Videonics Videonics Firestore User manual

Instruction Manual

FireStore Instruction Manual • MANL-0863-01 • © 2001 Focus Enhancements Inc.
The Videonics logo, Thumbs Up, and Videonics Video TitleMaker are registered trademarks of
Focus Enhancements, Inc. FireStore is a trademark of Focus Enhancements, Inc. Product and
brandnamesmaybetrademarksorregisteredtrademarksoftheirrespectivecompaniesandare
hereby acknowledged. Subject to change without notice. This device is not to be used for the
unauthorized copying of copyrighted material.
Focus Enhancements, Inc. • 1370 Dell Avenue • Campbell, CA 95008 USA • 408-866-8300
Instruction Manual

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC ules. These limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, might cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:
eorient or relocate the receiving antenna
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help
You might find the following booklet, prepared by the Federal Communi-
cations Commission, helpful: “How to Identify and esolve adio-TV Inter-
ference Problems.” It is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402. Ask for stock number 004-000-00345-4.
About Radio Interference

Contents
LCD Backlight On/Off ............................... 27
FireWire Slave Mode .................................. 28
ecord File Format ..................................... 28
Lock/Unlock Front Panel .......................... 29
Chapter 7 • Disk and File Utili-
ties.................................................. 30
Format Disk .................................................. 30
Check Disk ................................................... 31
Base File Name ............................................ 32
Delete File ..................................................... 32
Disk Space emaining ................................ 33
Chapter 8 • Using FireStore Files
on a Computer ............................. 34
Preparing FireWire Disk Drives ............... 34
Formatting a New FAT32 FireWire Disk
Drive For the First Time ......................... 35
Creating a Partition on an Unknown
Volume Type (Win 98 or ME) ................ 35
Creating a Partition on an Unknown
Volume Type (Win 2000) ........................ 37
Getting FireStore ecorded Clips
Onto Your Computer .............................. 40
Mounting FireWire Disk Drives to
Windows 2000, 98SE and ME ................ 40
Dismounting FireWire Disk Drives from
Windows 2000, 98SE and ME ................ 43
Mounting FireWire Disk Drives to
Macintosh .................................................. 43
Dismounting FireWire Disk Drives from
Macintosh .................................................. 45
FireStore File Formats ................................ 45
aw DV (.dv) File Format ......................... 46
AVI Type 2 File Format .............................. 46
AVI Type 1 File Format .............................. 47
File Compatibility with NLE Packages ... 47
Compatible ender-Free NLE
Packages .................................................... 47
Compatible NLE Packages ( equires
endering) ................................................. 47
Timecode ...................................................... 48
Chapter 1 • Introdu tion.............1
In a Hurry? ..................................................... 1
Helpful Hints ................................................. 1
What is a DV Direct-to-Disk Interface? ..... 1
What is FireStore? ......................................... 1
Basic Applications ......................................... 2
Equipment ...................................................... 3
Chapter 2 • Qui kStart.................4
Connections.................................................... 4
Power On/Off ............................................... 5
The Display .................................................... 6
Front Panel Functions .................................. 6
Normal Mode ................................................ 6
Shift Mode ...................................................... 8
Alt Mode ......................................................... 9
Chapter 3 • Conne tions........... 12
Connecting DV Video Devices ................. 12
DV Input ....................................................... 13
DV Output .................................................... 13
Connecting a FireWire Disk Drive ........... 13
Connecting Multiple FireWire
Disk Drives ................................................ 14
Connecting FireStore to a Computer ....... 14
Connecting FireStore to a Battery
Power Supply ........................................... 15
Chapter 4 • Re ording............... 17
ecording a DV Input Stream .................. 17
Triggering ecord From a DV
Camcorder ................................................. 18
ecord a Single Frame (Still ec) ............. 19
Triggering ecord From the
GPI Port ..................................................... 19
Chapter 5 • Playba k................. 21
Standard Play............................................... 21
Navigation Between Clips ......................... 21
Fast Forward Play ....................................... 22
Fast everse Play ........................................ 22
Standard everse Play ............................... 23
Single Frame Forward and Backward ..... 23
Chapter 6 • Display Modes and
the Setup Menu........................... 25
LCD Display Mode ..................................... 25
Setup Menu .................................................. 25
GPI Default Function ................................. 26
Set Time and Date ....................................... 27

VIDEONICS FIRESTORE PAGE 1
Chapter 1 • Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of Videonics FireStore™. With
FireStore, you can record and playback DV video directly to/from
virtually any FireWire (IEEE-1394 compliant) Hard Disk Drive.
Files are recorded in an "edit-ready" file format for compatibility
with most Mac and PC based DV editing programs.
In a Hurry?
If you want to get started quickly, see the Quick Start section, Chapter 2.
Helpful Hints
FireStore is a sophisticated video production tool. Some of the words and
concepts used in this manual may be new to you. It is assumed that owners of
FireStore already have a relatively in-depth knowledge of the DV video pro-
duction process.
Check the Focus Enhancements website (www.FOCUSinfo.com) regularly for
updates.
For More Information...
...send in your registration card so we can keep you informed of new devel-
opments. Note that Focus Enhancements does not sell its mailing list. Your
name and address will remain confidential.
What is a DV Direct-to-Disk Interface?
A DV Direct to-Disk Interface is a device that allows you to record/playback
DV video directly to/from a FireWire hard disk drive without using a com-
puter. Video is input or output as a DV Video Stream through the box which
writes/reads a DV Data Stream from a FireWire hard disk drive.
What is FireStore?
FireStore is a DV Direct-to-Disk Interface that has many capabilities. With
FireStore you can:
• Input or output DV video from/to many DV devices including mixers,
camcorders and decks.
• Capture clips to hard disk at the acquisition stage - there is no need to
capture later.
• Simultaneously record to disk while recording to your camcorder's tape.

PAGE 2 VIDEONICS FIRESTORE
• Record clips to disk in an "edit-ready" file format such as AVI Type 1, AVI
Type 2 or .dv.
• Connect your FireWire disk directly to your computer or connect it via
FireStore which allows mount and dismount of the drives without re-ca-
bling or computer re-boots.
• Jump from clip to clip without spooling through tape when in playback
mode.
• As well as video, record and playback embedded DV audio in either 2-ch
(16-bit, 48kHz) or 4-ch (12-bit, 32kHz) formats.
• Record, play and navigate using FireStore's VTR style controls.
• Record and recall a single frame of DV video.
• Slow playback down or speed it up by 1 frame per second increments.
• Use trick playback modes such as up to 30X/-30X fast-forward and re-
wind speeds, reverse play, loop clip and loop entire disk.
• Remote control FireStore via FireWire (for triggering record/pause) from
a DV based camcorder or GPI port.
• Daisy-chain up to 8 FireWire (IEEE-1394) hard drives together for extremely
long, uninterrupted record times.
Basic Applications
FireStore can be used both in the acquisition stage of production, the editing/
post production stage and the presentation stage. FireStore is most useful in
the following applications:
• Record DV video live to disk at the acquisition stage. Not only will you
have an exact copy of your camcorder's tape footage on disk with the same
timecode, audio and video information, it will be possible to quickly re-
view shot footage back through your camcorder without risking damag-
ing the tape in your camcorder's tape transport. This "confidence record-
ing" will save time and reduce costly re-shoots during production.
• Clips are recorded to disk in "edit-ready" file formats such as AVI Type 1,
AVI Type 2 or .dv. This will allow you to get your footage onto a computer
(Mac or PC) and view or edit it quickly. The FireWire disk drive can either
be connected directly to your computer (without FireStore) or through
FireStore which allows you to mount/un-mount any connected drives with-
out re-cabling or re-booting. This also allows you to capture footage to
disk without tying up your computer.
• Playback DV video clips that were recorded to a connected FireWire hard
disk drive from FireStore to any DV video device such as a mixer,
camcorder, CG (titler) or deck. Use FireStore's random access capabilities

VIDEONICS FIRESTORE PAGE 3
to navigate quickly from clip to clip without having to spool forward and
backward through tape. Use FireStore's trick playback modes such as multi-
speed fast forward, incremental 1 frame per second slow motion and re-
verse play to present DV video in industrial, presentation or scientific ap-
plications.
Equipment
Your FireStore Package comes with:
• FS-1 FireStore Unit
• 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire cable
• Power supply
• This manual
• Product registration card.
You may need to purchase cables to connect more than one hard disk drive to
FireStore at once. You may also need to purchase a 4-pin to 4-pin FireWire
cable for connecting DV video devices. Your Focus Enhancements dealer can
help you identify the cables you need.

PAGE 4 VIDEONICS FIRESTORE
(B)
Chapter 2 • QuickStart
Whether you’re a video expert looking for just the basic steps or a
beginner who wants instant gratification, this chapter will have you
recording or playing back DV video in minutes!
This chapter describes just the basics. Many features and applications are
skipped or mentioned only briefly. For more information, or if you encounter
problems, refer to the table of contents to locate a more complete explanation
elsewhere in the manual.
Connections
Rear Panel: Connect the power supply (C) to a working wall outlet and con-
nect the other end to FireStore's POWER jack.
Connect FireStore's "TO HDD" 6-pin FireWire port to the 6-pin FireWire port
(A) on your FireWire hard disk drive. If using external power on your FireWire
hard disk drive, connect the unit's power supply (ensure it is switched off
before doing this).
Connect a DV (IEEE-1394) compatible device to FireStore's 4-pin "DV In/Out"
port (B). If you are connecting a camcorder and wish to record from tape,
select your camcorder to "VCR" or "VTR' mode. If you wish to record live
video, select you camcorder to "CAMERA" mode.
Note: On certain FireWire hard disk drives, it is possible to power the drive from
FireStore's FireWire port. It is only possible to power one FireWire hard disk drive
from FireStore's bus. See your disk drives documentation for more information.
(A) (B) (C)