CF-to-SATA hardware interface for RAW recording (fork)

[pascalc]

Good luck. Hope you'll succeed, this is an important step to make raw video workable.

[ease]

Absolutely, Good luck ! Wish you the best, the easiest to succeed !

[Andy600]

[albert-e]

Good news...the test tool, a CF extender connected to a Canon 7D CF slot works. That means a small step to a mile.
Next step is to connect the IDE interface. A video is rendering while I write.

I can't perform an attachment here, why? How to?


Thanks to all the well wishers!!

Update: Here's the video:

[swrightgfx]

Hi Guys,

I have been following this for some time and have been exploring a little myself. It seems, albert-e, that you are at least getting somewhere with an over-the-counter solution.

In contrast, I have been in contact with a manufacturer in China, who specialises in data adapters and claims they can do it. They have quoted a price, but only on a significant number of units, with upfront commitment. I just emailed them to see if they can prototype an adapter first for development. I can't imagine this being a fast process, but if they can get it to work, I should be able to get units into production mid-September, once I have completed my migration to Malaysia.

Hopefully not much longer!

[albert-e]

Hi Guys,

I have been following this for some time and have been exploring a little myself. It seems, albert-e, that you are at least getting somewhere with an over-the-counter solution.

In contrast, I have been in contact with a manufacturer in China, who specialises in data adapters and claims they can do it. They have quoted a price, but only on a significant number of units, with upfront commitment. I just emailed them to see if they can prototype an adapter first for development. I can't imagine this being a fast process, but if they can get it to work, I should be able to get units into production mid-September, once I have completed my migration to Malaysia.

Hopefully not much longer!

Eventually,we'll be there but at this moment, it's too early yet. I'll focus on the test plan.We'll see, I'm pretty sure we'll be there. Close but not quite.

...

[5D3shooter]

I know some good guys in China that have helped me with many things and I tipped them off on this too, because I want them to make some money if they can do it.  A lot of people are working on this, it's just a matter of time.

[albert-e]

I know some good guys in China that have helped me with many things and I tipped them off on this too, because I want them to make some money if they can do it.  A lot of people are working on this, it's just a matter of time.

Good...I'll stick with Hardware interface test plan:
(1) CF Interface Adapter - Done
(2) IDE & SATA Interface Adapter - In the process, waiting for IDE interface to come this week.

and the software interface test (ML,if any) plan in the near future.

Everything step is inching towards a mile. We'll update soon,

...

[Roman]

Sheesh getting carried away a bit, Why even discuss mass production, when it's not even confirmed that it's possible to work yet?

[albert-e]

Sheesh getting carried away a bit, Why even discuss mass production, when it's not even confirmed that it's possible to work yet?

I just want to try and see where it leads me to, no hidden agenda. If you're a hacker, you'll know what I mean!

[sm105]

albert-e, it's exciting to read about your results, but wasn't it discussed earlier that the camera is not using IDE protocols? Do you have plans for a work-around?

[driftwood]

http://www.glyn.com/data/glyn/media/doc/ATP_IG_CFast_card_spec_v1.0.pdf

Is CFast technology worth the look?

[atarijedi]

http://www.glyn.com/data/glyn/media/doc/ATP_IG_CFast_card_spec_v1.0.pdf

Is CFast technology worth the look?

CFast is simply the SATA version of Compact Flash, which is PATA(IDE). It would have been nice if Canon had made the 5d3 a CFast device, 2 slots, 1 CFlash, 1 CFast!

[albert-e]

albert-e, it's exciting to read about your results, but wasn't it discussed earlier that the camera is not using IDE protocols? Do you have plans for a work-around?

CF is simply an ATA device ( IDE ), just search and you'll see all the CF-IDE adapters.

[ease]

It would have been nice if Canon had made the 5d3 a CFast device, 2 slots, 1 CFlash, 1 CFast!

It would have been nice if Canon had made the 5d3 a SSD Slot, CF slot and sd slot, a firewire 800, a thunderbolt and a USB 3 plug...

[AnotherDave]

There is a lot of dreaming on here... so I'm going to dream a little too!

The solution for this isn't going to be a simple CF to SSD adapter.  Someone needs to design a CF/SSD hybrid comprised of a CF card that has only a giant buffer memory that is then sent via some cable externally to an SSD.

The whole point is to get the fastest possible write speed to open up more features... like 3.6K recording.

[Samuel H]

^ That sounds unnecessarily complex, you can get the same result with the relatively dumb CF-to-SSD device that people are trying to design
(not saying we'll get 3.6K recording, just that anything that is possible with your concept should be possible, in principle, with the "simple" CF-to-SSD device too)

btw: I don't think I posted this, but I abandoned this project when I saw there were lots of more qualified people, even firms, working on it

[g3gg0]

^ That sounds unnecessarily complex, you can get the same result with the relatively dumb CF-to-SSD device that people are trying to design

CF is simply an ATA device ( IDE ), just search and you'll see all the CF-IDE adapters.

no, no and no. CF is not "simply IDE". NO!

if you look at the specs, CF has a lot of stuff beside an ATA compatible protocol.
and canon currently relys on this data. look in CF spec for CIS (card information structure)

[albert-e]

CF conforms to ATA specification and not to be confused when the term IDE device that is used synamously. http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/definition/IDE

And this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CompactFlash and this: http://www.galaxystor.com/PDF/CF%20Specs/023gdoc0011.pdf

We are all agree that sometimes it is all so confusing with all the technologies these days. As the say,""IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, TRY, TRY AGAIN. Don't give up too easily; persistence pays off in the end, until I am convinced that it can't be done I'll pursue but at least we try. And that's important, "It's the thrill of the journey not the destination."

If at this stage, "g3gg0", if you are not convinced that it'll work or even if you have slight sign of doubt , then say so. We should try that is all I'm saying (software and support is the important part of the puzzle) and believe me...it is worth it. In the end, we can all bravely say,"Hey, we tried"

:-)

[g3gg0]

it is possbile, but i ask to address these aspect:
a) the ATA protocol is just a subset of the CF standard.
b) IDE/SATA drives implement only that subset.
c) canon uses the CIS and FCR structures which are not part of ATA

-> dumb adapter will not work without software hacks

[AnotherDave]

-> dumb adapter will not work without software hacks

People need to concentrate on a way to design a low cost, smart adapter that can give the full potential write speed of the camera.  If that is 167MB/sec... then that means we'll be able to get 3.6K out of this sucker, and that is the ONLY THING I could consider buying.

Otherwise, KB CF cards are fine by me...

[albert-e]

it is possbile, but i ask to address these aspect:
a) the ATA protocol is just a subset of the CF standard.
b) IDE/SATA drives implement only that subset.
c) canon uses the CIS and FCR structures which are not part of ATA

-> dumb adapter will not work without software hacks

Good,you pointed out the software interface.I hinted that from previous post that if need be, the software hacks are needed.

[AnotherDave]

A software hack to allow this to work would make this device ONLY viable in a Canon DSLR... why limit it if a hardware solution is more practical, and could give the desired write speed.  *All signs have pointed to a dumb-cable solution as not being possible.

[albert-e]

A software hack to allow this to work would make this device ONLY viable in a Canon DSLR... why limit it if a hardware solution is more practical, and could give the desired write speed.  *All signs have pointed to a dumb-cable solution as not being possible.

If the software hack works, there are advantages to look for. I can mention a few,i.e. (1) Storage (more room for raw videos), (2) A passive adapter that was called "dumb" can be "smarter" with some additional hardware add-on design. We can start from there...how about that?

[albert-e]

Okay, this is something new but not quite old (April 2013):

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/printnews/Toshiba-Starts-Sales-of-CompactFlash-Memory-Card-for-DSLRs/7281

This might have done it:

It says "The EXCERIA PRO CF cards integrate Toshiba’s NAND flash memory and specially developed dedicated firmware. They achieve a read speed of 160 MB/s and write speed of 150 MB/s, the highest level yet reported, according to the company  .
The new cards are compliant with the CompactFlash Association (CFA) standard CompactFlash Specification Revision 6.1 and compatible with the UDMA7 high speed interface, ensuring they can support high performance DSLRs to the fullest. The cards are also compatible with the latest “Video Performance Guarantee Profile 2” standard, VPG-65. VPG-65 secures Full HD video capture streams at a minimum write speed of 65 MB/s for compatible host devices and recording media. VPG-65 enables 4K resolution (a digital movie file format with horizontal resolution of approx. 4,000 pixels and vertical resolution of approx. 2,000 pixels) movie shooting and high quality Full HD video capture at high frame rates with no dropped frames."

So it means, Canon 5D Mark III can take advantage...the rest of the line - not so much.