DJI CineSSD Thunderbolt 3 vs. USB 3.0 Review - Inspire 2

We tested out the USB 3 and Thunderbolt™ 3 versions of the DJI CineSSD Station for Inspire 2.
This video was one of our earliest, and we didn't yet have a grasp on making sub-10min videos, sorry! Skip to the results here: 7:00
Tested on an Apple iMac Pro at MediaLabYYC: www.medialabyyc.com
Or their KZbin Channel: bit.ly/2JJvRA6
iMac Pro Specs:
- Intel 2.7GHz 8-core Xeon W
- 32 GB RAM
- Radeon Pro Vega 56 Graphics Card
- 1TB Internal RAID 0 SSD
Transferring 102.24 GB via Apple Finder Drag & Drop:
USB 3.0: 3m 30s (3.89 Gbps)
Thunderbolt™ 3: 1m 31s
Transferring 102.24GB via ShotPutPro6:
USB 3.0: 4m 22s (3.8 Gbps)
Thunderbolt™ 3: 1m 32s (One second slower than Finder, even including checksum verification) (16.35 Gbps)
Get ShotPutPro6, includes FREE 10-use trial: bit.ly/2I3QB8N
Spot the bloopers: Stating 102.24GB twice, calling the iMac Pro a MacBook Pro
CONCLUSION: If your computer has Thunderbolt™ 3, you can expect this new reader to be 130% faster, or take about 43% of the time of the USB 3.0 reader.
USB 3.0 CineSSD Reader: bit.ly/2w2McOn
Thunderbolt™ 3 CineSSD Reader: bit.ly/2HMhfj7
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[@askyellowhouse]

What other Inspire 2 accessories would you like to learn more about?

[@ryankeller9379]

EI Mode and workflow for color correction

[@askyellowhouse]

Hey Ryan! Great ideas, we’ll get on it!

[@nickk6390]

It would be cool to see a color grading workflow on cinema dng files as well as apple prores. I'd also like to see a video on the different lenses offered on the x5s + footage from each. Another video I'd be interested in seeing is just the different settings you can change for the inspire 2 that you found helpful.

[@askyellowhouse]

We do have a video on the X5S vs X7 lenses! Great idea on the colour grading and settings videos, though!

[@nickk6390]

@@askyellowhouse Love the channel, can definitely see it blowing up with your target audience!

[@UAVISUALS]

Nice review dude.

[@askyellowhouse]

Thank you! Trying to be detailed but not drawn out.. heh.

[@VickersDoorter]

A very useful comparison in helping gauge which to go for. My 2017 4.2GHz iMac has a 1TB Fusion drive, do you think a Fusion drive would be fast enough to take advantage of the Thunderbolt reader vs the USB version?

[@askyellowhouse]

Depends how much you need the speed. USB 3.1 Gen 1 is capped at 5 gbps, while Thunderbolt 3 is up to 40 gbps. So even if your drive can write 700 Mbps, which is typical for a Fusion drive, you’re looking at 5.6 gbps practical max, which I better than 5 gbps theoretical max. Also, if you get a Thunderbolt RAID (even Thunderbolt 1, let alone Thunderbolt 2 or 3) you can unleash the speed of the new reader. And on a 1TB Fusion drive you won’t be storing much footage anyway. I’d get a Thunderbolt external drive and the Thunderbolt 3 reader if you have the money, don’t like waiting, and like to work on your footage as soon as you can. If you don’t shoot much or don’t feel too up tight about transfer speeds then stick with USB 3.1 Gen 1. 👍🏼

[@VickersDoorter]

@@askyellowhouse Brilliant, thank you. I'll look at the RAID option - good point.

[@marctronixx]

One more curious question, if you’re still listening . Ever heard of the DJI LaCie Copilot? If so, let me explain. I’m using the cinessd 3.0 to offload data from 480GB DJI SSD to the Copilot. It DOES have 3.1 type C, but the hard drive internally is a 2.5 SATA (2TB). Do you think I can SEE a bump in speed with the TB3 version of this cinessd station into the Copilot or is it not worth the effort? I know the weakest bottleneck in this chain will be the spinning hard drive. This is strictly in the field, no computer around to offload hence why I am asking such a specific scenario. Thanks boss!

[@sebastiangeorger5791]

I know this video is older, but I have just pulled the trigger on an inspire 2 with the X5S. I have got the 120Gb SSD and USB 3 but no ProRes or CinemaDNG licence. Is there any improvements in having the SSD over an SD card without the licenses?

[@askyellowhouse]

YES. Hands down. The inspire 2 is hardly worth owning without a CineSSD and ProRes at least. You can shoot AVC codecs with a Mavic 2 Zoom.

[@ghostlyvlogs8456]

Hey!, I just bought the pro res license for my inspire 2 and x5s today. I've got the 240gb SSD and the UG1 reader. I tried transferring like 50gb of footage from the SSD onto my desktop (Windows) and I'm having some serious problems. It starts at like 200mbps for like 3 seconds then completely drops off to 0mbps for like 10 seconds then goes back up to 200mbps or so then dips down again(Continues until done transferring all 50gb). Is there any fixes for this issue?

[@askyellowhouse]

Sounds like maybe an issue with the destination drive. Like it's loading it into the bus/buffer and then once your destination writes the data, the UG1 picks back up for the next package of data. Try another computer?

[@JM-xl3ij]

Hope this helps others who have a UG1 or UG2 - they are the same speed. The cable is the bottleneck. I bought a new UG2 and the cable made my transfers faster but not as fast as the one above. 102Gb for me took 5.75s using an Apple Usb-C to USB-A Adapter. Looks like I need find a direct Thunderbolt to USB-B cable.

[@JM-xl3ij]

I bought a 2nd hand Inspire 2 which came with a DMAG READER - also called the UG1 I think the - even to an M1 Max Mac - it takes 50 mins for a 150Gb file. I wonder if it is faster with a UG2? The TG3 is not even available from DJI for a month.

[@askyellowhouse]

Yes UG2 might be faster. I could test it

[@JM-xl3ij]

@@askyellowhouse That would be fantastic if you could test and let me know. Your tests show the TG3 to be only over twice as fast so it could well be better than mine.

[@JM-xl3ij]

@@askyellowhouse Just spoke with DJI - they said the TG3 will not work with the 960SSD - so I wonder which reader the Inspire 3 uses? from DJI "Besides, please kindly note that the DJI CINESSD Station(Thunderbolt 3) is only compatible with DJI CINESSD (480 GB), DJI CINESSD (240 GB) and DJI CINESSD (120 GB). It cannot be used with DJI CINESSD (960 GB)."

[@stephenopiah8616]

Can i transfer files from thunderbolt to a DJI copilot hard drive ?

[@askyellowhouse]

We don't think so! Mainly just meant for microSD cards like the Phantom, Mavic series!

[@logananderson7043]

Iv been having issues with my cinessd. When I try to download my work onto my computer, it will not make a video file. It will only make 1 file with close to 1,000 pictures of the video I shot. But when I watch my footage on my phone, Its perfectly fine. I'm on PC with the normal CineSSd usb. with Any ideas on whats going on?

[@askyellowhouse]

Sounds like you’re shooting CinemaDNG. Are the files pretty big? Change CineSSD record settings to ProRes. If you need to play those RAW files, use DaVinci Resolve.

[@logananderson7043]

@@askyellowhouse Can I run ProRes with a PC though? Because I bought the DNG

[@askyellowhouse]

@@logananderson7043 Yes! Adobe Premiere introduced support for ProRes on Windows in December 2018.

[@beribear7956]

I didnt realize there were 2 different readers and got the 3 that now doesnt fit to my older macbook pro. Going to try and find an adapter now Thunderbolt 3 to 2

[@askyellowhouse]

The short version: doesn’t exist. You’ll need to get the USB 3 reader. There is a TB3>2 adapter but it adapts TB3 computers to TB2 devices. Not the other way around.

[@beribear7956]

@@askyellowhouse Ugh ok so I'll need a whole new DJI cine reader then. I might just go out and get a new computer since I don't think my old macbook pro 2013 quad core will be able to handle 6k raw video editing. Thanks for the quick reply

[@chriscarter6415]

Hey can you tell me if there is a DIY camera that I can run on the inspire 2 instead of spending all that money on the ones they recommend ? Thank You

[@askyellowhouse]

Negative. The only cameras that fit on the Inspire 2 are the X4S, X5S, and X7.

[@chriscarter6415]

@@askyellowhouse looking for something I can DIY

[@askyellowhouse]

I’m sorry, I don’t understand the question.

[@chriscarter6415]

Even if I could upgrade the stupid 640 x 480 FPV Camera to something a little better?..

[@askyellowhouse]

Some folks choose to strap a better FPV camera to the front of the Inspire, but the TX/RX system has to be independent and the power supply has to be hotwired into the Inspire’s main supply.

[@marctronixx]

Dumb question commeth: I’m in a PC world but use these cinessd‘s. I’m correct to ASSume the thunderbolt version is ONLY for Apple/Macintosh computers yes? I’m also ASSuming my 3rd gen iPad Pro 1tb LTE SG is NOT thunderbolt compliant yes? Again I’m an android /pc guy so pardon the ignorance.

[@askyellowhouse]

Hey Marc! There are windows machines that have Thunderbolt compatibility, but if your machine does not, I would not bank on Thunderbolt 3 functioning as USB 3.1 Gen 2, which is the only middle ground (10Gbps) between TB3 (40Gbps) and USB 3 Gen 1 (5Gbps). In that case, stick to the USB reader and spend the cash on faster drives to load it to. Your iPad is also not Thunderbolt compliant, those are a USB-C spec. :) Hopefully that helps!

[@marctronixx]

@@askyellowhouse this was an old video and i really appreciate you taking the time to respond. ill do exactly as you recommend.

[@davidjaypeterson644]

What does cinessd do with x4s

[@askyellowhouse]

Absolutely nothing! The X4S is limited to H.264/H.265. Even though the sensor could probably do it, the CineCore in the I2 will not allow it.

[@motivewavemedia2455]

Lenses fo X5S!!!