List of approved SSDs

Here are the lists of the approved SSD's for the following cameras:

Production Camera 4k

Cinema Camera

Here's the link to the most current list of SSDs that have cleared our approval.
http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/support ... 2&os=linux

If you are willing to keep this sticky up-to-date rather than having everyone checking the web page, great job, Tony, and thanks!

Rick Lang
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I'll see what I can do about that Rick.

Thanks for update.

Been shooting with Crucial 512GB M4 (firmware 009 only) (CT512M4SSD2) both 2.5 and pro-res with no issues...

I would love to know why the new Sandisk Extreme IIs are not on this list Tony. Was there something specific or just a lack of raw performance?

I believe it was a physical sizing of the SSD issue.

I believe it was a physical sizing of the SSD issue.

In what way?

The sandisk 2 is on none of the lists? Surely it would be okay for prores?

Rick the question only needs a simple either you have tested it with a fail or you haven't tested it. I'm still within the time period I could send my disks back.

Are these reasons why the Sandisk 2 is not on the approved list?

http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?5 ... #post83262
Hearnia sad
Supposedly Blackmagic tested the Extreme IIs are they are too thin to seat properly. They can move around while shooting, even with the thickening shim they come with.
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Squares on this thread said
I believe it was a physical sizing of the SSD issue.
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You know seriously by going silent and allowing others to speak on your behalf means no one really knows what is going on. I have a chance to save myself £620 but because you wont address this issue could lose money.

Why don't you just say the thing was loose but worked okay and for that reason a fail?

Are these reasons why the Sandisk 2 is not on the approved list?

http://www.bmcuser.com/showthread.php?5 ... #post83262
Hearnia sad
Supposedly Blackmagic tested the Extreme IIs are they are too thin to seat properly. They can move around while shooting, even with the thickening shim they come with.
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Squares on this thread said
I believe it was a physical sizing of the SSD issue.
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That is very unlikely.
With the shim applied the Extreme II SSD is EXACTLY the same thickness as the Sandisk Extreme 120GB, which IS approved for Prores and DNxHD.
Incidentally I have been using the 120GB for RAW, with no dropped frames so far [touches wood].
HTH
Nigel

Does this mean the discontinued SSDs will no longer function with future firmwares?? I've been shooting raw with two OCZ 240GB Vertex 3s for 6 months with no problems...

[Kaspar Ko]

Does this mean the discontinued SSDs will no longer function with future firmwares?? I've been shooting raw with two OCZ 240GB Vertex 3s for 6 months with no problems...

It just means that it may be a little more challenging finding stores that carry them in stock. So we wanted to make it easier for people who are looking for SSD's right now to find something they can purchase readily. We still use a lot of those SSD's that are discontinued in our day to day tests, tradeshows, etc.

Does this mean the discontinued SSDs will no longer function with future firmwares?? I've been shooting raw with two OCZ 240GB Vertex 3s for 6 months with no problems...

It just means that it may be a little more challenging finding stores that carry them in stock. So we wanted to make it easier for people who are looking for SSD's right now to find something they can purchase readily. We still use a lot of those SSD's that are discontinued in our day to day tests, tradeshows, etc.

Have you tested the sandisk extreme 2?

I'm using 2 samsung SSD's, why aren't they on the list or am I blind?

Would it be a good idea to also add a list of SSDs that have been tested and officially do not work?

Does this mean the discontinued SSDs will no longer function with future firmwares?? I've been shooting raw with two OCZ 240GB Vertex 3s for 6 months with no problems...

It just means that it may be a little more challenging finding stores that carry them in stock. So we wanted to make it easier for people who are looking for SSD's right now to find something they can purchase readily. We still use a lot of those SSD's that are discontinued in our day to day tests, tradeshows, etc.

Ohhh, I see. I misunderstood. Thanks!

For good business, we do not make a "black list" of SSDs, just ones that we've passed through our certification process. I do know we are constantly running SSDs through testing so once we have more info available for newer SSDs, I'll add to this or make a new sticky.

Hi everyone. thanks for the updated list Tony. I also need to be sure if the sandisk extreme II 240/480gb are ok. Actually, believe or not I was about to buy one of this when I saw the post ! and if it works, do I need an adaptor to make it "fit" perfectly? I read something about physical sizing issue...

My understanding is that the Extreme II is smaller than the Extreme so an adapter would most likely be needed for it. Again though, I don't have first hand knowledge on that since I do not take part of the testing/certification process. I would suggest looking at the dimensions of the SSDs on their website to double check.

Anyone using the sandisk 2 have any size problems using it?

This was taken from Sandisks website. Obviously there was some confusion about what is width length and diameter but I think it shows the Sandisk 2 has slightly shrunk although others have used it and not reported any problems.

Sandisk 2
Width 100.50 mm (3.96 in)
Height 69.95 mm (2.75 in)
Diameter 7.0 mm (0.28 in)
Maximum Weight 54 grams (0.12 lb)

Sandisk
Width 69.85 mm (2.75 in)
Height 9.5 mm (0.37 in)
Length 100.5 mm (3.95 in)
Maximum Weight 78 grams (0.172 lb)

Hi Blackmagic,

I was looking for some new ssd's and came across the 'Sandisk X210' (512GB). I would like to know if this one is supported for the BMCC.

Greetings,

Rob

Anyone using the sandisk 2 have any size problems using it?

This was taken from Sandisks website. Obviously there was some confusion about what is width length and diameter but I think it shows the Sandisk 2 has slightly shrunk although others have used it and not reported any problems.

Sandisk 2
Width 100.50 mm (3.96 in)
Height 69.95 mm (2.75 in)
Diameter 7.0 mm (0.28 in)
Maximum Weight 54 grams (0.12 lb)

Sandisk
Width 69.85 mm (2.75 in)
Height 9.5 mm (0.37 in)
Length 100.5 mm (3.95 in)
Maximum Weight 78 grams (0.172 lb)

Either your quoting or their website is faulty.
Length is called "width" in the Sandisk 2 description,
and the height is missing the "6" in the sandisk specs.

Sloppy.

My understanding is that the Extreme II is smaller than the Extreme so an adapter would most likely be needed for it. Again though, I don't have first hand knowledge on that since I do not take part of the testing/certification process. I would suggest looking at the dimensions of the SSDs on their website to double check.

See my 12:57pm post above.

The Extreme II comes with a "shim" - a hard plastic rectangular frame with sticky tape on it, that can be attached to the top surface of the drive to make it approx 3mm thicker.
When it is attached ithe drive's dimensions exactly match the original Sandisk Extreme.

Nigel

Hi Blackmagic,

I was looking for some new ssd's and came across the 'Sandisk X210' (512GB). I would like to know if this one is supported for the BMCC.

Greetings,

Rob

It's not on the list, so no...

Either your quoting or their website is faulty.
Length is called "width" in the Sandisk 2 description,
and the height is missing the "6" in the sandisk specs.

Sloppy.

I copy and pasted it directly from the sandisk site and I said so.
Pretty obvious what the measurements are though.

Anyway it seems there is a shim that makes up the 7mm to 9.5mm so the drive shouldn't have a problem fitting in the BMC 4K. Certainly others have used it without mentioning they had problems.
I haven't opened the packaging on my sandisk 2's yet in case they have to go back but so far its looking promising.

Some interesting links

http://www.3dbroadcastsales.com/product ... Drive.html

http://forums.creativecow.net/thread/367/804

I have been using the Extreme II 240GB for a month or so. Shot every format except DNxHD. It has been a solid performer.

The question about the shim is simple. It sticks on and slides in. I hope that clears it up.

I've attached an image. The tape is on the SSD for my reference of used or clean. I believe I borrowed the idea from a Frank Glencairn post. Thanks for that. The black tape on the end is a handle. My fingers won't fit inside the tiny area to remove the drive.

Sandisk Extreme II with Shim

photo.JPG (78.43 KiB) Viewed 171664 times

Thanks Ben

Just saw this thread
http://bmcuser.com/showthread.php?5085- ... se-from-BM

Tony, why wasn't the Intel DC S3500 series tested?

They are widely available, priced consumer friendly, and have more consistent performance than the consumer grade Intel SSD's.

Tony, why wasn't the Intel DC S3500 series tested?

They are widely available, priced consumer friendly, and have more consistent performance than the consumer grade Intel SSD's.

I personally do not know the process of which SSDs are being certified so it could very well be in those stages but I was just made aware of the approval list. When/if those do make the list, we will add it. I will however make a note to the testers to see if this is one of the ones though.

How about very popular, fast and reasonably priced Samsung 840 PRO and 840 EVO series? Can you test those, too?

Can everyone please stop getting so butthurt over the Sandisk Extreme II SSD's? They were not on the old list if you bought them that's your own problem, BMD do not need to approve an SSD just because you bought it, if it works that's fine but if they don't want to certify it because it needs a shim to be the right size then that's their choice.

I would rather not have to sticky tape a bloody shim to my SSD to make it the right size when their are plenty of other decent options.

Thanks for the updated list, while some of the SSD's were available from manufacturers a lot of them were listed as discontinued or backordered from the regular stores I buy from, really happy to see an updated list. Thanks.

My sentiments exactly.

+1

Their was some confusion about the Sandisks as speaking personally I had never used them before. On the blackmagic testing page it appeared the Sandisk extreme II's had been approved. The approved list was where I started my search for suitable disks in the first place so I was going on BM's recommendation. I did a search and came up with Sandisk II's and went to Dabs.com where they were on sale with no other options I therefore assumed them to be the right ones on the approved list.

I did everything right The only problem was that Black Magics site was outdated and took no account the Sandisks had bought out a new replacement.

So considering Black magic cameras need these disks to work then it is entirely down to black magic to give accurate descriptions of what to use with their products. SO although I don't hold Black magic entirely to blame for ending up buying a disk not on their approved list They could certainly have made it clearer just by putting old model by the sandisk or new sandisk II's not yet tested as the Sandisk does seem to me to be way and above the main model and the most trusted one of all the disks.

By the way star trak it's not sticky tape and the shim works very well actually.

Blackmagic supply the mfr code alongside all approved SSD's, sorry but you can't get any more accurate than that if you bought the wrong one that is on you. I also looked at the approved list when buying my SSD's and it didn't say anything about Extreme II's so I didn't buy one.

The code is very similar

Sandisk Extreme 480GB II (SDSSDXP-480G-G25)
Sandisk Extreme 480GB (SDSSDX-480G-G25)

http://www.dabs.com/category/components ... me%20480GB

Having no experience with SSD drives whatsoever I assumed the disks tested were the disks on sale.
When I found out they were not certified from the forum I was beset by posts saying they wouldn't work and some saying they would and from black magic just that they weren't certified No confirmation if they were tested as some had said or if they weren't. The window in which I could have sent them back was getting smaller then Ben showed us a picture of his Sandisk II and it became pretty clear the disks work with the shim. So with that I opened the seal stuck the shim opened my new startech adapter and formatted it ready for the 4K to arrive Although not sure when that might be.

So I guess the forum done its job eh? Helped me and others who may have the sandisk II and with no help from BMD or indeed you managed to find out the thing works
So What was the point of your insulting post about this? See that's what happens when there is no information we have to work it out for ourselves As for the Sandisk II I imagine they will be faster and better than the old one so in my opinion all round result.

Updated list should be available at the link provided above.

Blackmagic is not doing a very good job of educating its customers about trim or the importance trim plays in the performance of SSD. Not to mention the fact that trim on apple systems is a very serious problem.

Does Blackmagic have an official stance on this?

Blackmagic is not doing a very good job of educating its customers about trim or the importance trim plays in the performance of SSD. Not to mention the fact that trim on apple systems is a very serious problem.

Does Blackmagic have an official stance on this?

Almost all actual SSDs do not need a separate TRIM command triggerd by the OS. They have a garbage collection implemented in the firmware which does the same like TRIM.

Almost all actual SSDs do not need a separate TRIM command triggerd by the OS. They have a garbage collection implemented in the firmware which does the same like TRIM.

That is completely inaccurate. Only Intel DC series SSD's have garbage collection that is aggressive enough to supplement the absence of performing a trim command. All other drives have garbage collection that only is activated in the presence of an extremely long idle period on the drive. Is leaving a drive sitting around powered on without an active device connection a realistic option?

Aside from the DC series all SSD's DO need the TRIM command triggered.

Has anyone tested the 070H firmware for the Crucial m4 SSD???
Crucial will not give out 009 anymore and say that it is buggy and unsupported.

Dead Crucial M4? Give this a read:
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/16 ... -your-ssds

Is this SSD list for both cameras? 4k and 2.5k?

Is this SSD list for both cameras? 4k and 2.5k?

It may be but I would not buy an SSD assuming that until the list is updated when the BMPC4K is really shipping and the list specifically includes the 4K camera. It was stated at NAB 2013, that the visually lossless compression of the 4K raw would approximately be equivalent in size to the current uncompressed raw on the BMCC. If that proves to be true, then the list likely applies to both cameras. But wait if you can.

Yes i will wait.

Thanks Rick Lang.

Hey all,

There are some questions on this board about the Sandisk Extreme II 480gb drives. I thought I'd chip in with my recent experience:

Just unboxed a brand-new BM Cinema Camera and a brand-new Sandisk Extreme II 480gb unit. Attached the included shim so that the drive fits the enclosure. Formatted the drive per instructions on my Mac and began test-shooting under ideal conditions (no extreme temperature, no blockage of fan, etc).

About 50% of the time I get dropped frames shooting RAW. (REC light starts blinking, visible skipping on playback)
No dropped frames shooting ProRes.

My question for the board: Since the Extreme IIs haven't been recommended officially, what's the next-best thing? Looks like I might still be able to buy an Extreme first-gen from B&H. Any others?

Thanks,

Peter

So I see that the •OCZ 480GB Vertex 3 is discontinued. I have one and I have a bmcc coming on Wednesday. Can it be used?

So I see that the •OCZ 480GB Vertex 3 is discontinued. I have one and I have a bmcc coming on Wednesday. Can it be used?

Discontinued is referring to the availability to purchase brand new unless a place has some stock still sitting around.