Stan Bioksic

Hi Craig, I have an extra socket block from an EFP arm, I think IIIa arm uses the same socket block. I would look into options for shipping it to you in Europe, what country are you in please. Thanks, Stan

Hello, I’m an owner of a MK-V Nexus 2” sled since year 2005 and as such have gone through issues as majority of MK-V sled owners. I’m going to put a brief description of issues and solutions, covering MK-V sleds going back to early 2000-ens. This is a good read if you own or plan to own an MK-V sled!!! - in early to mid 2000-ens, MK-V put out “V2” Electronics that supported Composite Video Signal, 12V and 24V power independently and upper/lower electronics contained built-in option for Alien Revolution addon. These V2 electronics were being sold to go along with their MK-V Evolution sleds. Mechanically this sled was beautifully designed, a modular masterpiece with zero play but it was electronically flawed if you run both Power and Video signals through the sled’s electronics. This problem with electronics would manifest itself with Composite Video signal’s interferences visible on the monitor or any other transmitted signal that used Composite Video source from the sled (not from camera directly). Solution: not much one can do other than running Composite or SDI cable externally (outside the post) to the monitor or powering camera and steadicam’s monitor separately (lightweight camera with its own battery on the back). My best advice is not to buy V2 electronics. End of discussion here! I considered disabling Alien Revolution connector and using these wires to run 12V/24V ground through these AR wires but they are not thick enough to safely handle higher amperage that’s often needed. - 2010 MK-V put out “V3” version of electronics and sent it out quickly to please revolting sled owners out there. These electronics are similar to V2 electronics in design and look almost the same as V2, with an addition of a dedicated SDI line. But as it often happens when product is sent out quickly without sending some units out for Beta Testing, something gets overlooked. This V3 version of electronics overlooked RF interferences on parts of wiring inside the post that isn’t shielded, mostly the connectors itself inside the post. 1.5GHz or 3GHz (3G) signal that travels through the post is susceptible to RF interferences if it isn’t shielded from various sources of RF that are in the immediate area. Solution: Send your sled to get the internal connectors shield, upgrading your sled from V3 to V3.5 version of MK-V electronics. My best advice is to send your sled to get it to 3.5 version of electronics or if you are thinking of buying an used sled, make sure the owner gets it done. Caution: Externally, when you look at the sled and the electronics, the only difference between V3 and V3.5 is and addition of “.5” engraving on the side of the electronics box. Make sure the upgrade is actually done rather than somebody just etching “.5” on the side of an electronics box. If you are looking to buy used sled with V3.5 electronics, you will be fine on a long run and you will like what you get. - 2012 MK-V put out nothing short than a revolutionary “V4” Electronics. I was one of the first to embrace these V4 electronics in April of 2012. Again these electronics resemble V2, V3, V3.5 in terms of look and appearance but they are totally different inside but also bear more plugs for powering accessories on both upper and lower electronics. There’s a lot more Lemo connectors that you can run more accessories than you would ever want to, there are two dedicated SDI lines in addition to a Composite Video line running through the post. But what is more important than adding all the accessories connectors on upper/lower electronics, the Cable going inside the post has been beefed up to handle heavy amperage loads so no issues here when running heavy Amperage loads through the internal electronics. Just recently I used the new Arri Alexa LF on the sled and the camera alone drains 130-150W (surprise surprise, Arri is not listing Alexa LF power consumption in its brochures, I measured anywhere from 130W to 150W when Alexa LF camera runs), when powered up along with accessories, I went to dismantled my sled and tested the cable inside the post if it was heating up under the heavy amperage load. Cable was fine, V4 electronics are so far the best electronics by far then anything else that exists out there, any way you look at it, V4 are in a class of its own. V4 electronics by MK-V (that I have used for past 6years now) are a good way to go, they are built to last and built tough. Are these electronics too little - too late for company to save its face, time will tell. If I’m to compare them with any other electronics, I would say two grades above anything else available out there at the time I’m posting this comment. Hope this helps and if you read this before purchasing an used MK-V sled, give yourself a pd on the back. Kind regards, Stan Bioksic

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Looking for a small 2 bracket that wraps around 15mm rods on Betz Top Stage and holds MK-V Junction Box fixed in place. This little bracket holds MK-V Junction Box attached to 15mm rods. This bracket would be needed only for MK-V sleds and somebody moving Betz Top Stage from MK-V sled to any other sled wouldnt need the bracket any longer, it would be a surplus item. Checking if anybody has one of these in US/Canada before ordering from Germany. Attaching couple of pictures, item circled in red. Thanks

Heres a few images of my Zoe Bebob zoom control. Minor scratches, in a good shape. I can get it in your hands with either an older style 8-pin connector or a newer style 20-pin connector. Every Canon HD lens made over past 12+ years has 20-pin connector. Canons new cine lenses with servo drive units come only with the 20-pin connectors, this 20-pin connector is a better way to go. Stan Bioksic

What battery chemistry are you looking for, what is the chemical composition of your present battery that your charger can handle (Ni-Cad, Ni-Mh or Li-Ion). Do not attempt to charge Ni-MH or Li-Ion in a charger designed for Ni-Cad batteries, I know two people that force charged them with an inappropriate charger and their houses burned down, real fist hand stories so be careful here. I have a couple of battery chargers for NP-1 style batteries (chocolate bar batteries). Both charger have little use, they can go back on the shelf as "new condition". They are Made by Aspen and Pag respectively and both of them can charge various battery chemistries. Would you be interested in these chargers. I also have some batteries, all of them are low capacity now, with Ni-Cad's chemistry and very good candidates for re-celling. Thanks

Hi all, I'm jumping in this conversation a bit late. Ability to transmit video signal to a further distance is directly limited by the RF bandwidth of this signal being transmitted. Wider the bandwidth of the signal, the distance it can travel is shorter. If you can reduce the bandwidth frequency of the signal you are transmitting then you can beam that same signal further away. For example, the Boxx Meridian units were transmitting about a half of the 1.5GHz information that comes through a regular HD-SDI signal and this is commonly called "uncompressed" transmitted video signal. The Microwave bandwidth required to transmit this information was 40MHz and these 40MHz spectrums are allowed to be transmitted in various areas of 5GHz legal spectrum in North America (legal spectrum frequencies in Europe are different). The Boxx units used buffers and their Microwave RF signals were always more stable than Teradek 2000/600/300 units and needed less time to lock-in a frequency. Boxx was considered more "Broadcast Grade" as it didn't use Frequency Hopping Protocol but rather stayed locked in a preset frequency so if you are in a venue with a lot of different RF users, you can declare your 40MHz bandwidth that is pre-set to a single frequency in 5GHz spectrum where Teradek units would hop over all the frequencies available, making them inadmissible to large live events. Boxx and Teradek Bolt units are considered "uncompressed", requiring a wide bandwidth to transmit the signal and reducing the distance that this signal can travel. By using signal compressions such as H264, the total amount of the information that is transmitted is reduced thus making it possible to transmit this signal miles away using the same gain on the transmitter. Two big downsides of the units transmitting the compressed signal are an overall quality of that "compressed" video image is not as good as the quality of "uncompressed" transmitted video image and also by compressing this 1.5GHz HD-SDI signal to H264, it takes a few frames for all the mathematical calculations to be done and compression completed so if you are doing a live event with speeches, close ups of singers or similar, the compressed video image after it is transmitted and received will be slightly out of sinc with audio (due do the delay of a few frames caused by the compression). With the new Teradek 3000 units, that so called "uncompressed" signal is being further squeezed into only 20MHz bandwidth thus allowing it to be transmitted further in a distance but without adding any time delay so these new units are still very good for live events (not looking at the frequency hopping issues). By reducing the bandwidth of each channel from 40MHz to 20Mhz, you can more than double the number of channels that the new Bolt 3000 can operate on. If you are using Teradek 300/500/600/1000/2000 units in a same arena, the most that you can use is 4 of these at a same time. I haven't tested Bold 3000 or Boxx Atom and can't say exactly how many of these you can use, I'm planning to find out soon. Another thing that affects transmitted Microwave signal's stability is the location of the frequency spectrum within wich it operates. In Europe, "legal" RF frequencies are located within 2GHz spectrum at the same time in North America it is 5GHz spectrum. Lower the frequency spectrum - better the penetration, microwave RF units operating in European "legal" spectrum will always performed better than microwaves operating in North American "legal" spectrum. A good example for this would be the cellular service providers that are starting to provide cellular service in 700MHz where the traditional cellular frequency spectrum might be 1300MHz. If you have two identical cellphones, operating on the same network, the cellphone using 1300MHz will start losing reception as you walk into basement while the other identical cellphone will be able to receive signal 2floors below basement. Lower the frequency spectrum - better the penetration. I'm using this example above to point that whenever you are using a Microwave unit and there are obstacles and the range is an issue, set it to the lowest possible frequency for the best results. I will post some more detailed infos after I compare Tilta's units with Teradek 3000 and Boxx Atom. Hope this helps. Also for those working on live mulicamera shoots with camera parameters controlled through RCP units, I have a great new product that provides full camera control protocol, including tally that is 1/3 weight of the lightest unit existing out there, operating in 900MHz range.

I have an EFP sled that I haven't used for a while and would sell it. I used it on one instance a couple of years ago for a heavy running shot through sandy beach and wanted to go lighter than them MK-V with 2" post. The sled has monitor arm but the old green screen monitor is pretty bad, you would need a new monitor. I can relatively easy have the harness inside the post upgraded with SDI grade cable instead of the existing coaxial cable. Make me an offer worth doing it all. Thanks, Stan

I have a new Lambda camera wedge plate, it is still wrapped up in Cartoni factory bubble wrap and tape. It is a large wedge plate, original plate that comes with the Lambda head, it weighs about 1lb, a real thing. Anybody interested, please make me a reasonable offer and I would look around for it and spend pictures. Thanks, Stan

Hi there, I have 3 different steadicam vests for sale, I moved to a smaller house and less space for toys. - an older EFP that works great, it was in my possession for past 17years - a new vest that's a copy of an Ultra vest - mint shape Ultra II vest, in my opinion the best front mount vest ever made, comes with a bag I think the copy of Ultra vest would be more than you would ever need and it would still be good if you get a larger heavier sled. It has a heavy duty new socket block that works with Master Series Arm/G-70 Arm/EFP Arm. $775 and the vest is yours. $550 for my EFP vest if you prefer this one I wish you were closer in North America or Europe somewhere, I would let you test it and make sure you are happy. I'm flexible and would do best to accommodate you. Thanks, Stan

I have a Nebtek Solar Bright 7" HD screen that has HD/SD-SDI input and a composite video input. It is 1000nits brightness. I haven't used the Nebtek screen since I got Small HD's 1500nits 7" screen in 2015 and would cut you a good deal on the Nebtek screen. What country are you in? Thanks, Stan

I have a 2" MK-V post with a MK-V top stage that would work fine on your 1.5" post. This is my backup sled that I never really used and would sell some components. This MK-V top stage has adjustment knobs on both sides for easy reach, it works great. I would include a steadicam plate and two 15mm rods so it would be complete everything you need. You still might be able to use all of your your old 3A steadicam sliding plates but you would need a minor work on one edge of your plates, for an additional safety feature (safety if you ever tilt your sled backwards when plate isn't locked in, this safety would stop the plate from sliding out all the way).

I'm looking for a docking bracket for my MK-V sled that has 2" centre post. It would be my backup and any used 2" docking bracket would do.

I have a several Dionic 90 and Dionic 90 HD batteries that have lost capacity and everything internally is working fine. I have been switching slowly to AB's 120W HCX batteries so the Dionic 90's are sitting on a shelf. These Dionic batteries can be re-celled easily. I will be in Croatia in 1st week of July and I can ship from Croatia if you can wait till then. Drop me a note if either one works for you.