Videoguys NAB2008 Report: G-Tech
If you’ve been a follower of our website then you know that I have
loved G-Tech G-Raids since their inception. These drives deliver
outstanding performance and reliability because they have built in
cooling. At NAB G-tech was showing off three new G-Raid drives that I
think are very exciting.
G-RAID3
The G-RAID3 family of drives will not replace the G-RAID2, but they
will be available as a step up model. What do you get with a G-RAID3
that makes it worth the extra bucks? First you get a Quad interface.
That means they’ve added eSata along with FireWire 400/800 and USB2.
I’m a really big fan of eSata. On the PC side you’ll find many
motherboards now shipping with external eSata connections. Our DIY6
machine has two. eSata is far more reliable and faster than either
FireWire or USB. GRAID3 also includes a quieter and smarter fan. It
will adjust it’s speed based on the cooling needed, giving you a much
quieter solution. Also there’s now a new “soft” power switch for
better reliability.
G-RAID Pro
No, this is not deja vu all over again! While G-Tech has resurrected
the G-Raid Pro name, this is not the same product at all. Based on the
G-SPEED eS chassis, it’s a 4 drive external solution that can be
configured as either a RAID0 or RAID5 using the integrated RAID
controller. I’m becoming a really big fan of RAID5. You get redundancy
and failsafe operation. If one of the drives fails, you don’t lose any
data and you can even keep editing. The G-Raid Pro is a triple
interface (FireWire 400 / 800 / USB2). At the show I asked if it was
possible that G-Raid Pro could have eSata as well. I didn’t get a hard
“No”, which tells me it’s still not set in stone. I hope they add
eSata. This would make the G-RAID Pro the least expensive eSata RAID5
solution on the market. While the internal RAID controller would limit
your ability to expand and stripe across multiple units, the price /
performance value of the G-RAID Pro would make it my top
recommendation for HD editors on a budget.
G-Raid mini 2
Just like the G-RAID3, the G-Raid mini2 gets a quad support, although
it’s just a triple interface – FW800/eSATA/usb2 – FW400 is through an
800 to 400adapter cable. Even more important you now get the option of
configuring it as a RAID0 or RAID1. What’s so cool about that? I see
it as a fantastic option for in the field. By capturing to a RAID1
mirror, you don’t have to worry about disaster striking. You get two
copies at the same time. For anyone using Adobe On Location I see this
as a must have storage solution for it. Also, the G-RAID mini can be
bus-powered via FireWire while connected eSATA – that’s cool!
http://www.videoguys.com/gtech.html
Gary
