Chromebook as Transfer device

The place for questions about shooting with Blackmagic Cameras.
  • Author
  • Message
Offline
User avatar

Paul Robinson

  • Posts: 18
  • Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2017 7:35 pm

Chromebook as Transfer device

PostThu Aug 03, 2017 3:29 am

Has anyone ever tried transferring the Ursa Mini RAW files from a C-Fast card reader to an external drive on a chromebook? Wondering if this would be a good field option..

Thanks!
Offline
User avatar

Stephen Press

  • Posts: 243
  • Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 9:38 pm
  • Location: New Zealand

Re: Chromebook as Transfer device

PostThu Aug 03, 2017 7:57 am

We had a disaster when the brand new Mac the data wrangler had bought refused to see the card reader and the files, and they had a fight out in a few hours. I ended up using an old Chromebook that my daughter had been using for school and left in my car because it was too slow. It worked fine and got it all done before they could find a workaround for the Mac. :)
"A cameraman with out a camera is just a man"
Offline
User avatar

Craig Marshall

  • Posts: 949
  • Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2013 4:49 am
  • Location: Blue Mountains, Australia

Re: Chromebook as Transfer device

PostThu Aug 03, 2017 10:17 am

I use a cheap ($250) HP 10" Notebook PC for all CFast field transfers and transcoding to Portable (ExFat) Drives. It has an SD card reader plus 2 x USB ports. (only one is USB 3 so I use a cheap three port USB 3 splitter so the USB 2 port remains free for mouse, etc.)
4K Post Studio, Freelance Filmmaker, Media Writer
Win10/Lightworks/Resolve 15.1/X-Keys 68 Jog-Shuttle/OxygenTec ProPanel
12G SDI Decklink 4K Pro/Calibrated 10bit IPS SDI Monitor
HDvideo4K.com
Offline
User avatar

Paul Robinson

  • Posts: 18
  • Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2017 7:35 pm

Re: Chromebook as Transfer device

PostThu Aug 03, 2017 12:15 pm

Thanks so much for the response guys! Craig, how were the transfer speeds using only 1 USB 3? Stephen, so it seems Chrome OS can see Ex-Fat and the files just fine?
Thanks again guys!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Offline
User avatar

carlomacchiavello

  • Posts: 2584
  • Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:04 pm
  • Location: italy

Re: Chromebook as Transfer device

PostThu Aug 03, 2017 7:51 pm

i use a HP8540w mobile workstation bought used for 300$, 2x usb 3.0 1x esata, 1 firewire, i transfer since 400 gb at hour between esata and usb 3.0, and is a real computer. With chromebook, or android device ( i tried with driver from paragon to read exfat,ntfs partition) too much lag time, no tool to check copies and more. you can found a lots of this unit on ebay, it's a great computer that in 2012 cost since 2500$ and now is dismissed, but if you are so lucky like me, you can grab an i7 quad core, 1920x1080 display drived by quadro fx800.
Offline
User avatar

Paul Robinson

  • Posts: 18
  • Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2017 7:35 pm

Re: Chromebook as Transfer device

PostThu Aug 03, 2017 8:04 pm

Thanks for the recommendation Carlo! Definitely going to look into it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Offline
User avatar

Craig Marshall

  • Posts: 949
  • Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2013 4:49 am
  • Location: Blue Mountains, Australia

Re: Chromebook as Transfer device

PostThu Aug 03, 2017 9:45 pm

The 1 x USB 3 split to two devices (CFast reader and 2TB External drive) via the simple adapter seemed a lot faster than any one of those plugged into the USB 2 slot so fine. Big advantage of a real PC running Win 10 is running additional software such as the Dali suite from Wayne Norton (HDCinematics.com)

My small HP Notebook is very light weight and with it's lithium polymer battery, I get at least 5 hours and a fast charge. I also have a small 75mmm x 75mm power pack that charges the laptop (19v DC) as well as USB devices. Old story but same HP PC: https://www.redsharknews.com/production ... ent-set-up

On location and after the shoot is complete, I often transcode the entire CFast card to 720P MP4 with Timecode Burn plus LUT (if I shooting Log) using Dali, to view files in real time on the HP.
4K Post Studio, Freelance Filmmaker, Media Writer
Win10/Lightworks/Resolve 15.1/X-Keys 68 Jog-Shuttle/OxygenTec ProPanel
12G SDI Decklink 4K Pro/Calibrated 10bit IPS SDI Monitor
HDvideo4K.com
Offline
User avatar

Stephen Press

  • Posts: 243
  • Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 9:38 pm
  • Location: New Zealand

Re: Chromebook as Transfer device

PostFri Aug 04, 2017 5:15 am

Paul, we were shooting Prores and the Chomebook saw them fine. To be honest though my daughters one was a piece of junk Acer and I wouldn't recommend it.
"A cameraman with out a camera is just a man"
Offline
User avatar

carlomacchiavello

  • Posts: 2584
  • Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:04 pm
  • Location: italy

Re: Chromebook as Transfer device

PostFri Aug 04, 2017 8:35 am

Stephen Press wrote:Paul, we were shooting Prores and the Chomebook saw them fine. To be honest though my daughters one was a piece of junk Acer and I wouldn't recommend it.


Stephen how do you check integrity of file by Chromebook? My first doubs is about integrity check, too much times i found problems on card reader (also branded like lexar) between usb3.0 which a worst standard that i ever used. I don't know about app to check file with parity check. Could you tell me, i ever search a lighter solution during shooting, or sometimes only a longer battery solution. :-D

i thought also about a smartphone, i found under android app (paragon fs) to manage different file system, hard disk that i can powerup by external powerbank, but no app to check, but no app to check file, i can read them, but i would a faster and indipendent way to check all files. thought to dng and not only prores or mp4
Offline
User avatar

Stephen Press

  • Posts: 243
  • Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 9:38 pm
  • Location: New Zealand

Re: Chromebook as Transfer device

PostFri Aug 04, 2017 11:38 am

To be honest I don't know. It was kind of an emergency at the time and my daughter had set up her Chromebook so I don't know what it was using just that it worked. (ASTRO maybe?)
I bought a generic Cfast card reader and it seems to be faster and more reliable than the Lexar one I own.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Speed-Tran ... 2671949522?
I've used an ASUS tablet (I basically had it as an ereader) to transfer footage shot with a C300 (when another Mac let us down... Mac's hate me. I don't even have to touch them just be on set.)
It wasn't fast and I wouldn't be keen to do 4K files with it. But once again at lest it worked.
"A cameraman with out a camera is just a man"
Offline
User avatar

carlomacchiavello

  • Posts: 2584
  • Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:04 pm
  • Location: italy

Re: Chromebook as Transfer device

PostFri Aug 04, 2017 1:25 pm

Stephen Press wrote:To be honest I don't know. It was kind of an emergency at the time and my daughter had set up her Chromebook so I don't know what it was using just that it worked. (ASTRO maybe?)
I bought a generic Cfast card reader and it seems to be faster and more reliable than the Lexar one I own.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Speed-Tran ... 2671949522?
I've used an ASUS tablet (I basically had it as an ereader) to transfer footage shot with a C300 (when another Mac let us down... Mac's hate me. I don't even have to touch them just be on set.)
It wasn't fast and I wouldn't be keen to do 4K files with it. But once again at lest it worked.


in emergency everything save the cat is good :-D
i try to found a B plane exactly if A plane (win or mac) fail or you cannot use between the most common problem (battery) stop your backup.
I ask you about chromebook be cause i would like to found another tool to have with me.
My Hp work fine and is a small mule, but it's heavy and only 1h,30 battery, when i backup 4k videos is a 400-450 gb only backup then battery go down. I used to have a solution that allow me to do backup and more with battery without needings of connect computer to 220 (europe).

Return to Cinematography

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: STEFANvDIEST and 92 guests