William Demeritt

Hi Gent,

It looks exactly like this one http://thecoolgadgets.com/asus-wicast-ew2000-wireless-1080p-hd-video-broadcast/

Cost is only $199.00

With a few inexpensive mods and a new logo, the price jumps up to $600.00!!!

That's the older technology I was mentioning earlier. The Asus and HP products have a limited range (30 feet or so, with minimal obstructions). These newer WHDI products by companies like LG Innotek will go beyond that range, and still run the same price.

Someone passed this along to me. It looks like at the moment it does hdmi only. They are saying it is about $600-$700. Does this seem to good to be true? Any thoughts?

 

Optitek on cinema 5d

I think two different companies are developing consumer products using WHDI ("wireless high definition"): Sibeam and AMIMON. I know AMIMON just introduced their newest revision in WHDI technology at CES 2011, which features an HDMI "stick" which plugs into any HDMI output and wirelessly streams to an WHDI receiver, 1080p, even handles HDCP so it plays copyright protected blurays.

I don't think it's too good to be true, although having read the tech specs on the newest AMIMON chips, the range seems different from what other companies will soon be offering. Their range is 120 ft clear line, but 50 feet when obstructed by two walls. According to AMIMON, their range is 100 feet even when obstructed (guess longer with clear line). The rumored price for the new generation of these systems is $300. So, Optitek is charging $300 for a 15mm/19mm clamp and a D-tap connection with voltage regulator. How much does velcro cost?

I will say that that price seems a bit high, only when compared to other consumer products on the market. Asus and HP offer wireless HD transmitter/receiver kits for ~$200, and they're a generation old and limited to 30 feet. I get the feeling Optitek will be the first company to use this technology in the film world at such a low cost, but I'm sure others are working on other solutions.

In the mean time, Optitek solves the problem for the HDSLR and RED One market, since anyone else will need a converter for HD-SDI -> HDMI on one end, and HDMI -> HD-SDI on the other end.

http://www.steadicamforum.com/index.php?showtopic=12756

Just a few months ago, I bought a weight cage from Janice Arthur. Very happy with it!

I just got a the Bartech BDR with an M-One Digital motor. I love how quick the auto calibrate is on a stills camera lens I am trying it on, but it seems to be noisier than I remember an M-One being. I have never set up a bartech system before though so I am wondering if there are any considerations I should take into account that might make it quieter.

 

Any thoughts?

What sort of noise is it you're trying to manage? Is the motor itself "purring" too loudly when you rack focus? Is the motor gear clicking or dragging across the lens gears?

after about an hour my back fatigues and slowly starts to turn into pain

...

On another note. I occasionally get pain in my upper left shoulder. (The same muscle that someone would massage with their thumb when they give you a stereotypical "neck massage")

If it's your lower back muscles that are hurting, I would think it's probably just a fatigue issue. Remember, you may be in a comfortable position, but your body is still probably engaging muscles while holding the rig that you're not immediately aware of... not until the pain comes. I would think the best training to overcome that is to pushing it a little bit further beyond an hour each time... or get someone to take the rig from you for a quick 20 second breather! ;)

As for the other pain, I get this sometimes, but I just figured it came with the territory. If my lower back is keeping my back straight, proper posture, etc., then I figured my shoulders were pressing against the vest in the shoulders to maintain control. Give more leverage for booming up and around, that sort of thing.

Out of curiosity, and sort of related, do you find that low budget productions often try to talk down the rental rate, but then a day later call and ask "by the way, does your kit come with a follow focus?"

Do you all find that whip pans can be cut together?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJcCvKhMuGM

Originally, this video was meant to be edited together to look like one long take, but we'd have to hide multiple edits. When the editor started reviewing the footage, everyone felt they needed to cut it up (mostly due to poor planning and the singer looked a bit bored in some shots). When I showed up the first day, I basically had to help them find the edit points and create the moments/blocking that would allow for the edits.

Around 2:19, you can see how I approach the edit from behind them, but we needed to get in front of them. So, at the tail of the shot, where I knew we'd create an edit, I crashed into the wall. At the head of the shot, it began with me walking backwards while blurring across the wall, and whip panning over to the kids. I felt like the edit worked fairly well.

I think what makes whip pans really cut together well is motion blur, so whatever you can do to help add to the blur the better. Faster whip, snapping the focus, etc gives the editor room to hide it.

Content producers would never allow consumer televisions and Blu-Ray players etc. to transmit/receive unencrypted digital video

That's an interesting idea, and if they started out with that in mind, I gotta wonder how they feel about products like the WDTV, Seagate FreeAgent Theater, and even Sony's SMP-U10: all use HDMI connections to play content to consumer televisions, most play back files like DivX, MP4 and MKV (only Sony's doesn't). Sure, my PS3 can play Blurays and requires an HDCP connection to a television to play back that copyrighted format, but with a 3+ year head start on breaking bluray DRM, anyone can rip the bluray with a Windows machine, save as MKV, drop it on a thumb drive and play it on their WDTV Live.

I just find it funny, but then again, I'm a geek... I still have a text file of the DeCSS algorithm saved somewhere when the Digital Millenium Copyright Act tried to have it blocked.

Depends on how hard you fling it.

Wait, this isn't ShotputForums.com??

That's what I get for now living in a PAL country.

:lol: well, in all fairness, NTSC really mostly (or used to mostly) cover North America and some of South/Central America. SECAM and PAL seem to control the rest of the world. But yea, since the ATSC conversion in 2009, TV's equipped with NTSC tuners seems to be on the decline. They all seem to go with ATSC coax connections for HD antenna, RGB composite connections or HDMI connections for HD.

I think only LCDTV's designed for broadcast monitoring come with HD-SDI connections. They wouldn't want people thinking there's a just-as-good-as-HDMI solution (that costs less) out there like HD-SDI. Then who would Monster sell $100 HDMI cables to!?

Being that I own a Modulus 2000, and have recently gone hunting for small, portable LCDTV's that still have an analog NTSC tuner built into them, the information was still kinda fresh in my mind.

By the way, if you're looking for a small, portable NTSC-capable LCDTV, check out the Viore 7" monitor. Costs less than $100, has a 90 minute built in LiON battery (I'm soon adding an AB mount and wiring for longer power), and I can confirm it receives signal from my Modulus 2000. The $400 price tag on the CAMOS inspired me to look elsewhere, and sure enough, options do exist.

Obviously it can't be predicted to the dollar, but I'd like an idea about what I might be able to get for it.

Really hard to determine, especially since the gear often reflects market factors: overall availability of similar or "within the same range" equipment, overall health of our market, demand of used gear, etc.

I think, since the Pilot costs less than what many people in this field spend on accessories or cables, you may want to look at it in a light of: how soon will the equipment be paid off, how soon will it start turning a profit, and now long beyond that will you be able to work.

Since you've mentioned your intentions of growing into a larger rig, I think the resale of a used Pilot will maybe give you enough cash to pay for a piece of a Bartech, an additional canister for a PRO arm, maybe a small collection of power cables for your future rig, etc. So, instead of getting starry eyes over selling the equipment at a good price, I think you should weigh the profitability of the equipment, the growth you'll experience, and the money you'll make that you can reinvest in the future rig.

I think the perfect goal would be to make so much money with the Pilot, and earn so many clients, that you can keep the Pilot around for smaller deals when you're not flying your hulking beast of a MK-V + AR rig.

I guess the moral of the story is: if you can't figure out what the resale value of the Pilot is (which I seriously doubt you can), then just expect to never sell it and determine how to make it profitable.

I would recommend you feel out the clientele you're generating, and let that guide your purchase decision. Personally, I wouldn't show up with at least a focus unit that I can trust and rely on. Maybe find some reviews of the Viewfactor unit and decide from there. However, remember the focus unit can grow with you as you grow, so if you buy a Bartech now, you can still use it down the road if/when you grow to a heavier rig.

I think the very briefest explanation I can offer is this: the camera outputs in HD-SDI (High Definition-Serial Digital Interface). Your Vizio's coaxial input (the F connector that you screw a coax cable or BNC to with a female BNC to male F connector) only reads an ATSC signal. Without going into it, your television cannot understand an HD-SDI input through that port, only an ATSC signal (from an HD antenna that receives ATSC signals over the air).

Alex, you know your market better than anyone, and one of the things they tell you at the workshop is "buy the equipment that fits your market." If you can find a used kit that suits you, go for it, after all it is a "buyer's market" right now. Take a look at all of the equipment available, but in the end, buy what makes sense to you.

Sure, some people make the strong investment up front and it works out, but I think the Steadicam Marketplace is full of rigs/kits offered by people whose big investment (despite their market, location, clients, availability of work) didn't work out for them.

I'll be happy to take the Dionic's and 5 Proformers (that work) off your hands. Should I contact you off forum to arrange pickup? Holidays have me back in town Tuesday, would be happy to come by and take them from you.

Some time ago there was a guy with a great ad, i think it was on mandy. I wish i saved that ad, it was funny as hell but oh so true.

I think maybe you mean this little gem:

http://www.wbd3.com/steadicamforum/dp-steadi_mandy1.pdf

I replied to the job with the following cover letter:

"Dear Boss,

Funniest posting on Mandy ever! Kudos!"

The guy who posted it turned out to be a cam op. Here's his reply to me:

"Thank you for replying to my mandy.com ad and thanks for getting it. You would not believe how many craigslist replies I got from people who thought it was serious. I thought for sure mandy would reject it. Anyway, I am meeting a lot of cool people through the ad which I did just to blow off some steam. Unfortunately, you are not who we are looking for at this time, but we will keep your resume on file for future nightmares. haha"

Hey now, two of my favorite films from 2010 were 3D and incredible reliant on story, pacing, characters you care about, high stakes and great life lessons: Piranha 3D and Jackass 3D. Oscar contenders for sure!!

Pedro: incredible useful post, I'm going to give this a second read tonight!

Looking around for some used Dionic 90's, price dependent on number of cycles or need for recell. I'm in the Los Angeles area. Thanks!

Greetings all, I'm working with a Movicam Compact today in Malibu at 3:00PM PST, and I'm wondering if anyone has a low mode bracket available to borrow? I probably need it through Friday, any leads on someone generous enough to loan it out would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I'm located in North Hollywood, happy to swing by and pick it up from you. Otherwise, I can send production to come get it from you.

Feel free to give me a call if you have: 818-257-8794

I really like the idea of self made unions for different levels of operators, Or some sort of level based citification. How can I help? Before I am on eggs and pasta again! :- )

I'm working tomorrow, but give me a call sometime tomorrow night. I'd like to talk to you about some exciting goings-on with your LA brethren! Glad to hear things are looking up, brotha! Here's to not looking back at FL.

REALLY interesting article on the whole topic.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/744199---israelification-high-security-little-bother

Maybe we should have a welcome home BBQ for your Flyer, Brian?

Funny that you are all talking dollars, last time I walked in a store here they only took euro's.

And looking in that perspective it is a lot less.

Reality is that I actually do not make a lot of profit on these things.

I brought up cost as a final point because the preceding two points are more important to me. We weigh cost against usefulness and determine if what we perceive as excessive cost is worth it, considering the benefits.

- How does this device outperform the Alexa built-in iris rods?

- What does it do that those rods do not?

- How is it "ideal for handheld and Steadicam configurations"? (like I said, why is it ideal to mount the lens motors at a top-most point on the camera, raising the center of gravity further from my gimbal?)

To me, if there's a fatal flaw in the Arri Alexa that this device saves us from, then a 295 euro price tag is justified.

If this is just a backup device in the event the Alexa's iris rods, and my dovetail lens motor support rods, don't fit the bill, then the price is harder to justify.

I can appreciate that the individual making these has a dedication to quality and precision that rivals none, but I don't yet see the connection that makes me reach for my wallet.

I think I started looking at it in dollars, because that's where my currency is being converted from (at an additional fee).

Forgive me, I've only played with the Alexa once, but out of curiosity: why buy a motor bracket when the camera itself has built in iris rod support? In my recollection, the lower iris rods built into the Alexa body are in good position for motors, but still clear of the handles in handheld configuration.

As far as Steadicam, why replace lower iris rods with a top-mounted rod that raises the center of gravity for the whole configuration?

Also, as for the price, 295 euro or ~$408. I don't know much about machining prices, but let's compare: a 6inch arm post (anodized aluminum) from GPI costs ~$30, and your motor bracket is just under 5 inches. So, you mean the 3/8" 1/2" long socket cap screw plus the aluminum housing it with two small steel pins cost $365 for parts and labor? Since the parts would probably cost $15 max, that must be $350 worth of precision work.

I came from doing G&E, so I still take that kind of work whenever I'm free. It's nice to be on set in another capacity, keeps my perspective fresh when doing Steadicam.