Focus Enhancements FS-5 DTE Recorder

Overall Rating: SWEET

SUMMARY: Hard disk video recording gets more compact, more convenient, and adds some you’ve-got-to-see-it-to-believe-it logging tricks

TARGET APPS

Field production in a hurry; scripted productions that need efficient editing

WHAT IT COSTS YOU $2,195

WHAT’S COOL

The FS-5 starts a revolution in logging for field production; compact, great design; 100GB drive stores a lot of footage

WHAT’S MISSING

FCP only? C’mon.

Ratings

Products are rated for features, performance, ease of use and overall value.

Specs

Display: 2.5-inch color TFT LCD display; 320 x 240-pixel resolution

Input/Outputs: DV I/O: 25 Mbps; HDV I/O: MPEG-2 transport stream (19.8 or 25 Mbps); Computer: I/F: USB 2.0 (up to 480 Mbps) (1 x USB-A female); Video I/O: 1 x 6-pin IEEE-1394 (FireWire/i.LINK); GPI and RS-232C control (1 x 3.5mm minijack)

OS Compatibility: Windows XP, Vista; Mac OS X

Power Adapter: 11 – 18V DC; minijack power connector

Battery: Custom removable Li-ion rechargeable battery

Battery Capacity: Standard-capacity battery (180 minutes)

Dimensions: 2.75" wide by 5.4" high by 1.25" deep (70mm x 137mm x 32mm)

Weight: 12 oz. (0.34 kg)

Compliance: CE, C-Tick, FCC, and RoHS

Accessories Included: Standard-capacity Li-ion rechargeable battery (180 minutes), 4- to 6-pin FireWire cable, USB A-to-A cable

Optional Accessories: Standard-capacity Li-ion rechargeable battery (180 minutes)

www.focusinfo.com

Smart Advice

Even though the FS-5 is a great way to record DV and HDV footage, I would still roll a tape in the camera drive in tandem. Hard drives still fail, and you can look at the tape as an instant archive copy in case things go bad.

The FS-5 is one of the only devices I’ve ever seen that uses a USB "A"-style male-male cable to transfer footage. Keep the one that comes with it safe.

NOW SLEEKER, MORE SYNCHRONIZED

Bruce A. Johnson

November 1, 2008 Source: Studio Monthly

In the time I’ve been writing for video magazines, I’ve had the opportunity to test just about every hard drive recording device ever released. Some were OK, some were terrible, but few have shown as much promise as the drives built by Focus Enhancements. I still own and use an FS-3 for specialized recording jobs, like long records, for time – lapse and when I have a really fast turnaround edit. What could possibly be missing?

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