Hello,

this maybe is a stupid question, but I've found the Convergient Design a bit lacking in information.

Can you record regular 35 Mbps XDCAM HD on a Nanoflash too?

And another question: does the Nanoflash work pretty reliable? (I mean, even with 2-hour recordings) ?

Best regards,

Dear Mathieu,

The nanoFlash can record two flavors of Sony XDCam 35 Mbps.

One flavor is Sony XDCam EX, 35 Mbps, 4:2:0, 1920 x 1080, VBR (Variable Bit Rate).
In other words, exactly the same as the Sony EX1, EX3, etc. line of cameras. This is the more popular format/flavor.

The other flavor is Sony XDCam HD (not to be confused with Sony XDCam 422 which is also HD).

This flavor is 35 Mbps, 4:2:0, 1440 x 1080, VBR (Variable Bit Rate).
I believe that the PDW-330, PDW-335, PDW-350, and PDW-F355 use this 1440 x 1080 format.

Today, the Sony XDCam 422 format, 50 Mbps, 4:2:2, 1920 x 1080, CBR (Constant Bit Rate) is very popular.
The Sony PDW-700, PDW-F800 and many other cameras use this format.

Originally, the nanoFlash only supported the 1920 x 1080 variety in 35 Mbps.

Some of our customers requested that we support the 1440 x 1080 variety, so we added this to our firmware.
Thus, all nanoFlashes, regardless of when they were manufactured, support this flavor.

And of course we extend the Sony XDCam 422 format by offering bit-rates of 50 to 180 Mbps in Long-GOP, and 100 to 280 in I-Frame Only.


Yes, you can record reliably for hours with the nanoFlash.

With two Axtremex 128 GB cards, you can record HD reliably, without interrruption, at 50 Mbps, which is true broadcast quality, for over 10 hours. With more formattted cards, you may use Hot Swapping until you run out of pre-formatted cards.

With the same cards, you can record SD reliably, without interruption for a very long time.


I hope this helps.

Hi Dan,

Thanks for your answers.

Another question: is there any option to get timecode in a nanoflash?
To get multiple recordings in sync?

Dear Mathieu,

Yes.

Timecode is typically provided to the nanoFlash via timecode embedded in the HD-SDI signal.
This is the most frequently used option.

Also, LTC timecode can be provided to the nanoFlash via our Remote Control connnector.
There are cables available that expose this timecode input.

Also, the nanoFlash can generate timecode internally, if desired.

Hello Mathieu I been using the Nanoflaash for nearly two years almost every day. When it's not tethered to the camera it works as the primary recorder to our Tricaster production suite. The Naonoflash is rock solid little device I highly recommend it.

Thanks a lot for the answers, they've been very helpful.