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MK-V Hummingbird Monitor?


matthew pearce

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I've owned one for three years, it came with my first rig.

I've never had a problem with it, but with MK-V being so far away from Los Angeles I bought a second used MK-V Hummingbird monitor.

 

Ive never needed to use it so I'm thinking about selling it but before I do I was hoping to get input from current or past Hummingbird owners as to whether or not they have had problems , and if so how long it took for them to be resolved.

I dont want to screw my self by selling the back up then having a problem a week later.

cheers

matthew

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I own one that works beautifully and a good operator friend of mine has been using one heavily for over 4 years with absolutely zero problems. The thing is pretty bulletproof and Howard is based on the east coast so it is pretty easy to get parts/repairs for it.

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Hi Mathew,

 

I had a MKV Hummingbird monitor for 4yrs+ and it didn't skip a beat very robust, perfect for outdoors but now I've since upgraded to HD. I also think MKV's service is pretty good now and that's talking from across the globe too as I'm based in Australia. It's always good to have a backup till you go HD. Fly safe

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After about 8 years with my MK-V monitor (which has performed very well), the anti reflective glass that is bonded to the LCD panel is coming undone. It first started in the corners, and slowly growing. I chased MK-V for a few months without a solution. Finally Howard told me it was not an MK-V issue (???), and to speak with the manufacturer.

 

I had contacted Gill Ashby at Lumavec (manufacturer of the Hummingbird) before because MK-V could not tell me if, or how to hook up the heater they touted as a feature in their MK-V LCD. Gill gave me the draw specs so I could buy the right switch, and the pin out for a D connector inside the monitor that fed the heater, so my local engineer could hook it up.

 

The Tsumani in Japan held up replacement panels to Lumavec, and I never got any answers from them either, and Lumavec says MK-V sends the monitors to them for repairs, when MK-V told me they do it at their office.

 

After chasing this issue for months, I was speaking with Chris Bangma about purchasing his new Cinetronics II, and told him of my repair woes for my MK-V LCD. Chris had me ship it to him, they assessed the repairs needed, and are hunting down a replacement LCD panel for me. Whether I keep this monitor as a backup to the Cinetronic, or sell it with my rig if I upgrade, it needs repair.

 

I'm not slamming anyone here, but simply stating facts of the timeline in trying to get this monitor repaired. It's been a year since the problem arose, and we're finally close to a fix. The company that sells the monitor couldn't repair it, the company that manufactures the monitor couldn't repair it, and a totally different company that had nothing to do with it stepped up and is repairing it.

 

You do the math here. Guess who's getting my money?

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Not really getting why you are selling your spare... because you are not needing it? That's what a spare is for.

Have a back up for the occasion that you might need it and hope you never will. Had my spare TB-6 sitting in the case doing nothing for ever... guess what. I had to pull it out a couple of weeks ago... finally. High Voltage took a dump on my primary which is actually the newer of the two... go figure.

 

The moment you sell your back up, the primary will give you problems... no matter of make or year.

 

And when you buy a new one and you like it... buy a second, just in case... it's cheaper in the long run...

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

 

Happy New Year!

 

 

Erwin

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Mark;

 

I have been chasing the de-laminating problem with my Hummingbird as well. Cramped Attic told me that they couldn't do anything to help it for fear of cracking the glass panel, Gill didn't provide any answers either. Please let me know if Chris comes up with a reasonable solution. I love the monitor and I want to keep it as my BU to my Cinetronic which I am also very fond of.

Good luck and I hope there is an inexpensive solution.

 

Thanks

Jamie

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