Dp7pro high bright

[Joshua Gitersonke]

I just looked at this picture. It looks sort of dark but it was a pretty bright and the sky was all white and overcast.

[Daniel Abboud]

Huge THANKS to all of you guys who tested the SmallHD and the Cinetronic monitors! There's beer and wings in it for ya if u come to Toronto ;-)

[Zoltan Jonas]

--->>>REVIEW<<<---

 

So for over a year, I've been planning a wireless video package for myself. Two entities I've since been wanting to marry together are the Teradek Bolt, and the SmallHD Dp7-PRO-HighBright.

As this is a thread on the monitor itself, I'll focus on that, and post a link to my thoughts on the Bolt in the appropriate "Video Assist" thread.

 

I wrote an earlier draft of this review some days ago, and simply didn't know where to begin, or what to focus on, so for the sake of concision, I've written a list of "Strengths", "Potential issues" and "Real weaknesses", and then elaborated on those points. I know that these are 'relative' terms. The closest rival monitors that I've had substantial experience are the TV-Logic 5.6", and the Marshall 7" SDI. I know that they're not exactly comparable, but it's set the basic benchmark for me in drawing my judgments here. So!

 

Dp7-Pro-HB-SX (USD$2,999.00)

 

 

Strengths:

1. (Very!) Solid metal construction.
2. Concise, elegant design out of the box
3. Very sharp display
4. Simple menu system
5. Comes with an SD card
6. Promises expanded future features - internal proxy recording, format cross-conversion etc.
7. Comprehensively featured software.
8. And, what everyone wants to know: gives you half (at the very least!) a hope in hell of visibility during daylight (but requires stringent optimization).

Potential issues:

1. Even a monitor as "bright" as this one is barely a match for the brightest-hottest-blazingly-scorching of days - without help. (Though I'm talking about the Australian summer here).
2. Metal construction could make the unit a bit heavy for some on-board mounting setups.
3. Smart-keys, though well intended, and intuitive enough, need refinement.
4. Input-output ports on the bottom can be in the way for some uses.
5. Breakout cable required for composite/component (who needs this anyway?).
6. "Unstable" colour-bar generation.
7. Internal help-guides are annoying and intrusive.

Real weaknesses:

1. Monitor ships, by default without any form of screen protection.
2. Optional impact-protective acrylic layer is highly reflective, even if a matte screen protector is used beneath it. It's also a fingerprint magnet.
3. Portable power solutions are optional extras, and the adapter attachment plate, despite being very solid, adds considerable weight. My monitor weighs in excess of 2kg with v-lock battery, and Bolt receiver. Should we expect anything less?
4. (Somewhat trivial and archaic) - no 4:3 aspect ratio option yet. I happen to need it.
5. Fan speed (thus, noise-level) setting, as of yet, un-assignable to a smart key.
6. Sun-hood makes smart-key access rather finicky. ("Sunhood mode" elaborated on below)
7. Third party accessories are likely needed for convenient hand-held use.
8. Some forms of HDMI are improperly rendered, or interpreted as DVI. Curiously, this problem was solved in most cases by converting to SDI with the Blackmagic HDMI-to-SDI battery converter first.

So, I'll elaborate first on the most important thing - the brightness; this is indeed a bright monitor. If you turn it on in a dark space, the logo splash screen can positively dazzle you!

Today, I went out on the street, with a very unforgiving sun shining down on me at around 3pm, and only in the shade could I make out a usable image, even with the backlight cranked-up to 100. I don't think in these conditions that any monitor can realistically be expected to perform. I 'resorted' to the sun-hood, with which it was alright, and much more comfortable. Gathering from other's comments, I should also try it in overcast conditions (if I get any).
The photos I've attached (as every other submission attests) do not properly depict the monitor's relative brightness to the environment. One photo illustrates the difference between shade and exposed.

 

 

If you smartly customize the smart-key options, then optimizing brightness/contrast/backlight is easy enough. When the sun-hood is attached, the proximity-sensors seem to be confused, and you'll have to toggle into "sun-hood mode". This is where the options are spaced out onto every second smart-key option, to make button access easier through the sun-hood's rim - but at the cost of the custom layout of your options. Choose wisely.

 

Depending on how you choose to accessorize the unit, it can either be neatly compact, or, as my setup shows - quite bulky and over 2kg. But ultimately, it gives a lovely, pleasurably sharp, image.

The monitor ships without any screen protection. Thought the LCD panel is optimally bright when naked, there isn't any user in their right mind who would take this unit into the field without protecting it against sun and impact. The acrylic protector that you screw onto the very front is reflective, but I'd rather live with this, than to physically risk the monitor in the field.

The designers obviously took a risk with in I/O placement. For onboard use, the bottom input sockets are convenient, but for hand-held, where the bottom of the monitor will meet your chest/abdomen, this will become very annoying. 1/4"20 screw-mounts on the bottom, sides, and top are nice, and I've taken to attaching the Bolt receiver on the top. This works nicely - but it does block access to the "lock" key.

 

If you assign the proximity sensor on/off toggle to a smart-key, then this problem is more-or-less addressed if you have hand the unit to a director or whoever who might accidentally stuff up the settings.

 

I like the multitude of scopes, all which can be very handy, and easily accessed through the smart-keys. The focus assist is well implemented, and easy to toggle. As is the false colour, which can be toggled with or without the IRE reference chart.

 

Customer Service;

SmallHD originally sent me a completely defective monitor, where the LCD panel was going nuts, and not functioning properly at all. They *swiftly* replaced it with a second monitor, which I also sent back, because at the time I was having issues with the HDMI, and I assumed it was a problem with the monitor. The 3rd they sent (the one in review) is working up to spec, and I quickly learned that the HDMI 'problem' was in fact an unlucky incident with the sources, rather than the monitor. In fact, with the BM converter, I'm having no problems with any HDMI device that isn't HDCP protected. Ultimately, I have to commend SmallHD for being helpful, very responsive, and keen to make me a happy customer. The only thing working against me is that at this stage, they don't do international dealer distribution, which means, no local support in Australia. Because of this, despite their strong support, it makes dealing with them from Sydney a geographical and temporal nuisance.

 

Conclusion:

My bottom line is that I'm happy with the monitor. As mentioned, there is big room for improvement in some aspects, but given the major selling point of the unit, I wouldn't (and couldn't) consider any other product in the price range. I'm happy to live with most of the weakness, as, in the end of the day (or in the middle of it, rather), I'll have a viewable image unlike almost any other monitor in its class. Thanks guys.

[Zoltan Jonas]

Don't know how to make the damned photos work:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n3jq2fottghixhr/2013-12-08%2015.24.06.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dvjcckt04zcb9a2/2013-12-08%2015.28.42.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n01zsv3bnz0qqqc/2013-12-08%2015.29.52.jpg

[Kelsey W. Smith]

Anyone flying with the DP7- Pro High Bright on their rig? Does the horizontal indicator work? What's it like out door in sun?

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

[William Demeritt]

I've got it. Great in the sun. Horizon indicator is a bit problematic, and not motion compensated so it freaks out during lateral moves or whip pans.

[Colin Donahue]

I have the DP7 and I find the level pretty much useless for steadicam. You can use it to static balance, but as soon as you move it freaks out as William says,

and takes forever to return to home position.

 

Colin Donahue

[Victor Lazaro]

Got an email today:

We are offering 10% off all DP7-PRO and AC7 monitors as a NAB show special. Just use this coupon code during checkout: NAB2014 (Expires April 12, 2014).

 

[Joshua Gitersonke]

I've been using this monitor for a while now and have found that although it is reflective I do t have too much problem seeing it in any atmosphere. I was just working on a show out in agua dulce ( deser'tish area) for A month and aside from the dust. I never wanted for more view ability. Even when the monitor screen was covered in dust the peaking was good enough that I could judge focus. Clouds... No clouds.

The cinetronic has an awesome ar coating and is bonded which makes reflections void. This is something smallhd are considering as an upgrade. (I just asked, I'm at NaB). I hope they come through with it but if not. The monitor is bright enough and the peaking is the best. So do t worry.

Side note.... Forget about SD card recording. It's not happening. They decided not to continue that part of the software.

Go ahead and but an atomos ninja star. Cheap and seems Lika a good deal .

[Joshua Gitersonke]

Buy***

[Joshua Gitersonke]

You'll need to run the atomos through your monitor. Hopefully it converts hdsdi to hdmi. That's the only way the ninja star will work with non hdmi cams.

[Kelsey W. Smith]

Thanks for the feedback guys, much appreciated!

[William Demeritt]

Forget about SD card recording. It's not happening. They decided not to continue that part of the software.

Go ahead and but an atomos ninja star. Cheap and seems Lika a good deal .

That's a bummer.

[Daniel Mimura]

I've been using this monitor for about 6 months on my rig. Since I live in Seattle, it's only now getting bright enough to even need to be daylight bright, but I haven't run into any situations that were too tough for it. Keep in mine I am coming from a 700nit analog monitor (the standard one on a Clipper). There is glare (I'm definitely gonna try adding nushield as Joshua mentions), but I've never had any impossible situations.

 

It's a great monitor. I do wish it was waterproof (especially in Seattle), but the Cinetronic is out of my price range for now. I have a rain cover, but the glare is bad. I need to customize a rain cover that uses a flat piece (I have one that fits a smaller monitor and that would work great.)

 

I agree with others that the level doesn't work at all while panning...

[quincy paglaro]

Being from Vancouver, I am fully accustomed to the rain and the Cinetronic has problems in the rain.