Dp7pro high bright

[Joshua Gitersonke]

This Photo is a worst case scenario. We had an 8x8 silk on a very sunny day.

[Brian Freesh]

Iain, you seemed concerned that the DP7 didn't come close to the viewability of the Cinetronic. My point was that they do, in my experience. Because of that I think the DP7 is a great primary monitor. That we disagree about the use of DP7 as primary is of no concern to me, I simply thought there might be a missing variable between your experience and my experience. Now I think the missing variable is simply our definitions of "close" ;)

 

That's my gen2 next to Josh's DP7 in the photo. At this very steep angle there is a huge gap, miles even (which I was overly eager to point out on the day), but that's where I already said the big difference is. 99% of the time one has a more direct view of the monitor and I feel the DP7 works great.

[Joshua Gitersonke]

I agree with Brian, The Smallhd has been a great monitor overall. I have since placed a little filter over the fan port that hopefully stop the infiltration of Dust into the interior of the monitor. I'm positive I'll need to have it sent in and cleaned out.

Hearing about the water problem on the Cinetronic is unfortunate because the sealed aspect of water resistance is the whole reason I was purchasing the monitor, But on the other hand I have been using plastic wrap on the smallhd when its raining. Its protected from the water but horribly reflected.

[Joshua Gitersonke]

I guess the grass is a little burnt no matter which side of the line your on. :P

[Brian Freesh]

Chris,

 

Begin EDIT: Apparently my sarcasm was too subtle, apologies everyone.

 

I think it's just as fair for Afton or any other owners, non-owners, previous owners of Cinetronic monitors to voice concerns about the monitor or the company as it is for you to complain about products you do not own, or people and companies you do not do business with (so long as it is civil). I was trying to point this out with a wink and a nod, but I failed miserably.

 

End EDIT.

 

Very good to hear there is an improvement in available technology that is leading to an improvement in the monitor. I was never a fan of the touch screen, from the first I heard of it. It was almost enough to keep me from upgrading, and continues to be something I hate. However, I assume it was done as part of the waterproof design, so I've always accepted it. I've apparently not had enough water on the monitor to have any (additional) performance problems with the buttons, but I'm glad to hear that's being remedied.

 

Is it possible to upgrade a gen 2 with the better touch screen technology without getting the gen2+? I've personally been satisfied with the Cinetronic viewability since Gen1 (never saw the difference in gen1 and gen2 actually) and am not interested in paying for an unneccessary screen upgrade just to get a necessary touchscreen upgrade.

 

I don't think it's ironic if you designed and built the DP7 HB screen, unless you're saying it's ironic because it doesn't perform as well as the monitors you sell, even though you make both (I'm assuming there's more going on than just the screen itself, and that's why the difference). Everyone agrees that the Cinetronic is the most viewable steadicam HD monitor available, that's where Cinetronic excels so well and why we all jumped to buy them and want you to succeed.

[Jens Piotrowski SOC]

"Fair point about Afton not owning the product. I hope it does not fall on deaf ears to the forum, people complaining about products they do not own is a common occurrence here!".

 

Brian,

 

let's stay with the facts here. Afton has owned both the Gen 2 (recently sold) and still owns the Gen 1 to my knowledge and so did I.

 

He sold his Gen 2 out of frustration. He, I and everybody who uses the product are entitled to comment on the performance of the monitor if we wish to do so, that is what a forum is for.

 

Respectfully.

[Alan Rencher]

Maybe you should buy the smallhd HB, which ironically has a high bright screen that my partner Mike and I designed and manufactured.

Are you saying that you manufacture LCD panels in-house?

 

[chris bangma]

No Alan, Mike and I designed and manufactured the new housing for the panel, and the light guide. We took a panel that supposedly could not convert to high bright and did it. We have had that panel as high as 3000 nits brightness.

[Alan Rencher]

And SmallHD now buys those housings from you?

[chris bangma]

All 750 bought through a middle company.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

I'm sorry Alan isn't availble to post right now. His mind has been blown.

 

Go back and reread Chris and mines posts. We alluded to it a few times

 

Why do you think I knew about smallHD's delivery schedule?

[Alan Rencher]

My mind wasn't blown by this. I went to see Book of Mormon, and I figured the forum could wait.

 

[Afton Grant]

 

Gen2+ will have touch buttons unaffected by rain.

 

So customers have to buy an upgrade to fix a problem in a monitor they already paid for?

 

 

The touch technology was the best available at the time I designed it over 3 years ago. Now better chips are available. Afton I still don't see why you need to continually complain about a monitor you no longer own.

 

Maybe you should buy the smallhd HB, which ironically has a high bright screen that my partner Mike and I designed and manufactured.

 

I'm trying to clarify the business model for others, as I wish it had been done for me long ago. Correct me where I'm wrong, but a product was released that has certain faults, and the solution to those faults for those that purchased that product lies in the purchase of a new product. This was the very road I began to see forming in front of me after 7 months working through the kinks of the Gen2, and is the very reason I chose to sell my monitor. I didn't realize no longer owning a piece of gear precludes me from commenting on it. Half the discussions on this website are people sharing opinions about things they may not own.

 

We as a community are very used to the equipment we purchase lasting us years (decades in some cases) - the PRO arm, TB6 monitor, Ultimate sled, BFD, etc. So when a manufacturer comes along, selling a product that will lose most of its value in less than a year, you must realize this might not sit well with the customer. I feel this difficulty you have had with the ability to see things from the customer's perspective has been the source of a great deal of your frustrations with the company, and I feel a focus on turning that perspective around somehow would see returns in the long term far greater than releasing a brighter screen.

[chris bangma]

I never said anyone had to upgrade to fix faults. As for the monitor losing value, considering the gen2 will be shortly discontinued, the value will go up. Do you complain to red that the red one is pretty much worthless? Or complain to arri that a 435 that cost 120k is pretty worthless now as well.

 

As for moving to a new screen, this is natural progression. The screens we currently use now have been discontinued. The screens that Smallhd use have also been discontinued. So it's only natural to find new alternatives to support things in the long term.

 

Afton, we know you have your own separate agenda, but enough is enough. With over 130 monitors in the field, I would say for the most part it works as intended.

[quincy paglaro]

Yes the rain problems are exactly what everyone else seemed to of had. Up here we always have a supply of cotton diapers for working in rain and I cut a small piece and tape over the touchscreen. I cover the monitor now with seran wrap or a ziplock if it's pouring.

So far so good and it's the best image out there.

Still not sure what I'm going to get for a back up monitor but keeping my sd transvideo around just in case.