverse conditions and if anything just increase the risk of a significant data loss.

Our interface is all operated with a simple keypad on a text-only LCD - nothing complicated. Pretty much put the card in and hit the 'go' button.
 
Dylan, will SolidStore work with the RED drive via firewire? Or are you guys going to make a Lemo to SATA cable?

And yeah, from what I've found the PC/104-express cards are priced at a premium. I'm assuming you guys are building custom boards. I'm just amazed at what's available out there "off the shelf". I'm a nuts and bolts kinda guy and this problem of backing up data seems like a fun challenge.
 
FW800 is currently lacking. I had temporarily forgotten about the odd Lemo-SATA connector on the Red Drive - I'll have to explore this a little more.

Our hardware won't be built completely from scratch, but some modified OEM kit to suit our needs. We don't have the capital or see the market to design from scratch unfortunately.
 
Something me would like....
 
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