2005Video Assist and Video Accessories forum
Portable HDD video recorder evaluation for field recording
21 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- A portable HDD recorder with video input/output and MPEG4 recording capability at 640×480 resolution at 30 fps exists as a compact alternative to dedicated video cameras.
- The device requires approximately 25 seconds startup time before recording can begin, which limits its usefulness for spontaneous field video capture.
- Switching between recording and playback modes on the device is cumbersome and not intuitive for operational use.
- The unit performs adequately for delayed playback of recorded television content with an acceptable display quality.
- At the time of evaluation, the device was priced around 400 euros or approximately 500 US dollars.
Depends on
- The evaluation was conducted in 2005, making specifications and market relevance obsolete.
- The device operates in MPEG4 SP format with ADPCM stereo sound in AVI format, which may not meet professional broadcast standards.
- The review explicitly states the device was not suitable for onboard field recording due to startup delays and interface issues.
- Exact data rate specifications were not confirmed by the reviewer.
- The device was sold under multiple brand names, suggesting unclear manufacturer identity.
- Regional codec support (NTSC versus PAL) was noted as a concern but not definitively resolved.