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Matt Petrosky

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Posts posted by Matt Petrosky

  3. Canatrans - Panatape issue

    in Video Assist and Video Accessories

    Posted

    Hey Brooks,

     

    Not that this will solve your problem, but the Panatapes are notorious for having major grounding issues. The assistants on the show I did this spring continually sent Panatape units back and fourth to Panavision because of grounding issues. Ever opened one up? They are old technology and a mess of electronics inside, the Cinetape and Canatrans are modernized, with better/proper grounding. Try a Modulus with your setup, I bet you have the same issues, RF interfering with the electronics of the Panatape.

     

    So either your ACs find a nice restored Panatape, switch to a Cinetape or Sniper, or you accommodate them by moving your transmitter. As we all know, it pays to keep the ACs comfortable and happy.

     

    Cheers,

    Matt

  7. Backing up computer online

    in Off Topic

    Posted

    Dan, I physically destroyed my laptop a few years ago... paid $1200 to have a hard drive rebuilt to recover the only existing copies of some photos. Spent countless hours/days/weeks trying to rebuild Quicken files, email accounts, address books, invoices, etc. from corrupt and incomplete backup drives. Since then I have been very backup-diligent.

     

    I used to use CCC, which is a great program excepting the very bare-bones GUI (graphical user interface) which was developed by a programmer for techs and programmers. Then I came across SuperDuper!, which I now use and like, in a thread on MacOSXHints.com.

    http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/Sup...escription.html

     

    This program has a great user interface, allows smart updates so you don't have to recopy unchanged data (saves mucho time), and creates very reliable clones. I clone my laptop internal drive (with SuperDuper!) to two drives, one at home that's just a FW800 and another pocket drive that I can take with me or keep in my storage place. I also backup my documents folder (no large media), address book, palm desktop, Quicken, email, and some other personal settings to .Mac as a remote server. I figure the clone at home is always current within 1-7 days and would be my best bet if I had a total crash. The pocket clone is almost as current and would most likely cover me if my apartment had a fire or was robbed. If both clones and my laptop were destroyed I would still have CDs and DVDs (in my storage place) of my photos and most of my personal day-to-day data would be recoverable remotely from online.

     

    This all seems really redundant, but as you know these machines are such a core of our lives now, both for work and play, this effort to backup is WAY less work, time, and money then trying to recover improperly prepared from a crash or loss. In trying to smooth this workflow I've used just about every backup utility for the Mac from CCC to SilverKeeper to Retrospect to Bounce Back Pro to Déjà Vu etc. For what I do, I have found SuperDuper! to be the best, most reliable, and easiest to use.

     

    Here is an in-depth comparison of the avaliable Mac backup utilities, well worth a look:

    http://blog.plasticsfuture.org/2006/04/23/...ftware-harmful/

     

    .Mac now offers much more space (10-30GB) and higher monthly data transfer limits, I guess they are keeping up with the times. 10GB of remote storage is 100 bucks a year, which I think is worth it for the backup alone and as a bonus you get email accounts, web-hosting, etc.

    http://www.mac.com/web/en/Tips/75C3E2A6-35...C918615515.html

     

    I'm also looking into some other backup solutions, maybe a more comprehensive remote backup such as Crash Plan:

     

    http://www.crashplan.com/features/features.vtl

    http://www.crashplan.com/support/faq.vtl#pricing

     

    This would be expensive to use their servers, but not much to use a friend's.

    I'm also checking out Mirra from SeaGate:

    http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/...ersonal_server/

     

    And here's another thing to ponder--incremental backup systems. These would protect you against slow drive failures where files unknowingly become corrupt and no backup exists because the clones are all clones of the corrupt files. Utilities like System Optimizer X (now updated and replaced with Socks) help, but are not a cure-all, although Socks is another program that every serious Mac user should consider.

    http://www.mkd.cc/socks/

     

    Believe it or not, data tape is how many companies still do incremental backups--seems a bit much for my company, which is me and so I'm the IT guy that has to do all of this stuff. BLAHHhhhhhh! Time to get off-line. I need a beer.

     

    -Matt

     

     

    P.S. Jim your post is funny as hell!

  8. New Shining dvd

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    yeah well--the LG is going for $1000, and it doesn't play CD's--don't really want to make room in the rack for another component. I'll wait a little while longer.

     

    Yeah, I'm with you on this one Charles, 1K is too much. Back when the Laser Disc to DVD transition happened, Pioneer had a player that played both sides of Laser Discs without flipping, DVDs, and Audio CDs, and it had a nice wood finish. :P It's just time, in awhile the HD/Blu-Ray combos will be cheaper and do more.

     

    -Matt

  9. Connector for Arri power?

    in Batteries/Power

    Posted

    Oh, and someone, I think Fred Davis, gave me SI405 Z087 C3J2R as the part number for the lightweight version in a Teflon casing. I have a couple of these and they are great, really light and still rugged, a little bit longer then their brass/metal counterparts though.

     

    -Matt

  10. Connector for Arri power?

    in Batteries/Power

    Posted

    The ones I've used are S 105 Z087-130+. I think the 405 series is plastic and can save some weight, if you're counting every ounce.

     

    Afton is correct, S 105 Z087-130+ is the part number. It's weird because it is a male in-line connector with female pins, hence the Z. Fischer makes the two pin version with two different pin sizes, the Arri connector (part number above) is the larger of the two, hence the 087 in lieu of the 051.

     

    You will also need a collet (the metal part that clamps down on the cable to hold it firmly in the connector) such as E3 105.6/8.5. I think with Fischer the 5.6/8.5 refers to the diameter range of cable that this collet size fits, in millimeters. I know that this collet number is for a non-shielded collet. These are usually a little easier to work with then the two-peice shielded version, although a connector this big is easy anyway.

     

    Hope this helps,

    Matt

  17. NBC- Las Vegas - NO Insurance Policy

    in Legal / Business Practices

    Posted

    NBC/Universal/GE does not care about us. So it is our responsibility to stick together to protect our interests. I am not asking for anything the camera rental houses don't ask for and get. NBC/Universal/GE is creating an unfair business practice by not providing the same agreement that they give other vendors.

     

    WE MUST STICK TOGETHER ON THIS.

     

    THIS IS SO TRUE. It's ridiculous that a massive corporation like NBC/Universal can't cover our equipment. From a favor-for-a-friend to a full-rate union gig, having an insurance cert. is the one absolute must for me. This is something, that for many reasons, I feel really strong about... I will certainly help spread the word. Paramount tried to pull this on me last year, thankfully it ended up getting resolved. http://www.steadicamforum.com/forums/index...?showtopic=3271

     

    It's also disheartening to hear that they are treating you this way, especially considering all the legal/insurance rigamarole you have been though with them.

     

    Best,

    Matt

  20. Mt. Whitney '07

    in Off Topic

    Posted

    Actually I think the packs were somewhere around 52 pounds, and in Ron's case 40 of those pounds were taken up by his Hummel figurine collection. He just refuses to part with those charming porcelain figures that remind him of a time past--and remind me and Tom of the need for additional climbers. :)

     

    -Matt

  24. Moderator Duties

    in Forum Support

    Posted

    Let us not forget the hours of work that Erwin and the other moderators have put into cleaning up and organizing the forum. This place would be a lot less efficient and less useful without their unending commitment to maintaining this forum. As one who reads more then posting, it means a lot to have some organization to this place. Also, because they monitor the boards so closely, the moderators are often the fastest responders in times of need, again making this forum more useful.

     

    I don't always agree with their postings, but I can only imagine their frustration dealing with repeat posts by people that don't search and repeat arguments by people that like to argue.

     

    Anyway, thanks to the moderators for putting so much time and energy into something that we all take advantage of.

     

    Cheers,

    Matt

  25. Preffered Docking Stand

    in Cases/Carts/Stands and Transport

    Posted

    Hey Brooks,

     

    The bag I use is the Harrison Doctor Bag (click here). I just happened to have it from assisting. It is padded and I just got creative rigging it to the stand. Usually I use it not rigged to the stand. It will hold backup batts., long arm posts, J & D brackets, sunshade, a preston, etc., but if I get the new Hand Unit 3 I will probably want something to protect it a bit better. Right now the bag is better then a plain boat bag or nothing at all, but I'm sure someone has found something better out there.

     

    I like the doctor bag because it is not too big and was free because I already had it.

     

    Alec, thanks for your suggestion about the carabiner, I have one on my FI+Z and never thought to hang it by that.

     

    -Matt

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