POLL: humble Scarlet request - standardize on SSDs?

[Bruce Allen]

If the $/GB is lower, It just makes more sense to me to have a single larger capacity SSD than to shoot on multiple cards. Its easier for me to download my SSD over lunch breaks less frequently than to have a data wrangler come in and worry about CF cards

Totally. Plus CF cards are also much slower than SSDs when you're dumping footage off of them.

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

 

[Terry VerHaar]

Can anybody address the issue of weight; what the weight differences are between the single CF module vs. dual CF module vs. the SSD module, and CF card vs. SSD?

 

[Terry VerHaar]

Can anybody address the issue of weight; what the weight differences are between the single CF module vs. dual CF module vs. the SSD module, and CF card vs. SSD?

Not sure about anyone else, but I am still interested in this information if it is out there. Any guesses from the RED folks who have actually had their hands on some of this stuff? Not looking for exact weights, just some sense of the magnitude of the difference.

 

[Bruce Allen]

Not sure about anyone else, but I am still interested in this information if it is out there. Any guesses from the RED folks who have actually had their hands on some of this stuff? Not looking for exact weights, just some sense of the magnitude of the difference.

An Intel 2.5" X25-M weighs 80 grams = 0.18 lbs
An Intel 1.8" X18-M weighs 35 grams = 0.08 lbs

For the module itself - controller chips, connections etc should weigh similarly to the CF.

If Red decides to clad it in inch-thick lead then it will weigh more.

I hope that they don't - as SSDs are already pretty robust.

It should weigh substantially less than the RED-DRIVE - that's two 2.5" hard drives... versus one 1.8" SSD (which weighs less than and is smaller than a hard drive of the same size).

Also, isn't the whole idea of the Epic / Scarlet modular system that you can have just the brain and lens on the steadicam - and run an extension cable to the rest of the modules (power, storage, etc)? Stick 'em on a belt or in a backpack.

Of course if Red standardized on the SSD module (as I am suggesting), they could integrate it into the brain. Then you wouldn't have to worry about a separate heavy metal box for the module, unless you specifically wanted multiple writers.

Personally I like modularity, but if it saves a lot of weight and set up time, I'll choose simplicity any day.

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

 

[Neil B Smith]

Don't expect Red to certify mass market media of any kind. There is little consistency from batch to batch, so reliability would always be questionable.
There is good reason why Sony, Panasonic, and Red produce and certify their own media for data intensive high end codecs.

Totally agree with this. Its like what I've seen with tapes (Maxell vs Sony's own brand).

You only get what you pay for. Its always best to go with whatever the manufacturer recommends you to use.

 

[Terry VerHaar]

An Intel 2.5" X25-M weighs 80 grams = 0.18 lbs
An Intel 1.8" X18-M weighs 35 grams = 0.08 lbs

For the module itself - controller chips, connections etc should weigh similarly to the CF.

If Red decides to clad it in inch-thick lead then it will weigh more.

I hope that they don't - as SSDs are already pretty robust.

It should weigh substantially less than the RED-DRIVE - that's two 2.5" hard drives... versus one 1.8" SSD (which weighs less than and is smaller than a hard drive of the same size).

Also, isn't the whole idea of the Epic / Scarlet modular system that you can have just the brain and lens on the steadicam - and run an extension cable to the rest of the modules (power, storage, etc)? Stick 'em on a belt or in a backpack.

Of course if Red standardized on the SSD module (as I am suggesting), they could integrate it into the brain. Then you wouldn't have to worry about a separate heavy metal box for the module, unless you specifically wanted multiple writers.

Personally I like modularity, but if it saves a lot of weight and set up time, I'll choose simplicity any day.

Bruce Allen
www.boacinema.com

So the good news, it would seem, is that the SSD option wouldn't add much, if any, weight to the unit. As for the SSD module being remote, if we look at the new SSD module for the RED ONE, it is bolted to the side of the body. Not sure that is a module that would effectively "tether" remotely. But that's just a guess.

I am not at all against SSDs but I can't really understand the idea of being against CFs either, which I infer from the original post of "standardizing" on SSDs (and abandoning CFs). What's wrong with options? I doubt any "volume considerations" are going to influence pricing very much, if at all. If RED decides to continue CFs, I think they'll be worthy of consideration for some circumstances, especially for the Scarlet.

One thing I DON'T think we'll see is the SSD module integrated into the body. What would that due to the modularity concept and any flexibility for the future?

 

[Hrvoje Simic]

I am not at all against SSDs but I can't really understand the idea of being against CFs either, which I infer from the original post of "standardizing" on SSDs (and abandoning CFs). What's wrong with options? I doubt any "volume considerations" are going to influence pricing very much, if at all. If RED decides to continue CFs, I think they'll be worthy of consideration for some circumstances, especially for the Scarlet.

No one doubts that CF is worthy consideration. However, CF requires a lot of tiny pins which might brake easily and is not ideal solution for field work and frequent offloading. More options may mean more expensive parts due to smaller batches. SSD pricing might fall faster than CF due to larger demand and higher requirements for computing world in general.

 

[Neil B Smith]

It will all come down to capacity. Compact Flash cards contain typical 8, 16, 32 or 64GB of data. Solid State Drives on the other hand will store much greater volumes, like the RED Drives. Have you noticed that the RED drives have not been sold on the site recently? Wondered why? My guess is that SSD drives are going to be RED's replacements to the RED Drive.

Oh yes... and another thing. CF cards are slower than SSD's.