Trigger modes modification wish

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Suppose you're recording an important event to both the camera and nano, and your battery is almost empty. What would you sacrifice: the nano files (be them the highest quality), or those precious moments after the camera stops prematurely due to empty battery?

With the record triggering modes mutually exclusive, when the nano id triggered with TC increment, the only way to stop it completely in order to preserve battery (other than stopping the recording - but that's out of question in the above scenario), is a hw switch, or pulling the power cable off - not a very gentle thing to do :(

Of course I'm just "thinking loud"; please correct me if your opinion differs -but because of the above considerations, I'd wholeheartedly recommend (and kindly ask) Convergent Design to add the following feature in the consecutive firmware:

- When setting the trigger mode to time code increment, the option should be available to either disable the start/stop buttons (like it's now), or leave them active.

The pros:

- you can always stop recording to the nanoFlash without interrupting the camera recording to its own media

- you can always start and continue recording to the nanoFlash, when - for instance - you HAD to stop the camera for any reason, and you need time to resume (changing battery or media, etc)

The cons:

- it's possible to inadvertently stop recording to the nanoFlash when handling without care, but the option should be available at the user own risk!

Dan, what do you think?

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Piotr,

Earlier this week I proposed to Mike that we have a list of options, each individually selectable, for the Trigger options.

Thus, one could enable the Record/Stop buttons on the nanoFlash and the Remote Control simultaneously.

However, Trigger on Incrementing Timecode while enabling the Record/Stop buttons, is a tough problem.

Scenario:

Camera: Record Run Timecode
NanoFlash: Trigger on Incrementing Timecode

User presses the stop button, we stop, but timecode is still incrementing.

This is a dilemma, what should we do:

1. Start recording again, or
2. Ignore the incrementing timecode, or
3. Disable the Trigger on Incrementing Timecode.

If we stop, then ignore the incrementing timecode, when do we start checking for incrementing timecode again?

We tried hard to come up with a foolproof solution.

In the end, we felt that the safest thing to do was to disable to start and stop buttons on the nanoFlash, while using Trigger on Incrementing Timecode.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Dear Dan,

You're absolutely right, this occurred to me as well - that's why I invited to a discussion.

My idea has been to provide some sort of a "panic" procedure, but of course I haven't supplied a ready and bullet-proof solution.

[Olof Ekbergh]

I think if you disconnect the SDI to the NanoFlash. This would stop the recording. I have not tried it, maybe someone will. In essence stopping the video feed should not crash the NF, Should it?

Then you could power down the NanoFlash after it finishes writing the file.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Olof,

If the nanoFlash loses the HD-SDI signal, while recording, for any reason, we will close the current file.

Then, the nanoFlash will remain in a mode looking for the resumption of the HD-SDI signal.

As soon as it returns, the nanoFlash will resume recording, opening a new file.

[Tom Roper]

Or a long press on the Stop button that would close the file and power down the Nanoflash.

It could wake up by another long press, or the next power-on cycle, whichever occurs first.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Great idea (as all simple ones are)...

With this solution, I guess even my own two options of setting the TC trigger (as per the OP) would not be necessary. The trigger modes could be left as they are (i.e. mutually exclusive), BUT whatever the mode, pressing the stop button long enough could still do exactly what Tom suggests.

Thanks Tom!

Dan - what do you think? The controversial disabling of the nano's own hardware switch could be solved, as well!

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Friends,

One of the Tigger Options was "Remote", in which the Remote Control was active, but disabled the Record and Stop buttons. This option allowed for the nanoFlash to be put in a backpack.

We have programmed "Record+Remote" which allows the Remote Control and the Record and Stop buttons to be active.

If one wants to close the current file, then seamlessly start another file, one can press the Record button while recording.

Mike and I are discussing the possibility of using the Stop button (long press), to power cycle the nanoFlash.

For the reasons that I presented in Post #2, we can not enable the Record/Stop button along with Record on Incrementing Timecode.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

Mike and I are discussing the possibility of using the Stop button (long press), to power cycle the nanoFlash.

For the reasons that I presented in Post #2, we can not enable the Record/Stop button along with Record on Incrementing Timecode.

Great!

I'm aware of the Record button press function to close the current, and open a new file (while recording in any mode).

I understand "the Record/Stop button along with Record on Incrementing Timecode" cannot be enabled, as it would make recovery dubious.

However, implementing another "state" of a single button (like Stop, as per Tom's suggestion) in ANY trigger mode, would be viable in my opinion in those "panic" situations I described.

Cheers,

Piotr