William Demeritt

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.

In that case, I'd probably ask if he can explain what shots they're trying to get, and why they think Movi is right for the task. If it's a budgetary decision, then I'd say that's that. If it's a creative decision, who knows, there probably are some benefits for using it for that purpose. If it's the future, lots of variables are reintroduced: camera weight dropping, stabilization equipment added to the MOVI, etc? It's a pretty broad question, and hard to really distill into a single answer since some shots, given the current equipment, would choose a dolly OR a Steadicam for some shots. Some shots do overlap on those pieces of equipment.

Now I gotta go call my father and make sure he wasn't killed by a $15k camera stabilizer. THANKS BRIAN.

However, he is calling to give you a chance to save your job. What do you tell him? What makes steadicam so much better?

"Go fuck yourself. If you think you have the power to call me up, tell me about a cheap piece of shit equipment that somehow glorifies your production and gives your DP the warm and fuzzies, you're completely mistaken. Maybe you called me thinking you'd enjoy making someone beg for their job, to 'save my job'. Well, I'd rather back over my Steadicam with a steam roller and watch reality TV producers piss all over the flattened remains than let you get away with the thought you'd make me beg for a goddamn thing. So, do me a favor: never call me again. However, I promise you that everyone I know will hear your name and know you like making people beg for the possibility of their jobs...

... oh, and good luck with your shoot."

p.s.- apologies for language and if it violates TOS for the Steadicamforum... I'll censor myself here if necessary, but you'd better believe that's every word of what I'd tell the unfortunate person who called me with that suggestion.

Other companies have used paint or sealants for corrosion protection, but based on the experiments done by this company (and disclosed in their white paper), their corrosion treatment seems considerably better. Granted, it's probably worth some outside trials, but their comparisons of salt fog corrosion on polyurethane treated steel vs. NeverWet treated steel looks fantastic.

Again, think of this not so much as waterproofing the "waterproof" but as waterproofing things you wish were waterproof: electronics connections that are otherwise closed off (HDMI port, BNC ports, possibly even the electronics boards themselves), durable fabrics that are still porous (vest fabric, shoes, etc). More importantly, might make cleanup quicker and easier for other materials, since the tests show high bacterial resistance in treated areas. Fake blood or accidental paint (ask Twojay) might clean quicker and more easily without requiring a costly trip to the manufacturer.

I guess the car paint industry did the best with what they could 10 years ago. Thank goodness for innovation and new technologies.

Jens: waterproof as in water impermeability is well established. This product claims to create a superhyrdrophobic coating, which prevents the water from flattening onto those surfaces and getting into "seams". By coating the aluminum and the seams, the tendency for water to never "flatten" but instead bead up and roll off means it might not seep into the cracks. As the examples show, they treated cloth with the coating, and water rolled off the fabric which is probably more porous and filled with gaps than metal-to-metal seams.

I'll run some tests and post the results, but I would say this: seams that are "top-side" (facing the sky) might not prevent water from leaking in by NeverWet, but seals anywhere else that gravity has the ability to pull the nearly-spherical water droplets down means they won't break surface tension and seep into micro-crevasses like metal-to-metal seams.

Of course, if the seam is a confidence issue, a simple quick-drying rubber gasket could be created by applying it to the seam, followed by an additional treatment of NeverWet.

As far as plexi or glass, they state this product shouldn't be used on anything clear and intended to stay that way, as it does leave a foggy coating that makes clear into translucent. If you want your monitor coated, try Rain-X sold at most auto shops. The treatment, when applied properly, is nearly invisible and causes water to bead up. Gravity will make it roll off, so unless you're operating tabled, you should be OK.

I've been following Liquipel (http://www.liquipel.com/) for awhile. This looks like a nice end user solution, but it would be nice if manufacturers coated their products in hydrophobic compounds during the manufacturing process. Wouldn't we all love a waterproof Cinetronic?

I hear the Cinetronic Gen 2 IS waterproof (as in, full immersion waterproof)... now if only I could actually GET mine.

Here's a part of the white paper on the durability:

Ross data is also compared by SH coating described in recent literature and tested at Ross. Figure 3 shows that Ross coatings are over 200 times more durable than competitive coatings. Ross coatings are not only durable but can also be applied to many substrates such as various metals and alloys, glass, rubber, ceramics, and fabrics. The coatings can be applied to both simple and complex contoured shapes. The complex shape coated with Ross Coating is section of steam generator, Fig. 4. This section of the steam turbine was tested in a wind turbine at 68miles/hour under simulated steam turbine water condensing conditions. No condensation was noted on Ross coated surfaces under these test conditions.

 

 

 

The Ross coatings have been tested for upper use temperature and data shows that they can be used up to 205oC (400oF) for long periods and can have temperature transients of up to 288oC (550oF). On the lower end we have dipped our aluminum coated sample in to liquid Nitrogen and brought to room temperature and every time it was at RT, we bent it ~10 degrees. At least 10 liquid nitrogen dips were done and each dip was for about 3 minutes. Total bend angle was 120 degrees. We found that the cycling in liquid nitrogen and bending after such a thermal gradient did not produce any delamination or chipping of the coating. The sample was still superhydrophobic.

How can you tell when it is time to reapply this coating? They never say what the half life of this is.

The company that invented the stuff has a White Paper I just downloaded, shows a piece of steel that was exposed to 1,000 hours of salt fog coated in polyurethane and another coated in NeverWet, and the NeverWet stuff has minimal corrosion. They seem to be advertising it for industrial solutions. I would bet you could introduce it to the normal cleaning cycle (you guys do clean your gear regularly, RIGHT?) and just reapply anytime you wipe it down.

I'll hose down a wash cloth in the stuff tomorrow and see how it does. Also curious to know how quickly casual contact degrades it (like coating the top of the arm, etc).

Will the coating last how resistant is it to scratches? what happens on the long run?

You know what I know: is an adhesive coating that's is "ultra hydrophobic", so it repels water pretty amazingly. I imagine it wears or scratches away like any other paint or adhesive coating. I'm going to test it to see how it goes.

I think its best not to inhale it!

Important safety tip, thanks Egon.

I remember reading about this product last year, but it's finally on shelves at Home Depot right now.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Stops-Rust-18-oz-NeverWet-Multi-Purpose-Spray-Kit-274232/204216476

Base coat and a top coat, says there's enough for 10-15 sq ft of coverage. All of the product demonstrations on the YouTube video are pretty inspiring. I'm going to go pick up a kit and give me vest a trial run. However, seems like it might be a good way to "waterproof" your sled and equipment. Looks like it will work on just about anything you don't need to be clear afterwards, since it leaves a foggy layer afterwards.

Anyway, seemed cool and wanted to share. Off to Home Depot I go...

Post on the forum more often, Michelle. You always have such nice things to say!

I would recommend either a Bartech or maybe Hocus Focus' new Axis 1 system. I have confidence in the HF unit, but I also know personally the Bartech is utterly bulletproof. If things don't work out, the investment will retain a lot of value and resale won't give you much of a problem. I would say go with something professional, supported and powerful so you can grow as an operator.

I've had mine for over a year, and I love it! Really nice product, Matthias!

I'll post pics later, but I did want to clarify my tongue-in-cheek response. I have the Sachtler tilting telescopic monitor arm , and I'm very happy with it.

How I have it on my rig allows me to keep the monitor very tight to the rig (or away from the rig if I wish), and I can set the height relative to the batteries to ensure I'm coplanar for whatever battery configuration I might have. 1 battery or 3, I can set the height. Further, since the arm stretches down from the tilting rosette, the monitor feels more stable than if the telescoping arms went straight out. Plus the position with the Cinetronic monitor yoke limits the possibility of spinning loose due to horizontal forces.

Good price on the unit, thanks for the heads up. I don't need loop thru either, I'd rather port the signal thru the monitor's loop.

Congratulations, Peter. Your new system is phenomenal, and I can't wait to see what else you have in store down the road. Seriously, this was the fastest wireless follow focus unit I've seen!