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Qbranch Qlite problems: solutions?


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Hello guys, I know there's a lot of discussion about Howard Smith, MKV and Q branch already.

I would really love to not rehash what Howard has done in the past in this thread. It seems a lot of people have problems with him already with highly furious opinions. (Eric).

Honestly, I have a problem now because he seems to have dropped off the face of the planet after selling his latest roll over head, which for me at least has not worked for a single second I have had it with any camera small or large.

 

The purpose of this thread is to gather all of us who have bought a Q light and to know if any of them are working the way it was described to us by Howard. To also discuss the possibilities of what can be done about it. I would love to avoid pitchforks but im not beyond it.

I feel from day one what I was promised was not there. What was there was a lot of problems many many hours/days of frustrating exercises in patience.

What I don't want on this thread is people who don't own one of his new products chiming in and talking crap, If that's possible. Also since I've had this problem before/ moderators please place this thread in any spot you feel is appropriate.

Thanks Joshua Gitersonke

A guy just trying to get some justice

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I ordered one in November and have not yet received my unit. As the reviews have come out I have requested a full refund. Howard has ignored my emails for the last three months. Lucky for me I have a couple of lawyer friends and paid with a credit card. I have contacted my credit card company and told them of the fraud (not delivering and complaints of not working). I have told Howard of wanting my money back and if not then I will file a lawsuit.

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I'm also in the same boat, hasn't worked properly since day1, Howard is totally ignoring me
I wonder if it is possible to fit another board into the system, something that can deliver a bit more power, which I feel most of the issues stem from ..

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Though I do not have this Q-branch system, I have earlier bought a Letus Helix, which is also based on an Alexmos board.

Initially, this had many problems too, but with the latest firmware 2.56 b6 I have addressed most of the issues.

This version allows for a responsive stabilizing and - if needed - dutch angle by joystick control, without vibrating and twitching. it also holds position when tilting up or down towards 90 degrees, which was very difficult to maintain in the beginning (there is no defined horizon 90 degrees up or down, a problem all stabilized systems have to cope with)

 

So, I am not saying this might help your particular system, but perhaps the same firmware might work on your boards.

I have made a profile that can be downloaded:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qy35rseper5aqy5/Profile5-Large-camera-Roll-Steadicam-Joystick.profile?dl=0

 

Other than that, I think everybody has to accept that it is almost impossible to move a large camera like an Alexa, with Master-prime, focus-iris motor and some more muck, in a motorized cage that weighs only 1 kg. That will only happen when perfectly balanced, which is almost always NOT in the nodal point (not always really needed anyway) and almost always not within reach.

 

With my own construction around that Helix, I have made the choice to be a bit more heavy on the bottom side, so that the camera-weight actually helps to keep the level. But luckily with the cameras like Alexa-Mini and Red Dragon, the nodal point is almost perfect and the balance as well. Adding the counterweights for my system can help to get even more balance in case Dutch angles are needed.

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The All-new Ωmega Lite is a super lightweight and flexible system.


Weighing in a less than 1kg (2 lbs) less than a Preston MDR, but able to carry large cameras like the Alexa and Sony F55.

It has a 4 point ‘X’ contact bearing for stunning performance and zero play.

The Production unit is designed to fit into a Pelican 1620 case.

The Ωmega Lite is a 12v system and has minimal current draw and can therefore mount to any sled even the pilot.

Using a patented and designed registered motor belt drive system, there is a hole through the centre of rotation to pass all your power and focus cables through.

The System is designed for the camera to be nodal in the rotation and the mount is set at the standard base plate level. The monitor mount is adjustable and this helps with balancing.
Thats what he was advertising. Well, an stripped F5 wasnt working. The ring feels stiff, and the motor isnt strong enough. The software is a nightmare. We finally got a 10% spin, but like i said, it isnt working like the ad and clips he was selling. The main issue is that he isnt replying to anybody. What ever thing you might have, whatever issues whatever whatever, if you are selling a new product, you must be ready to face the trouble shooting, and at least reply. I am all for filling a lawsuite, and would be happy to sponsor that. I am in europe, so it might be difficult. But if some local op is willing to do the paperwork, i am sure every q branche owner would be more then happy to chime in.
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I don't own an Omega Lite but I have good experience in building and tuning Alexmos gimbals.

 

 

I thought that I might be able to help you out with greating usable settings and also user support later on. I also have sold a few custom build gimbals under the label http://www.portahead.de before the Ronin came out and so I'm used to give support on telephone. Fortunatelly the Alexa Mini and Epic and also Sony F5/F55 cameras are very similar in size and weight and it might be possible to use them with the same settings. Maybe somebody of you is willing to send me a one of the systems which doesn't seem to work to test with for free or very little money. If the others, who want to stick with their system, pay like 300- 500 Euros each for my support to him later, that might get him an acceptable refund of around 3000 Euros in the end.

 

First thing would of course be that I can get one unit to work as it is or maybe with a new board. As you know the boards a very inexpensive so that wouldn't actually change the deal. If I doesn't succeed with getting the unit to work at all, I'll send it back to him so there would be no difference to the situation as it is now.

 

I think it would be unrealistic to be able to use a full size Alexa with the system like it is now, though. Maybe it's possible to fit in a bigger motor instead of the existing one mechnically.

 

Please let me know if my idea is interesting for you.

 

Andreas

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I also had an early Letus Helix that ran on an Alexmos controller.

Was quite unfortunate because the Letus Helix itself is a beautifully designed contraption

However the controller was absolutely useless. Ended up returning it after two weeks and countless hours trying to

make this thing work without 'jitters'.

 

As a comparison I got a Ronin afterwards. Cheap Chinese stuff. But the controller worked straight out of the box.

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Yes Alex, that is the problem if you have an Alexmos controller without good support and usable settings and a very wide range of cameras regarding weight and size. But if you have good settings for an Alexa mini, Master primes and remote focus, these settings do normally work with an Epic or Sony F5/F55 with lenses of similar size as well. Having a system with a roll axis only is also generally less difficult to support than a 3 axis system.

 

The Alexmos controller is meant for very different setups and therefore provides a full PID control loop and many other options. It's quite easy to get lost in the software if you have no experience with it and then you end up with a system which doesn't seem to work at all. It's also possible that the system doesn't hold level in pans if the IMU isn't calibrated correctly and the encoders also need to be set up in a specific way.

 

It was of course a huge mistake to offer the Omega lite with big promises and no user support at all. But I think as so many unused systems are around and the chances of Howard stepping in with a valid user support or refunds are minimal, it's worth a try to get those system working within a limited range of equal cameras and lenses at least.

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I've too busy. Just see this post today at the airport waiting for a flight for a gig in Singapore.

 

I purchased the OmegaLite.

It works as what Howard promises.

 

BUT, not at the first time.

With a little support from Howard.

His answer is very general and not on the point (most of the time)

Could not return it.

 

So I decide to fix it myself.

 

I spent 2 weeks to research and play with it.

To learn it from inside out;

Then, finally make it work.

 

After that, a whole new world. Very cool toy.

 

Anyone having the problem, drop me a message.

I'll try my best to help you out.

 

It's a simple fix, if you know how. It likes a wild horse.

 

Cheers,

 

Ken Nguyen.

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The problem Ken, is that we don't need toys... We need professional products that work 100% of the time. A great inventor is someone who thinks of all the problems and mitagates them before they become problems. Howard is a nice guy as far as I know, but honestly it stopped there when he decided to show off a finely tuned product with a small camera, then promise that it has the capability to work with everything. The help he gave me was minimal at best for something as complex as this. To get this to run a small camera takes a close knowledge of Basecam. Aside from it taking more than a prep day to make it work with your specific setup. Hey wait... "Swing that to the 50mm" rocky roads and two more weeks of playing with it.

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