Cost-Effective Media Wrangling Redux

After using my new media wrangling kit in the field a few times, 我给它添加了一些附件，并意识到它值得重新审视 this entire premise. As in many cases, smaller is not always better, and when it comes to operating a computer, this is definitely the case.

The Setup

Previously, I had written about testing the WinBook 8" and 10" models 我之所以选择8寸，有几个原因:它更容易手持, it’s cheaper, and there’s no performance penalty when it comes to copying SD cards. It packs quite nicely in my camera bag; it’s actually smaller than my matte box.

I added an Inatek USB 3.0 hub with an integrated SD card reader (Figure 1, below). It's fast and integrated- simplifying setup. The USB hub would allow me to connect multiple devices. In one case, 我可以通过USB连接一个录音机，在SD卡读卡器复制视频文件的同时复制这些文件.

Figure 1. I’ve added an Inatek USB 3.0 hub to my setup.

The tablet runs off a USB power supply, so I brought a backup--always useful for charging a phone too. 一根1'的延长线使我能够将多个适配器插入已经满的电源板. 我还加了第二个读卡器以防我的主读卡器出问题. It all packed up pretty well, 现场复制文件的速度和我测试时一样快 我之前的一篇文章是关于如何制作一个性价比高的媒体辩论工具.

Software

There’s more to media wrangling than just copying folders. 在电影行业中，有媒体牧马人或数字成像技术人员的工会职位. Typically, 他们带来了一辆手推车，里面装满了一台功能强大的工作站级电脑, multiple monitors, lots of power, battery backup, and more (Figure 2, below). They not only copy media; they apply Look Up Tables (LUT) to RAW footage so people can get a better idea of what the footage will look like after it’s graded in editing. They can even do rough cuts if needed.

Figure 2. A typical DIT cart

At this low end, however, 我专注于将相机卡复制到客户提供的“口袋”硬盘驱动器上，并在拍摄完成后随身携带. This file copy can be done in the Windows desktop environment, 但是在检查复制的文件是否与源文件相同时, 有一种使用“校验和”的协议可以快速确定a和B是否相同.

I’m not going to delve deeply into it, 但是有一些Windows应用程序，比如Terracopy，可以执行桌面数据复制，也可以通过执行数学检查或对两边的数字数据进行“求和”来检查A = B. If both sums are the same, the data is verified to be the same.

还有一些视频备份软件包，比如红巨人的Offload (Figure 3, below), Scratch Play, and more. 但是，试图利用专用软件在这些预算机器上进行媒体争论存在两个问题:

1. The software wants a 64-bit OS. But because these tablets have so little RAM, the OS doesn't need to be 64-bit and is limited to 32-bit. So the media management apps won’t install.

2. The software is made for computers. 它们都不适合手指操作，也不适合带有大图标的触摸屏.

Figure 3. Red Giant Offload

既然可以在Windows桌面中卸载媒体，为什么还要使用软件呢? Two main reasons: speed and security. 该软件可以被设计为一次读取媒体并同时将其写入两个硬盘驱动器. This can greatly speed up the process. 其次，软件运行校验和，可以确认两个目的地的数据是准确的. 它还允许您查看复制的内容，从而简化了过程, when, so you can determine what you didn't yet copy, in case you ever lose track.

But with a 32-bit OS, 您目前因复制媒体而卡在Windows桌面中, even with Terracopy. 在用我可爱的8英寸小屏幕做了几份工作后，我受够了. 我把它拿回去，换了一个10英寸的屏幕，因为在8英寸的屏幕上触屏是非常烦人的. The tablet did its best to interpret my finger taps, 但我的指尖是窗户里盒子的三倍大, let alone the size of a drop-down arrow on a drive. Forget it.

And typing folder names? The on-screen keyboard worked fine, but it didn't always pop up automatically when I wanted it, like when I was creating or renaming folders. 所以我整个下午都在重复“调用它，使用它，然后告诉它走开”的事情. 现在再加上各种不能正确注册的点击和触摸，你就能理解我对这个小平板电脑的失望了. None of it is the tablet’s fault. I chose the tiny screen.

拥有外接蓝牙键盘和鼠标将大大简化这一过程, 但这就意味着我必须在出发前确保多个电池供电的设备都充好电, plus more clutter and clatter in the keyboard bag. 更重要的是，键盘和鼠标将屏幕向后推得更远，而它只有一个8英寸的屏幕. It’s meant to be in your hand.