The integrity of the footage is the only most important hyperlink within the chain. As soon as the sensor has finished its work and the playing cards are pulled, the accountability passes from the cinematographer to the information pipeline. On the fast-paced set of knowledgeable movie, the bottleneck is never the digicam; it’s the time and danger concerned in offloading, verifying, and duplicating the footage for use in post-production. The ClouZen OFFLOADER 16X (Customary configuration) is designed to plug this gap within the chain. Let’s take a better look.

Whereas the usual shopper drive or laptop computer setup is completely purposeful, the OFFLOADER 16X is a devoted piece of {hardware} designed to handle media at excessive quantity. It takes the identical degree of care with the switch course of because the digicam did with the seize, offering a centralized location for ingesting a number of playing cards and redundant cloning with out the necessity to run the media by way of an extra pc.

ClouZen OFFLOADER 16X SD and normal configurations

The ClouZen OFFLOADER 16X is on the market in two configurations. The OFFLOADER 16X SD is concentrated extra on a workflow with SD playing cards, has 16 SD card slots, 8 of that are Micro SD suitable. We, then again, are testing the opposite model, the OFFLOADER 16X Customary, which is extra centered on a flexible workflow and helps nearly any card or adapter fashionable digital cameras use at present. Each variations are priced the identical, so you will need to determine for your self which inserts your workflow finest.

What’s within the field:

• OFFLOADER 16X Customary/SD
• Magnetic lid for the cardboard slots
• Energy cable
• Touring case 

Whereas I do just like the carrying case, it’s nearly too small, because the magnetic lid doesn’t match when the OFFLOADER 16X is in its case.

Obtainable card slot and bus on the Customary model:

• 8x SD card slots: 4 of them are suitable with Micro SD
• 4x CFexpress Kind A: All 4 of them are additionally suitable with CFexpress Kind B
• 4x USB (Kind C) readers

It is very important notice that slots suitable with both SD or Micro SD/CFexpress Kind A or Kind B can’t be used concurrently. Additionally, the 4 Kind C ports are read-only, so you may’t repurpose them for one thing else.

For offloading to an exterior drive, you may join two USB Kind-C drives (HDD/SSD) on the entrance of the OFFLOADER 16X and one USB Kind-A on the again. The 2 on the entrance are USB 3.2 Gen 1, with a pace of as much as 370 MB/s. The Kind-A port on the again is USB 3.2 Gen 1, with a barely sooner pace of 410 MB/s. All USB-C ports are barely embedded into the case, so you may’t by accident break/snap a cable or break a port. 

These are all of the connections on the again:

• USB Kind-A port
• Report Port: When a USB drive is related, generates MD5 checksums and saves LOG/PDF experiences
• AC Energy Enter: 12V 4A
• D-Faucet: 12V-24V
• V-Mount battery plate

The V-Mount plate comes with an additional D-Faucet, however it’s for different peripherals, not for charging the OFFLOADER 16X.

Why not simply copy and paste?

For most individuals, shifting recordsdata from a digicam card to a pc is easy: plug it in, drag the folder over, and look forward to the inexperienced bar to complete. However for anybody who has ever opened a file solely to see it glitch, recordsdata/footage corrupted, or discovered a folder of pictures that gained’t open, that the “inexperienced bar” was in all probability mendacity to you.

Whenever you copy a file in your pc, the pc mainly simply “notes” {that a} file was moved. It doesn’t test if each single piece of knowledge made it throughout efficiently. In case your cable is barely free or your pc will get a “hiccup,” you may find yourself with a corrupt file. The OFFLOADER 16X performs a “Verified Clone”. It double-checks the copy towards the unique, and if the copy isn’t a 100% an identical twin, it tells you instantly. That’s the distinction between assuming your recordsdata are protected and confidently figuring out they’re.

Causes to make use of a devoted offloader

Now that we have now discovered why it’s not at all times protected to simply copy and paste, it’s possible you’ll be asking: Is there software program on the market that I can use to confirm that? Sure, in fact, there’s. However having a devoted machine just like the OFFLOADER 16X Customary retains the heavy lifting off your DIT PC and just about automates the method. This is usually a game-changer when working with a couple of digicam on set. For instance, I’ve had many indie movie shoots, music movies, and even commercials the place a devoted information wrangler isn’t within the finances, so somebody should do it both whereas capturing or after, and everyone knows by now this may result in issues. Both the recordsdata are corrupted, some recordsdata weren’t saved correctly, or, even worse, somebody formatted the improper card!

Right here, one thing just like the ClouZen OFFLOADER 16X Customary turns out to be useful. Simply plug in a card or playing cards, and with one push of a button, you may again up your information to essentially the most safe normal accessible proper now.

Options

Multi offloading

The OFFLOADER 16X Customary can copy 16 card slots on the identical time whereas having a relentless pace of 30GB/min on only one exterior SSD. It retains that pace even when utilizing two or three SSDs on the identical time. It’s because the corporate makes use of its personal patented {hardware} structure referred to as “X-Copy”. This expertise permits for parallel information streams. It ensures that including a second or third backup vacation spot doesn’t decelerate the switch pace from the supply card.

Automated folder structuring and sorting

It routinely organizes footage primarily based on undertaking folders. It labels sub-folders by shoot date, first video file, and digicam mannequin/quantity label, which is crucial for DITs managing multi-cam shoots.

Stories & diagnostics

• MD5 Checksum: Please test beneath for extra details about MD5
• Automated Backup Stories: Quickly, the ClouZen OFFLOADER 16X, each SD and Customary, will help backup experiences that may routinely be made right into a PDF. These backup experiences will embody 4 thumbnails per clip, timecode, period, and file title. ClouZen themselves say round early 2026.
• Batch Media Well being Test: It may well scan as much as 16 playing cards without delay for “Dangerous Sectors” or “Sluggish Sectors” earlier than you begin filming, permitting you to retire failing playing cards earlier than they lose footage.
• Batch formatting: The OFFLOADER 16X is able to formatting all 16 card slots on the identical time.

MD5 (Message Digest Algorithm 5)

After I was speaking about essentially the most safe normal in the case of saving recordsdata in this sort of setting, I’m referring to MD5. To completely clarify MD5 would positively take too lengthy, so I will provide you with a brief rationalization to maintain it easy, so we don’t must dive an excessive amount of into the meta.

Whenever you begin to copy, MD5 generates a singular 32-character string, which is mostly referred to as an “MD5 hash.” The OFFLOADER 16X does the hash technology concurrently whereas copying the recordsdata. When completed, it should run the identical calculation it did earlier than copying the footage, so it could possibly test if each MD5 hashes are the identical. With this, we have now 100% proof that nothing acquired corrupted.

MD5 will make the copying course of about 20% slower, however it’s definitely worth the security for costly shoots. Additionally price noting is that you’ll be able to flip MD5 off within the undertaking menu.

Working with the ClouZen OFFLOADER 16X Customary

I liked working with the OFFLOADER 16X Customary. The menu is on an ARRI-level simplicity and is simple to make use of. Nothing is hidden underneath layers of menus or simply referred to as in another way due to model identification. ClouZen is aware of precisely who its prospects are and what they want. Even in the case of firmware updating, they stored it easy: you will have 16 slots? Simply use certainly one of them, and it’ll discover the firmware file simply, no further USB slot or something like that. 

In the case of copying, all the pieces labored as supposed, and it copied all the pieces safely and with none struggles. The one factor I can complain about is how loud it may be; even on standby, it may be fairly noisy. After I measured the dB, it was between 50 and 52 dB.

In the case of energy supply, ClouZen actually did an awesome job. You may have AC and D-Faucet that may energy it simply, or when you want to be cellular, you may energy it through V-Mount. The V-Mount is a superb function to have as a result of the OFFLOADER 16X is able to switching immediately between the AC energy and the V-Mount battery, defending it towards energy outages.

Sadly, one function I’m lacking, which I might’ve favored to see, is the cloud implementation of its smaller brother, the ClouZen TAINER. The TAINER is ready to add to cloud options like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Dropbox for sooner distribution.

Conclusion

Did I get pleasure from working with the ClouZen OFFLOADER 16X Customary? Sure! It’s the excellent improve for each DIT station. Its versatility makes it a no brainer for anybody who should offload loads of information without delay. The straightforward diagnostics function is wonderful for each manufacturing firm or rental home, too. ClouZen doesn’t give itself sufficient credit score for the diagnostics instrument, because it actually is quick and dependable. The OFFLOADER 16X makes dealing with reminiscence playing cards a simple factor you are able to do on the facet with out babysitting a inexperienced bar in your display. That being mentioned, I do miss options like cloud implementation and a quieter fan.

Pricing and availability

The one factor that will scare folks about shopping for it’s the value. The OFFLOADER 16X Customary and the SD will not be precisely low-cost. $3,949 is a giant funding that I assume many will assume twice about. If that’s the case, I might strongly advocate making an attempt the less expensive, smaller brother, the TAINER, for simply $399. 

For those who nonetheless can’t determine whether or not to put money into the OFFLOADER 16X, ClouZen has a “Trial Program.” Within the Trial Program, you can also make a $1,000 deposit to strive it out for 3 weeks. After that, ClouZen refunds $700, leading to a three-week trial costing $300, together with transport, pickup, and logistics. For added data, please head to the corporate’s official internet retailer right here.

Would you contemplate buying a devoted machine for copying your materials simply and safely, just like the ClouZen OFFLOADER 16X? If that’s the case, please share your ideas with us within the remark part beneath.