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[OM] Re: Christmas is coming...

Subject: [OM] Re: Christmas is coming...
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 05 Nov 2005 20:57:54 -0800
Mike Lees wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I have been lurking for some time - so my apologies if you have already 
>discussed this but I am after your valued opinions on the various 
>portable file storage/viewers available now. My main requirements are:
>
>1) Copy photos off flash cards when out and about
>2) Portable photo album which could be used to show photos on the 
>built-in screen or a TV
>  
>
About three months ago, I went through the process of answering the same 
questions for myself.

When my only Digi was a 2mp, with relatively small JPEGs as output, I 
simply downloaded them at night into my little SONY VAIO for storage and 
review. But last year, with RAW files form a 6mp DSLR, the poor old 
300mz, 64mb Sony just choked. It sould do things, but was so slow as to 
be useless for the tasks. So I started looking for another solution.

I looked at some of the ones you have mentioned as well as Jobo 
<http://www.jobodigital.com/products/> and Xs-drive 
<http://www.xs-drive.com/>.

It was all very complicated until I forced my self to start clarifying 
which features were crucial to me, which nice to have, but not essential 
and which were of no interest. Being able to record TV wasn't on my hot 
list, but Iwonder if you have checked this out thouroughly. Were you 
thinking of recording something different that what someone else was 
viewing? If so, you would need a gadget with built-in tuner, including 
cable tuning. In the case of digital cable and satellite, even that 
wouldn't work. You could only record what the TV would see. If just 
using it to time shift a TV noone else is using should work fine.

My primary use was to be as storage for images files while traveling. I 
also wanted to be able to view the shots at a size and quality that 
would allow culling those that were out of focus or otherwise of no use.

Since I shoot mostly RAW on the DSLR, I needed the ability to view RAW 
files. I shoot a Can*n DSLR, so at least several products said they 
would view the RAW files. With Oly, there were none at that time. 
However, reading the specs, I found that it was fairly common to be able 
to zoom and pan display of JPEGs, but not RAW files. That meant only 
screens that were good enough to see focus and overall picture quality 
without zoom would do.

I passed on depending on TV output, as it just can't do justice to the 
images with most TVs and I didn't know what I might have available at 
any given time.

My son already had a video oriented gadget, Archos I think, and I took a 
lok at it. Nice gadget for him, but still photos were really a secondary 
feature, god for casual users with P&S cameras, but JPEG support only 
and limited functionality.

After lots of research, I decided that the only ones that met my needs 
were the Epsons. This may well have changed in threee months, of course. 
Once I knew what was available, what they could do and the costs, I 
stepped back to look at the broader picture of what I would be taking 
along. I would still be taking a portable computer, as there are things 
I need/want to do that require one. The other thing I realized I wanted 
was the ability to write backups of image files to disc.

Now the old VAIO sitll worked ok for dialup and direct connect Ethernet, 
but my wireless PC card was 802.11b only and the software wasn't really 
right for Wi-Fi hotspot use. And the 11g cards required 98SE, where I 
only had 98. Also, the old notebook, while very small and light by 
itself, had no built-in drives, so travel involved carrying extra bits. 
And the battery had died, so I was in for more expense to keep an out of 
date computer running. I figured adding 64mb of memory, to the 128mb 
max, upgrading to 98SE (no XP for me with so little memory) and a new 
battery was going to be about $300.

In the end, I bought one new gadget to do everything, a new VAIO compact 
notebook. With two 1gb CF cards for the 300D and one 1gb xD for the 
Fuji, I really don't need something I can carry around in the field, 
just a place to download in the evenings. Although bigger than the old 
one, it has a full size keyboard, bigger screen and built-in do 
everything optical drive. I added memory, so with a fast Centrino, 
1.256mb and an 80 gb drive, I expect it do do everything I need at least 
as long as the 6 years the old one lasted. Maybe longer, as the 
accelleration of application demands on hardware seems to have slowed 
down. Cost quite a bit less than the old one with external CD-R drive, 
too. And I still do processor intensive things on the desktop anyway.

There were 2-3 finalists after going over specs, reviews, forums, etc., 
finding the right combo of features, size, price, etc. I was leaning 
toward something cheaper, but then went and tried them out in person. 
The Sony had far the best screen and the best touchpad (Pointer sticks 
were out for me. Used 'em, don't like 'em.). I figured to be using 
whatever I got for years, so I went for a few dollars more. :-)

After a three week trip in the NE, I think I made the right choice for 
me. I was able to access email and the web most places one way or the 
other, keep up with correspondence, pay bills, etc. And it worked like a 
dream for photographic images. I could be on the road for months with it 
and run my finances, store an essentially unlimited number of images, 
stay in touch, even do my occasional consulting work. And now I can work 
anywhere around the house and yard again.

Although I had several image programs of one sort or another along, 
Picassa2 turned out to be perfect. It quickly indexed new files as they 
were downloaded, allowed me to browse and delete, all in a very simple 
interface. And it has built in CD/DVD burning.

At first, I had a frustrating time with it and another burner program. I 
spent way too long on a couple of evenings turning out DVDs with CRC 
errors in some of the files. I even thought the verify function in 
Picassa wasn't working properly. Finally, sense prevailed. I bought a 
new batch of DVDs, and suddenly all was well. Got home, popped the DVDs 
into the desktop and quickly had everything on the desktop, with backups.

Then I realized I had purchased something else too, without really 
realizing it. I now had a portable DVD player. Drop in a DVD, plug in a 
couple of headphones with a splitter, and we can have entertainment 
wherever we happen to be. Cool! Now my son is jealous, because he has 
separate A/V storage player and DVD player, and neither has anywhere 
near as big and good a screen. The wide screen proportions and wide 
viewing angle makes a big difference for this.

Hope some of this is of help.

Moose




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