Convergent Design Element Family

[Dan Keaton]

Convergent Design is introducing an important new family of Recorders and Switchers.

These are our Element1, Element2, and Element3.

Please see below for images of these devices.

Element1 and Element2 are 7" x 4" x 1.5"

Element3 is 9" x 4 x 2"

Each is a Multi-Camera Recorder, and Element2 and Element3 are capable switchers also.

Each of these Elements have significant new capabilities which can streamline video productions, or news gathering.

During a shoot or event, the recorded files can be uploaded to a computer via Gigabit Ethernet.

Having Gigabit Ethernet and sophisticated programming behind it has many benefits:

1. While you are shooting, your files can be uploaded to your computer, and backed up to one or more storage devices.

We have eliminated the long, end-of-the-day tasks of uploading the footage, and creating multiple backups, as it can occur all during the day.

It is important to note that this process is easy, and will not require a lot of tedious attention to detail, as is normally required when one is uploading multiple media files, from one or more cameras at the end of the day.

2. For scripted productions, after each take, the footage can be sent to a computer. The footage can be on a computer in seconds after each take.

There are many ways to utilize this new technology.

One can, in advance, create a timeline in a Non-Linear Editor and have placeholders for each scene.

Then, as the takes are shot, the takes can be loaded to the Non-Linear Editor, replacing the placeholders.

The footage can then be reviewed for quality control.

Since scripted productions are rarely shot in scene order, one can load the takes for each scene into the NLE as they are shot.

For example, assume that at one location, Scenes 1, 5, 12 are shot on one day.

Then, at another location, Scenes 2, 3, 10, 11 are shot.

As these scenes are loaded into the timeline, the continuity department can instantly check that continuity is perfect from Scene 1 to Scene 2 to Scene 3, and ensure that Scenes 10, 11 and 12 work well also.

One can ensure that there is perfect continuity in hair, makeup, clothing, accessories, and everything else.

If multiple scenes are shot on the same location, but on different days, this is a great tool to ensure that the camera and lighting setups match, as well as hair, clothing, etc.

And, of course, LUT's can be applied to the footage.

This technique is also great for shooting commercials, as one can quickly see the commercial come together.

For many applications, it is great to ensure that you "have all the shots" and "everything is good", as any missing shots will be instantly obvious.

3. For News, an interview or news event coverage can be sent quickly to a television station or network.

There are three features that helps get news coverage back to the destination quickly.

A. If short takes are shot, then the Element can send the take (or clip or shot) quickly after the take is finished.

B. If long takes are shot, then the Element can automatically break up the take seamlessly, to ensure that the takes can be promptly sent to the station.

C. If during a take, there is a logical breaking point, one will be able to press a button, to break the long take, so that what was just shot can be transmitted via Gigabit Ethernet.

===============

Each of the Elements will also be able to record a Proxy file to a USB Thumb Drive.
This could be a Quad-Split with burned in timecode, if desired.

This is in addition to recording to an SSD.

Element3 holds two SSD's.


===============

Element1 is a HD device, designed to work mainly with HDMI Cameras.
This device supports four cameras or video sources, in HD, up to 720p60, up to 1080i60, or up to 1080p30.

The recordings are in Apple ProRes 422.

Each video stream is recorded as a separate file, and there is no limit practical limit on the file size, except for the size of the SSD. Thus, one can record four video+audio streams for quite some time.

The files are ready to be edited, no additional processing steps are required.

While the Element1, Element2 and Element3 each support up to four cameras, these work very well for just one camera.

Element2 adds switching capabilities, and a second HDMI output for a Multi-Viewer display, plus many other significant enhancements.

This is a very nice upgrade. Element2 is also a HDMI oriented device.

Element3, is a HD-SDI oriented device but also includes HDMI inputs and outputs.

Most importantly, Element3 supports 3840x2160 (Consumer 4K / Ultra-HD) at up to 60 frames per second, for four cameras simultaneously.

This is in addition to HD support up to 1080p60 for four cameras.

The four HD-SDI inputs and outputs support 12G.

The two HDMI inputs and outputs support 3840x2160.

Element3 is also a capable switcher; it is a very capable device.

Here is a link to more information:

https://www.convergent-design.com/el...50IiwiZWxlbWVu

Please note that this information and the specifications are subject to change.

We may add more capabilities...

Pricing and Availability will be provided later.

Respectfully,

[Doug Jensen]

Hi Dan,

These look like amazing products and I look forward to learning more about them at NAB. It will be interesting to see how they are priced.

BTW, I appreciate your taking the time to provide some examples of how these unique products might be used in the field to make our jobs easier. A lot of manufacturers just say "here it is" but CD always goes the extra step to help us catch the vision of what we can do with it. Thank you for continued develop of innovative products. I wish I had these 30 years ago!

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Doug,

Thank you very much.

We are very excited about these new products.

They use the very latest in technology, The extremely fast, sophisticated parts to build these are just now becoming available.

While we have ideas how these can be used, we know that our users will find innovative ways to use them.

Thank you for your kind words.

Respectfully,

[Chris Hurd]

Dan's post provides additional info which enhances the original press release.

See that here: Convergent Design introduces Element Recorders and Switchers

[Zach Love]

Not sure if possible, but one thing I've been running into is having to have captions burnt in for live events.

Live captioner usually has a HDMI output from their laptop and then we usually have to rent an Image Pro to make a window around the text & position it on the main feed.

If there is anyway these can have that feature, or something similar, that'd be really cool.