Video Capture to an SSD - Opinions/Facts/Info Please?

[kjv1611]

I've got an idea to start using an SSD in place of a Samsung F3 hard drive for capturing video, and then dumping the captured video to the Samsung when it's finished.

So my question is if I fill up about 30GB of a 60GB or 80GB SSD 3 times a week, 52 weeks a year (a few weeks, will be more frequent), and then delete that 30GB shortly after filling it, will it cause any issues on that drive?

The only thing this SSD would be used for is this sole purpose of capturing about 30GB of Hi-Def video.

The reason I'm thinking of swapping is because I've noticed on a couple of occasions (since switching from HDV capture to HDMI direct capture over a Black Magic Intensity Pro card) that I've actually heard the system putting a hurting on that drive.

Prior to the WD Black and Samsung F1, probably, and maybe a few others, no single hard drive could keep up with the constant transfer speeds necessary to capture full 1080P or 1080i. The Samsung drive I'm using can handle the rates, but I think it is having a hard time, b/c it stays pretty full. If I were to begin using an SSD to capture to, and then dump the files to the hard drive for editing/archive, I think that would solve that issue.

Any thoughts on this idea? Would I end up killing the SSD within a couple of months, or should it last as long or longer than a hard drive?

 

[cdogg]

Even if you killed the SSD in a short period of time, you wouldn't be at any real risk, since the SSD is a short-term storage solution. That's on the plus side of course. On the downside, each storage location in flash is limited to the number of writes as you know. You're still talking 10,000 writes on cheaper drives that use MLC (multi-level cell) flash memory. I imagine even with frequent copying/deleting, it's going to last a while!

~cdogg
"All generalizations are false, including this one." - Mark Twain
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[kjv1611]

That's what I was thinking from all I had read so far.. particularly with the later models. Thanks for the thoughts.

If anybody has any other thoughts/suggestions, I'm all ears (or maybe eyes?)

 

[FredWagner]

Many of the current consumer hand held video cameras record directly to chips already - SD of various sizes - that's an SSD integrated into the camera. And you can swap the chip from the camera and into a slot on your PC, and copy to any drive or media you like...

Fred Wagner

 

[kjv1611]

True, but that won't work for our situation. I've thought about that. We're using a camera we've already got - HV20 by Canon that sends video over firewire/component/composite/hdmi. We're currently using HDMI, I'm through with firewire. Firewire was great except for the stupid crazy sensitivity to the firewire board on the camera.

But given that point, true, many cameras use flash memory... an SSD should fare better than an SD or CF card, I'd imagine.

 

[BadBigBen]

an SSD should fare better than an SD or CF card, I'd imagine.

definitely...

specially in terms of speed...

the other alternative I can think of would be using a WD VelociRaptor as the capture drive, that is only dedicated to that purpose...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[kjv1611]

Yeah, I didn't think about that, but I don't think it's write speed is rated as high as the samsung F3. The write speed is what I need. Then again, I guess, it's built to handle constant writes better than the 7200RPM drives.... and I am planning on putting in an SSD in place of the current system velociraptor anyway... may be a good idea... I'll have to think about it. Thanks for the idea, BBB.

 

[kjv1611]

60GB SSD is now in place as the capture drive, and we're moving files post-capture to the Samsung F3 1TB in an eSATA dock right now.

We've used the SSD to capture a few times so far, and so far so good. I think it was a good move. The non-stopped high transfer rates to the mechanical drive was going to end up being bad news, I think. At least for a non-enterprise-level drive.