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makes video editing perfect User Manual for the VIDEOSTATION Montaña and Montaña Grande On the following pages you will be introduced to the technology inside the VIDEOSTATION Last update: July 2010 Version 1.05 Table of Content Introduction................................................................................................................. 5 Scope of Delivery ....................................................................................................... 6 CPU and Chip Set ...................................................................................................... 7 INTEL Turbo Boost®............................................................................................... 8 INTEL Hyper Threading®........................................................................................ 9 INTEL QuickPath®................................................................................................ 10 The RAID Technology – An Introduction .................................................................. 12 Controlling the RAID – The Matrix Storage Manager ............................................... 16 Handling and Symbols .......................................................................................... 16 Hard Disk Drive Failure ......................................................................................... 17 Recovery after RAID Failure ................................................................................. 18 Building a RAID..................................................................................................... 19 Expanding the RAID.............................................................................................. 23 Deleting a RAID Volume ....................................................................................... 28 Controlling the RAID – Intel Rapid Storage Technology........................................... 31 Handling and Symbols .......................................................................................... 31 Hard Disk Drive Failure ......................................................................................... 32 Recovery after RAID Failure ................................................................................. 32 Building a RAID..................................................................................................... 34 Changing RAID settings........................................................................................ 37 Expanding the RAID.............................................................................................. 39 Deleting a RAID Volume ....................................................................................... 42 Activating and Partitioning Hard Disk Drives or RAID Volumes under Windows... 44 Partitioning of Hard Disk Drives or RAID Volumes................................................ 47 Connections on the Front Side ................................................................................. 52 Enclosures for Hard Disk Drives ........................................................................... 52 The BluRay Drive .................................................................................................. 52 The Multi Format Panel “ICY Box” ........................................................................ 54 The Sound Card ....................................................................................................... 57 Properly Connecting the Sound System ............................................................... 60 Creative Entertainment Mode ............................................................................... 63 The Windows Operating System .............................................................................. 65 Testing Additional Operating Systems .................................................................. 65 Changing the Boot Priority .................................................................................... 66 In Case of Emergency: Recovery of the Operating System...................................... 68 Supplied Software .................................................................................................... 78 Support ..................................................................................................................... 80 The Serial Number................................................................................................ 80 Removing the Left Casing..................................................................................... 81 Contacting the Support ......................................................................................... 82 Terminology This table describes the abbreviations used in this manual. GB Gigabte (1,073,714,824 Bytes) MHz Megahertz (a million Hertz) GHz Gigahertz (a billion Hertz) KB Kilobyte (1,024 Bytes) MB Megabyte (1,048,576 Bytes) Mb Megabit (1,048,575 Bits Introduction Dear video enthusiast! Thank you very much for having confidence in our products and for purchasing a VIDEOSTATION, a PC especially designed for video editing. This manual will explain all the technical functionality and help you in working with your new editing suite. The popularity of the VIDEOSTAION is based not only on our service, but also on the technological innovations that we have been integrating into the editing suite since 1998 in order to safeguard the workflow, the compatibility to current video editing software, and data security. A unique feature of the VIDEOSTATION is its hardware-based RAID. This faulttolerant hard disk drive is your main memory for all your transaction data, therefore it is quite useful to be informed about it. Another outstanding feature of the VIDEOSTATION is its card reader, which masters 50 different formats current camcorders are working with. On assembly, each VIDEOSTATION is supplied with a so-called “image”, into which its basic configuration is being “engraved”. Should, for example, your editing suite become unusable due to a software failure, you can restore its original configuration within 30 minutes, on demand even including you personal editing software. All the necessary software is included in the delivery. A VIDEOSTATION is a very reliable device. Should, however, extraordinary problems occur, you can rely on our extensive services. In our first year of warranty, for example, we provide an online service by which we can operate your computer through the internet just as if we would if we were sitting right in front of it. In case of software problems, we are in continuous contact with the various developers of your editing software. We hope that you will find the reading as entertaining as educational. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us at [email protected]. The whole team responsible for assembling and servicing the VIDEOSTATION wishes you success in working with your new VIDEOSTATION. Yours sincerely Eugen Siwon Dipl.-Ing. of computer engineering and developer of the VIDEOSTATION Videostation User Manual [5] Scope of Delivery Included in the delivery are the following items: - the editing suite computer, the VIDEOSTATION a color-coded keyboard and a USB laser mouse, or a cordless keyboard and laser mouse a transparent envelope with a technical documentation an operating system license with certificate of authenticity an IEC connector cable a bag with optional connector cables for the internal power supply unit at least two keys for the hard disk drive enclosures Videostation User Manual [6] CPU and Chip Set A smooth processing of tasks for sophisticated software is provided for by the most powerful INTEL processors. These multi-core CPUs provide a much better workflow, as several cores are ready for new tasks, so that the system does not have to wait for resources to become available. As all leading processor manufacturers have introduced multi-core CPUs to the market, more and more software developers support them, and their programs can multiply their performance. But choosing and assembling hardware components is only a part of what contributes to a better workflow. This is where the main advantages of the VIDEOSTATION come into play. As an aside: When creating a VIDEOSTATION, more time is spent on settings for the system and the software than on the assembly of the numerous hardware elements. In contrast to other manufacturers, who often use mid-range CPUs that cost less but also perform less well, a VIDEOSTATION is using high-end CPUs only. A good example is a quad-core processor codenamed “Lynnfield”, which is also a member of the Nehalem class but is equipped with only 2 instead of 3 memory channels compared to the Core i7. Furthermore, the VIDEOSTATION Grande models are equipped with at least 4 GB of fast DDR3 RAM, which guarantees the rapid buffering of important data. The working memory, also called main memory or RAM, is the part of a computer where data and program instructions are being provided for the microprocessor and can be retrieved when needed as long as the computer is supplied with power (volatile memory). Everything else is being stored on the hard disk drive. Generally, it is not the speed of a memory but its size that results in a “felt” faster workflow, as more data can be retrieved from the aforementioned volatile but very fast RAM. Please keep in mind that the current 32-bit operating systems by MICROSOFT (Windows XP and Vista) can use only up to 4 GB RAM. More RAM is only making sense with 64-bit operating systems like Windows Vista and its immediate successor, Windows 7. If you are planning for an upgrade, please contact our technical support for advice. In our documentations you can find all the information about the memory chips installed in your VIDEOSTATION. If you are interested in the recent technologies of INTEL processors and chip sets, you will find further explanations on the following pages. Videostation User Manual [7] INTEL Turbo Boost® Turbo Boost is some sort of overclocking automatic that is stepping up the frequency of a 4-core processor in case of a high processor load. This technology, developed by INTEL, enables the processor to analyze the upcoming tasks and to divide them into groups using one, two, or four cores. With the help of Turbo Boost technology, this categorization allows for an even more efficient and focused processor performance for programs. If, for example, an application can only support a single core, the Turbo Boost technology would detect this and allocate more performance to the respective core. In order to make this increase in performance functioning properly, correct cooling is a top priority. The following figure illustrates this very well. Figure 1 Please note that this technology is only available with VIDEOSTATIONs equipped with Nehalem microarchitecture (Core i5 and i7). Videostation User Manual [8] INTEL Hyper Threading® The INTEL Hyper Threading technology supports multi-thread applications in carrying out multiple tasks simultaneously, so that they can run more than one application faster and more effectively. With INTEL Hyper Threading technology, the operating system can process up to eight parallel sequences of instrucion, so-called “threads”. This development will broaden the horizon of multitasking significantly – it will become simpler, faster, and safer than ever. Figure 2 Please note that this technology is only available with VIDEOSTATIONs equipped with Nehalem microarchitecture (Core i5 and i7). Videostation User Manual [9] INTEL QuickPath® INTEL is describing this technology as follows: “It unleashes the performance of multi-core processors”. INTELs QuickPath technology is based on a point-to-point high-speed interconnection between the processors for the redistribution of working memory, usually called RAM. This technology allows for a parallel operating capacity for INTELs microarchitechtures Tukwila and Nehalem. These are the first microarchitectures that implement the INTEL QuickPath interconnection system for significant improvements in their overall performance. Figure 3 With INTELs QuickPath technology, each core is equipped with an integrated memory controller, a high-speed interconnection, connection processors, and other components allowing for: - Dynamic, scalable, and connected bandwidth to support the full capacity of Nehalem, Tukwila, and future generations of INTEL processors. Supreme memory performance and flexibility to support memory technologies. Firmly integrated and interconnected reliability and applicability with scalable configurations for an optimal balance between price, performance, and energy efficiency Videostation User Manual [ 10 ] Figure 4 Please note that this technology is only available with VIDEOSTATIONs equipped with Nehalem microarchitecture (Core i5 and i7). Videostation User Manual [ 11 ] The RAID Technology – An Introduction A RAID system consists of several hard disk drives of a computer that are integrated into one or more logical volumes that allow for either high data integrity in case of a failure of one or more hard disk drives, or increased data throughput than with a single hard disk drive. The user, however, does only see one or more drive letters. Furthermore, more complex RAID systems also allow for a combination of data integrity and increased speed. This proves to be advantageous to non-linear video editing in several ways. The raw material digitalized by the camcorder as well as project data usually remain in the hard disk drive until the very end of the project. By now, word has gotten around that this hard disk should be a drive of its own, separated from that of the operating system. Yet, time and again, the work of days or weeks gets lost because exactly that hard disk drive gets damaged or is quitting for unknown reasons. Precisely that is being prevented by, for example, a fault-tolerant RAID 5, which consists of at least 3 hard disk drives. If one drive fails, all the data remains intact. Another method for video editing is RAID 0. At least 2 hard disk drives are integrated into a fast volume in order to achieve an increased data throughput for recording or multi-track replay of sophisticated video formats like Panasonic’s DVCPRO HD, Sony’s HDCAM, or even “uncompressed”. With a VIDEOSTATION, both variants can be realized. Thanks to the simple and innovative handling of the hard disc enclosures that are being used in assembling the VIDEOSTATION, even unpracticed PC users can expand or reconfigure their RAID volume quickly. This is made even more easy by the software tool “INTEL Matrix Storage Manager” with its user-friendly interface. A whole chapter in this manual is devoted to it. Tried and tested RAID levels for the VIDEOSTATION are RAID 5 and, if required, also RAID 0. But that is not all there is. On demand, other level like RAID1 or 10 can be implemented (explanations can be found on the following pages). Users with professional experience will know about the RAID technology. And they will think of it as having high performance and being very reliable, but also rather expensive. A VIDEOSTATION already includes all the necessary hard- and software “ex works”. No doubt an impressive feature! It must be admitted, though, that this internal solution also has its limits. Specifically, the quality of the controller chips used is limited by the necessity to keep the price of the VIDEOSTATION attractive. Please do not expect that formats like so-called “Uncompressed-2k” (uncompressed video with a resolution of about 2,000 x 2,000 pixels per frame) and 3 tracks can be processed flawlessly. If you are interested in that, please ask us about the external RAID solutions that have been developed for such specific purposes and come with their respective special advantages. Videostation User Manual [ 12 ] Which include: - faster data transfer rates higher capacities operating only if actually used, therefore reducing energy consumption and immissions access of different users through the network (shared storage) integrated back-up functionality RAID Level 5 Let us first study the features of RAID level 5. For the implementation of a RAID 5, at least 3 single hard disc drives are needed. These drives become interconnected using a RAID software (we are using the Matrix Storage Manager by INTEL) and the raid controller hardware included in the VIDEOSTATION. This provides high data integrity and, at the same time, a good data throughput. However, you have to accept a loss of capacity the size of one hard disk.( 1/n = 1/number of single drives), as fault tolerance is being achieved by distributing parity data throughout all hard disk drives. An example with three 500 GB hard disk drives: (3 x 500 GB) * 1/3 = about 1,000 GB (1 TB) payload and a 500 GB safety buffer, as the following figure illustrates. Figure 5 As you can see, the RAID5 array stores on each hard disk backup files, called parity data, of the other two drives. Therefore, no harm is done should any the the hard disk drives in the array fail: Because of this redundant storage mechanism no data will be lost. Another advantage of the RAID 5 is the high throughput of data compared to a single hard disk drive, with the single drive achieving about 115 MB/s while the array performs at up to 180 MB/s. Videostation User Manual [ 13 ] RAID Level 0 The two advantages of a RAID 0 when compared to a RAID5 are easily found. The greatest advantage of this standard is that the RAID can be implemented without any loss of capacity, because the RAID 0 standard does not operate which parity data that would utilize memory capacity. The other advantage is an even higher data throughput of about 215 MB/s. With such high speed you will have no problem transferring uncompressed 10-bit-1080p-HD video sequences to the VIDEOSTATION. Unfortunately, the disadvantages of the RAID 0 standard cannot be denied. As already indicated, no backup data is being created. This means that if a single hard disk in this array fails, the data of all the other drives will be irrevocably lost, too. Therefore, we recommend to all our customers with increased safety requirements to abstain from this variant and instead use one of our external hard disk drives that allow for higher transfer rates as well as fault tolerance. The following image illustrates the setup of such a RAID 0. Figure 6 As you can see, the data blocks are being distributed across both hard disk drives (this is also called “striping”). Videostation User Manual [ 14 ] RAID Level 1 RAID 1 simply stands for the mirroring of data on another hard disk drive, meaning that the sole purpose of a RAID 1 is data integrity. Such a RAID can be implemented with only two disks. Due to the double read and write loads, the data throughput of such an array is too unreliable for a linear recording of video and is therefore mostly used with “conventional” data servers. RAID Level 10 Finally, there is RAID 10. It is a combination of a RAID 1 and a RAID 0 (therefore its nomination, “10”). For this type of array, at least 4 hard disk drives are needed. Its main disadvantage is that only half the drives provide usable volume, resulting in higher costs. The advantages are similar to those of a RAID 5. The RAID 10 standard provides high data integrity and a equally high data throughput. Videostation User Manual [ 15 ] Controlling the RAID – The Matrix Storage Manager Software Version < 9.0 – before January 2010 * Handling and Symbols Figure 7 This Figure shows the normal state of the RAID (see “Status: Normal” on the right). In this state, the RAID is fully functional and provides maximal data throughput. * With Windows 7, a new version of the Matrix Storage Manager is available under a new name and with a partially different functionality. Read more about it in Controlling the RAID – Intel Rapid Storage Technology. Videostation User Manual [ 16 ] Hard Disk Drive Failure Figure 8 Should a hard disk drive fail or be removed from its enclosure, the raid is being downgraded (see “Status: downgraded” on the right). In this state, the RAID can not operate at its top speed. In order to rectify the fault, first you have to find out which drive is faulty. Do as follows: 1. Click on the two operating hard disk drives and write down the serial numbers (that correspond to those on the labels on top of the drives) 2. Shut the VIDEOSTATION down 3. Take all hard disk drives out of their enclosures in order to compare the serial numbers on the drives with those that you wrote down (they are marked with “S/N:” (e. g. 5VM0BHVN) 4. Remove the failed disk and contact the Vasquez customer service (see the chapter on support information) Videostation User Manual [ 17 ] Recovery after RAID Failure If you replace a failed or missing hard disk drive, the RAID will be recovered (see “Recovery: x % completed” on the right). PLEASE NOTE: In this state, the RAID can not operate at full speed! Figure 9 If there is no important data on the RAID volume, you could also delete and rebuild it. Within a few minutes and mouse clicks, it will be fully operational again. You can find more information on this in the chapters “Deleting a RAID Volume” and “Building a RAID”. Videostation User Manual [ 18 ] Building a RAID In this case, a RAID 5 Figure 10 First, you have to start a program called “INTEL Storage Manager” (if there is no symbol on your desktop for it, please select Start, Programs, INTEL, …). In the tab “Actions”, choose “Create RAID Volume”. Videostation User Manual [ 19 ] Figure 11 Then, click on “Next” Figure 12 Volume Name: can be freely selected RAID Level: we suggest RAID 0 or RAID 5 Strip Size: usually left unchanged Videostation User Manual [ 20 ] PLEASE NOTE: Usually, the strip size is preconfigured correctly. However, certain manufacturers of video editing software and especially the respective codecs expect different settings. CANOPUS Edius 5 for example requires a strip size of 128 KB in order to process HD video flawlessly. AVID Liquid, XPRESS, and Media Composer can also work with 64 KB. Figure 13 Select all hard disk drive with a double click, then click on “Next” Videostation User Manual [ 21 ] Figure 14 Volume Size: can be freely selected PLEASE NOTE: Windows XP can not manage more than 2,000 GB! Please move the slider below a volume size of 2,000 GB or directly enter a value into the box. Figure 15 Finally, select “Finish”. The Raid volume will be created now. Videostation User Manual [ 22 ] Expanding the RAID First, you have to start the program “INTEL Storage Manager” (double-click on the symbol in the task bar) Figure 16 - right-click the name of the RAID volume you want to expand with your mouse choose “Modify Volume” in the context menu the “Modify RAID Volume Wizard” will open up Videostation User Manual [ 23 ] Figure 17 Click on “Next” Figure 18 Volume Name: can be freely selected Videostation User Manual [ 24 ] Check the box name “Volume Capacity Expansion” and select “Add one or more member hard drives”. Then click on “Next”. Next, a dialog box will appear where you can choose the hard disk drives to be added: Figure 19 Select the drives to be added with a double click or with a single click on the arrow. When all new drives have been selected, click on “Next”. Videostation User Manual [ 25 ] Figure 20 Finally, select “Finish”. The preparations for the expansion of the volume are now finished. Figure 21 Videostation User Manual [ 26 ] Depending on the capacity of the hard disk drive, completing this process (also called “Migration”) can take up to 12 hours. During this time, the volume can not operate at full speed, and frame-dropping might become a problem. Therefore, we suggest the expansion of the RAID to happen over night or whenever else you won’t need the VIDEOSTATION. Please keep in mind that Windows XP cannot manage volumes with more than 2 TB (about 1,000 GB). The total capacity of the RAID may be larger, but it has to be divided into volumes of up to 2 TB. Otherwise, the Device Manager will not recognize these as partitions. Excursus: hard disk drive capacities: When calculating capacities, drive manufacturers use powers of 10. A Gigabyte would therefore consist of 109 Byte. But computers use powers of 2. A Gigabyte here consists of 230 or 1,073,741,824 Byte. So in reality, 500 GB hard disk drives have only a capacity of about 464 GB. Videostation User Manual [ 27 ] Deleting a RAID Volume BEWARE: When deleting a RAID, all the data in it is lost! Figure 22 - right-click the name of the volume with your mouse select delete volume in the context menu The “Delete RAID Volume Wizard” will open up Videostation User Manual [ 28 ] Figure 23 Then click on “Next”. Figure 24 Please select the volume to be deleted, then click on “Next”. Videostation User Manual [ 29 ] Figure 25 Click on “Finish”. The volume will be deleted. After that, the hard disk drives can be used individually or become recombined into a new RAID volume (as described in “Building a RAID). Videostation User Manual [ 30 ] Controlling the RAID – Intel Rapid Storage Technology Software version >= 9.0 – since January 2010-07-06 Handling and Symbols Figure 26 Figure 26 illustrates the normal state of a RAID (see to the right: ) In this state, the RAID is fully operational at 100 % data throughput rate. Videostation User Manual [ 31 ] Hard Disk Drive Failure Figure 27 Should a hard disk drive fail or be removed from its enclosure, the raid is being ). In this state, the RAID can not operate at its downgraded (see to the right: top speed. In order to rectify the fault, first you have to find out which drive is faulty. Do as follows: 5. Click on the two operating hard disk drives and write down the serial numbers (that correspond to those on the labels on top of the drives) 6. Shut the VIDEOSTATION down 7. Take all hard disk drives out of their enclosures in order to compare the serial numbers on the drives with those that you wrote down (they are marked with “S/N:” (e. g. 5VM0BHVN) 8. Remove the failed disk and contact the Vasquez customer service (see the chapter on support information) Recovery after RAID Failure If you replace a failed or missing hard disk drive, the RAID will be recovered (see “Recovery: x % completed” on the right). Videostation User Manual [ 32 ] PLEASE NOTE: In this state, the RAID can not operate at full speed! Figure 28 If there is no important data on the RAID volume, you could also delete and rebuild it. Within a few minutes and mouse clicks, it will be fully operational again. You can find more information on this in the chapters “Deleting a RAID Volume” and “Building a RAID”. Videostation User Manual [ 33 ] Building a RAID In this case, a RAID 5 Figure 29 First, you have to start a program called “INTEL Storage Manager” (if there is no symbol on your desktop for it, please select Start, Programs, INTEL, …). Videostation User Manual [ 34 ] Choose “Create” in the toolbar. Figure 30 Choose a type of volume. We suggest RAID 0 or RAID 5. Click on “Continue”. Videostation User Manual [ 35 ] Figure 31 1. Name: Choose freely! 2. Check all hard disk drives that are to be combined into the RAID 3. Should there still be data on the hard disk drives, you can keep data from ONE of the drives in the new RAID. This will result in a time-consuming “data migration”, during which the RAID will not operate at full speed. To do so, select the respective button: “Yes: Hard disk drive on connection X (xxx GB)”. All data on all other drives will be erased! If you want to keep no data, choose “No”. 4. Size of volume: Choose freely! 5. PLEASE NOTE: Usually, the strip size is preconfigured correctly. However, certain manufacturers of video editing software and especially the respective codecs expect different settings. CANOPUS Edius 5 for example requires a strip size of 128 KB in order to process HD video flawlessly. AVID Liquid, XPRESS, and Media Composer can also work with 64 KB. If you want to change the strip size, you can do so at “Expanded”, but only when initially creating the RAID. PLEASE NOTE: Windows XP can not manage more than 2,000 GB! Please move the slider below a volume size of 2,000 GB or directly enter a value into the box. Videostation User Manual [ 36 ] Changing RAID settings Figure 32 At “Expanded”, you have two options. 1. If you choose “activate write-back cache of the volume”, data is being written into the cache first, and only after that onto the hard disk drive. This increases the reading and writing performance to more than 150 MB/s, which but almost completely covers the need for bandwidth for digitalizing current video formats. In the unlikely event of a sudden power failure however, the data in the cache will be lost. 2. If you choose “initialize volume”, all existing redundant data on a RAID volume become synchronized before the data is being checked or checked and repaired. If there is no data on the volume, initialization is offered automatically. This procedure should not be selected when creating a RAID, as it is very time-consuming (10 to 40 hours). After choosing, click on “Continue”. Videostation User Manual [ 37 ] Figure 33 Finally, click on „Create Volume“. The RAID volume will now be created. Figure 34 Videostation User Manual [ 38 ] Expanding the RAID First, you have to start the program “INTEL Rapid Storage-Technology” (by doubleclicking on the symbol in the task bar). Figure 35 1. Click with your left mouse-button on the RAID volume. 2. Then choose “Add Drive” on the left side. A dialogue with a selection of drive to be added will appear: Videostation User Manual [ 39 ] Figure 36 Select all drives to be added. Then click “Add Drives”. Figure 37 The preparations for expanding the volume are now complete. Videostation User Manual [ 40 ] Figure 38 Depending on the capacity of the hard disk drive, completing this process (also called “Migration”) can take up to 12 hours. During this time, the volume can not operate at full speed, and frame-dropping might become a problem. Therefore, we suggest the expansion of the RAID to happen over night or whenever else you won’t need the VIDEOSTATION. Please keep in mind that Windows XP cannot manage volumes with more than 2 TB (about 1,000 GB). The total capacity of the RAID may be larger, but it has to be divided into volumes of up to 2 TB. Otherwise, the Device Manager will not recognize these as partitions. Excursus: hard disk drive capacities: When calculating capacities, drive manufacturers use powers of 10. A Gigabyte would therefore consist of 109 Byte. But computers use powers of 2. A Gigabyte here consists of 230 or 1,073,741,824 Byte. So in reality, 500 GB hard disk drives have only a capacity of about 464 GB. Videostation User Manual [ 41 ] Deleting a RAID Volume IMPORTANT: When deleting a RAID, all its data will be lost. Figure 39 1. Select “Manage” from the task bar. 2. Click with your left mouse-button on the name of the volume. Videostation User Manual [ 42 ] Figure 40 Then choose “Delete Volume” on the left. A dialogue will open. Figure 41 Click “Yes”. The volume will be deleted. After that, you can use the hard disk drives individually or recombine them into a new RAID volume, as described under “Building a RAID”. Videostation User Manual [ 43 ] Activating and Partitioning Hard Disk Drives or RAID Volumes under Windows Figure 42 Right-click with your mouse on the desktop symbol “Computer”, then select “Manage”. The windows computer management console will open up. Please do not carry out any other changes to the management system than described here. Changes to the Windows management system can result in serious problems with the operating system. Videostation User Manual [ 44 ] Activating Hard Disk Drives or RAID Volumes Figure 43 First click in the left window column on “Disk Management”. The above pop-up window will open up automatically. Now click on “next”. Figure 44 Now click on “Next”. Videostation User Manual [ 45 ] Figure 45 Please click on “Next” without checking any box. Figure 46 Click on “Finish”. The new medium will be initialized. Videostation User Manual [ 46 ] Partitioning of Hard Disk Drives or RAID Volumes Figure 47 Right-click with your mouse on the respective volume in the lower right window. Choose “New Partition …” and a pop-up window with a wizard will open up. Videostation User Manual [ 47 ] Figure 48 Click on “Next”. Figure 49 Please select “Primary Partition”, then click on “Next”. Videostation User Manual [ 48 ] Figure 50 Specify the size of the partition in MB. As a standard, all available storage space will be utilized. Now click on “Next”. Figure 51 Please select a drive letter (we suggest you use the preselected letter). Now click on “Next”. Videostation User Manual [ 49 ] Figure 52 Choose as file system: NFTS Choose as allocation unit size: default Volume label: choose freely Check the “Perform a Quick Format” box Then click on “Next” Figure 53 Click on “Finish” in order to finalize the partitioning. Videostation User Manual [ 50 ] Figure 54 After about a minute the volume is operational, and is highlighted with a blue bar. Videostation User Manual [ 51 ] Connections on the Front Side Enclosures for Hard Disk Drives As a standard, the VIDEOSTATION Montaña Grande is equipped with 5, the Montaña only with 3 hard disk drive enclosures. On request, an expansion is possible. This configuration enables you to extend your hard disk drive space easily in no time and without any bothersome tinkering. These top quality enclosures are being installed with or without active fans (super silence package). Each enclosure is equipped with two status LEDs. The left LED indicates whether the drive is switched on or off, the right LED indicates whether it is being used. If the drive is being used actively, the orange LED will be flashing. Furthermore, each enclosure can be locked separately. PLEASE NOTE: On delivery of the VIDEOSTATION, please check if the keys are still in the lower enclosure. The BluRay Drive The standard equipment of the VIDEOSTATION Montaña Grande includes a BluRay writer (the VIDEOSTATION Montaña only includes a DVD writer) and the ICY box with a multi-format card reader. The BluRay is the successor of the DVD, but is it really better? In short: The standard BluRay is superior to the DVD in any respect. The BluRay is faster, bigger, and more scratch-resistant. As movies continue to increase in size, resolution, and therefore quality, it is necessary to create large, mobile, and durable storage media. A BluRay can contain 25 GB of data, as double layer even 50 GB, allowing for a whole new range of possibilities in video quality as well as audio, language and special menus. The VIDEOSTATION is equipped with a BluRay writer that can read and write any DVD and BluRay format. Now reads HD-DVD ROM media too Support all recent writing formats (as at November 2009) - (DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW) writes on BD-R and BD-RE media writes on DVD+R double layer media writes on DVD-R dual layer media Videostation User Manual [ 52 ] The latest LightScribe technology enables – using the right media – to laser the cover directly on the disc. The respective software is included in the delivery. Reading Speed BD-ROM (SL) BD-ROM (DL) BD-R (SL) BD-R(DL)/BD-RE(SL/DL) 10 x max. 8 x max. 8 x max. 8 x max., 8 x / 6 x max. DVD-ROM (single/dual) DVD-R/RW/dual DVD-Ram DVD-Video (CSS) DVD+R/+RW/double CD-R/RW/ROM CD-DA (DAE) 16 x, 12 x max. 16 x, 12 x, 12 x max. 12 x CAV 4.8 x max. (single / dual layer) 16 x, 12 x, 12 x max. 40 x, 40 x, 40 x max. 40 x max. Writing Speed BD-R (SL) BD-R(DL)/BD-RE(SL/DL) DVD-R DVD-R Dual Layer DVD-RW DVD-RAM DVD+R DVD+R double layer DVD+RW CD-R CD-RW 2 x , 4 x , 6 x , 8 x 10 x PCAV 10 x , 2 x , 2 x 2 x, 4 x, 8 x, 16 x 2 x, 4 x CLV / 8 x PCAV 1 x, 2 x, 4 x, 6 x ZCLV 12 x 2.4 x, 4 x, 8 x, 16 x 2.4 x, 4 x CLV / 8 x PCAV 2.4 x, 4 x, 6 x, 8 x ZCLV 10 x, 16 x, 40 x, 48 x 4 x, 10 x, 16 x, 24 x, 40 x Supported Writing Modes BD-RE (SL) BD-R (SL) DVD-R DVD-R Dual Layer DVD-RW DVD-RAM DVD+R DVD+R Double Layer DVD+RW CD-R/RW Random Write Sequential Recording Mode without Pseudo Overdrive Sequential Recording Mode with / without Pseudo Overdrive Disc at Once, Incremental Recording Disc at Once, Incremental Recording, Layer Jump Recording Disc at Once, Incremental Recording und Restricted Overwrite Random Write Sequential Recording Sequential Recording Random Write Disc at Once, Session at Once, Track at Once und Packet Write Access Time (at random) BD-ROM DVD-ROM DVD-RAM CD-ROM 180 ms 180 ms 180 ms 150ms Maximal Data Transfer Rate – Writing BD-RE (SL) BD-R (SL) DVD-R DVD-R Dual Layer DVD-RW DVD+R DVD+R Double Layer DVD+RW CD-R 71.93 Mbits/s 359.66 Mbits/s 22.16 Mbytes/s 11.8 Mbytes/s 8.31 Mbytes/s 22.16 Mbytes/s 11.08 Mbytes/s 11.08 Mbytes/s 7,200 KB/s (Mode 1) Videostation User Manual [ 53 ] CD-RW 3,600 KB/s (Mode 1) Can be installed horizontally and vertically Operating Temperature, Humidity Storage Temperature, Humidity 5°C – 45°C, 15% – 85% -30°C – 60°C, 10% – 90% The Multi Format Panel “ICY Box” The ICY Box is a multi-media front panel (connection strip on the front side of the VIDEOSTATION). It contains several connections). Figure 55 - An eSATA Connection for external SATA hard disk drives An USB port version 2.0 An Easy FireWire-400 connection for cams (optionally FireWire-800) One audio output and two audio outputs (with a X-FI sound card, the two audio outputs are combined into one, so that the blue connector can be reallocated) - An 50in1 card reader that can also be used externally via USB The 50in1 card reader supports these formats: Compact Flash, CF II, Compact Flash Ultra (high speed), Compact Flash Ultra II (high speed), Extreme CF, Extreme III CF high speed), CF Pro, CF Pro II (high speed), CF Picture IBM Microdrive / Magicstor Microdrive Secure Digital, Secure Digital Ultra (high speed), SD Pro, Mini SD Mini SD Pro, SD HS (high-speed), Ultra SD high speed), Ultra II SD (high speed), Extreme SD (high speed), Extreme II SD (high speed), WIFI SD, Multi Media Card, Multi Media 2 (high speed), Multi Media 4.0 (high speed), MMC Pro, T-Flash, Smart Media, Smart Media-ROM, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro (high speed), Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Pro Duo (high speed), MS HS, MS Duo HS, MS Pro HS, MS Pro Duo HS, MS ROM, Videostation User Manual [ 54 ] MS_MG Pro, Ultra MS, Ultra II MS Pro (high speed), Extreme MS, Extreme MS Pro (high speed), Magic Gate, Magic Gate Duo, Memory Stick High Speed Magic Gate (high speed), Memory Stick Duo High Speed Magic Gate (high speed), Memory Stick Ultra II (high speed), Memory Stick Select. Via the optional USB adapter (article number #180203) also Sony SxS and Panasonic P2 memory cards. Figure 56 With these front side connections, you are well equipped for a relaxed workflow without inconvenient bending, crawling, or cricking. Handling the Mobile Card Reader in the ICY Box As you can see in the below figure, a mobile card reader hides within the ICY Box. In order to release the device from the ICY Box, press the peg to the right of the card reader and pull it out. Now you can fold out the USB 2.0 plug located at the rear of the mobile card reader so that you can connect the device to any USB port. Figure 57 Inserting Memory Cards When you insert a memory card into the card reader, under windows a pop-up window should appear (see below figure) where you can choose what to do with the data on the card. Videostation User Manual [ 55 ] Figure 58 If the pop-up window does not appear automatically when you plug the card reader in, you have to access it via your “My Computer” icon. Once the card reader is connected with the VIDEOSTATION, the Explorer list four more removable media devices (see below figure). Figure 59 Videostation User Manual [ 56 ] The Sound Card The VIDEOSTATION Montaña Grande is equipped with an on-board sound system that supports HD audio. But because of the superior sound quality, we offer as an option an additional sound card of the X-Fi type by US sound card specialists CreativeLabs. Videostation User Manual [ 57 ] How to connect: Connect your speakers or your stereo correctly to the audio connectors designated in the upper right. In this picture, no speakers are connected, but as soon as that happens, they will be recognized and the system will display a graphical representation for them at their respective position. In the example on the following picture, two connectors are used and four speakers are connected. This feature of the IDT system control allows for easy connecting with any kind of sound system and checking of the topology on-screen. Figure 60 Figure 61 Videostation User Manual [ 58 ] Sound System with Soundblaster X-Fi Figure 62 With the Creative sound card, MP3 music and movies sound almost better than in the studio! Thanks to award-winning X-Fi technologies, the so-called X-Fi Crystalizer restores the original brilliance and details of digital audio content that have been lost during MP3 or DIV X compression;. In addition, X-Fi CMSS-3D turns stereo music and film soundtracks into surprisingly spatial sound backdrop. The sound card by CreativeLabs creates an amazing surround sound with almost all kinds of speakers including 2.0 systems – even conventional headphones! On delivery, the audio in- and outputs are located in the ICY Box on the front side of the VIDEOSTATION. You can, however, relocate them to the back side of the VIDEOSSTATION by removing the cables that are plugged into the sound card on the back side. The front side connections are turned inoperable by that. Videostation User Manual [ 59 ] Properly Connecting the Sound System Exemplified with 2.1, 5.1, and 7.1 speaker arrangements: Please connect the audio cables of your Hi-Fi system or speakers with the appropriate connections of the VIDEOSTATION according to the following figures: 2.1 Speakers Figure 63 In order to get sound for a 2.1 speaker configuration, connect the cable for the speakers to the green connector on the back side of the Videostation. Videostation User Manual [ 60 ] 5.1 Speakers Figure 64 In order to get sound for a 5.1 speaker configuration, connect the cable for the speakers to the green connector, the cable for the subwoofer and the central speaker to the orange connector, and the cable for the rear left/right speaker to the black connector. Videostation User Manual [ 61 ] 7.1 Speakers Figure 65 To get sound for a 7.1 speaker configuration, connect the cable for the speakers to the green connector, the cable for the sidewise speaker to the grey connector, the cable for the subwoofer and the central speaker to the orange connector, and the cable for the rear left/right speaker to the black connector. Videostation User Manual [ 62 ] Creative Entertainment Mode Figure 66 In the entertainment mode, your audio device is optimized for the reproduction of movie soundtracks and music. The console offers the following options: a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) Enhanced details of audio with X-Fi Crystalizer Enabling advanced multichannel upmixing with X-Fi CMSS® Surround Activation of virtual surround effects CMSS 3D headphones Configuration of the replay settings for your speakers Adjusting your equalizer settings Enabling of EAX for realistic environment effects Adjusting master volume levels You can activate the console by selecting: Start – All Programs – Creative – Soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio – Creative Console Further details on technologies and expansions can be found on the homepage of CreativeLabs at http://www.creative.com Videostation User Manual [ 63 ] IDT Audio Console The standard sound system of the INTEL on-board chip set. If you do not have acquired a optional sound card, you can change the settings of your on-board sound card in the IDT audio system controls. Figure 67 You can activate the console by selecting: Start – System Controls – IDT Audio System Controls In the IDT audio system controls, you have the following options: a) b) c) d) e) controlling replay and recording sound volumes configuring equalizer settings connection options basic settings of the IDT system controls Dolby Digital and Pro Logic settings Videostation User Manual [ 64 ] The Windows Operating System Testing Additional Operating Systems With the VIDEOSTATION, you have the opportunity to test alternative or additional operating systems quickly and easily. This will help you in discovering potential problems between your software and your operating system early on, and without to endanger your operating system installation. This is how you proceed: Switch off the VIDEOSTATION. Look for a free enclosure. If all enclosures are occupied, remove a single hard disk drive. ATTENTION: Do not remove a drive that is part of a RAID. That would result in a warning and lead to a time-consuming reinitialization of the fault tolerance or even loss of data. Put the drive with the operating system you would like to test into the free enclosure. Switch the VIDEOSTATION on. The VIDEOSTATION will now automatically boot with the new operating system. Should that not happen, the boot priority for the hard disk drives will have to be corrected. For that see the chapter “Changing the Boot Priority”. If you have finalized your testing, switch the VIDEOSTAION off again and remove the drive from the closure. When switching on, the original operating system will boot again. Should you decide to permanently change your operating system, the Acronis True Image Software (included) allows you to copy the drive with the new operating system to your system hard disk drive (see the following chapter). BUT: You cannot undo this procedure! Videostation User Manual [ 65 ] Changing the Boot Priority If you receive the warning “No bootable device” when you start your VIDEOSTATION, or if you try to test a new operating system but the wrong OS is being started, this will be the result of a wrong boot priority. You can change that with a few simple steps. Switch your VIDEOSTATION on. As soon as the VIDEOSTATION logo appears on the screen, press F2. A few seconds later, the BIOS will appear. In the upper part of the screen, you will see a dark blue bar with the following menu items: “Main”, “Advanced”, “Performance”, “Security”, “Power” “Boot” and “Exit” Navigate through the menu with your arrow keys and choose “Boot”. You should see the following screen: Figure 68 Under the entry “Hard Drive Order”, you can see the current boot priority of the drives. If the boot disk you are looking for not included in the list, change the entry “Boot Menu Type” from “Normal” to “Advanced” by pressing “+”. Videostation User Manual [ 66 ] Figure 69 Choose the entry „Hard Drive Order“ and press „ENTER“. In order to change the boot priority, move the drive to boot with “+” and “-“ to the top of the list and press “ENTER” again. Make sure that the boot priority is correct now and then press F10 to save the changes and exit the BIOS. Confirm the question whether you want to save the changes by pressing “z” (or “y”, depending on your keyboard layout and configuration). The VIDEOSTATION will start again automatically. Videostation User Manual [ 67 ] In Case of Emergency: Recovery of the Operating System If it should happen that there are problems occurring with your editing software, or that there are other, mostly inexplicable problems, with your VIDEOSTATION, and our support team cannot solve them, in most cases they are pure software problems. It may then be necessary to reinstall the complete operating system. To do this usually requires a lot of experience with the design of complex personal computers, often more than the average user does have. In order to provide you with an easy and inexpensive emergency aid, we have implemented an extra recovery partition on your system disk that is usually invisible. Located on this partition is a backup called username_date.tib file that you can use to reset your VIDEOSTATION to its original state. Please note that by doing so, all data of your present installation, like in the “My Documents” folder or on your desktop, will be erased. Individual drivers and programs for video editing have to be reinstalled, too. All data in the RAID system, however, remains. In order to recover the operating system, you need the Acronis True Image software that is included in the delivery of the VIDEOSTATION Montaña. Before you can run it, you have to install it from the enclosed INTEL CD. In order to do this, just follow the instructions appearing on the screen. You will find many more useful programs on that CD that you can use for free (see also the chapter on “Supplied Software”). Videostation User Manual [ 68 ] Figure 70 Resetting your VIDEOSTATION to its original state. Videostation User Manual [ 69 ] Figure 71 In order to reset the VIDEOSTATION to its original state, please select “Restore”. A pop-up window with a wizard will open up. Videostation User Manual [ 70 ] Figure 72 Please click on “Next”. Videostation User Manual [ 71 ] Please select your personal backup file. You can find it by selecting: My Computer – Recovery – Backup – username_date.tib Figure 73 Select the button “Restore disks or partitions”, then select “Next”. Videostation User Manual [ 72 ] Figure 74 Please make sure that all three boxes are checked. Then select “Next”. Figure 75 Select the “Yes, I want to resize partitions” button, then select “Next”. Videostation User Manual [ 73 ] Figure 76 Please make sure that in the marked area, the drive letter is (C:). Then select “Next”. Videostation User Manual [ 74 ] Figure 77 Choose “Yes, I want to delete all the partitions of the destination hard disk drive before restoring”. Then select “Next”. Figure 78 Videostation User Manual [ 75 ] Choose “No, I do not”, then select “Next”. Figure 79 Here, choose “Use default options”, then select “Next”. Videostation User Manual [ 76 ] Figure 80 Confirm your choices with a clock on “Proceed”. The operation progress window will open up. Figure 81 Usually, the recovery process takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Videostation User Manual [ 77 ] Supplied Software You can find the software supplied with delivery of the VIDEOSTATION Montaña on the enclosed DVDs of the manufacturers INTEL and Cyberlink (Montaña Grande only). You may have to install some of this software yourself. All products by Cyberlink are pre-installed, and you can find them in the “Cyberlink HiDef Suite”. Please note that the scope of delivery may change over time. For further information on each program, please visit the manufacturer’s pages at http://www.intel.com and http://de.cyberlink.com CyberLink PowerDVD Watch BluRay and DVD Movies in spectacular quality. CyberLink PowerProducer 5 Easily making your own video and slideshow discs. CyberLinkPower2Go LightScribe Support Put your own pictures and labels on the DVD top side. CyberLink InstantBurn With this software, a DVD writer can be used like a hard disk drive. CyberLink Power Backup Data backup utilizing file filter functions, planners, password protection and a software-independent recovery tool. CyberLink BD Advisor The CyberLink BD / HD Advisor tests whether the PC is suited for both BluRay and HD DVD as storage media. INTEL Desktop Control Center Enables you to change several settings on the INTEL motherboard directly from Windows, like storage timing or the frequency of the AGP bus. You can also monitor various temperatures and other important data. Videostation User Manual [ 78 ] INTEL Dolby Control Center A user-friendly software to configure and control Dolby Sounds. Acronis True Image Home Create your own data backup in a flexible, fast, and easy way. Acronis True Image offers reliable prevention of data loss and facilitates quick recovery in case of virus infection or drive failure. Also, exact copies of your computer for a complete backup can be made. DivX Pro Software for creating DivX videos. What is DivX? A DVD Movie, which is usually6 to 8 GB large, can be written on a CD-ROM (650 to 700 MB) by means of DivX video compression. Even with relatively low bit rates of 650 to 1,000 kbit/s when compared to MPEG 2, the quality remains relatively high. Diskeeper Home Edition This software automatically defrags hard disk drives in selectable intervals. Kingsoft Powerword This software translates texts from Chinese to English and vice versa. TypePad A software to create professional blogs. Norton 360 Offers all-round PC protection with antivirus program and firewalls. PCmover This software can transfer programs and data from one PC to another. Kaspersky Anti-Virus This anti-virus software offer protection against a number of threats to PCs. Videostation User Manual [ 79 ] Support The Serial Number In order to process support requests and warranty claims without delay, we would like you to tell us the serial number of your VIDEOSTATION. Please open the casing of the VIDEOSTATION as demonstrated on the next page. On the inside of the casing, you will find two labels: Figure 82 Videostation User Manual [ 80 ] Removing the Left Casing 1) Turn the VIDEOSTATION over so that the large fan is facing upwards. A soft pad prevents scratches. 2) Loosen the screws on the left rear. 4)Put down the left panel. Watch out for the cable connection of the large fan! 5) In the end, put the screws back on Videostation User Manual 3) Remove the left side panel [ 81 ] Contacting the Support We hope to have provided you with an insight into the features and software of the VIDEOSTATION. If you should have any further questions regarding technical details or software routines, the Vasquez support team is available by phone under +49 (0)30 44 34 18 80 from Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00 hours. You can also fill in our support form at http://support.vasquez.de or send us an e-mail to [email protected] with a detailed description of the problem you encountered. For further information on our products, expansions and latest special offers, please visit our homepage http://www.VIDEOSTATION.info VIDEOSTATION is a trademark of VASQUEZ Systemlösungen, Dipl.-Ing. Eugen Siwon, Knaackstraße 90, 10435 Berlin. Other trademarks are property of their respective owners. The content of this manual and all materials an media of the VIDEOSTATION are intellectual property of the owner of the trademark and protected by copyright. Reproduction of the manual, even in parts, is prohibited and protected by law. © Vasquez Systemlösungen. All rights reserved. Technical details are subject to change. We do not assume liability for any damages that result, directly or indirectly, from mistakes, omissions or deviations in this manual. Videostation User Manual [ 82 ]