Question is, how long do the OTG devices take, and what's the internal battery life?
This is not an OTG drive but better, here is what I have been using to transfer my SD cards from the R-09. 40GB drive, its very fast, got on ebay for $160 with a spare battery: http://www.smartdisk.com/eWeb/smartdiskus/www/staticpages/FlashTrax1.asp It think it runs a variety of Linux.
I use it after I fill my 2 - 2GB cards. Because this is much cheaper than buying 20 - 2GB cards which would be $1000. I like it better than the USB OTG drives since it can be used for a lot more like pictures from my digital camera, and a picture viewer, and as a mp3 and wav player. It transfers fast, about 20 mins for a full 2GB card which is around 14Mb/sec. Transfers 3 full 2GB cards on a charge and the battery is easy to swap. Large 3.5" screen thats nice for previewing pics, screen goes off automatically while copying to save power.
Its also very easy, hit one button to copy and entire card.
FlashTrax seems a very useful, practical, and versatile device for doing more than just backup of CF with ability to play and output most media files, and claims to play some types(?) of .wav files.
I think for at least for USA customers not finding FlashTax on eBAY, most will find this model discontinued, and now replaced with more featured FlashTrax XT (no playing ability for .wav?) at:
http://www.smartdisk.com/eWeb/smartdiskus/www/staticpages/FlashtraxXT.aspSo for about the cost of optical EZDigiMagic device, FlashTrax XTseems a great backup portable option for at least CF flash.
Same Smartdisk manufacture also offers less costly/featured backup PhotoBank device with choices of storage capacity, and more versatile (built in reader for most all types of flash), but with less convenient internal battery at:
http://www.smartdisk.com/eWeb/smartdiskus/www/staticpages/PhotoBank.aspe
While I do NOT lose sleep over issues of backup, ever since the loss of achival quality direct to DAT tape recorders, I have wondered about having viable backup for flash and HD based recordings. It now seems obvious there's two different requirements for remote data transfers with these new decks.
One is the need to dump flash for renewed recording storage. For this, a single copy transfer is all that's required until returning to home base for archival options, and any of the portable HD flash readers will do this with ease and convenience. HD drive decks mostly do not require unloading while in the field.
Second is requirement for safety backup where even HD decks require transfer for two copy security of important resources.
For some time, part of me wishes I purchased something like the FlashTrax (XT) with all those really cool features, like smaller carrying size, longer running battery, and likely 2X faster transfer. And I think most of us would choose this as best type to carry around.
On the other hand, at least for professionals, simple transfer to single EFH (eventually-f-f-f-fail harddrive) is NOT backup, and may not provide the needed security for storing the ONLY COPY of NOT replaceable recordings. It does seem the really important files worth keeping require eventual transfer to failsafe raid type HD disk array, or archival quality (maybe duplicate; gold or what???) optical disc.
Such as technology is right now, don't feel too badly having the portable optical burner with owning a flash deck, as a burner provides true archive backup/verification ability without computer assist at any location (on battery/AC adapter) using very simple one/two step process.
Also consider, at least for audio, internal hard drive recorders have easier backup advantages over CF storage. Deck's disc capacity is more likely large enough that ALL REMOTELY MADE RECORDINGS are stored inside the deck until project's end (the #1 everything copy), AND wondered if #2 copy (a true BACKUP) from deck to (OTG types) HD storage is technically possible. Obviously, at least the R-4 can backup user selectable HD files to CF flash already, and this creates a true secured backup. Question is, are there any HD devices on the market today(?) with ability to store files from these type decks directly? .
In other words, is it now possible to directly connect a portable hard drive backup device to decks like R-4 and SD722/744T?
This seems a worthy feature to insist having, makes the expense, size, and powering issue with these type decks more worth the extra effort for location recording requiring backup routines.
Mostly we have researched and found practical flash transfer devices, and now look for something for doing direct deck's internal HD-to-external backup.
Anybody know if some HD deck models feature direct backup connectivity (NOT to flash card; no computer) and/or suitable HD (even optical) storage models that function linked together?