EventDV.net: The Event Videographer's Resource

With features including multi-channel session-based recording to a removable hard drive and simultaneous recording of rushes to an external DVD-RAM drive, the HHB Portadrive Location Sound Recorder is positioned as a successor to timecode DAT. Now the Portadrive system has been upgraded with a new, higher-powered rechargeable battery, and the availability of a new, 80GB removable drive.

Supplied as a standard accessory with all Portadrives, the new 71-watt/hour NPL7 Lithium Ion rechargeable battery replaces the original 52-watt/hour NPL50, boosting the time for which the Portadrive can be continuously operated from two hours to around three. As before, the Portadrive's power safety features provide seamless changeover between external and internal battery power, according to HHB, with the AC adaptor supplied doubling as a charger for the battery when the Portadrive is not in use.

Available as an optional accessory, the new PDRDC80 80GB removable HDD caddy can record 9.5 hours of eight-channel, uncompressed, 24-bit/96kHz audio. File transfer to Mac and PC-based workstations is facilitated by the PDRDSUF FireWire/USB docking station, which, for a limited period, is being bundled free of charge with the Portadrive, along with the multi-format PDRDVDBU back-up drive. A 40GB HHD caddy is supplied with the Portadrive as standard.