pauldudeck

Anton/Bauer Booth C5119A

Hi Brian, If you are in a pinch, you can also contact LVR (Liman Video Rentals), Bexel, or BVR (Broadcast Video Rentals). They all use Anton/Bauer and would be happy to rent you some batteries. Thanks. Paul Dudeck (800)422-3473

Hi Morgs, With the ABC-800 charger, the only way to check the REV version of the IC is to open the charger and just look at the chip. The chip will have a grey stick on it that reads something like "ABC Rev 5.0". You can contact our Customer Suport Dept at (800)541-1667 or support@antonbauer.com and get the latest revision information. Regards, Paul "Hi Paul, in your reply you don't mention any of the Li-Ion chemistries, so does that mean that they need to have a different regime? And their warranty is 1 year, so there must be a reason for that as well." Rob, Yes, lithium ion batteries do need a specific charge routine which is completely different than NiCd or NiMH cells. This is why with other battery brands, you need to purchase a specific charger dedicated for li ion. Anton/Bauer chargers are able to recognize the cell chemistry (li ion, NiCd or MiMH) and give it the proper charge routine. And, unlike NiMH and NiCd cells, there is not Balancing mode at the end of the charge cycle for lithium ion. Lithium ion cells need more attention when being charged, and discharged. This is why all lithium ion cell manufacturers require you to have certain safety circuits and pcb's in your battery, otherwise they will not sell you the cells. The consequences of charging/discharging a li ion cell without the protection is not a good one. As for lithium ion cell technology in general, the warranty is shorter because the expected life span of the battery is shorter. Some companies indicate that li ion cells will last for 500 cycles and indicate that they will last longer than NiCd or NiMH. This is not true. If it was, then other manufacturers would offer longer than a one year warranty and we would not be able to offer a (3) three year warranty on certain batteries. Cell manufacturers will give an expected life cycle of a single cell, not a cell pack. These cycles are determined under the most ideal charge/discharge conditions and are run consistently. As we all know, this could never happen in the professional video industry. I hope this information helps. Best Regards, Paul

Dear Steadicam users, Please don't be fooled by other after-market companies who are trying to imitate Anton/Bauer. Anton/Bauer has been in business for 35 years and have manufactured ALL of their products in the USA for all 35 of those years. Anton/Bauer can go and try and tout its product line, but the products speak for themselves, hence we offer the longest warranties in the battery business. There have not been any problems with the Titan series of chargers. I do not know where/how this information came about, or if someone is just making a judgement by what one customer may have indicated. The Titan chargers employ the same charge technology that the InterActive 2000 chargers do, and have been the most reliable chargers in the industry. Of course other companies will want you to buy their chargers instead. They are trying to sell you something that you do not need. If anyone should have any questions or problems, you can always contact me at pdudeck@antonbauer.com Regards, Paul Dudeck

"Ive got a couple of hytron 50?s and a lifesaver charger. Not sure how to keep the batteries when im not using them. Is it best to keep them on the charger, plugged in? what does everyone else do?" Hi Morgs, Anton/Bauer developed the Logic Series system for charging batteries back in 1988. All other battery manufacturers have tried to use this technology ever since. The Logic Series system allows the batteries and chargers to "talk" back and forth, exchanging vital charging information such as cell voltage, cell temperature, exact make and model of the cell so that a CCO (Capacity Cut-Off) can be recognized by the charger. All cells, as well as all cell chemistries have different charge characteristics, hence there is no one single perfect charge cut-off determination for a battery. Anton/Bauer chargers employ (6) six different charge cut-offs to determine a fully charged battery. Only one of these charge cut-offs will determine a fully charged battery. This maximizes the life of the battery, which is why Anton/Bauer is the only company that can offer a (3) three year warranty on its ProPac and Trimpac (NiCd) series batteries, as well as the HyTRON 100, HyTRON 120 and HyTRON 140 batteries. To finish, alway keep your Anton/Bauer batteries on the charger. The patented LifeSaver mode will keep the batteries 100% charged and ready for use, with causing any unnecessary heat build up which can damage most batteries. For further information, everyone has access to the Video Battery Handbook, www.antonbauer.com/downloads/vbh.pdf , which is a complete guide on cell chemistries, charging of batteries, lighting and more. Best Wishes, Paul Dudeck

Gentlemen, The last day to get any Anton/Bauer B-Stock is Friday, January 6th. Please contact me ASAP as all equipment is first-come, first-serve. Happy Holidays to you and your families. Best Wishes, Paul Dudeck pdudeck@antonbauer.com

Hi Guys, Anton/Bauer is getting rid of some B-Stock chargers and batteries. All are fully tested and come with a full warranty. Please contact me at pdudeck@antonbauer.com if you are interested. Also, last call for ProFormer batteries. We have about 20 pieces left and once they are gone, we will not be manufacturing any more. They are $175.00 each. Have a wonderful holiday. Best Regards, Paul Dudeck

Hello Everyone, I just wanted to add that Anton/Bauer has worked very closely with JVC on this camera and developed a special Gold Mount that allows you to utilize your current Anton/Bauer batteries with this camera. Please see the attached for details. Please feel free to contact us at websales@antonbauer.com for more details. Thanks for all of your guys continued support. Paul Dudeck Manager-Product Specialist Group The Americas 1029A_US_Marketing_Bulletin___Product_Update___Gold_Mount_for_HD100.pdf

I agree, if you're going to brag, at least share some pictures!!!!

"I'm wondering if there are any tips or hints that people have with air travel? Are Hytron 120s allowed for air travel? I heard batts over 100WattHours were not allowed on a plane? Sounds funny, but you never know these days." Bryan, The HyTRON 120 batteries are fine to travel with. Only li ion batteries that are over 95 wh need to be classified as CLASS 9 Hazardous when shipping or checking as cargo on a plane. To be safe, carry the owners manual for the battery with you. This will help explain that the battery is non-hazardous and is NiMH chemistry. If you would like, contact our Customer Support Dept at (800)422-3474 and they can also fax you over a copy of the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for NiMH cells, in case you would ever need it. Or, send me an email at pdudeck@antonbauer.com and I can email you the MSDS. Happy travels. Paul

"I live in Bombay India....i bought the Glidecam Gold Series and the Titan Twin charger came with the package...the charger goes off completely after three or four mins of charging...and then i have to switch it off and start it again...but its still the same....I bought the charger two years back...it was great in the first year and few months..." Please check our website at www.antonbauer.com and contact the Anton/Bauer distributor there. The name is Perlink and you can ask for either Arun or Puneet and they should be able to assist you with the repair of the charger. Thanks. Paul Dudeck

"Hey Ramon, M using Titan Twin since two years...i use to charger my AB proformer batteries on them...it's a great charger...but recently the IC of the charger blew off and i had to repair it...but till date the charger's giving sme or the other problems...and i've ordered a new one...." Hi Kapil, What kind of problems is the charger giving you? Where are you located? You should contact the Anton/Bauer Customer Support Dept at support@antonbauer.com and they can assist you with the faulty charger. Regards, Paul Dudeck Anton/Bauer, Inc.

"I call Anton B... gave them my serial numbers. My batteries are 12 years old. I hear that's pretty old. *grin* Right now I have a dual charger, and 4 batteries. I spoke with the people at Anton Bauer, and they say to keep the batteries on the charger for the best conditioning. And that leaving them off the charger can be bad for them. I beleive them I think. Anyway, I have a few options that I need help with. Maybe I should start a new thread, but I'll try here for now. I could... 1. Buy 4 new ProPac 14s + Another dual charger 2. Buy 2 new HyTRON 120 batts, and a dual charger for them (I'm guessing that 2 new HyTRONS would be almost as good as 4 Old ProPacs?) 3. Re-cell all 4 of the old ProPacs, and start saving for when they die again. =)" The list price of the ProPac 14 is $355.00 and the HyTRON 120 is $595.00. Both of these batteries come with a three (3) year MAXX warranty, and should provide you with up to 5 years of service life. It is true that (2) two HyTRON 120's will provide you with almost the same amount of run-time as (4) four ProPac 14's. If you chose to carry less weight and want the extended run-time from a battery, the HyTRON 120 is the way to go. Not to knock recelling, but all they are doing is cutting open you case and inserting cells. They don't ensure that the cells are properly matched or balanced, nor will they guarantee that the LCD fuel gauge (if applicable) will function properly, which technically it won't, since it needs to be re-calibrated. Also, the life span of a recell battery is typically 18 months, give or take. Paul

Bryan, You can contact the Anton/Bauer Customer Support Dept at (800)541-1667 and they can give you information with regards to the batteries and charger. If you give them the serial numbers of the batteries, they will let you know how old they are and can probably tell you if they need to be replaced or not. Also, let them know that the exact model number of the charger you are using. You may be able to upgrade to newer batteries, such as the Dionic 90 or HyTRON 120 battery. Regards, Paul Dudeck Anton/Bauer, Inc.

Dear Anton Bauer, Last December I built a new rig. I searched the world for 6 dead proformers, found them from 4 different sources, had them all recelled, and now I can get them new, ARRRRGH! No hard feelings, just blowing off some steam! Mark Karavite Steadicam Owner / Operator mkaravite@comcast.net Hi Mark, I am sorry about this. I have pushed for a while to have them make more batteries and I finally got it. I also pushed to keep the battery in the line because I have dealt with the Steadicam world over the past 14 years....... Unfortunately, this is probably going to be the last time we make them which is why I want to make sure that any current ProFormer users can take advantage of this while we have them. Thanks. Paul Dudeck

<We bought an Artemis last year and in 1 year we must changed his 3 Anton Bauer "Gold mount" because in the 3 gold mount appeared a cracks. Is strange because never we have struck the equipment and nevertheless the cracks appeared. :( I think that it was a product of the weight of the batteries (We usually use 2 trimpac and 1 Hytron 120 in the configuration ) Can it be this? I compare the old Gold Mount of my Steadicam EFP and the material seems to be different from the new one Gold mount.> Gus, This should not happen with the Gold Mount. I will look and see if there have been any changes, but there have not to my knowledge. We use lexan plastic, the same that is used in motorcycle helmets, so they should not break. If you do get another one that breaks, can you please send pictures to me at pdudeck@antonbauer.com and I will be happy to replace the mount for free. I would like to get one here to look at so I can see exactly what is going on. Are all three batteries being used on the one Gold Mount or are they on three different mounts? Thanks. Paul Dudeck

To all Steadicam users, Anton/Bauer has manufactured a run of ProFormer batteries and they are ready to ship. These are brand new batteries and are $175.00 each. We are sorry for any inconveniences we may have cause by discontinuing the ProFormer battery which is why we are offering this to Steadicam users only. This will more than likely be the last production run of these batteries. You can contact Anton/Bauer at (203)929-1100 or websales@antonbauer.com to place your order. We also have some B-Stock product left from NAB which will be sold at discounted prices. Please contact our Customer Support Dept at support@antonbauer.com or (800)541-1667 for details. Thank you for your support over the years. Kind Regards, Paul Dudeck Manager-Product Specialist Group The Americas

"Hello folks, looking for a Used Logic Series AB Charger 2 position or 4." Hi Ozzie, You can call the Anton/Bauer Customer Support Department and see what they have left for B-Stock from the post-NAB rush...... Regards, Paul Dudeck

"As a newb I have a question. I don't have a film background like some and I inherited a set of 4 ProPacs with the 2nd hand rig I bought. My question is are the ProPacs up to the job of required current draw if I upgrade the rig to be 12V/24V switchable?" The ProPac 14 is a 60 (or 65wh if newer) watt hour battery and is Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) in technology. The "D" size cell that is used in that battery is the most durable and reliable cell on the market. This is why we can offer a three (3) year warranty on our NiCd and HyTRON 120 batteries. The high current draws will not significantly detract from the overall life of the battery, as it would from a smaller cell NiMh or lithium ion. To simply answer your question, Yes, the ProPac 14's will run the 12/24v switchable. Also recommended would be the HyTRON 120 battery. Paul

"Paul, maybe it IS worth the time to investigate how long the maximum spike is. Appearently, although the cells are protected, the fuse doesn´t kick in/shut off, as many operators have experienced. That could mean that the fuse is not acting fast enough. On the other hand, we as operator are happy that the batteries can start that 435 to 150 fps, but we don´t really know if and how much damage is done internally. Is that maximum rating of 7 amps for a certain time so it makes more sense when using lights or such things that have a high continuous current draw?" If the battery does not shut down during the initial start-up, there will not be any damage done to the battery. Believe me, in all (always specified by the cell manufacturer) lithium ion batteries, the protection circuits are extremely sensitive to prevent any damage. The "spike" in current could be for such a short period of time (5mS) that it would not affect the battery at all. Since the HyTRON 50 and Trimpac/Digital Trimpac have the same 7amp protection circuit and they have worked fine for years, then I would say that there would not be any problems. Also, I think George Paddock is not selling Dionic batteries with most of his rigs. Paul

"A question for Pauld from AB: Now that AB has taken over Aspen, is there still service/ backup and info available about their battery products that they sold until last year?" Hi Rob, I had read one of your previous responses with regards to the Aspen (Aspekt) product line. Yes, we will continue to service Aspen/Aspekt products for as long as we can get the parts. Just as a reference, from an Anton/Bauer standpoint, we have always serviced chargers/power supplies for up to 10 years after they were discontinued. I would have you email my Customer Support Department at support@antonbauer.com and tell them the exact model number and serial number of the charger that you have. They can then give you some further assistance. You can also contact Martin Soh (works directly for Anton/Bauer in Singapore) at martinsoh@pacific.net.sg and he should be able to help you out also. Martin will be traveling to Las Vegas for NAB as will I in the next few days. If we do not respond to you right away, we will get to you. The days are long when working NAB........... Thanks. Paul

Paul, is it possible to calculate the applied current using the voltage drop of the battery? Not without having a college degree in Electrical Engineering!!! Just kidding. It is possible as all things are, but it is not practical. You would need to monitor the voltage of the battery at all times and the amount of current being pulled from the battery. It's just not worth the time........ Paul

"How does or better should a Li-Ion battery electronics measure to protect the cells. Voltage or current or both?" It really depends on the manufacturer. Most manufacturers will now use a resettable PEPI fuse which is internal to the battery. The PEPI device will measure both current and temperature to determine an overload. With a lithium ion battery, if you don't prevent the overload, the battery can be permanently damaged. "When I tested my batteries with 435 I had a voltage of 32V at start up it went down to 25V somewhere between 120 fps and 150 fps and back to 28V at 150 fps." When you put two batteries in series to get the 28.8v volts, you will have an operating range of approximately 24-34 volts. When a load is applied, the voltage will drop. What you are seeing is a high current spike which drops the voltage to about 25v, then the current drops off and the voltage rises to where it normally should be, around 28v. I hope this answers your questions. Paul

Benjamin, I am not quite sure about the SWIT batteries. If they are using the same graphite lithium ion cell that everyone else is using (18x65 in size) then it cannot handle 10 amps of current. If it does, then it lacks the proper over-current protect circuitry in it and then all bets are off. I am not too familiar with that battery so I don't want to say anything that is not true. Could you find out what they spec the battery for maximum current drain? Thanks Paul

I am glad to hear that you guys have been getting great success with the Dionic 80/90 batteries. The 435 may or may not work with the Dionic 80/90 batteries as we have not been able to get any feedback from any steadicam users either. The situation is this; the maximum current output of the Dionic 80/90 (and all lithium ion batteries) is 7 amps. It is not like a NiCd or NiMh where it can accept the over current for a short period of time. As I understand the 435 can hit peek current draws of up to 18 amps on start up. If this is true, the battery will shut down. If you can get by this spike with a ProFormer, Trimpac or ProPac battery, then the Dionics will run the camera no problem. One other side not is that Anton/Bauer also has a Dionic 160 battery, which is a 160 watt hour lithium ion battery. This battery has special lithium ion cells in it which can handle up to 10 amps of current. This is the ONLY lithium ion battery currently manfactured that will do that. The list price of the battery is $995.00 and it is subject to Class 9 Hazardous rules when shipping or traveling. The rules state that you are allowed to hand carry two of these batteries on a plane when traveling though. Thanks for all your continued support guys. Paul