Master Sled new electronics

[Quaid Cde Baca]

Hello Master sled owners,

How crazy would I be to try and replace the current (old) wiring of the master sled with newer electronics of MK-V. To have the upper J-Box mounted under the nose > coiled wire down the post > D-Box in the K-section, replacing the controls for the frame line generator, ports would be accessible on either side of the sled. Then with MK-V upgrades, adapt their dual battery plate to the current plate (plug-in wiring to the D-Box), and a third battery mounted to the K-secotion front, replacing the 24v converter box. All using the MK-V V1 electronics with a similar set up to the Model 3 sled.

All to have a simple upgrade, to adapt the master sled to more easily fly newer cameras, with: simpler wiring, 12v/24v use, HDSDI, more AUX power, and more batteries to power camera.

***Excuse my crapy attempted illustration.

Edited March 5, 2014 by Quaid Cde Baca

[Michael Wilson]

I have never used V1 electronics. I had the V2 for a little while. I had so many problems with those electronics. Fuse would blow all the time, hdsdi would go in and out because of walkie activity. Once during a light gag, every time they would hit the light, I and video village would lose picture.

 

Now I have the V2.5 which apparently has more shielding and handles the power better. Haven't had any issues for over 2 years.

 

A suggestion for more aux power would be have a master sled to female ptap. Add a ptap splitter and you have 3 more aux ports.

[Jens Piotrowski SOC]

it's probably cheaper and better to use the services of Terry West and make the modifications...

[Quaid Cde Baca]

Great advice about the early V1/2! What if I did use the newer V2.5 or V3 electronics? I like how simple it is though and eliminates all the internal wiring and simplifies it to a single coiled post wire.

 

Ideally I was curious about adding this in order to have 3 batteries for continuous camera power via the sled (I have been limited to powering off camera), HDSDI, 12v/ 24v power, and robust LEMO ports.

If I try to power camera via the sled now, but if I fly an Alexa or F65 or such, I am limited on which batteries I can use and my sled needs the giant Anton 140 for weight balance.

 

I should get a new sled, but I'm financially impaired as a fairly new operator.

What work arounds have you guys found that work best for powering cameras and other master sled issues.

 

Thanks for all the advice, anything to help me to know my sled better and become a better operator.

[Michael Wilson]

Btw if you go with Mkv electronics, go with the .5 versions. Like 2.5 and 3.5. They upgraded electronics a couple years ago to fix all the issues they were having I assume and added the .5 to the electronics that got the upgrades.

[Tuomas Viitakoski]

Putting the D-box onto the Master sled's "brain" may not be the best place for it. Or the post cable around(?) the post. Easy - yes, but possibly (very possibly) pain in the ass.

You could just strip the covers, take away the wires and electronics from the K-section and cut the cables from topstage, attach the D-box to the bottom of the sled and have the MK-V's curled post cable running up the post and then have the J-box placed under the "nose" of the topstage.
Here's a quick sketch to show what I mean (D-box is oriented backways but you get the idea):


This way you wouldn't have to play with the original post cable and the electronics would be rather easily upgraded.
Just make sure in advance that the curly post cable isn't too thick to freely extend and retract inside the 1.5" post.

V4 electronics are the latest (and the best so far). They have enhanced shielding against radio interference and larger wire gauge (juice drainage) for Alexa/F65 type cameras.


Good luck to your project Quaid! :)

[Quaid Cde Baca]

Thanks Tuomas! I was think of that same method. Even now theorizing that if I were to just disconnect all the internal wiring from the top stage and K section, I could preserve all the original wiring (if i needed to go back for whatever reason), and then just run that coiled electronics down the post to the D & J box arrangement you had described. Though the lower D-Box may have to be places higher up in regards to the length of the overall coiled cable. But it seams very simple that. way.

[Tuomas Viitakoski]

I'm pretty sure you can extend the post cable as much as needed.
Contact Ashley (ashATmk-v.com), he knows best!

[Ian Collishaw]

I'm also trying to upgrade a Master sled system, and I'm interested in hearing about the progress of this project.

 

Also, if someone could point me in the direction of Terry West's contact information, that would be great. Thanks!

[Jens Piotrowski SOC]

Terry West

South Bay Film & Video Services

531 N. Paulina Avenue

Redondo Beach, Ca. 90277

310 621-5063

techrat@earthlink.net

[Ian Collishaw]

For whatever reason, my email doesn't play nicely with his email. Thanks a bunch!

[Miguel Pask]

Terry's updated email address: techrat531@verizon.net