William Demeritt

I had issues with getting an HD Image on my gen 2 with both SDI ports. I think it had something to do with the P V's PsF issues. I didn't have enough time to troubleshoot it, but just be aware.

If you're in Los Angeles area (I know Brooks is, roughly, so I meant for anyone else reading this thread), Andrew Ansnick makes spaghetti thin BNC cables. He can be reached through the forum, or I'll give out his phone number (as long as you prank him occasionally with heavy breathing).

Not recommended: Battery on back of Gen2 and feeding power and video from the Ultimate sled.

 

Just to confirm Benjamin's observation: XCS owners will need a VIDEO only! 8pin Lemo to Lemo cable to avoid the backfeeding into the sled issue. Just use a spare cable and disconnect pins 1 and 2 (power) and leave pin 3 and 4 (composite video) in place to feed the SD video with PDL into the Cinetronic.

 

I would imagine, on my PRO sled, the backfeed would simply cause the MON battery to go into protect mode. What happened with the XCS sled? Doesn't the base have a power management microprocessor? Does it set off an alert?

About time I get one of these, since I'll be on a stage or tight spaces for the next few weeks. Anyone selling one of the American rolling stands, single riser with baby pin up top? Hit me up if you have one you're looking to offload.

Since I have a sustaining account, and my friend Tarik does not, I am posting this on his behalf.

 

The listing he created is over at Steadicam-Ops.com, and here's the link:

http://www.steadicam-ops.com/database/soaClassDetail.php?recordID=4662

 

Here's the important information (as copy and pasted):

 

Hello everyone! I am selling my Ultra 2 Steadicam system. Im selling because I have been using another system. This rig is in great shape, and had all the lower electronic boards replaced by Tiffen in March of this year.
I would like to keep the package together, and am including a few extra items with the sale.
Included with this package as extras is a garfield mount and a standard definition transvideo rainbow II 6.5" directors monitor and Titan II TX, along with several power cable arrangements and a decimator II (also with anton bauer power supply.
All the gear is in great working order. The arm has not had the "X" upgrade, but I think you can have that done for 1000.00 USD by tiffen. The travel cases have been travelled quite a bit, so cosmetically, they do have dings and scratches. The vest has a few scratches as well from use.

As for the full package, here isa detailed list of what is included...

Transvideo Wireless Video System
Redbyte Decimator II: S/N DHA01053
Titan II Transmitter
Rainbow II 5" Monitor w/receiver S/N 07ES0555
2x Antenna
1x Hirosi to BNC Breakout cable
1x XLR to P Tap Power
1x Transvideo to P tap cable
2x Transvideo to Panavision Cable
1x Decimator II to P tap
1x Ultra II Hirosi to Transvideo Cable
1x Pelican Case

Sony Quick Release Plate S/N VCT-U14
1x Dovetail Plates S/N Not Available
1x Zacuto Rod Accessory
1x IDX Battery Charger S/N K2-02994
1x Steadicam Powercube S/N AY00039
1x Steadicam Powercube S/N AY00038
1x Steadicam Powercube S/N AY00040
1x Steadicam Powercube S/N AY00009
1x Steadicam Powercube S/N AY00010
1x Steadicam Powercube S/N AY00039
2x Osha Power Cables
1x Handle Bracket Low Mode
1x J Bracket
1x Accessory Pouch
1x Clear Case Accessories
1x Steadicam Small Case

1x Ultra II Monitor S/N 000065
1x Ultra II Sled S/N 09070002
1x 3 Pin to P Tap
1x 24v Small PV Connector
1x Ultra II to XLR 12 V
1x Ultra II to Arri 24v
1x Ultra II to Panavision 24v
1x Ultra II to XLR 24v
1x Monitor Cable Power
1x Thermodyne Hard Case

1x Steadicam Vest S/N 1210
1x G-70 Arm S/N 09070004
1x Docking Bracket
!x Set of Rain Gear
!x Set of Weight Rods
1x Thermodyne Case
1x Rain Gear
1x Garfield Mount (Hard Mount)

I am selling this package for 40,000 USD O.B.O (Buyer pays shipping if outside of the los angeles area). If you have any questions, or are in the los angeles area and would like to see the equipment, please feel free to email or call me.

 

Contact: Tarik Hameedi Phone: 323.363.0035 Email: xtarikx@gmail.com Location: California

 

Photos are available over at the classified.

I'll sit down and try to write a candidate tomorrow.

Cinetronic will have a full HD 7" before the end of the year.

I love you guys and I love my Cinetronic gen 1 and gen 2... But fulfill your pre-orders from end of last year (gen 2 and digital level orders, which you accepted payments for) before you promise technologies to be available by the end of this year.

Mike,

 

Can you share some photos of what the new heat dissipation methods look like? Thanks!

Droptime was discovered in the 4th century BC in the ancient land of Lisigavia...

 

Sorry, even for a newbie thread, this question is not far from saying you've been a baker for a while, but you're wondering what the different heat settings on the oven do.

 

In an attempt to reboot this thread, and perhaps salvage it for future generations of Mövi operators, here's an attempt to re-rail this discussion:

 

Your steadicam sled functions as a rigid pendulum with a cantilever ballast at the opposite end of a rigid rod. The camera platform is ballast A, your steadicam base (planar or coplanar) is ballast B, and the gimbal is the fulcrum. Ballast A is x distance from the gimbal, and ballast B is y distance from the gimbal.

 

Two objects on a lever are in balance when the forces are equal: Ax = By, that is A times x (mass of A times distance x) is equal to B times y (mass of B times distance y).

 

If your camera platform's distance from the gimbal is such that it is equal to the force of the sled base times distance from the gimbal, the sled is "neutral", much like the lever we just described above.

 

So, to change this equilibrium we created, we have three options: change the distance of B to the fulcrum; change the distance of A to the fulcrum, or change the position of the fulcrum (thus changing both distances at the same time).

 

When you extend your sled without moving the gimbal, you changed the distance of B to the fulcrum, or y. This will exceed the force on the other end of the lever. On our steadicam sled, you just went from neutral to "bottom heavy", which is how we generally operate.

 

Now that the force exerted at B is greater than A, and the sled is bottom heavy, the time to travel 90 degrees from a horizontal, rigid sled to a vertical, rigid sled (or specifically, the time it takes to travel that rotation) is effectively "droptime".

 

Most of the time, we position the fulcrum closer to A rather than extend the sled, because we like to have the gimbal as close to the lens as possible. This has a rapid effect on the bottom-heaviness of the system. If the gimbal is as high as we can go still allowing us to dock it, then we extend the sled to increase y specifically.

 

So that's my explanation on "droptime" and how we can control it... now why. I generally operate with 3.5-4 seconds of droptime, and I actually do that in every setup, every sled length, even with low mode. I find that with my operating style, a higher droptime works best for me since I watch the horizon pretty obsessively anyway. If the sled moves, and the base is very bottom heavy (meaning quicker droptime), that means our pendulum base creates more force I have to fight. Instead of fighting potential roll and tilts as the sled moves, a shorter droptime means less force (B times y minus A times x = force during movement assuming sled is perfectly vertical).

 

tl;dr - droptime is the speed at which a steadicam sled rolls from horizontal to vertical, thus illustrating the "bottom heaviness" of the sled and the likelihood of pendulum effect when operating and moving the sled.

 

Anyway, that's my explanation. Perhaps it was constructive, or just further delayed me going to grab lunch... but there you go.

 

...now let's never speak of this again.

Amando!

 

I come from a long line of men who do a great job "ignoring" the pain until it becomes unbearable. If you've slowed down to give yourself a rest, you're already ahead of the game.

 

Now, I recommend you treat the injury with respect, but also as the challenge it presents. Nobody climbed a mountain or overcame adversity without confronting the fear of the situation, and they did it by respecting the challenge and doing things right.

 

Give it time to heal, and once you're healed, give it a wide berth: be careful, don't dive in head first. But don't let it frighten you, or else you'll panic as you start to return, and then you get sloppy, and then you exacerbate the injury or create new ones.

 

I think you would probably know by now if you were "finished". If you're healing, and you have some strength left, then your body will survive.

 

Respect, not fear.

 

You got this.

I just got my Cinetronic gen 2 today, and I'm interested in trying to repeat this test.

 

Greg, can you please describe in detail how you let the monitor "burn in"? Presumably attached to the sled, 14vdc coming from the sled. Is the sled hanging on the dock? Is it sitting on a work bench on the monitor and battery?

 

Also, you mentioned that you used an IR thermometer while diagnosing the issue; did you check the temperature of the LCD panel display? The rear of the monitor? Sides? What were the temperatures you metered, or was it just the ambient temperature?

 

I'm working with the monitor tonight, so I assume I won't see any kind of thermal stress going on (unless Pasadena is hotter at night than I'm aware of). However, tomorrow I plan on goofing off with the gear, so we'll see. I may go buy an IR thermometer at Harbor Freight just to meter my own tests.

 

If the heat dissipation is an actual issue, I'm already considering adding heatsinks to the rear panel using thermal adhesive. If the front panel is facing the sun, then the back will assuredly be in the shade, and since California feels so chilly in the shade, I would think that'd make a great dent in the heat inside the monitor.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Gino-20mm-Aluminium-Diffusion-Cooling/dp/tech-data/B0050MR8CG/ref=de_a_smtd

Yo dawg, I heard you like camera stabilizers... so we put a camera stabilizer on yo camera stabilizer so you can stabilize while you stabilize (and get underpaid).

Nelson,

 

Now that this thread has basically gone as I predicted (I can never predict how Baldwin is going to react), please use that as collateral to heed this advice now:

 

You gain nothing by continuing to reply here. You're fighting a losing battle, and the BEST possible outcome is to ignore this thread and lurk... or reach out to people who you think were/are constructive? I dunno. However, the more you reply, thinking you're taking the high ground, the more you are doing harm to yourself.

 

I highly recommend you just resign this thread, keep practicing and working towards your goal. Reply in other threads if you think you can be constructive, but I urge you to just abandon this ship. This thread is like quick sand, and the more you fight, the quicker you're gonna sink.

I guess the first question is: what do YOU think? If you were the DP or the client paying you to be there, how would you feel about the footage? What do you think your strengths and weaknesses are? We all have them.

 

One piece of focused, specific feedback: all of your shots seem rolled to the right a good 5+ degres. Check your horizons, or check your rig to make sure your horizons are correct when operating.

 

Bare in mind, it's about to get really ugly in here, and the reason is this isn't a forum for enthusiasts of all flavors to come and share their footage. It's a forum of working professionals who are EXTREMELY critical of their shots, because we're paid well to accept nothing less than excellent.

 

I would highly recommend that you go find the Steadicam shots in movies and TV that inspired you to become a Steadicam operator, compare those shots to your footage, and ask if you think you're there yet? Strive for perfection, and you'll know when the time is right to post your footage again.

 

In the mean time, as many are about to encourage you: take down the video, read, participate in the discussion and ask questions. However, the professionals who watch this video will probably either come down hard on you, or avoid commenting...

I'm not sure how much additional coding or extra work that would take. The easiest way (and less invasive of Tim's time) would probably be to encourage everyone to modify their profiles to state what rig they fly, which parts are what, etc. Perhaps instead of "Yes - For big cameras", change the "Interests" field to "Rigs and equipment you use". Encourage a particular format:

 

Sled

Camera Platform: PRO DB3 + PRO HD UJB

Centerpost: PRO HD Centerpost

Sled base: PRO HD LJB + PRO gen 2 battery hanger

Monitor and arm: Cinetronic Gen 1 + Sachtler Tilting Telescopic monitor arm

Batteries: Anton Bauer Dionic HC

 

Arm

Manufacturer/Type: PRO Titan Arm + black/blue canisters

 

Vest

Type: PRO front mounted vest

 

Follow Focus

Manufacturer/System: Bartech digital + Bartech analog

 

Accessories

Garfield mount, Backstage TR-04JR cart, Cases for shipping, Paralinx Arrow, Decimator 2, BlackMagic Hyperdeck Shuttle 2, cat griller, Cam-Jam catgriller, Mike O'shea weight cage

 

Might give people a chance to get a glimpse of what a specific operator flies when browsing the forum? Assuming people comply.

According to Jim Bartell's website, he sells the M-One motor cables (assuming the analog) for $145. You might want to contact him?

 

You're really not going to find much better prices than the $150 range for 5-pin analog motor cables, since the LEMO connectors themselves cost about $39 each. $80 in the hole plus hiring a capable and reliable cables guy to solder the LEMO connectors properly is easily worth $70 in reliability and peace of mind.

 

Spend the money, buy 'em right, and treat them well. You'll be glad you went with a trusted name.

Be aware that some scaling options might cause a frame delay.

 

Which options are those?!?! Can't drop that on us without giving the proper details!

I think it sounds like a grounding/connecting issue at the BNC receptacle.

 

Obvious questions: have you tried with other BNC cables? Multiple cables all exhibit the same behavior?

 

If you have an image prior to completing the twist-lock on the BNC, that makes me think it isn't the wiring so much as the BNC receptacle you're plugging into might be warped or damaged. Check the inside of the receptacle to make sure the receiver is not bent or otherwise damaged. Also, make sure the rounded BNC receptacle housing isn't bent or warped.

Hey Scott

 

A Decimator 2, out of the box, does not do scaling to HDMI. You need to hook it up to a computer, install the Decimator control panel from the Decimator website, and enable scaling in the menu. It's literally a check box you have to check, and for good measure, set it to the scaled format you want (I think I set mine to 1080i 59.97 for maximum broadcast range).

 

Should work immediately after that.

Agreed, Baldwin's reminding us to vote all the time is tiresome.

He's very pedriotic.

I think the term "trusted" is already a bias problem. Some manufacturers are trusted by some but not others. Trust is not empirical or universal.

 

A catalog of experiences, on the other hand, might go well, like the reviews section on Amazon. Since everyone is on real names, perhaps there's a way to collate all the experiences people have had, and make it easier to search?

To a producer this means you have to pay more people to use it on set.

 

Actually, I believe the rationalization is instead of paying a skilled, experienced Steadicam operator an appropriate rate reflecting years of practice and hard work (as well as the knowledge and capability to execute the shots planned in the squeezed timeframe of a film shoot), this device will most likely tempt people to hire those 3 individuals, none of whom have the level of experience of the Steadicam operator.

 

Hell, you could even say all 3 of them don't have the amount of experience combined when compared to the Steadicam operator. Ultimately, the 3 people hired to work a MOVI command about as much qualification to work as the gentlemen who solicit work in the parking lot of Home Depot, only those gents get paid more and won't agree to a 12 hour day. Hopefully, one of them plays a lot of XBOX.

So you`re retiring in a few months

I've got a North Face rain jacket with underarm zipper vent, and it works great my vest. Just look for rain jackets that have the zipper and try it on to make sure the socket block is in the right place.

Is it weird that I care less about what we're shooting on and more about the fact that we're shooting less and less every year? Fewer features with a reasonable budget, more microbudget crap or gargantuan tentpoles, lower rates in "new" markets? All just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

 

I'd actually be OK shooting on GoPro's and SI:2K rigs, if the industry would start shooting features again.