As you would expect, our throughput of rich media at The Review sometimes looks like a data Tsunami. Photographers and DOP’s can utilise online storage and delivery, cards and of course storage devices. But does every single shoot need a RAID array backed up to a data centre buried in the side of a mountain? We don’t think so. Having spent a week on a yacht shoot last year with a failed 2TB storage device, we found ourselves in a bit of a hole. Sure there are some decent electronics shops in Greece but they come with an idiot tax attached to them that can leave you paying double the price. But when you have an ongoing shoot what choice do you have. Enter the Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro.
We don’t know how long WD had this box of tricks in R&D but it was long enough to pack in one touch SD transfer, 4K Streaming, a mammoth 10 hours of battery life and a built-in power bank.
The most exciting thing for us was that the device can be administrated, updated and managed entirely from a web browser or app making a laptop redundant.
The drive is made of anthracite-coloured ABS plastic and feels like it could be sealed in a Peli Case or take some knocks and keep spinning.
One of the devices additional features is that it is fully compatible with the Adobe Creative Cloud suite and can support up to 8 devices making it an ideal solution for an internet hotspot for a smaller network.
The WD Passport Pro also supports pass-through so you can connect to a Wi-Fi network to access the internet at the same time. Another great addition is the inclusion of Plex, allowing you to enhance your existing media archive.
Fundamentally one of the major benefits here is the time-saving element, with a small team trained to use the intuitive system, each can upload their material direct to the device at the end of a days shooting with the DOP or Data Manager checking in remotely. It is also ideal for remote shoots where having mains power during the day can be an issue.
It is rare that clients want storage cards immediately to review material pre-edit and grade but if it’s a case of looking over rushes, the Wireless Pro serves as a great media server on set allowing the team to stream material to a projector.
We think the wireless review system could well be the way forward and with Western Digital pushing out solid solutions with very few pain points, they’re going to lead the charge.
