How to Backup/Store your HD files from the cam

[Ledgy]

Hi Robb,

 

this might be a question especially for you, cause you already have one same camera model, like I have. But maybe there are other members, who can help, too.

 

I do have 2 Sony Cams (one Handycam HDR-CX6 and the HXR-MC1P). Both take large AVCHD Files (m2ts) on Memory Stick Pro Duo .

 

How would you store/backup all your movies taken with this cams while you are on longer trips / make a journey? Do you have many Memory Sticks, or do you take your laptop with you. I don´t want to take my laptop with me on every journey I make and search for another solution. Does somebody know wether there is an external HDD, which can backup files from these cams, while directly connected to the device - without a laptop? Remember, this HDD should recognize and handle m2ts files!

 

I only find a DVD-Burner for that job on the sony side, until know.

[robbalvey]

^ I buy a bunch of memory sticks and treat them kind of like I did DV tapes. I use one memory stick per day (either 8gb or 16gb depending on how much footage I think I'll shoot each day). When I get back to the hotel I transfer all of that footage to a portable hard drive. That way I have TWO backups of it just in case. During the trips I keep the memory sticks and portable hard drives in two seperate bags...again, just in case!

 

When I get back home from a trip, I transfer it all to a larger external hard drive as well as keeping the portable hard drive back up. I think erase the memory sticks once I feel confident that I have all the footage backed up in two places.

 

--Robb

[Ledgy]

I´m not that informed about the portable devices, cause of that I post this topic. Thought the most ones only backup the standard file formats directly. Which device can handle m2ts files from memory sticks? That´s exactly what I´m searching for. Do you have an example where I can find one.

I confirm in having a backup feels much safer Taking all these movies and pictures and stand to loose them somehow will be very annoying.

[robbalvey]

Portable hard drives should be back to backup any files. It's just a like a hard drive on your computer. It appears on your desktop like any other hard drive and you just copy the files over to it. I put my memory stick into a USB reader and that comes up as one hard drive, and then the portable hard drive comes up on the screen and just copy the files from one HD to the other. Easy!

 

These are the ones I use:

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=740

 

--Robb

[Ledgy]

Oh, sorry. I think there is a missunderstanding. Thougth you use one without using your computer to make the backup of the cards, while you´re on the trip. This drive won´t work without a Computer, like I understand the description.

 

I search for a device which works for itself. You push the card in it and it will do a backup of the files on it. There is my problem. I only know portable backup devices made for picture-files or standard-mpg-files and so on. But never find informations about a device, which works with m2ts-files, too. I found exactly two devices with informations about that function from this company, until now. But they are very expensive in comparison to normal devices.

 

Maybe someone knows a better solution than I found for a backup of m2ts files WITHOUT using the pc on trips.

 

EDIT1: ... OK, this would also be the portable device I searched for, but it doesn´t support my cams, they´re to old. What a bummer!

EDIT2: ... Seems I have shopping fever, now! Actual solution is gettin a new cam Then I never had to start this topic The new cams (from this year) will have so much solutions... We´ll see...

Edited May 7, 2010 by Ledgy

[robbalvey]

Yeah, this is not equipment I know anything about, sorry.

[PKIDelirium]

These are the ones I use:

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=740

 

--Robb

 

Wow, only $149 for a 650GB (and sleek looking) ready to use portable?!

 

I remember when an 80GB internal drive cost $50 or more.