Dan M. Keaton

Dear Friends,

I just wanted to let you know that we started shipping our Gemini 4:4:4 video recorder and monitor in early November.

We will start shipping our second batch of units in about two weeks.

The Gemini 4:4:4 is a small, 5.4" wide, 4.5" tall, 1.6" deep, 1.26 pound full uncompressed 4:2:2/4:4:4 video recorder which also fully supports log footage such as Sony S-Log.

At this time, we do not have audio recording enabled, but this will be released in about two weeks.

Our unit is about the same size as a Small HD DP6 monitor, but it includes the capability to record full uncompressed video Thus, we capture 100% of the quality of the HD image from the camera with zero compromises.

Our monitor is bright, 800 Nits (cd/m2), with a 900 to one contrast ratio. While it can be used in direct sunlight, a sun shade is preferrable for certain very bright conditions.

It draws a maximum of around 15 watts with 12 watts being typical, using 6 to 19V DC.

This unit allows one to record, unteathered, and still capture the ultimate in image quality.

Dan Keaton

Convergent Design

803 278 0941

Dear Friends,

We will be showing our Gemini 4:4:4 full uncompressed, 4:2:2/4:4:4 recorder at NAB from Monday April 11 thru Thursday April 14.

Our booth, C11126, will be in the Central Hall, in the back, near Sony.

The Gemini 4:4:4 weighs about one pound and is the same size of the Small HD monitor. It includes a sunlight viewable 5" 800 x 480 monitor (800 Cd/m2 - 800 Nits)

This is a $5,995 recorder,including the transfer station, a 256 GB SSD is $749, a 512 GB SSD is $1,349

We look forward to seeing you there. We will also be showing our nanoFlash.

Dan Keaton

Convergent Design

www.convergent-design.com

"The nanoFlash records the video/audio as MPEG2 at user selected bit-rates, using Long-GOP or Intraframe recording " (quote from Convergent design). MPEG2 is a great acquisition format and a horrid editing format. It is a nightmare to edit with any show that has lots of graphics or is long form due to the necessity or rendering the MPEG2 sequence, since it is not supported as a NATIVE codec on FCP . Long GOP structured codecs can slow the editorial process down to a snails pace due to the way they use frame estimation. The other format (Intradframe) creates files much larger than Prores which can require lots more storage space. Most editors I know will avoid editing MPEG2 like the plague and immediately convert to Prores to avoid the slowdown , image quality issues and excessive need for lots of storage that can ensue.

Dear Tom,

The nanoFlash does record in MPEG2.

However, please note that we have three options, MPEG-2 without a wrapper, MPEG-2 in a Quicktime Wrapper, MPEG-2 in an MXF Wrapper.

The "Essense" is Sony XDCam, XDCam 4:2:2 if recording at 50 Mbps or higher, or XDCam Ex at 35 Mbps or below.

Actually, the files are very easily edited in Final Cut Pro and other editors.

Since we always record full raster, the files are actually quite easy to edit. Please do not compare this to editing HDV which is 1440 x 1080. Converting 1440 x 1080 to full raster 1920 x 1080 is a very compute intensive task, and never has to be done when using our files.

We have thousands of nanoFlashes in the field and many use Final Cut Pro. We have many editing in Avid, Sony Vegas, Adobe CS5, Edius and others.

We do, as an option, support recording in native MPEG-2, without a wrapper. Thus, this pre-rendered MPG file can be burned to a SD DVD or an HD Blu-ray without rendering, if one is using DVD or Blu-ray burning software that is smart enough to know that the file has been pre-rendered.

Thus, one can choose our MPG option, then quickly burn a DVD or Blu-ray.

We typically do not recommended editing the MPG format.

The Quicktime and MXF wrappers provide for an index to each and every frame of video in the file, which makes editing easier.

We support a very wide range of bit-rates:

SD: 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 30, 40 and 50 Mbps

HD: 18, 35, 50, 80, 100, 140, 180, 220 and 280 Mbps

We support both Long-GOP and I-Frame Only codecs (Intraframe). ProRes is also an Intraframe codec.

I welcome others who have edited our files to share their experiences.

Can you make the unit default to on but still allow the button to turn the unit off and on? That seems like the best of both worlds because if you really want to turn it off you can but otherwise it will always be on.

 

~Jess

Yes, we can do this, but this requires a redesign of the nanoFlash's power supplies.

When we redesign it, we want to be able to have a menu based power options and a switch to power it on and off. Our current design requires a pulse (momentary switch closure) to turn it on or off.

We did not make this change lightly. Leaving it powered on as long as a battery or AC power is connected, is not causing a problem in the field.

My personal tests have shown that our smallest battery, a small 2-cell Lithium-Ion battery that powers the nanoFlash for over 3 hours, will power the unit, in low power mode, for days. I tested it and gave up after 4 days, there was still lots of power in the battery.

A Dionic 90 will power the nanoFlash, in low power mode, for 450 hours or so, or over 18 days.

Note: we can build the nanoFlashes with the power switch or without on a custom basis. We recommend automatic power on.

Dan,

 

I have been looking on your website but could not find detailed info about the audio embedded feature the nano flash offers. Could you please tell me how many channels of audio can be embedded and so recorded onto the card. Thank you.

 

Markus

Dear Markus,

At this point in time, we record a maximum of two channels of audio. This can be audio embedded in the HD-SDI or HDMI data streams, or via our external audio input, a single 3.5mm mini-jack.

External audio can be 1 channel balanced, mic or consumer line level, or

Two channels of unbalanced, mic or consumer line level.

Tape Out from a mixer goes nicely into our external audio input. And a mixer can provide multiple channels of balanced audio.

We are currently working on 8 channel audio. We may have this ready in January.

We are also working on the ability to add the two external audio inputs to the embedded audio.

We do not support phantom power, but a mixer can easily provide that.

All audio is recorded at 24-Bit/48K, including the analog audio inputs. This is good, clean audio.

Her are some questions..., are you researching a new on/off button as a replacement or are all the new units going out without one?

We have not found a more reliable power switch that fits. This is a special, very low profile switch. This prevents someone from accidently powering the unit off.

Should I assume that pulling the hirose on and off the unit 20 times a day will not do any damage to the unit other than the overuse of the connector or should I just leave it powered up in that low power mode and let it cook at the lower temp all day?

No, we do not want you to plug the power plug that often. The low power mode is 0.2 watts. It does not cook anything. Nor does it drain your battery. The battery drain, in low power mode, is .004 times the battery drain in normal mode. In general, this is almost insignificant.

I guess I could install a switch in-line on the power cord going to the unit. That would probably be best for now.

We are attempting to find an in-line slide switch that is reliable so we can build a short cable with a switch.

Please feel free to call me Dan.

Dear Steve,

I am embedding my answers in your original post.

There are still some minor issues that I am dealing with but I truly believe that you MUST have the recommended cards for their system and I believe that makes all the difference.

You make a great point. It is absolutely imperative to use one of our qualified CompactFlash cards.

We test and qualify lots of CompactFlash cards. One can not rely on the manufactuers stated speeds.

But, more importantly, each card has a certain personality. For example, we have to adjust our code to work differently when we use SanDisk cards, they work differently than some other cards.

To make this easy, we maintain a list of qualified cards on our website, www.Convergent-Design.com.

Yes, in some cases a non-qualified card will work.

First of all you must realize that this device does not work in standard def. It is for HD use only. It will not take an NTSC composite feed (major bummer) which is what most of us are used to.

The nanoFlash will record from, and playback to HD-SDI, SD-SDI and HDMI (HDMI must be HD, not SD at this time).

But, it does not have a Composite SD input, nor will it take a Component Input (HD or SD).

This may change in the future. We are considering an add-on module to accept these inputs.

And we see the need for SD output.

Please note that there are multiple ways to use the nanoFlash.

While Video Assist is one, the nanoFlash is actually capable of so much more.

The nanoFlash is currently being used as the primary recorder for a Sony F35, Steadicam mounted, to eliminate the weight of the SR recorder. This is for a high end television series. We understand production loves it.

It is capable of recording very high quality, or lower quality modes, if desired.

So, if you have an HD feed, then the nanoFlash can handle it and produce excellent quality images.

A $70,000,000 feature is using the nanoFlash, going filmout, and it intercuts well with the primary 35mm Panavision, according to the director of this film.

The nanoFlash is being used, and has been used for other feature films.

I am truly bummed that it will not do that with time of day record which is what most of my HD work is all about...but I intend to speak with them about that as well. I am betting that one will not be resolved because of how TC works.

We have a "Trigger on Incrementing Timecode" mode. Thus, when the camera rolls timecode, we record.

But, by the very nature of this, 24 Hour or continuous running timecode, is not appropriate.

Some cameras have a "Record Flag" built into the HD-SDI stream. As soon as we get the details of were this is located, we will be adding this Trigger Mode.

We are also working on a device to allow us to record when a tally light is lit.

Our simple, single button Remote Control, wired, with tally light, works well for some.

Currently, when one enables the Remote Control, we lock out the Record and Stop buttons. But the Play button is still active.

Locking out the Record and Stop buttons when using the remote control allows the unit to be placed in a backpack.

I have heard that it locks out the panel as well but have not had time to test that yet. If it does that will be very unfortunate thus making that feature pointless to us for the most part as we need instant playback of course.

The Play button is still active.

First of all they shipped it to me with a note that said the on/off button was disabled. I am not sure why so the only way to power it off is to unplug it.

This was done for reliablity reasons. We were having a small percentage of the power switches fail over time.

But even more importantly, this prevents a problem where an operator changes a battery, then fails to turn the nanoFlash back on.

This was our overridding reason for making the change. The possiblity of not recording, since the unit was powered off, while the operator thought it was on, is just too dangerous.

The nanoFlash has a Power Save feature. When enabled, the unit goes into a very low power mode when the HD-SDI signal is missing.

Thus, one can power off the camera, then the nanoFlash power's down, but powers back up when the HD-SDI signal returns. Even the smallest of batteries will power the unit for days in low-power mode.

One thing to be careful about is that you can't push to many buttons to fast, it freaks this thing out. They explain in the manual that it needs a few seconds (up to 5) to buffer or complete its record, etc. So I have found that if I am slow and patient the machine works very well.

True

The other issue is it would be really, really nice to have the ability to delete any highlighted take (file) as you go along.

This is planned for early 2010.

The other bonehead thing that they did (not sure why yet) (sorry to call it a bonehead thing but at first glance that is what it seems like) was they decided to not use standard power pin config for the 4 pin hirose.

Toshbia makes POV cameras, and uses the same connector, and the same power supply. They use this pin-out.

We felt that it would be possible for users to make a mistake and use our power supply on their camera, which may harm it, so we followed their pin-out.

Our unit is protected from reverse polarity. Note that our Power Input, on the nanoFlash is a male connector, not a female one. As such, it would be unlikely, but not inconceivable, for one to use our power supply, or cables incorrectly.

I hope this helps.

Dear Fracol,

As it is very late, I hope you do not mind me answering you post, in detail, in the morning.

Do I understand correctly that when it is in the mode to accept an external trigger for rec/pause, the front keypad is locked out? Is there any kind of external wired remote that provides transport controls in this instance, or any other (i.e. what protocol is used for remote operation if any, what wired remotes will work with the system).

Currently, when using a remote control (external trigger), the record button is locked out. We do this so that if the unit is in a backpack, then any bumps will not cause inappropriate operations.

I will be happy to add a feature which the remote control can be used, and the front panel keys are still available. We can discuss this.

Please note that the remote control is designed to work well with a simple momentary push button, or camera remote controls.

If using a manual push buton, with tally light, one press to record, additional presses are for dividing long continuous shooting into logical takes, and one holds the button down for 1 second to stop recording.

For interfacing with a camera remote control or other devices, a simple, contact closure to record, no closure to stop recording, option is available.

Our nanoFlash has the ability to communicate RS-232 and RS-485. With simple adapters, RS-422 can be supported.

We are working on the protocol for working with various remote control devices.

Without resorting to using RS-232 and RS-485, we may be able to work out some remote controls for record, playback, and clip selection. We are currently working on a small wireless remote control which may meet your needs. This wireless remote control does not need light of sight to operate.

Our Remote Control connector also has the ability to use a Contact Closure for Recording, and has Tally Light signal which can directly drive an LED.

What are the steps required between record mode and playback (and vice versa)? For instance, when stopping a recording, can you hit play to playback that clip (and simply cycle backwards through the list for previous clips)?

After recording, one can hit the play key to immediately play back the last clip.

Then one can use the play key for play/pause, and fast forward.

While playing back, one can use the Left or Right Arrows to immediately jump to and immediately start playing other clips.

Is there any intention to offer the ability to record from and playback to an SD composite signal in a future upgrade, firmware or otherwise?

We are a customer driven company. We do our best to respond to our customer's requests and we have a proven track record of doing so.

While this is not in our current plans in seems obvious that we need to add this as soon as possible. We have discussed this internally and fully see the need for us to do this quickly.

Finally, for the benefit of having the information in one place, can you quote the dimensions and weight of the unit?

Size 4 7/8" high, 3 3/4" wide, 1 3/8" thick, weight 0.85 pounds, accepts 6.5 to 19.5 Volts DC.

If desired, a very thin, very flexible coax cable may be used so that the unit may be mounted remotely.

Charles, thank you for posting.

My name is Dan Keaton and I just joined your forum.

I noticed that there have been questions about the Flash XDR and the nanoFlash.

My goal is to be here to answer any questions that you may have concerning our CompactFlash based video recorders, the Flash XDR and nanoFlash.

I am the Director of Sales and Marketing for Convergent-Design and we are the manufacturers of these devices.

Please feel free to ask question on this forum, or email me if you wish.

I hope I can be of assistance.