Premium Members Michael Stumpf Posted December 28, 2006 Premium Members Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 Just wanted to let you all know, last week Preston sent me out my new Handset 3 that I've had for a couple days now. They made a run of 100 Handset 3 units for their first batch, and based on where you are on the list you should be expecting to receive yours soon too. When you get yours if your serial number doesn't match what number you were told you were on the list, don't fret. I was told they are just grabbing any one of the first 100 units at random and sending them out according to what number you are on the list, not what serial number the unit has. So if you are number 25 on the list, you may get a handunit that is number #1003 or it could be #1053 but you'll be the 25th person they send the new unit out too, if of course, you've paid in full. Now the funny part. Since I (apparently) was the first on the list, I got mine with no instruction manual. LOL Yes, Howard is still working on that and it's expected to be done a day or so after the New Year, and then it will be sent out to me and anybody else who gets there's before then too. So, being a bit of a chicken and not wanting to just "play around" with it and "guess" as to how to program the thing, I have to wait until I get that manual before I can report on how it works. Take care all, be safe this weekend and have a great 2007. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erwin Landau Posted December 28, 2006 Premium Members Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 Hey Michael, I'm supposed to get mine next week... With the partial instruction from the original CineGear handouts, plus the info on there website and the article in the "Film and Digital Times" I got a very clear picture of the capabilities of the unit. The calibration is address quite in debts. If you can't wait, I can fax you the sites... Be safe, Erwin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Michael Stumpf Posted December 28, 2006 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 Thanks Erwin. I appreciate that. I start a new show on January 8th, so I think Leticia will have the new manual to me by then. Plus I still have my wonderful Bartech. :) I figured you'd be getting yours soon as I know you said you were like 66 on the list and originally Preston said he was going to just make 25 in the first batch, but ended up making 100. I'm sure that will take care of everybody on the list in the first month. It was just so great to get that call from Leticia two Fridays ago telling me they had just finished the first batch and she was packing mine up to send out first thing last Monday. It was a nice Christmas gift waiting for me at my local Postal Connections! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members nealnorton Posted December 29, 2006 Premium Members Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Well I'm #121 on the list. Wonder how long I will be waiting. Sure looks to be a fantastic new tool. Regards, Neal Norton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Alec Jarnagin SOC Posted December 29, 2006 Moderators Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Yeah, I got mine a few days before Christmas as well and what a beautiful job Howard has done. No manual here either, but a phone call later and Howard had walked me through the fairly intuitive menus. Wrapped up in the holidays so I don't think it will see a real lens until I can hit a rental house some time after the first of the year. I'm not working until Jan 12th which is an away job so it would be nice to put it through its paces first. Glad to hear about the 100 units because I felt a little guilty (only slightly) for getting mine right before I had scheduled some down time. Mine also did not have the "pre-marked" disks as they weren't ready yet either. Instead, they sent blank disks with each one containing a small guide hole for placing a pin through it so that you can put on the pre-marked scales when they are ready in a week or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Michael Stumpf Posted December 29, 2006 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Alec, yeah I didn't get the premarked discs either. And like you, Leticia told me they would be ready soon and sent out to me. I wondering though, will future "premarked" discs be engraved or something? Or will they all be like ours and have the little guide hole? If future ones are engraved in, I'd want to swap out for those. Guess another call to Preston is in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Matt Petrosky Posted December 29, 2006 Premium Members Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 wondering though, will future "premarked" discs be engraved or something?Or will they all be like ours and have the little guide hole? If future ones are engraved in, I'd want to swap out for those. Double check with Howard, but I stopped in to see him a few weeks ago for a minor fix on my FIZ and ended up getting a demo of the new Handset 3 (which is really nice). I asked about the pre-marked discs and Howard told be that engraving on curved surfaces was cost prohibitive for the discs. Not sure if the discs you guys have are the final form, but it sounds like they'll be something close to that. -Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Alec Jarnagin SOC Posted December 29, 2006 Moderators Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Michael, I can't imagine that they would have gone to the trouble of adding the "hole" just for a small run. I suspect they will continue to use this method, but will install the sticker strips at the factory. I have to confess, I'd probably prefer they do it, but I guess I'll just make sure I don't drink too much caffeine before I install the buggers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Michael Stumpf Posted December 30, 2006 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted December 30, 2006 Alec, The ones we have will be how all the others are done. I spoke to them today and they said all will have the hole and the premarked strips will attach to it. Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erwin Landau Posted January 5, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 A couple more updates: I spend some time with Howard Preston yesterday and we went through the entire work protocol and all the functions on the HU3... A couple of heads up for owners... In addition to be able to get camera information like footage, speed, etc on the hand-unit, you can also manipulate the shutter angle on electronic cameras from the HU3. You will need the FX Cable (Y cable made for the FX unit, $320.- for 435, $890.- for Moviecam, $790.- for Arricam,... Yikes!) for cameras like the 435, ARRIcam, Moviecam, Millenium (if they finally shared the protocol with Howard), etc. The newest addition is the integration of the PANAtape into the hand-unit. In conjunction with a translation cable (no price yet) you will be able to plug the panatape directly into your MDR-2 and get a read out of the distance on your HU3. There is a Hardware upgrade required for your MDR-2. The Serial port (3pin Lemo) has to be exchanged with a 4 pin and a PCB board upgrade (Less then ~$200.-). Unfortunately Cinematography Electronics (The manufacturer of the Cinetape) are still refusing to share the Protocols with Howard, but he is working on it... I have a rudimentary prelim Owners Manual that is still getting updated as new nifty features are added. (They will add quite a bit as owner feed back is coming in, the lens library will be extended and preloaded) It should be ready for download from the website shortly. So be patient... Of course the firmware will be available for down load from there website. PC and Intel Macs with Windows only... bummer. Also the final strips for the Focus rings are in and will be send out starting next week. (Nice screaming self glowing neon Yellow... ) Another addition is the removable neoprene handgrip. As most of the owners of the HU3 are aware, the Micro Force does not fit with the handgrip fitted. There is an extensive jigsaw puzzle unscrew and take apart involved... not anymore. There will be a unlock and pull apart upgrade available shortly (~$220.-). I opted to raise the price and make it a standard rather then an option... we'll see. Last but not least: Howard Preston and Preston Cinema Systems where awarded the Academy Award (Oscar) for Technical achievement and constant advancement of the motion picture art and science. Congratulations!!!! More coming soon... as I'm testing and playing with a loaner one (until I get my unit in a couple of weeks) at Clairmont in the next couple of days. Be safe, Erwin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RonBaldwin Posted January 5, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 sounds like a great new unit. I'll wait a bit for you guys to work out all the bugs before I pull the trigger! Ron B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Erwin Landau Posted January 5, 2007 Premium Members Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 Woos!!!! Insultingly yours, Erwin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Alec Jarnagin SOC Posted January 6, 2007 Moderators Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Yes, congrats to Howard and the gang for the Oscar as well as the SOC award. Regarding the quick release hand grip, I was under the impression that it was part of the unit and was just not ready yet and that it would be sent later. No price was mentioned, but perhaps this is wishful thinking on my part..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Michael Stumpf Posted January 6, 2007 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Erwin, I have the removable quick release handgrip on my HU3. They finished them like the day before the first units were ready to ship and called me. I said I wanted it and the night before shipping switched mine out for the quick release handle. It's nifty and easy. They made me the adapter arm too and I can take off the handgrip and attach the digital microforce in under 1 minute! I also swung by the shop yesterday and they gave me my new digital microforce, but when they called they still had not made the cables for the HU3 to digital microforce. But to my surprise, by the time I got there, Howard made one for me. He also gave me a completed manual, but the strips were not quite done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members Michael Stumpf Posted January 6, 2007 Author Premium Members Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Erwin, I'll actually be in Sherman Oaks later today. If you are going to be around, we can meet up and I'll let you get a sneek peek of the (apparently) first quick release handgrip on the HU3, as well as how the digital microforce attaches to it. Give me a call if you are going to be around this afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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