Grass Valley STORM MOBILE

What is the STORM mobile?

The STORM mobile adds analogue and HDMI inputs and outputs to EDIUS 6.  It replaces the popular HDSTORM PLUS, and does the same job and a few extras as well.

The STORM Mobile can work on either a laptop or desktop.  There are also two versions - one which works as an external device and plugs into an interface card inside your computer - either a PCIe card for a desktop computer or an Express card for a laptop computer.  The other version is designed to fit inside a tower case, and takes its power from the normal computer power supply, rather than needing an external power supply like the external STORM Mobile. 

What is the difference between the Internal and External versions

1. The external version has the advantage that you can use it on many different computers - you just need an interface card inside the machine (which you can buy separately for £99 +VAT). 
2. The external version also acts like a breakout box, so you can have your PC tower under the desktop with the breakout box on top.
3. The internal version is cheaper - it comes with the interface card for the same price as the external version without a card
4. The internal version does not need a separate PSU and if you are not moving your STORM from machine to machine, is tidier.

They have the same capture and playback abilities.

Buy just the STORM Mobile or the STORM Mobile with EDIUS

You can buy the STORM Mobile with or without EDIUS (something you could not do with the HDSTORM PLUS) which is a very welcome change for Grass Valley.  Now if you own EDIUS 6 you do not need to buy another copy just to get some extra hardware.

The STORM mobile is not hot-swappable

The External box is not hot-swappable (like other similar devices - the Matrox MX02 or AJA I/O Express).  This means if you want to disconnect the device you will need to turn off your computer, unplug it, then restart.  Conversely if you start the computer without the STORM Mobile connected you will have to turn off the computer, plug in the STORM Mobile, then restart. This is not unusual for this type of device.

You are saying the STORM Mobile has an external or internal version where as other website list out the "STORM mobile of laptops" or the STORM Mobile with Express34 card, what's the difference?

We decided calling the two different versions Internal and External was the simplest way to explain the differences.  A STORM Mobile with Express34 card is the External version with a laptop express card.  Others have called the external STORM mobile "STORM mobile of laptops", which is not a proper description - it will work on a laptop or a desktop, you just need the right interface card.  The external box is one which is outside the case, the internal box is one that goes inside the case.

Into which formats can you capture?

The STORM MOBILE can capture a variety of formats:

1. Canopus HQ - Grass Valley's own 8 bit format which records very good quality in easy to use files.  Each frame is a complete frame which makes it easy to edit.  An hour of 1920 HD footage will take about 80GB hard drive space.
2. Canopus HQX - A 10 bit version of Canopus HQ.  10 bit means better quality can be recorded because the extra bits save more colour information.  Most recording formats, like HDV, DV, AVCHD, most variations of XDCAM, are all 8 bit as are a lot final destinations for you redit - DVD, Blu-ray, H264 files.  However better quality in generally means better quality out.
3. AVC-Intra - Panasonic's format for high quality recording which saves each frame as a whole picture, so is easy to edit, and does so in 10 bit colour.
4. XDCAM-style MPEG2 files - A compressed format which does very good quality for a reasonable amount of disc space.  Obviously a good choice if you are mixing with other XDCAM footage as well. 

NB: only Canopus HQ was available with the HDSTORM PLUS - this is one of the big difference between the two.

The STORM Mobile can capture standard definition through SVIDEO, composite and component connections, and High Definition through Component and HDMI.

How do you get SVIDEO capture?

The breakout box does not have an SVIDEO socket - as you can see from the pictures here.  To get SVIDEO in and out you attach an adaptor to two of the component connections - the red and blue sockets.  This adaptor comes with the STORM mobile.  A simple setting inside EDIUS then tell it to capture through SVIDEO instead of component.  SVIDEO connections were not included because there simply was not the room.

What formats can the STORM Mobile output?

The full list of output formats is below.  The STORM Mobile can output all the standard HD and SD formats for DVD and Blu-ray discs, just like th eold HDSTORM and the HDSPARK.  It does not output 1920 50P/60P - for this you will need to buy the STORM 3G

What does the STORM mobile give me over my existing capture card?

STORM Mobile vs HDSTORM PLUS
The STORM Mobile can capture into more formats that the HDSTORM, included ones that work in 10 bit colour, which should mean better quality, and will work on laptop or desktop.   If you are just using the analogue inputs to capture old VHS or Hi8 recordings for archive onto DVD you are unlikely to see any quality gain because of the 10 bit capture - this is more useful for high-end work where you can capture the footage your camera is seeing directly on to the computer in high quality as opposed to using the footage after the camera has squeezed onto the SD card/hard drive etc. 

On output the STORM Mobile can output both an HD picture through HDMI and an SD picture through the analogue connections - at the same time.  This means you can edit in HD and watch both the full HD version and an SD version while editing.  Since most people will need to output both an SD and an HD version the finish their edit this means you can see what both look like when editing, rather than find our what the SD version looks like when you make the final disc.

The major advantage of the STORM Mobile is that it is mobile - you can use it on laptop or desktop, which you cannot do with the HDSTORM

STORM Mobile vs HDSPARK
There are two obvious advantages to the STORM Mobile - it is mobile, and it can capture as well as playback footage.  The HDSPARK is just and output card.  Even on the output the STORM Mobile has advantages over the HDSPARK because the SPARK can only output through HDMI - it has no analogue connections.  Some TVs with HDMI sockets will not work in standard definition, which means you cannot monitor standard definition with the HDSPARK.  If you get the right TV you can, but a lot of the time you do not know if it will work until you try it!  The screens we recommend at DVC for monitoring your timeline do work with the HDMI out of the SPARK.

The major advantage of the STORM mobile is that it can capture footage as well as playback.

STORM Mobile vs EDIUS NX or EDIUS SP
These older cards still work with EDIUS 6 and do an excellent job of capturing standard definition and outputting HD and SD video.  The STORM mobile has several advantages:

1. HDMI input and output for HD pictures.  HDMI was only just starting to be used when the NX and SP were invented so they do not have it.  Now it is the standard way to see high definition and will give a slightly sharper picture than the component connections of the EDIUS NX or SP
2. High Definition capture - NX and SP only capture standard definition.  We use the STORM HDMI capture for all our tutorials and for cameras not directly supported on the EDIUS timeline (there are not many but there are some).
3. HD and SD output at the same time.
4. The STORM Mobile can be used on laptop or desktop
5. The NX and SP are supported in EDIUS 6 but will probably not be supported in EDIUS 7 (whenever that appears - there is no hint that it is coming yet).  The STORM mobile is a new product and will be supported for years to come.
6. Some versions of the EDIUS NX and SP used an interface called PCI-X.  It worked really well but the standard interface these days is PCIe.  If you have a system working currently then you can just install EDIUS 6 and start editing.  However we have had customers who want to upgrade to a new system, using their old NX card, and unfortunately, because they are PCI-X they will not work in modern boards.

If you do want a system built around an NX or SP card you own we are happy to do so - just ring or email and we can discuss the details.  The NX and SP still do the execellent job they always did of course, just the STORM Mobile does more.

Key Features

• HDMI input/output for connectivity with HDMI devices and real-time monitoring from the included EDIUS NLE software (where included – see Ordering Information)
• Component, S-Video, and composite analogue video I/O
• 8-channel embedded audio through HDMI
• Unbalanced stereo analogue audio I/O
• Hardware down= conversion to monitor HD project in an SD monitor at the same time
• PCIe 1X card for desktop PC connection with power supply function
• ExpressCard/34 card for laptop PC connection
• Available in breakout box version as well as 5-inch drive bay mounted version
• 5V DC operation
• Windows 7 (32/64-bit), Windows Vista (32/64-bit), and Windows XP (32-bit) support

Specifications

Supported Capture Formats

Note: STORM Mobile will NOT capture analog video protected by Macrovison or CGMS-A.
*1 SD progressive video is captured as interlaced video.

STORM Mobile I/O

Bus Interface:
PCI Express Rev. 1.1 x1 lane or ExpressCard/34 card

Dimensions (WxHxD):
External model: 165 mm x 42 mm x 142 mm (6.5 in. x 1.7 in. x 5.6 in.)
Bay model: 148 mm x 42 mm x 142 mm (5.8 in. x 1.7 in. x 5.6 in.)

Weight:
External model: 1,200g (42.3 oz.)
Bay model: 800g (28.2 oz.)

Supported Output Formats

*1 If the attached HDMI monitor cannot receive an interlaced signal, STORM Mobile automatically converts that interlaced signal to progressive.
*2 Downconverted.