nanoFlash Early Adopter Program

Michael Palmer · January 12th, 2009, 11:45 PM

I suppose if we all stop asking Mike questions he can spend more time on the Nano Flash getting it finished so we can have our cake and eat it too. LOL

I can't wait to have it in my hands.

Michael Palmer

Dan Keaton · January 13th, 2009, 03:23 AM

Dear Michael,

I liked your "LOL" comment.

Now that I am on-board full-time, Mike has much more time to work on the nanoFlash.

Mike made substantial progress on the nanoFlash over the weekend.

We are happy to answer questions. It actually helps us, as we want the nanoFlash to be what our users want it to be.

Mike Schell · January 14th, 2009, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Palmer

I suppose if we all stop asking Mike questions he can spend more time on the Nano Flash getting it finished so we can have our cake and eat it too. LOL

I can't wait to have it in my hands.

Michael Palmer

Hi Michael-
Thanks! We have just finished the board designs and hope to build our initial units in a few more weeks. We are reusing 95% of the technology from XDR, so the debug should go very fast.

We are adding a couple of cool features to nanoFlash. For example, nanoFlash will have an automatic power-down mode. In normal operation, the nanoFlash is expected to consume about 8 watts of power (the EX1 draws aout 12.5 W, by comparison). However, the nanoFlash has a second low-power mode, in which the power consumption drops to less than 0.5 watts to further conserve battery life.

To enable this power-saving feature, the nanoFlash has a special HD-SDI detection circuit. So, when the HD-SDI signal is removed (you turn off your camera), the nanoFlash automatically goes into power-down mode. When you turn your camera back on, the nanoFlash comes back to full power mode in about 3 seconds, ready to capture more video/audio. (This auto power-down can be disabled, if desired). And, if you select record-trigger based on incrementing time-code, the nano will automatically start recording as soon as you press the record button on your camera.

Our goal is to make the nanoFlash as unobtrusive as possible, while retaining the stunning video and audio quality of Flash XDR.

Of course we have more very cool features, which we will announce in the near future, but for now, it's back to the schematics for more final checks.

Stewart Chong · January 15th, 2009, 06:59 AM

May I suggest to have a in-built monitor to review the clips with the recorder in future upgradable chassis of XDRs or NanoFlash recorder / player.

Like this : KINOR Digital Cinema equipment - HD6 HDSDI 3G

Many Directors or DOPs can review their clips on set or on the road in anywhere to view their clips with their CF cards.

Just my little 1 cent.

Stewart Chong
Alchemist
Tapeless Workflow
from HD to 4K
Wow Holdings
HKG

Mike Schell · January 15th, 2009, 09:29 AM

Hi Stewart-

Thanks for your recommendation. We agree this would be a good addition to the product, but I can't give a definitive timeline for this feature as it does require a considerable amount of additional engineering.

In the interim, you can playback the clips on your laptop computer, assuming you have one of the NLE programs installed (FCP now, Avid, Vegas, Premiere, Edius soon). We will also have some enhanced playback features on the nano which will be announced soon.

But, a built-in monitor would still be a valuable addition.

Alex Raskin · January 15th, 2009, 10:59 AM

Sorry if this has been answered before, but - what happens when camera is in overcranked mode?

Say, Sony EX1 can record 720p24 overcranked up to 60p.

With 60p, what comes out of its HD-SDI then, and how is it recorded by XDR/nano?

Mike Schell · January 15th, 2009, 12:33 PM

Hi Alex-

Can you connect the HD-SDI output to a monitor and see the resulting format? Most monitors will briefly display the incoming format. I expect we would record at the monitor's format.

Alex Raskin · January 15th, 2009, 12:36 PM

Mike, I do not have HD-SDI monitor at this point, but will ask on the other forum about the HD-SDI signal in overcranked mode.

Bill Ravens · January 15th, 2009, 01:07 PM

Just connected my EX1 HD-SDI out port to my Panasonic BT-LH1760 SDI port. In S&Q mode, the monitor reports 1080 59.97i with HQ1080 modes and 720 59.97p with HQ720 modes.

Alex Raskin · January 15th, 2009, 01:17 PM

Bill, 60i would be a standard output in all recording modes.

I understand this is for compatibility purposes.

So if the cam records, say, in 24p, it employs a pull-up 2:3 to still output 60i on HD-SDI. This is similar to how TV signal is transmitted in 60i, even if it originates with 24p film.

However.... in overcranked mode... camera supposedly has much higher temporal resolution than usual, which is prooved by the increased memory bandwidth requirements in the overcranked mode.

So, thsi should translate into a higher HD-SDI output bandwidth too? Or does the cam not ourput its smooth slo-mo over HD-SDI at all but rather only allows it properly recorded on its internal memory?

Bill Ravens · January 15th, 2009, 01:22 PM

The Sony manual states that slo-mo is available only with playback from a recorded file. I would assume this to mean the compressed file is manipulated, but, not the HD-SDI realtime output.

Alex Raskin · January 15th, 2009, 01:28 PM

Bill, that's what I was fearing. So it appears impossible to capture slo-mo over HD-SDI, which negates advantages of the external recorder (4:2:2 color space, lesser compression) for this kind of work.

Bill Ravens · January 15th, 2009, 01:45 PM

I've failed to see much difference between native S&Q motion as recorded by my EX1 and slowmo generated in post with Avid FX.

Mike Schell · January 15th, 2009, 08:43 PM

I am fairly certain that the recorded data is identical in slo-mode, normal mode or fast-mode. All that is added is metadata to increase or decrease the playback speed.

We plan to test this feature in more detail in the coming months.

January 13th, 2009, 03:23 AM	#62
Dan Keaton Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Augusta Georgia Posts: 5,421	Dear Michael, I liked your "LOL" comment. Now that I am on-board full-time, Mike has much more time to work on the nanoFlash. Mike made substantial progress on the nanoFlash over the weekend. We are happy to answer questions. It actually helps us, as we want the nanoFlash to be what our users want it to be. __________________ Dan Keaton Augusta Georgia

January 15th, 2009, 06:59 AM	#64
Stewart Chong Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Hong Kong - CHINA Posts: 28	Flash recorder /player with in-built monitor + Waveform/Vector and Audio Level meters May I suggest to have a in-built monitor to review the clips with the recorder in future upgradable chassis of XDRs or NanoFlash recorder / player. Like this : KINOR Digital Cinema equipment - HD6 HDSDI 3G Many Directors or DOPs can review their clips on set or on the road in anywhere to view their clips with their CF cards. Just my little 1 cent. Stewart Chong Alchemist Tapeless Workflow from HD to 4K Wow Holdings HKG

January 15th, 2009, 09:29 AM	#65
Mike Schell Convergent Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 869	Hi Stewart- Thanks for your recommendation. We agree this would be a good addition to the product, but I can't give a definitive timeline for this feature as it does require a considerable amount of additional engineering. In the interim, you can playback the clips on your laptop computer, assuming you have one of the NLE programs installed (FCP now, Avid, Vegas, Premiere, Edius soon). We will also have some enhanced playback features on the nano which will be announced soon. But, a built-in monitor would still be a valuable addition. __________________ Mike Schell Convergent Design

January 15th, 2009, 12:33 PM	#67
Mike Schell Convergent Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 869	Hi Alex- Can you connect the HD-SDI output to a monitor and see the resulting format? Most monitors will briefly display the incoming format. I expect we would record at the monitor's format. __________________ Mike Schell Convergent Design

January 15th, 2009, 08:43 PM	#74
Mike Schell Convergent Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 869	I am fairly certain that the recorded data is identical in slo-mode, normal mode or fast-mode. All that is added is metadata to increase or decrease the playback speed. We plan to test this feature in more detail in the coming months. __________________ Mike Schell Convergent Design

January 12th, 2009, 11:45 PM	#61
Michael Palmer Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lakewood, Ca Posts: 65	I suppose if we all stop asking Mike questions he can spend more time on the Nano Flash getting it finished so we can have our cake and eat it too. LOL I can't wait to have it in my hands. Michael Palmer

January 15th, 2009, 10:59 AM	#66
Alex Raskin Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,435	Sorry if this has been answered before, but - what happens when camera is in overcranked mode? Say, Sony EX1 can record 720p24 overcranked up to 60p. With 60p, what comes out of its HD-SDI then, and how is it recorded by XDR/nano?

January 15th, 2009, 12:36 PM	#68
Alex Raskin Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,435	Mike, I do not have HD-SDI monitor at this point, but will ask on the other forum about the HD-SDI signal in overcranked mode.

January 15th, 2009, 01:07 PM	#69
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	Just connected my EX1 HD-SDI out port to my Panasonic BT-LH1760 SDI port. In S&Q mode, the monitor reports 1080 59.97i with HQ1080 modes and 720 59.97p with HQ720 modes.

January 15th, 2009, 01:17 PM	#70
Alex Raskin Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,435	Bill, 60i would be a standard output in all recording modes. I understand this is for compatibility purposes. So if the cam records, say, in 24p, it employs a pull-up 2:3 to still output 60i on HD-SDI. This is similar to how TV signal is transmitted in 60i, even if it originates with 24p film. However.... in overcranked mode... camera supposedly has much higher temporal resolution than usual, which is prooved by the increased memory bandwidth requirements in the overcranked mode. So, thsi should translate into a higher HD-SDI output bandwidth too? Or does the cam not ourput its smooth slo-mo over HD-SDI at all but rather only allows it properly recorded on its internal memory?

January 15th, 2009, 01:22 PM	#71
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	The Sony manual states that slo-mo is available only with playback from a recorded file. I would assume this to mean the compressed file is manipulated, but, not the HD-SDI realtime output.

January 15th, 2009, 01:28 PM	#72
Alex Raskin Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,435	Bill, that's what I was fearing. So it appears impossible to capture slo-mo over HD-SDI, which negates advantages of the external recorder (4:2:2 color space, lesser compression) for this kind of work.

January 15th, 2009, 01:45 PM	#73
Bill Ravens Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: santa fe, nm Posts: 3,264 Images: 10	I've failed to see much difference between native S&Q motion as recorded by my EX1 and slowmo generated in post with Avid FX.