William Demeritt

Thomas: when it comes to HD vs. film gigs, I find the same to be true. Of course, in the digital age, the UHF "fuzz" makes them a bit more skiddish since they're spoiled by clear, digital images. Personally, I just want one system with great range and clear images for all cameras: HD, film, pixel vision, iPhone (god help me).

I came from flying a PRO2 monitor, but I spent some time on a friend's Ultra 2 HD UltraBrite monitor. That being said, I haven't found the wider monitor of my Cinetronic 4:3 6.5" monitor challenging or compromising, even this summer when I was doing walks through a narrow, CLUTTERED house (art department had trash everywhere... and not just because they're art dept). Regardless, once the new housing and features are unveiled, this whole argument will be pretty outdated. Then, the housing will be barely wider than the LCD panel itself. Maybe that will entice some people to change up?

Yea, I'm doing research now for a decent 12v regulator that has 3 amp capacity that's also small enough to function as a decent cable (or in-line module of the cable). Of course, 12v @ 2amps means the unit is 24 watts, which is already 9 watts higher than the power consumption on the BriteView Air Sync HD I was hacking apart. Once I get this unit, I'll tear it open and see what/where I can add antenna. The 12v and the multicast capability are the most exciting, in my opinion.

Andrew: yes, I'm still working on my own homebrew version. After Gaylen's response in the other thread (you know, the $22k HD transmitter that has 4 frames delay), it has renewed my interest in finding a better system, but instead of me making something, I'll probably just sell cables and a handbook for how to make various systems work. This is the next kit I'll be buying to test out for upgrades: http://www.amazon.com/Peerless-HDS100-Wireless-Multimedia-Center/dp/B004CYE6V4/ref=pd_cp_e_1 Sub 1-frame delay (20ms), 1080p, multicast (multiple receivers, so option is there for a clamshell AND receiver for village), 12v input, HDMI for HD as well as component, but also does composite video input, so it technically should work with film cameras or any CVBS signal. Also 140 feet (according to the white doc). All for $400. All I currently foresee needing to make is a D-tap to DC plug power cable with 12v regulator (to make sure voltage is exactly 12v). Decimator 2 or any HD-SDI to HDMI converter + this transmitter, and HDMI -> HDSDI converter + this receiver means sub-$2000 solution.

Dan: you can set the voltage warnings for the two items separately. I was working with an Alexa a few days ago whose owner has not yet updated the software (anamorphics with no desqueezer was fun for him on the monitor, but my Cinetronic worked out with a manual aspect ratio). In the menus, though, I did find voltage warnings for the battery and for the plug. Further, I couldn't actually find where to specify what kind of power for it to accept over the Arri 2-pin power port. I only have Arri 24v power cables, and when I plugged it in and set my sled to 24v power, the Alexa turned right on. Obviously, when I tried that with the sled set to 12v, it didn't power on. Noteworthy: it didn't power on and give me an "under voltage" warning, but it just didn't power on. That's because the sled makes 24v power and sends it over 1 of the 2 pins in the Arri 2-pin power connector. Maybe correlated somehow?

Yes definitely, I've got some feelers out right now for feedback. A lot of my guys are versatile and not necessarily entrenched in wanting a Preston and only a Preston; of course, I want to consider alienating future AC's. Thanks!

So I'm trying to decide on a direction for my wireless follow focus future, particularly a 2 or 3 channel system sometime soon. Trying to get some thoughts on the gear, particularly Preston FIZ vs Cmotion Cvolution 2M or 4M. Preston: - tried and true - more industry acceptance - more knowledge already out there, more comfort by the AC's - I like the lower price (compared to Cvolution 3 channel), lack of need to train new AC's, proven workhorse. - I don't like: 4 month turnaround on buying a new system, some AC's have expressed preference for HU2 over HU3...not many that are real dealbreakers. Cvolution: - newer technology, improved a lot over the last few years - similar features to Preston, but with some new twists on the technology. - accessory modularity, premium versions for some gear, etc. - ?? - I like the features: impressive LCD screen upgrade with depth of field display, lens database RFID reader for quick programming, etc. I'll admit it, I'm a geek for new technology that's futureproofed or forward thinking. - I don't like: needing to train every AC how to use it, even though many AC's I work with need a refresher course on setting up a Bartech; I fear losing jobs to new technology easily "thrown under the bus" (e.g. Missed focus on a shot, claims come up that it's because of the Cmotion). Charles Papert once told me recently he held off buying the Preston HU3 until he felt the acceptance among the AC's had reached an acceptable level. As the technology is constantly changing, I wonder if the concern over some gear and it's acceptance is still as relevant, but then again, I want people using my gear to be comfortable with what I give them to accomplish their jobs. Any thoughts?

I'm pretty sure Jumbo's will be open and ready for you...

Mark, other custom cables are rooted in the real world price of LEMO, Hirose and Fisher connectors, and with those plugs comes the expertise of soldering cables into very small pin receivers (many of which are in the center of a circle and blocked immediately if you solder in the wrong order). This is a VERY simple assembly. If you'd rather have someone else build it, that's fine, but I would imagine even your favorite wiring expert or cable builder would tell you $130 is wildly overpriced for what should be a very simple idea.

Eric, that's a hefty investment to cut up in order to power the system. Why not buy a D-tap kit ($22), a 12v to 5v transformer (something 3 amp capable, they're out there on Mouser.com) and the DC plug? Probably could assemble that for less than half the cost of that Switronix device.

...bargain?

What are you guys talking about, I worked with a 435 just last November, and not on a student film! Bollywood!! Alexa is a sweet lady. I like the F65 a lot, but I think Sony has created some tough problems for themselves with this powering situation (108 watts for body and SR-R4 deck). We'll see how everyone can deal with it. Richard: to address your question: camera company makes a damn good camera that works with their camera accessories. No NEED for 3rd party accessories to make the dynamite go boom. They listened to the 3 people who care the most about the HD camera: DP, operator and editor/post production. That makes for a hell of a lasting impression. Sony F65 sounds like they talked to DP and Editor, but not operator. Canon listened to shooters, but disregarded editors and DP's (what latitude? What color correction?) RED Epic / Alexa listened to reduser members, who seem to only be Internet geeks.

Quoting to preserve this for all time!!

HDMI and HD-SDI are both hd formats. It might accept SD-SDI, but very few cameras use that. I'm lamenting the lack o solution for standard definition composite video.

The first disappointment that comes to mind with this unit isn't the transmission distance, but rather the lack of input options. HD-SDI marries this unit to the HD cameras world. A CVBS input for digital transmission of analog signal would have made the unit useful to we operators who still deal with that flimsy, plastic stuff you never have to reboot. Oh well, they sell $60 composite to HDMI converters.

I want to try and talk to them to get a demo scheduled. 150 feet sounds fine by me. If I'm more than 150 feet from village, I'll move the receiver to my stand. For that price compared to others, I'd be seriously interested. I'll assume that the "1.8lbs" isn't per unit but rather the weight of both units together. I would wager the TX weighs less (no external antennas, which is interesting). Anton Bauer "three stud" style coming in February.

When I had a Decimator 2, I would have the issue: - Decimator 2 is on, wired to CVBS out and HD-SDI in, camera is off/not present. - Decimator 2 shows green amber "power" LED. - Powered off D-tap cable at bottom of my PRO sled (typically powered off the Monitor battery, just to stay organized) - Connect camera HD-SDI (or power on camera, happens both ways sometimes). - Decimator 2 shows green amber "power" LED AND RED LED lights up, seems to think it's outputting CVBS. - No image on monitor although everything is selected correctly. - Power off/on monitor, no new image appears. - Solution: pull power plug from Decimator 2, power back on. CVBS image comes to monitor almost instantly (on power up). I've also had this issue when powering the Decimator 2 off the CAM PWR at the top of my sled. Sold my Decimator 2 a few months ago, currently have an MD-DUCC on backorder from Markertek. I don't know if it will have the same problems. My Decimator 2 never "died" on me, but a few cohorts have had the problem.

Speaking for the centerpost cable with LEMO connectors on both ends, yea if you unscrew the bottom mount, spin the lower portion clockwise, and reattach it, you make the coil "tighter" and reduce friction with the walls of the centerpost. The tradeoff is you lose length of the centerpost cable's extension, so extending the post now creates additional strain on the cable. Shorter extension, and if you try to extend too far, you're creating a lot of stress on the cable itself. Imagine a slinky, and you take one end, or one half, and twist it clock-wise (looking at that end from dead on). The slinky's coil shrinks in diameter and becomes a bit longer. Now if you try to stretch it, it reaches it's "maximum" much sooner. If you're also having trouble with collapsing the centerpost, and I'm not sure if this is sanctioned by GPI, but you might consider lubrication applied to the walls of the inside of the centerpost? Remove centerpost completely, wrap the LEMO connectors with plastic, pull them out of the way and spray silicone lube down the inside. Don't need to drown the thing, but a good spray to coat the walls could help decrease the friction of the center post's metal on the cable's rubber sheath. Waiting for Baldwin's reply to this post when he searches for "lube" and "sheath".

Very true. A thought I like to share with eager beaver directors who always want to "shoot the rehearsal" is: "Rehearsals aren't just for the actors! They've had the script for weeks, maybe months? Boom op doesn't know how this plays out, guy responsible for focus doesn't know, background and fx don't know, and me, the guy wearing a 70lbs camera doesn't know. So for the sake of all of us, let's at least do a blocking rehearsal, preferably a stop-and-go rehearsal, and THEN let's shoot."

Never met a hockey player that didn't have gas...

Here's a concern: don't let the camera lose power while recording! Not only does the camera draw 108 watts (so parallel mode for most people is a must), but also the SR-R4 recording deck really hates losing power while recording. How much does it hate losing power? Well, here's a small snippet from the SR-R4 manual We worked with the SR-R1 deck back in December, and I'll assume for the time being that the SR-R4 behaves the same way, and no major software revisions have changed the "Data salvage" screen. - SRMEMORY deck loses power while recording. - When it boots back up with the same card, it asks "Data salvage?" If you press no, you cannot record to that card anymore. I believe you can do the salvage with the SRMEMORY deck? Otherwise, you need to use that deck to perform the salvage (another deck will not do). - You select "yes", and it goes into data salvage mode. The manual even says "could take a few seconds or up to 60 minutes". The screen however gives you no indication of time remaining. Could be a few seconds. Could be a few minutes longer. Could be 30 minutes longer. You get no indication on screen. Eventually, it just completes and you're good to record more or eject the card. The big concern: if the deck is data salvaging, and you pull power (the deck doesn't have a "cancel" option once salvaging... once it starts, you're waiting until it's done... no recording, no cancel and swap to another card and continue later, nada), you hit a dangerous, undocumented limbo state. I'll go ahead and assume that most likely the data will not be salvageable, so don't wind up in that spot. Silver lining The SR-R1 we had offered a voltage warning system, so you could custom set anything from 12 to 13 volts (in 0.1 volt intervals; 12.2, 12.5, 12.8, etc) as the warning threshold before the deck would start warning you. I believe it also had a voltage failsafe system (turn off at 12 volts no matter what), but ours didn't seem to work properly (or we got so worried about the data salvage issue, we were WAY more attentive to the voltage at all times). Perhaps the F65 has a voltage warning for the whole system (F65+SR-R4), and therefore gives a nice obnoxious warning when the voltage gets too low? Regardless, let the Y-cable ordering begin!

I'm probably cross-referencing with the RED MX then, my bad. Yea, I've just flown it upside down and they flip it back in post. Sorry about the confusion, sometimes you just assume that the new version of a camera does what the previous version did, like flip the image, or do playback...

I usually just rebalance my gimbal and let the camera shoot upside down. If they're worried about flipping the image in post (someone once complained, saying it added to editing cost), go into the camera settings and manually flip the image there. Client monitor should be correct now, and you just adjust your monitor accordingly.

Yea, a few weeks and that much money? This is where rumors get started. Let's wait to hear directly from Tiffen with their press release tomorrow before things get (even more) out of hand.

Hey guys, I did a search for "Zeuss'' butthole" and found this thread. Most of the posts were from Ron.