ARRIRAW Option Now Shipping for Gemini 4:4:4

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Friends,

This is another significant day for Convergent Design and our customers.

Today, we are releasing our new firmware release, including full support for recording ARRIRAW from ALEXA camera in 16x9 mode.

And this release provides significant benefits for those not using an ALEXA (Regular HD - 1920 x 1080 Mode).

This new firmware is now posted on our website.

http://www.convergent-design.com/Fir...Gemini444.aspx
www.convergent-design.com


Our new Gemini 4:4:4 firmware release is significant for many reasons:

1. We now support ARRIRAW recording from any ALEXA camera in 16x9 mode.
And this firmware is fully certified by ARRI.

Here are the main aspects of our ARRIRAW support.

a. Recording the “.ARI” file.

This is a precisely defined process so that the actual file will be identical
no matter how much you paid for the recorder, provided it is fully certified by ARRI, as ours is.

Thus, you can pay more for an ARRIRAW recorder, but you can’t buy better image quality!

b. Confidence Monitoring.

Our Gemini 4:4:4 is unique in that it includes a 5.0” monitor
and the recorder is so small and lightweight that it can be mounted
at the front of any camera, exactly where the monitor should be located.

This, in itself, provides great confidence that the images are being recorded properly.
If there are problems with the images, while recording, it will be immediately apparent.

And the Gemini 4:4:4 provides a real-time debayer of the ARRIRAW images.
These are presented on the built-in monitor, and they can be output to a 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 HD-SDI monitor.

The images sent to the external monitor are full size, not a small window in the 1920 x 1080 monitor space.

Thus one can monitor the images with confidence during live view, during recording, and for instant playback.

c. Controlling the Gemini 4:4:4.

The Record Button on the Alexa can now start/stop the Gemini.

d. Frame Rates.

The following frame rates are now supported in ARRIRAW, on all Gemini 4:4:4’s with the ARRIRAW Option installed.

23.976 (23.98), 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 48, 50, 59.94, and 60 frames per second.

Note: The ALEXA’s maximum frame rate in ARRIRAW Mode is 60 fps, 120 fps can only be recorded internally.

All of these are supported without any hardware upgrades to the Gemini 4:4:4

For the highest frame rates, two 512 GB SSD’s will be required. This is for two reasons, the higher frame rates produce a great deal of data, and the speed of the 512 GB SSD’s is necessary.

In HD (1920 x 1080), one needs only one 256 GB or 512 GB SSD for 1080p23.976 (23.98), 1080p24 or 1080p25.

In HD (1920 x 1080), one needs two 256 GB or 512 GB SSD’s for over 1080p25.

In HD (1920 x 1080), one needs two 512 GB SSD’s for over 1080p50.

In ARRIRAW, one needs only one 256 GB or 512 GB SSD for up to and including 30 frames per second.

In ARRIRAW, one needs two 256 GB or 512 GB SSD’s for over 30 frames per second.

In ARRIRAW, one needs two 512 GB SSD’s for over 50 frames per second.


While we were working on ARRIRAW, we were also adding significant new features for the non-ARRIRAW world.

2. New Features for the HD World (1920 x 1080 HD recording).

a. More Frame Rates:

1080p23.976 (23.98), 1080p24, 1080p25, 1080p29.97, 1080p30, 1080p50, 1080p59.94 and 1080p60, all recorded in 4:4:4, in DPX file format, even from a 4:2:2 camera.

b. Ability to use the camera’s record button to start/stop the Gemini 4:4:4.

This is significant since one can now use continuous running timecode and still start/stop the Gemini 4:4:4 from the camera.

c. HD-SDI 3G input support.

Now one can use HD-SDI Single Link, Dual Link, or 3G signals to feed the Gemini 4:4:4.



Respectfully,

[David C Wright]

Thanks for the update Dan... looks great for Alexa users and for other cameras too. Congratulations.

[Stewart Chong]

Thanks Dan, and this is a paid option that I have been waiting for many months...

I will test the Arrriraw 50fps with two 256GB SSD in tomorrow then.

Will update you later.

Cheers,

Stewart
Hong Kong

[Stewart Chong]

Two 256GB SSD works fine for 16:9 Arriraw at 50p from the 3G DL output of Alexa.
Cheers,
Stewart