Handy photo bank

Ï "Focus" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...

"Focus" wrote in message
...
I just got a Mustek portable HD. It's really fantastic as a back up for
all
the cards and even straight from the camera.
Works up to 2 hours on the internal battery (that means copying 1,000's
of
pics), so more than enough to fill the whole disc several times.
I tested it with my D300 and it works flawless: attach the cable, turn
the
camera en de HD on and press the button. For every transfer it makes a
new
folder, even if you copy the same.
You can attach any cardreader you may have and it will copy anything on
it.

Now it is "only" 20 GB, but the sweet things about it are these:

I just came up with something interesting why I just love these mechanics:

Did you know that this little HD accelerates from 0 to 1750 KM/h (or over
1,000 M/h) in just a few secs?
The G-force alone should put all bits and bytes in orbit, LOL!

My PC hard disks do it even better: almost 6,000 KM/h or about 4,500 M/h
!!

Tell that to someone bragging about their fast Ferrari or Porsche ;-)


I've read somewhere that you could compare a hard disk platter to the
surface of earth. The head would be a skyscraper (eg the sears towers), the
distance between the head and the platter 4 mm (millimeter) and the platter
(or earth) would be making a full revolution in a couple of seconds! Pretty
impresive. Also optical drives have a um (micrometer) precision positioning.


--
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios
major in electrical engineering
mechanized infantry reservist
hordad AT otenet DOT gr

Focus wrote:
I just got a Mustek portable HD. It's really fantastic as a back up for all
the cards and even straight from the camera.

Compared to which other systems?

Works up to 2 hours on the internal battery

Does mean nothing unless you state the transfer rate.
There are devices that will copy 50GB per battery charge.
The "Image Transfer Rate" of "Up to 480 Mbps" is purely
theoretical, just like the theoretical resolution of a 200MPix
sensor in a Point&Shoot with coke-bottle optics would be.

(that means copying 1,000's of pics),

Leaving out essential data. Again.
For all we know that's 360x240 pix pics ...

so more than enough to fill the whole disc several times.

You didn't test how many GB it transfers with one battery load.

For every transfer it makes a new folder, even if you copy the same.

As every other image tank does.

I bought this one from Media Markt in Sintra, Portugal, for 39,- euro. Think
about it: even 1 Sony CF card 2 GB, 20 MB speed, cost 49,

You get what you pay for.
And Sony's way overpriced. Look what Lexar or SanDisk 2GB cards
cost. 10-15 EUR, a bit more for cards way faster than your camera
can write.

From my D300 the highest quality pics are 14 bit NEF, from which it will
hold about 1250 pictures! That's a lot for any day.

The battery won't transfer more than a couple 100.

And don't worry about not being solid state: it handles G forces up to 100 G
in operating mode, 1000 G in non operating mode.

For 0.00001 ms?

I rate it a 9.9 on the Focus scale.

Except for being cheap (not "good value for the money"-cheap,
but "cheap and nasty"-cheap) it has nothing going for it.
Probably doesn't even know about SDHC.


Let's contrast it with a real image tank:
- 1GB card transferred in less than 2 minutes
- 50GB transferable with a battery charge
- uses 4 AA-NiMG accumulators, can charge them --- you can also
simply pop in new batteries (accumulators or primary cells)
in the field
- choose your own HD, if you want to, 120 GB no problem
- show status, progress, OK/FAIL on the LCD screen
- write& 100% compare mode possible
- firmware fieldupgradeable
- doubles as multi-card reader
- can be used in a belt pouch (feedback via LEDs, pull out and
check display in case of errors)
- can be driven one-handed
.... oh, that system's EOLled by now. The next generation is even
better, faster (so fast that serial SD-cards cannot keep up with
modern CF-cards), stronger-batteried (100GB per charge possible,
internal, replaceable LiIon battery, optional external power pack
with AA-batteries), with advanced browser functions, can write *to*
a card, can drive 128 GB HDs (250 GB offered), will work
even with cards with bad sectors ...

And of course, any USB-2-USB copy hardware will work, and these
gadgets cost way less than that toy of yours.

-Wolfgang

"Wolfgang Weisselberg" wrote in message
...
Focus wrote:
I just got a Mustek portable HD. It's really fantastic as a back up for
all
the cards and even straight from the camera.

Compared to which other systems?

Works up to 2 hours on the internal battery
Does mean nothing unless you state the transfer rate.
There are devices that will copy 50GB per battery charge.
The "Image Transfer Rate" of "Up to 480 Mbps" is purely
theoretical, just like the theoretical resolution of a 200MPix
sensor in a Point&Shoot with coke-bottle optics would be.

(that means copying 1,000's of pics),

Leaving out essential data. Again.
For all we know that's 360x240 pix pics ...

If you weren't so busy looking in the mirror and cutting before you read,
you might have understood the meaning of:
14 BIT NEF, copying 1000's of pictures, I tested it with my D300 and it
works flawless and more....

so more than enough to fill the whole disc several times.

You didn't test how many GB it transfers with one battery load.

It copies just as fast as a card to PC. Today 250 pics on a *full* 4 GB card
took about 5 mins.

For every transfer it makes a new folder, even if you copy the same.

As every other image tank does.

I bought this one from Media Markt in Sintra, Portugal, for 39,- euro.
Think
about it: even 1 Sony CF card 2 GB, 20 MB speed, cost 49,

You get what you pay for.
And Sony's way overpriced. Look what Lexar or SanDisk 2GB cards
cost. 10-15 EUR, a bit more for cards way faster than your camera
can write.

From my D300 the highest quality pics are 14 bit NEF, from which it will
hold about 1250 pictures! That's a lot for any day.

The battery won't transfer more than a couple 100.

And don't worry about not being solid state: it handles G forces up to
100 G
in operating mode, 1000 G in non operating mode.

For 0.00001 ms?

I rate it a 9.9 on the Focus scale.

Except for being cheap (not "good value for the money"-cheap,
but "cheap and nasty"-cheap) it has nothing going for it.
Probably doesn't even know about SDHC.


Let's contrast it with a real image tank:
- 1GB card transferred in less than 2 minutes

Already beaten: 4 GB in less than 5 mins...
HA!

- 50GB transferable with a battery charge

Totally uninterestting since it´s battery life is 2 hours and it takes only
5 mins to empty a 4 GB card.
5 X 5 = 25 minutes. 2 hours of battery life? How many times can you fill the
whole HD? Can you calculate that?

- uses 4 AA-NiMG accumulators, can charge them --- you can also
simply pop in new batteries (accumulators or primary cells)
in the field

Just carrying more useless **** around...

- choose your own HD, if you want to, 120 GB no problem

As long as it weighs a lot more, is big and heavy and won't fit in any
pockets...
Besides: you can: just get any other 1.8 " drive and it will fit.


- show status, progress, OK/FAIL on the LCD screen

Need just 2 LED's for that.

- write& 100% compare mode possible
- firmware fieldupgradeable

What BS is that? You're taking pictures at the beach and suddenly you want
to do a firmware upgrade?
Is there oxigen on your planet?

- doubles as multi-card reader

Gee whiz, I really need another one.. they're so hard to find..

- can be used in a belt pouch (feedback via LEDs, pull out and
check display in case of errors)
- can be driven one-handed

So can your car. More BS...
The tiny can do all with one push... put it in the car and forget about it
until you need a new card.


CUT- whole lot of the usual horse kaka


--
Focus

"Focus" wrote:


I just came up with something interesting why I just love these mechanics:

Did you know that this little HD accelerates from 0 to 1750 KM/h (or over
1,000 M/h) in just a few secs?
The G-force alone should put all bits and bytes in orbit, LOL!

My PC hard disks do it even better: almost 6,000 KM/h or about 4,500 M/h !!

Care to show your math?

By my math and for a 3.5" drive...call it a 3" diameter, and since its
circumference is Pi * d, that's roughly 9.5 inches travelled per
revolution. Or in metric units, it would be:

3" * 25.4 mm/inch * 3.1415926 = 239 mm/rev = 0.239 m/rev

(0.239 m/rev) * (15,000 rev/min) * (60 min/1 hr) * (1km/1000m) = 215
km/hr

Converting by 5/8 ratio, 215kph = 134mph


Tell that to someone bragging about their fast Ferrari or Porsche ;-)

Um, sure. I'll mention to the VW Polo drivers too ;-)


-hh

"Robert Haar" wrote in message
...
On 3/28/08 9:03 PMMar 28, "Gerrit" wrote:

I have a Vosonic VP8360 for that use.
It has a 160Gb HD and its own built in card reader.
It also has a 9cm LCD screen, the ability to record video straight from
the
TV, an MP3 player built in and more.

This looks interesting and Is potential what I have been trying to find.
Why
did you choose this over the VP 550 series? What kind of battery life do
you
get in real use?


I was in Singapore about to see if an Ipod would be a good price when the
salesman showed me this and offered it for a price too good to refuse
(compared to an 80Gb Ipod anyway) so I went for it and am not sorry.
So far I have only used it for short trips away so really can't tell too
much about battery life. I have never run out of power. Even then I have a
second rechargeable lithium ion battery for extended trips, the first of
which starts next week Tuesday when we travel to Europe.

Gerrit

"Gerrit" wrote in message
...

"Robert Haar" wrote in message
...
On 3/28/08 9:03 PMMar 28, "Gerrit" wrote:

I have a Vosonic VP8360 for that use.
It has a 160Gb HD and its own built in card reader.
It also has a 9cm LCD screen, the ability to record video straight from
the
TV, an MP3 player built in and more.

This looks interesting and Is potential what I have been trying to find.
Why
did you choose this over the VP 550 series? What kind of battery life do
you
get in real use?


I was in Singapore about to see if an Ipod would be a good price when the
salesman showed me this and offered it for a price too good to refuse
(compared to an 80Gb Ipod anyway) so I went for it and am not sorry.
So far I have only used it for short trips away so really can't tell too
much about battery life. I have never run out of power. Even then I have a
second rechargeable lithium ion battery for extended trips, the first of
which starts next week Tuesday when we travel to Europe.

Don't forget Portugal if you want some really great times and shots ;-)
You can see here more in a few miles then in the rest of EU in hundreds.
Everything from rock to beach shores, hills and mountains, flatlands,
waterfalls, you name it, we got it ;-)
And don't forget: just about the friendliest people and the safest country
of the EU. Prices are also still friendly...


--
Focus

"Focus" wrote in message
...

"Gerrit" wrote in message
...

"Robert Haar" wrote in message
...
On 3/28/08 9:03 PMMar 28, "Gerrit" wrote:

I have a Vosonic VP8360 for that use.
It has a 160Gb HD and its own built in card reader.
It also has a 9cm LCD screen, the ability to record video straight from
the
TV, an MP3 player built in and more.

This looks interesting and Is potential what I have been trying to find.
Why
did you choose this over the VP 550 series? What kind of battery life do
you
get in real use?


I was in Singapore about to see if an Ipod would be a good price when the
salesman showed me this and offered it for a price too good to refuse
(compared to an 80Gb Ipod anyway) so I went for it and am not sorry.
So far I have only used it for short trips away so really can't tell too
much about battery life. I have never run out of power. Even then I have
a second rechargeable lithium ion battery for extended trips, the first
of which starts next week Tuesday when we travel to Europe.

Don't forget Portugal if you want some really great times and shots ;-)
You can see here more in a few miles then in the rest of EU in hundreds.
Everything from rock to beach shores, hills and mountains, flatlands,
waterfalls, you name it, we got it ;-)
And don't forget: just about the friendliest people and the safest country
of the EU. Prices are also still friendly...

wasn't that little girl recently kidnapped in Portugal ??

--
God made me an atheist. Who are you to question his wisdom?

"Atheist Chaplain" wrote in message
...
"Focus" wrote in message
...

"Gerrit" wrote in message
...

"Robert Haar" wrote in message
...
On 3/28/08 9:03 PMMar 28, "Gerrit" wrote:

I have a Vosonic VP8360 for that use.
It has a 160Gb HD and its own built in card reader.
It also has a 9cm LCD screen, the ability to record video straight
from the
TV, an MP3 player built in and more.

This looks interesting and Is potential what I have been trying to
find. Why
did you choose this over the VP 550 series? What kind of battery life
do you
get in real use?


I was in Singapore about to see if an Ipod would be a good price when
the salesman showed me this and offered it for a price too good to
refuse (compared to an 80Gb Ipod anyway) so I went for it and am not
sorry.
So far I have only used it for short trips away so really can't tell too
much about battery life. I have never run out of power. Even then I have
a second rechargeable lithium ion battery for extended trips, the first
of which starts next week Tuesday when we travel to Europe.

Don't forget Portugal if you want some really great times and shots ;-)
You can see here more in a few miles then in the rest of EU in hundreds.
Everything from rock to beach shores, hills and mountains, flatlands,
waterfalls, you name it, we got it ;-)
And don't forget: just about the friendliest people and the safest
country of the EU. Prices are also still friendly...

wasn't that little girl recently kidnapped in Portugal ??

Yep, it's a national sport here. Comes after bull running.
Another idiot. About a year ago...
First of all: ask why the parents:
1. waited 2 hours before they called the police
2. travelled the world instead of looking for their kid
3. never answered over 20 questions the police had
4. never took a lie detector test to proof their innocence
5. left Portugal in a hurry to GB, where they enjoy full protection of their
political friends as soon as they became suspects?
6: leave their kids in a hotel without a babysitter (which was available)
with open doors?
and many more questions...
The only other suspect was another Brit.

Why people think of one single *possible* kidnapped child every time
Portugal is mentioned, is strange. If someone says "USA" do you think of all
the thousends of missing kids every day?
Here's some facts to frighten you:

The U.S. Department of Justice reports:
797,500 children (younger than 18) were reported missing in a one-year
period of time studied resulting in an average of 2,185 children being
reported missing each day.
203,900 children were the victims of family abductions.
58,200 children were the victims of non-family abductions.

You were saying???


--
Focus

On 2008-03-30 07:12:07 -0700, "Focus" said:

Why people think of one single *possible* kidnapped child every time
Portugal is mentioned, is strange.

Actually, I think of Pope Alexander VI dividing the world between Spain
and Portugal. How *is* that working out for you?
--
"Our ignorance is not so vast as our failure to use what we know."

["Followup-To:" header set to rec.photo.digital.slr-systems.]
Focus wrote:
"Wolfgang Weisselberg" wrote in message
Focus wrote:

If you weren't so busy looking in the mirror and cutting before you read,
you might have understood the meaning of:
14 BIT NEF, copying 1000's of pictures, I tested it with my D300 and it
works flawless and more....

*More* than flawless? Does it dance jigs?

so more than enough to fill the whole disc several times.

You didn't test how many GB it transfers with one battery load.

It copies just as fast as a card to PC. Today 250 pics on a *full* 4 GB card
took about 5 mins.

1. Please state clearly if each of your 250 pics need 9.3+ MB.
(Canon manages to compress their RAWs losslessly, and thus
wastes much less space!)
2. Please state clearly that the 250 pics filled up your 4GB
card.
3. Please use a stopwatch with at least 1-second accuracy.
4. Do *test*, repeat, *test*, how often you can do that with
one battery load. Do not simply assume the stated "2 hours"
is applicable. Test it. Note that fewer, larger files are
actually preferrable for these classes of units.

Let's contrast it with a real image tank:
- 1GB card transferred in less than 2 minutes

Already beaten: 4 GB in less than 5 mins...
HA!

I don't trust your guess.

- 50GB transferable with a battery charge

Totally uninterestting since it?s battery life is 2 hours and it takes only
5 mins to empty a 4 GB card.

The battery life is "2 hours, if it does nothing".

5 X 5 = 25 minutes. 2 hours of battery life? How many times can you fill the
whole HD? Can you calculate that?

Sure I can calculate wrong results by applying incorrect data.

- uses 4 AA-NiMG accumulators, can charge them --- you can also
simply pop in new batteries (accumulators or primary cells)
in the field

Just carrying more useless **** around...

They also feed my flashes and a couple other units, so why
should I need yet another power/charger cable?
And I can load 8 AA-cells every 15 minutes.

- choose your own HD, if you want to, 120 GB no problem

As long as it weighs a lot more, is big and heavy and won't fit in any
pockets...
Besides: you can: just get any other 1.8 " drive and it will fit.

Ignorant you are of different drive interfaces, Yoda would say.
Try a 250GB drive, and see if it even recognizes it, much
less use the 250GB.

- show status, progress, OK/FAIL on the LCD screen

Need just 2 LED's for that.

For "count of files copied", "count of folders present", "amount
of data copied", "free space", "disksize", "amount of data in
this folder", "type of error (if any)", "copying from SD/CF/...",
"comparing: reading from SD/CF/.../HD", "copy done, all OK"?

I really would like to see how you manage that in a usable
way with 2 LEDs. Please enlighten me!

- firmware fieldupgradeable

What BS is that? You're taking pictures at the beach and suddenly you want
to do a firmware upgrade?
Is there oxigen on your planet?

You don't understand the difference between "having to send
the device in for upgrading" and "doing it at home or even in
an internetcafe", right?

Why would I want an improved firmware? New features
(e.g. "automatically start copying after XX seconds of switching
on, if a card is inserted on switching on" or "new bit-by-bit
comarison mode for copy&compare") or bug fixes (no non-trivial
software is errorfree, ever.[1])

- doubles as multi-card reader

Gee whiz, I really need another one.. they're so hard to find..

Gee wiz, another item to lug around!

- can be used in a belt pouch (feedback via LEDs, pull out and
check display in case of errors)
- can be driven one-handed

So can your car. More BS...

No, it can't. There are all these switches, buttons and levers
eg. for switching on the headlamps, the direction indicator,
the radio, gear (or automatic gear setting), air conditioning,
etc. etc. etc. ... and while you can direct a car in many
situations one-handed, it's very inconvenient and/or downright
dangerous in others.

But you are BS.

The tiny can do all with one push... put it in the car and forget about it
until you need a new card.

CUT- whole lot of the usual horse kaka

So you can insert the card one-handed?
No?
Thought so, Brainiac.

-Wolfgang

[1] Tough TeX is very close to errorfree.