Yagh

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Bruce Dempsey

Using an articulating hdmi connector is like using masking tape to hold a lens in place. It may work for a while or not. Consider that the wires are cut from their properly soldered connectors and some kind of friction contact is used to maintain electrical continuity The whole HDMI system is tenuous enough without intentionally introducing problem areas. But I keep forgetting that some people get to take the shot again if somethng goes wrong whereas shooting live robustness is d'rigeur

You seem to insist that there is going to be a problem, but, on the contrary, 4 years in of carefully selected HDMI connections and I have not had a problem (granted only 1.5 of those has been with an external recorder, but I routinely rely on external monitors for the tools they provide me). However, if you have a story about the Zacuto cables crapping out on you, I'd be interested to hear it.

I actually have had a problem with a connection. The SmallHD DP6-SDI would routinely blink in and out when connected to a HPX170 over the SDI.

[Bruce Dempsey]

No big deal
I just don't trust articulating cables in a mission critical situation.
Lets leave it there doesn't matter

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Bruce Dempsey

I just don't trust articulating cables in a mission critical situation

That's fine if the idea of it unnerves you, but it's not cool to cast doubt on a recommended product if you don't have any direct experience with it.

[Bruce Dempsey]

Sorry I didn't know you were recommending a particular product.
I was speaking to the principle of minimizing risk.
Moving parts wear out and they usually do so at an inconvenient moment
Perhaps you would care to recommend a reliable means to extend a 1080p hdmi signal 150' camera to switcher as I'm in the market.
tks
Bruce

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Bruce Dempsey

Sorry I didn't know you were recommending a particular product.

There is only one articulating head HDMI cable I am aware of, and it is from Zacuto.

I was speaking to the principle of minimizing risk.

Except your analogy:

Originally Posted by Bruce Dempsey

Using an articulating hdmi connector is like using masking tape to hold a lens in place. It may work for a while or not.

was ludicrous, and, whether intended or not, seemed to be designed to mock the fact that I would actually use an HDMI connection in a professional setting, as using masking tape to hold a lens in place is a terrible idea and would make me look like amateur hour to any clients. Frankly, I don't think clients are checking out the cable connections or even know the difference, unlike a wobbly lens mount held together by noticeable tape.

Moving parts wear out and they usually do so at an inconvenient moment.

Your car if full of moving parts, and yet you rely on it to get you to set in the first place, within reasonable means.

Perhaps you would care to recommend a reliable means to extend a 1080p hdmi signal 150' camera to switcher as I'm in the market.

This is a logical fallacy known as "moving the goalposts." You have shifted from an HDMI connection between camera and recorder, something that 3' is usually more than enough for, to 150'. HDMI doesn't run that long, and so the question is pointless. You use the right tool for the right job, and in this instance, HDMI is not the right tool. However, your point about it not being the right tool in the actual circumstance we are discussing is born from another logical fallacy apparently, an "argument from incredulity". If you have direct experience with articulating HDMI cables in which they failed on you in a way that was problematic, I would like to hear it, because so far it sounds like you do not have any experience trying to do this.

I also gave you an explicit scenario in which BNC isn't as robust. BNC cables fail too, articulating heads or no. So the question would be, what percentage more like are BNC cables to fail vs a Zacuto articulating HDMI head?

Bruce

Why did you sign this post? Your full name is in big, bold letters to the left.

[Bruce Dempsey]

I'm too old for all this stressful heated argument
Please have a good life but leave me alone as I do not wish any further discussion with you

[Drew Lahat]

I agree that there is a dearth of user feedback about it. Almost all the information is from speculative posts before the unit was released, and a few brief video reviews. My 2 cents:

The YAGH requires connecting to the micro-HDMI port, which makes you wonder if most of its video section is just an HDMI-to-quad-SDI converter. If you have/plan on having an Atomos Shogun or Odyssey 7Q, it negates much of the reason to buy the unit.

Regarding timecode, since the YAGH offer embedded TC out via SDI, I wonder if Panasonic is using Sony's (or their own) TC over HDMI in embedded ancillary data packets... and if Odyssey and Atomos will have support, again negating the need for the YAGH. It's gotta either be in the HDMI stream or in one of the contacts on the bottom of the GH4.

Sad to learn that the YAGH's own micro-HDMI connector blocks the articulation of the LCD screen. Although if you're using a YAGH, you hopefully have other monitors connected.

The YAGH needs to be powered via 4-pin XLR, so better have your central power distribution system system figured out.

What I'm more curious about is if other companies are licensing (or reverse-engineering..) the ports on the bottom of the GH4 to make their own bricks, especially to allow something more compact with proper 85mm vertical rods-to-lens spacing.

(And as far as robustness of HDMI connectors, I'm not a fan at all. I've had 5 mini-HDMI cables for my GH2, and 3 out of them were crap. They were from random sources, though. The only mini-HDMI cable that hasn't failed me was the right-angled cable from MG1Concepts.) Some of the GH4 cages have provisions for securing the cable, which should make things safer.

[Gary Huff]

Originally Posted by Drew Lahat

The YAGH requires connecting to the micro-HDMI port, which makes you wonder if most of its video section is just an HDMI-to-quad-SDI converter.

Actually, that's exactly what it is.

If you have/plan on having an Atomos Shogun or Odyssey 7Q, it negates much of the reason to buy the unit.

Only the Shogun is sure. No one I have spoken to knows if the 7Q will ever be able to accept 4K input from HDMI.

(And as far as robustness of HDMI connectors, I'm not a fan at all. I've had 5 mini-HDMI cables for my GH2, and 3 out of them were crap. They were from random sources, though. The only mini-HDMI cable that hasn't failed me was the right-angled cable from MG1Concepts.) Some of the GH4 cages have provisions for securing the cable, which should make things safer.

Yeah, a locking cage helps, but the big thing is to make sure that the heads on the HDMI cables is as small as you can find. There are plenty of crap minHDMI cables that have heavy head units on them. The right-angled Zacuto to the articulating full HDMI head worked really well with my GH2.