Premium Members Robert Starling SOC Posted April 5, 2013 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 The rear of the upper junction box/stage is now slightly angled in so the connectors point down a few degrees which makes it easier to get fat fingers in there for BNCs etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Andre Trudel Posted April 5, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Nice Rig Robert. I really dig the new gen IV battery rack. I have had a pro 2 SD set up in the works for a few years but never wanted to put the old pro 2 battery rack on it. I really hope the gen IV battery rack will fit the SD Pro 2 lower junction box. It seems like a nice option. I guess I’ll find out next week at NAB if my plan will work. I have decided to sell my steadicam efp rig and use the money to finally finish my pro 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members William Demeritt Posted April 5, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Andre: Definitely get confirmation, but I am 95% certain that the Gen 2, Gen 3 and Gen 4 battery hangers will all still work with the new Lower Junction Box. Only problem might be the recorder/live video switch might be too close to the knob that releases the rear two batteries to travel. Looking at photos of Starling holding his rig on Facebook, the length (power block to rear recorder/live video switch length) is about the same as my HD Lower Junction box. Same 3 screws on port and starboard side of the Lower JB, same power blocks, so should work? Anyway, yea, definitely get confirmation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Eric Fletcher S.O.C. Posted April 5, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Nice Rig Robert. I really dig the new gen IV battery rack. I have had a pro 2 SD set up in the works for a few years but never wanted to put the old pro 2 battery rack on it. I really hope the gen IV battery rack will fit the SD Pro 2 lower junction box. Good news. All PRO2 and later components will work, you will have to convert to the HD center post cable if you want to use the new j boxes but if you want to keep your existing SD parts you can switch to any of the battery hangers prom PRO 2 fowards. This is the basis and the reason for the PRO modular system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Robert Starling SOC Posted April 5, 2013 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 I've had a bunch of emails and texts on this so let me make sure everyone understands this is not a dumbed down rig targeting only the live show segment. It's a very SMART design the gives you options to fly full sized film/HD camera packages without compromise and do live work just as it is and as you see it in the photo above. For those who lean one way or the other PRO's completely modular system means you can start out with a full featured rig day one for $19k. If your everyday work / world becomes specifically big camera feature film oriented or you want another specialty option, all their other components like the DB III and Gen 2-3 battery systems let you take it to that level. By the same token, you can also go even lighter with a fixed center post and fixed monitor bracket. Either way, you've got all the power connectors and video options built in and ready to go. This is about as future proof as you can get and this configuration I bought covers more than 95% of the work out there for those of use who get a lot a variety. It probably wasn't fair to compare this level rig to a Shadow Jerry and I apologize. I needed to do my due diligence and compare it to something and the Shadow seemed to be relevant but in the end it really wasn't any comparison at all. Somewhere I have a little matrix sheet with all the side-by-side, feature by feature list. If I can find that and format it I'll post it up. Meanwhile I'll post up some detailed shots of all the power and video connections on the top and bottom stages later today or tonight. Thanks! Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Jerry Holway Posted April 6, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 Robert- I think some comparisons are there, yet there are differences in features and designs - and not having seen this rig, I certainly can't make them. I was more concerned about making the statement(s) re the 1:1 equivalency and the price of the Shadow, which seemed, at least on the face of it, not right. I did not want to get into a discussion of this rig vs. another, Shadow or otherwise. Let this one stand on its own, and the others on their merits. And let's all be glad we have choices to suit our different needs. Jerry 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Robert Starling SOC Posted April 6, 2013 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 Thanks Jerry and look forward to seeing you at NAB! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Tom Wills Posted April 6, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 Robert, First of all, I'm drooling, and then looking back and forth between my bank account and this rig. Anyways, could you take pictures of all of the connectors on the rig and where they are? I know the previous pictures of the Live sled were pretty Hirose-heavy, and I'm wondering what changes they've done. Basically, I want more LEMO connectors. Never can have too many of the expensive little buggers. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Eric Fletcher S.O.C. Posted April 6, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 Tom there are only two Hirose connectors on the rig one in the upper and one in the lower and they can easily be replaced with lemos Ill list out the connectors tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Tom Wills Posted April 6, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 Very good to hear. Thanks Eric! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Robert Starling SOC Posted April 6, 2013 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 Hi Tom, Yes, I will post photos tomorrow of the connectors and details and yes it is LOADED with AKS Lemos both 12/24v three pin and Power/Video four pin, plus tally, plus Hirose, plus P-Taps, plus recorder four pin and five or six pin recorder (can't remember that one). The tally fires the internal tally on my Transvideo monitor directly through the monitor cable but I've yet to have a tally built to fire the tally on my Cinetronic Gen 2. That's just because I've barely had the sled 24 hours now. The great news is 90% of my cables from the XCS fit and all my camera power cables fit!! So far I need two new cables and eleven ends changed to have a full set of everything for both sleds and backups of everything for both sleds. I'm not 100% positive but I believe anyone with a Tiffen rig or Tiffen patterned cables/AKS are good to go right off the shelf. Also, with my Preston I was able to keep the XCS mount on one side and put the PRO mount on the other side. As for your bank account, you might be looking back and forth now but when I saw this design prototype three weeks ago there was no looking or going back for me. Everything was so dialed in, modular and flexible that I really thought it was going to be in the $28k range and the deal was done when I heard $19k. As of yesterday they already had about a dozen pre-orders. While I managed to snag the first one off the production line, it is Serial # 9. Anyway, I'm obviously in love with it but everyone has to find their own love when they buy a rig. Thanks! Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Eric Fletcher S.O.C. Posted April 6, 2013 Premium Members Report Share Posted April 6, 2013 I think some comparisons are there, yet there are differences in features and designs - and not having seen this rig, I certainly can't make them. I was more concerned about making the statement(s) re the 1:1 equivalency and the price of the Shadow, which seemed, at least on the face of it, not right. I did not want to get into a discussion of this rig vs. another, Shadow or otherwise. Jerry aside from the Shadows Tilt stage and motorized stage both rigs are functionally the same and competing for the same market. The live guys I know don't use either of those two features, so for them that's both wasted weight (above the gimbal) and wasted money. Speaking of money you seem to not accept that the comparison money wise was apples to apples and DIRECTLY from a quote generated by Tiffen. So unless Tiffen is quoting one thing and charging another I'm not sure that I see where the issue is. Now some specific comparisons Shadow to CineLive: Bare sled weight Shadow 9.8 lbs, CineLive 8.4 The Shadow carries most of that weight difference ABOVE the gimbal which will require a longer center post to balance Overall Sled Length Shadow 25", CineLive 24" Gimbal distance to camera Plate Shadow 4.25" CineLive 2.75 Combine that with the lower above the gimbal weight of the CineLive and you get a MUCH Shorter overall length something that is important for most operators The CineLive has a Captured Center Post meaning even if you slack off the center post retainer the post will NEVER separate, the shadow lacks that feature. The CineLive also features a Keyed Centerpost tube meaning that your rig will ALWAYS maintain fore/aft alignment, again something that Tiffen fails to do. The CineLive is FULLY modular in the truest sense. Buy the rig with the Fixed center post to save some money or that's what works for you now? you can always buy the expandable at a later date as needs or funds allow and you can do it with the peace of mind that not only will it work but it will take mere seconds to do the swap in the field. Let's compare power and video plugs Upper Junction Box The CineLive has TWO 2B.303 Main camera power plugs The shadow has one CineLive Two 0B.303 Shadow one CineLive has One 0B.304 power/SD video plug the shadow has none Both Rigs have a 0B.304 Power/Tally the Shadow has two Hirose Power/Video plugs the CineLive has one The Shadow has three HD-SDI lines the CineLive has Two They both have one SD video line Lower Junction Box Both Rigs have a 2B.303 Power plug CineLive has one 0B.303 Power the Shadow has none CineLive has one 0B.304 power/video the Shadow has none CineLive has one 0B.305 analog recorder plug the Shadow has none CineLive and Shadow both have the PRO Standard 1B.308 Monitor power/video CineLive has Two Hirose power/video the Shadow has one CineLive has TWO P-Taps the Shadow has none CineLive has two HD-SDI lines the Shadow has three both rigs have one SD video line There you go apples to apples and the CineLive wins. Combine a Pro Suit and Atlas Arm you have winner of a package at a VERY Affordable price and IIRC PRO has a NAB promotion going on that can save you a few more bucks... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Robert Starling SOC Posted April 7, 2013 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted April 7, 2013 Photo time! FIRST, these are iPhone 5 photos shot on top of the power company transformer with my AC holding a black table cloth up in full sun. For some reason the iPhone 5 camera has a tendency to get a lovely magenta cast whenever possible. THE RIG IS BLACK!!! Except for the Cinetronic monitor. Don't pick on my photos! It will take a few posts to get all thirteen up but this should give you a really good idea of what you get for $19k in a fully modular professional sled. Monitor and yoke NOT included and neither is the table cloth. You can shave a few ounces and dollars by getting the fixed monitor bracket and non-telescoping center post. As you see it here, with battery and monitor it weighs about 13 lbs or less according to my crummy bathroom scale. More photos in the next uploads. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Robert Starling SOC Posted April 7, 2013 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted April 7, 2013 More photos and more still to be posted 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Robert Starling SOC Posted April 7, 2013 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted April 7, 2013 More photos and more still coming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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