Thank you for posting your experiences with transfers. And following my own advice, here is an update on the burner I purchased for easy flash transfer to DVD.
While my EZDigiMagic burner worked flawlessly for transfers of 2 ~2GIG size flash files or < 4 gigs fitting on 1 DVD blank, recent need to transfer 3 files totalling just over 5 GIGs to DVD caused the spanning feature to fail.
Burner initiated stating spanning was needed to transfer the flash files, and first try made it to beginning of file #2 before burner ground to a standstill only acting like it was still burning files (drive activity light still flashing), but NO transfered bytes file status change after ~44 mininutes to over 60 minutes when I had to pull the plug (power off switch) as ESC button didn't work, starting over. Second and third try initiated identically, but failed to transfer even the 1st file after two more tries before again locking up with identical symtoms.
Looked at the first burned disc and found a readable and intact (first) file, and second 0 bit failed file. So I had the first file transfered OK and deleted that file from the flash using the MT deck. Then again used the EXDigiMagic to successfully transfer the remaining <4 GIG two files to single DVD disk.
While CD-R/RW capacity disk spanning might work OK (not yet tested) there seems a likely problem with DVD spanning over 4 GIGs and I won't know for sure until next time I have again have similar >4GIG flash capacity to transfer.
I guess it's time (after the 4th holiday) to call their customer/technical assist numbers to see if there's a problem with a solution.
Keep sharing those transfer device experiences.
Finally got around to calling EzDigiMagic product Customer service (during business hours) and was quickly talking to a tech who related NO ONE has tested the device spanning with anything like the large 2 GIG audio files I was attempting when transfer problems occured.
As with flash memory cards, these devices are mostly used for digital camera photo files and later for MP3 audio, NOT specifically tested to handle continuous audio files of two or more GIGS each in size, so I was the first to report this shortcoming with transfer that required DVD (~4 GIG capacity) disk spanning.
After confirming my unit had the latest firmware and everything, the tech is giving this a 'high priority' engineering support status to find out what can be done.
Keep progress on this posted as the EzDigiMagic seems the ONLY field portable device that allows true ARCHIVE quality backup and verification of flash card files without a laptop. And powering from (a planned product) 5 volt switching supply run on a 4 D cells seems far easier than field powering a laptop to burn archive quality discs.
Called Thursday and talked to a 'Dave' in customer tech service as reported above, and was out when Dave called back Friday to leave a long 'Dear GuySonic' message relating that their backup device was NOT designed for handling large files that needed spanning, the device was never intended to be able to 'break-span' a large continuous file, yada, yada, yada. In other words, so far they seem to NOT want to do the tests with at 2 to 3 large files like I had trouble with.
The files I had were two 2-gig size files (that should've fit 'unbroken' on a single DVD disc), and a third ~700MEG size file (in that order) that caused the machine to stall after copying the first file on the first try, then failed to copy even the first file on further attempts, and never did get to the second file after 3 tries.
As reported here previously, by removing the first file from the flash, the unit worked to back up the remaining 2 GIG and .7 GIG (<4 GIG total) files. I now am wondering if the device will actually copy two 2-GIG size flash files onto a single DVD; something tells me this might also cause the device to stall out.
EzDigiMagic device is specifically marketed to be able to store 4 gigs on a single DVD, but does that also mean two 2 GIG audio files would be handled?
Appears not so likely with my experience.
Next week I go back to talking to EZpnp company about these issues, stay tuned for more news, or my getting a misrepresented product refund.
Got a 'returned my call' from an engineer responsible for customer support and he was very receptive to understand just what is occuring with large audio file archive to disc backup.
It seems there are many variables, not just file size and type, but also types of flash can cause system transfer problems. He did acknowledge these products were NOT tested with the types and sizes of files we are making in audio flash decks, and wants to investigate all the variables of flash card types and audio file size issues with the DVD burner product. I am very encouraged by this recent conversation to say the least.
So the plan is I'm being sent at least one other make/model CF 4GIG or larger card known to work OK with their product to try recording with MT another two 2-GIG size audio files type for backup. IF this works, I will try just recording another file set with my existing Sandisk Ultra II, to see if there's a problem using this card type.
Although I have experiences and by all reports here to assume Sandisk Ultra II to be most reliable in my and most other's experience, the engineer related that his personal knowledge and knowing others within the company having problems with exactly this type of flash for at least reliability reasons, and then named most all the other types of less costly flash cards we have all seen deeply discounted and wondered if I've tried any of those as he has no bad experiences the alternatives, but I have to wonder as this has NOT been our experience in this group where most of those makes mentioned reported to caused at least occassional grief for one reason or another.
My opinion is still the Sandisk Ultra II is one with most reports of reliability AND consistent workability for audiio recording purposes. His opinion/EXPERIENCES is based on CAMERA photo file recording/transfer, and this may be the reason for differing experience and opinions.
Well, to continue, we talked for about an hour about all issues dealing with this application, and I did mention how SLO....OW this product burns to disc. News is there is a new hardware version that's twice the speed coming out soon, (he'll send me one TO TEST AT FIRST CHANCE!), AND it will take advantage of the dual layer disc drive already in my version that is currently unsupported for backup function. So maybe this is the way to go after all.
In other words, Burn a dual-layer 8+GIG capacity DVD disc IN ONE SHOT, NO SPANNING NEEDED for 8-GIG flash card!?!?
Like I said before, this is the (only type of) product capable of archive quality backup, and ability to handle 8 GIG FLASH IN ONE DISC BURN IN AN HOUR'S TIME WOULD BE AWESOME.
I did have to ask him if other products like this are on the market, and response is ONLY one,the 'other make' taking twice the time to do the same things.
Stay tuned for tests results and (being optimistic now) practical solutions.