Too much Chroma on a Hummingbird

[Rick Tullis]

It seems that when I am in bright situations (daylight) there is a problem with the chroma blooming on my Hummingibrd monitor.

 

I notice the problem as much in interiors.

 

Has anyone else seen this problem?

 

I have tried the monitor with and without the monitor signal going through Greg Bubb's wonderful PDL. Seems to be the same either way.

 

Is there a chroma adjustment on the Hummingbird that I can't find?

 

Is there a manual for Hummingbird on line somewhere?

 

Rick Tullis

Beijing

rick@ricktullispictures.com

[Mark Karavite]

Hey Rick,

 

I'm not sure how you make a color monitor with no chroma or hue adjustments, but the MK-V Hummingbird has neither. I'm wondering if the original Hummingbird has these controls, does anybody know? Jamie?

 

You may be able to get a manual for MK-V, check out their website. Here's my biggest pet peeve about something that all the British companies seem to have in common, no schematics. How can you sell someone thousands of dollars worth of electronic equipment, and not provide them with schematics, let alone detailed manuals? It drives me crazy!

 

Mark Karavite

A Camera / Steadicam Operator

mkaravite@comcast.net

[JamieSilverstein]

Mark/Rick;

 

Why of course the monitor has a Chroma adjustment. At least the BlackBird does.. First of all turn the monitor on...... then

1) On the right side of the monitor is a button labeled Menu. Press Menu once

2) You should see Main Menu on the top of the new page. Underneath Main Menu you should see a series of options. Find "Image Setup".

3) Using the two buttons above the Menu Button, you can scroll either up or down. Scroll to "Image Setup". Once Image Setup is highlighted press the Menu Button again.

4) You are now on the Image Setup page. Scroll down to "Color" and then press Menu.

5) On the Color Page, you can either increase or decrease the Chroma (color intensity) by using the buttons above the Menu Button.

6) Once you are satisfied with the color press ESC until there are no more menu prompts, or go to the Exit command on each page and hit the Menu button until there are no more menu pages on the screen.

 

I am normally a knuckle headed analog kinda guy (exception being my Mac), but I found these menus pretty easy. With a little familiarization, you should too.

 

I really like this monitor.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Jamie.

[Rick Tullis]

Mark, Jamie,

 

I wish you were right about the menu button, but on the Hummingbird there ain't no such thing.

 

I think I have found at least part of the problem. The Programable Digital Level. When I take it out of the system (as Howard Smith suggested), the picture gets much better.

 

I suspect that Greg designed his PDL with greenscreen monitors in mind and only worried about getting the lumminance signal right. I need to write to him and ask him about it.

 

Thanks for suggestion.

 

Rick Tullis

Beijing

[JamieSilverstein]

Rick;

The Blackbird is a Hummingbird monitor made and distributed directly by Imp electronics, although I believe that Markertek now distributes them in the US. The only difference between the Hummingbird and the Blackbird is that the Blackbird has a Limo connector and a frameline generator. If you are referring to the monitor that Howard Smith has modified, I have no idea about what he did and what is available. I can tell you however that I have Greg's level and I have not experienced any problems between the monitor and the level related to Chroma, or anything else .

Secondly, I can't believe that there is no Chroma/color adjustment on the monitor. Even the most rudimentary monitor has an adjustment for the amount of Chroma you desire in a specific setup. No chroma adjustment is almost like telling me that a monitor has no brightness or contrast adjustment. It seems to me that if you want and need an optimal image you have to have Chroma adjustment available somewhere on the monitor to help regulate the signal being sent to you from the source. What do you do if you want to look at an image in black and white?

[Rick Tullis]

Jamie,

 

Thanks for the information.

 

But it is true, the Hummingbird doesn't have a chroma adjustment. Check Mark's email. He is also frustrated by it.

 

It does have a brightness, contrast and a "Black Level" adjustment (either o.o or 7.5 ire), but that is all.

 

I am very glad to hear that the PDL and the Blackbird work well together. I am in touch with Howard and Greg to try see what can be done with the Hummingbird.

 

Thanks

[Jens Piotrowski SOC]

Hello,

 

does anybody have figured out how to reduce the chroma on the MK-V version yet?

 

Thanks,

 

Jens

[Jens Piotrowski SOC]

"It does have a brightness, contrast and a "Black Level" adjustment (either o.o or 7.5 ire), but that is all."

 

 

How do you adjust the BLACK LEVEL on the MK-V version?

[Jens Piotrowski SOC]

I've just learned that the Brightness and Contrast switches/wires on some MK-V Hummingbird monitors we accidentally swapped upon production.

 

JP