Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Log in
  • 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 :)

RED Station in DIT Setup

Steve Johnson

Steve Johnson

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
1,009
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Age
53
Location
Glasgow, UK
Website
www.futuristdigital.com
Hi All,

Just wondering from those that have RED Stations already - can you power the CF Module / SSD Module via the FW800 on say a MacBook Pro?

The reason I ask is back on REDucation #003 it was established that a mobile DIT set up could consist of:

MacBookPro 17"
CF Card reader linked to the FW800
dual eSATA in the Express port linking to 2 GTECH drives

This would allow taking footage off the CF cards and mKe 2 backups onset. This would work okay when out on location where you don't have any links to mains power.

So this got me thinking about the RED Station and the modules and a good but basic setup for DIT in the field.

Providing that you still have the MacBookPro 17" and you want to do backups, can you run the RED Station modules via the FW800 without external power? If not, then any other solutions?

I have researched and found 4 ways to do DIT,

1. Setup as above to just make backups
2. MacBookPro 17" with a Mobile REDRocket which would make it able to convert footage but not backup
3. MacBookPro 17" with a Mobile REDRocket which would make it able to convert footage and backup up to the RAID, but that could only be one copy where at least 2 copies is desirable
4. Full fledge DIT cart with MacPro (like Lightiron DIT station)

I believe that Maxxdigital are planning an updated Mobile REDRocket RAID wi an additional express card slot so that could be good for doing additional backups.

Interested to hear any other takes on this.

Regards

Steve
 
Hi Steve,

The RED Station CF reader can in fact be powered from the firewire port.

I just got the SSD Reader, but as there isn't any media in the wild yet, I can't answer that question just yet.

I'm heading to LA today to help out with the next Reducation which begins Tuesday, so I'll find out and report back.

Cheers,

Steve
 
Hi Stephen

That's great news if the CF card reader can be powered by the FW. If you can find out from this weeks REDucation that would be great.

Regards

Steve
 
Steve Johnson said:
...The reason I ask is back on REDucation #003 it was established that a mobile DIT set up could consist of:

MacBookPro 17"
CF Card reader linked to the FW800
dual eSATA in the Express port linking to 2 GTECH drives

This would allow taking footage off the CF cards and mKe 2 backups onset. This would work okay when out on location where you don't have any links to mains power.
...
Click to expand...

Which Express port dual eSATA card allows bus power of GTech Drives?

Thanks
Eric
 
Hi Eric

Looked through my notes and i cant find the example that Michael and Steve gave on REDucation 003. Have posted the question to some friends and when I remember ill come back to you. I am sure that you can do it as i thought it would be a great field DIT sation for smaller projects where checking footage and backing up where more important that preparing the footage to another format using the REDRocket.

Regards

Steve
 
You can get Esata G tech minis that come with a usb-mini Din cable for power so Steve's setup can work - but bus powering all that off the laptop gets you around 3-4 hours max (nowhere near a shoot day). I was doing this a couple of years ago and taking an extra Macbook pro battery(pre unibody). But a pain to charge the batteries each day! Then I built a gel battery/inverter cart but again I was getting about 10 hours (less in winter)

Chris is right - go tower. Now I just run 300 Amp hours off a 3K inverter in a VW Transporter (and I stay dry and warm) Much more flexible :)
 
Jeff

Thanks for that. I knew it was feasible but couldn't remember which option did it. I know it's not the perfect option due to battery but I know it was a way if you where out in the field and need the priority of backing up over converting footage.

Agree a DIT cart with a MacPro is the right way to go.

Any thoughts about what is the best battery option for a DIT cart to power a MacPro, SAN, LTO Backup, monitor.......etc.

Regards

Steve
 
Picking up on what Michaels comments are about storage and the things to think about for DIT, would this work:
- MacPro with
-- REDRocket Card
-- Fibre channel to a SAS RAID (say 32/64TB) for main storage of footage
-- Graphics Card
-- extra 4 port eSATA card for 2xRED Stations SSD Readers + 2xGTECH Drives for daily storage
-- LTO 4/5
-- USB2 extensions for all the iPads

Just wondering if that could work?

Steve
 
Zakaree Sandberg said:
after epic hits the sets, the days of macbook DIT's are gone!
Click to expand...

My Macbook is only for reading emails with me :) just kidding...

We had couple of weeks ago a problem which was only viewable with a full debayer. When you switched down to half or lower the strobing was not showing... the footage was fully damaged and on set with only a macbook pro you could run into a problem where you see the fault the hole day not just because of viewing with 1/4 debayer...
to every DIT out there I can only say... buy a macpro with a rocket... it gives you the performance and possibilities you need for your job... i use the notebook only if I cant bring my bigmama to the set....
same for REDSTATION... its a must have for a RED DIT...

best,
rainer
 
Later on Macbook Pro!!!
I only used mine as an absolute last resort, usually only to pick up the odd shot in a remote location. It's going to be really interesting for those that genuinely need to be mobile for long periods of time... wouldn't fancy lugging a MacPro and genny around a rainforest to back up EPIC HDRx files :-)
 
Any thoughts on a back up battery option to the MacPro DIT setup?
 
Personally, the idea of running so much off bus power makes me nervous. That was something I rather liked about the RED Stations; every media device can receive its own power input from whatever source is deemed best.
 
Macpro or Hackintosh is the only way to go. Just to much data for a laptop.
 
Zakaree Sandberg said:
after epic hits the sets, the days of macbook DIT's are gone!
Click to expand...


What happens when you have to get on a plane and travel to some remote location (i.e. an island or out in the remote wilderness) on a super low budget where they're still willing to pay you an acceptable rate?

Are you planning on lugging your full Macpro or Hackintosh kit alllll the way out there?
 
We had couple of weeks ago a problem which was only viewable with a full debayer. When you switched down to half or lower the strobing was not showing... the footage was fully damaged and on set with only a macbook pro you could run into a problem where you see the fault the hole day not just because of viewing with 1/4 debayer...
Click to expand...

I take it it wasn't visible on any live outputs. For strobing isssue this is an interesting problem.
Was it something to do with the fineness of the effect (that was only visible at full res) or was it something to do with the processing of the live image that disguised the problem?

Are red deigning a compact, battery operated cloning system? Until such time in camera recording media drops to "consumable" level price, it is a significant disadvantage to those who travel on a budget if Epic HDR needs either a mac pro or $50k of camera media.

Mike Brennan
 
Billy Summers said:
look up APC.
Click to expand...

APC Smart-UPS 1500RM 2U rackmount is what I just picked up. A 1000VA unit would probably be fine as well. This unit is estimating 43 minutes of power time for my equipment and my workstation is set to email me and shut itself down if the power doesn't come back up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top