OnLocation (OL) runs on a mid-powered or better Window’s laptop which is ideal for location work. It provides all of the studio style hardware via software incarnations, like an NTSC monitor, scope, waveform monitor, audio spectrum analyzer and other tools.

These software versions of the real things—which would be thousands of dollars as real hardware—help calibrate the video and audio input sources to make sure nothing is running too hot or off-color. These monitoring tools will tell you things about your feed signals that most cameras will not, and it is certainly not wise to rely on your camera’s audio/video feedback. With OL you will know before you shoot that one bulb is too close to the wall and causing a hot spot, or that one mic’s input is off its mark.

In addition, OnLocation lets you record direct to a hard disk, either instead of or in addition to your camera’s onboard storage device. This means you can capture a mirror copy of your work and never worry should you come across a bad spot in the tape. It also means that you can see playback clips faster and without having to shuttle through tape. And it also means that at the end of the day your workload is already on a hard drive, so no need to start the evening off with hours of capturing drudgery.

Last but not least is the clever pre-roll feature in OL that is basically always recording video. So when you actually start to record OL includes the previous 30 seconds of footage. Assuming your camera was in position and not hanging from your hand upside down, this can be very useful in catching those few seconds we often miss of live action material.

Bottom Line: As one old pro scoffed, “it is not going to be the same as real hardware, not as good”. This may be very true, however we look at this in terms of situations where having all that real hardware is not an option. The question then becomes is this better than nothing and is it better than what your camera can do alone? A resounding yes to both questions. Add its extra perks and capabilities and this is a real winning application. (In fact it actually is, having won the “Best of NAB” award while still owned by Serious Magic.) This is Windows only for now.