Masaki Hatsui

The situation is like this: Several continuous take, so you have no time to stop recorder but you want to cut one take to another take, make some note, and you have to move one situation to another, without any pause until noon. You can't remember which take was needed to note, and you do not want to replay all the take... By the way, Sonosax has choosen UDF for the new recorder. Arri Alexa and Amira uses also this format. MARF is kind of an adaptation of UDF to FAT32. I didn't recall but Aaton is still using FAT32 format for the media. We have tested what happens like battery lost situation, but if I remember well, they need to work a little more for that. But crash or not is not relies to the file system, but how the system works, especially how it treat the buffered memory, I think. I had done plenty of times to enter metadata during recording, but my Nomad never crashed. When the battery comes closer to 0%, the machine automatically starts 30 sec. count down for shutdown. But one thing they have to work is in that stage, even you change the battery, you can't go back to record. The machine have to shut down and you have to restart. And it takes a bit of time to start the recorder.

Just replied to the Zaxcom's forum. Thanks to point out. Masaki

Please do not say "I don't shoot documentary with Cantar".

I know I know... But on a doc style shooting, somtimes it is needed to enter a metadata durling a take. Imagine you need to record a continuous take that you can't go back and forth to edit in between. You just note the take number and edit after ?

Last day I have attended to Cantar X3 demo day at Aaton local distributor here in Switzerland, prensented by Pierre Michoud, Aaton's customer relationship manager and Jacques delacoux, president of Aaton Digital. Even though I am a Zaxcom Nomad orner, this machine is promissing. We have pointed out the lack of any output option other than a D-sub. They are thinking of making a small output box attatched to the side, but not every attendee have been convinced. There's two headphone jacks, one 1/4 and one 1/8 with talkback mic in (4 contact) but do not have a ability to select different monitor mode. With really big LCD screen, it is now more comprehensive and easy to navigate in its function (every function shows short cut combination under the menu). To answer to Myk's question, their firmware is already in good working stage, closed to X1/X2, with already other feature. EQ is still not there but its HPF is there, before ADC, seletable 60Hz, 120Hz, -6, -12, etc. on every input including line-in (if I rememmber well). It seems like no LFA curved filter à la Nagra). Metadata seems quite easy to edit, update to every 4 media on the fly. One thing annoying is that you can't edit during recording. You have too write before or after take finished. Pierre showed us briefly how it work with false take. By cancelling the take, the recorder goes back to the same scene/take number. It is well thought out machine from user point of view, and still developping with user's feedback, idea, on set needs. Masaki

+1! Yes, this one is really annoying. Actually Nomad remember the folder order in the setup so that for exemple if you store your setup selecting fifth folder on the promary card, it brings back always to the 5th one not to actual on-going folder. By the way scene name is keeped on folder itself, not on the setup. And please add ability to give a name to each setup! Masaki

and the position of keyboard is different !

Are you all guys talking about the TRX 900LT (with only one battery)? Mine do not last more than four hours (didn't have tested precisely though).

By the way, is there any function to see TX's voltage lead out from QRX? I don't know if these informations are trasmitted on Zaxnet or on the signal path but it is better to see voltage than an annoying icon forever blinking.

1. I come up late to the topic but if you have a PATA HDD external case or an adaptor, you can try open up the recorder and take its internal hard disk, coonect to the computer to try to backup all. 2. You can try other CF to see if the recorder can recognise or not. It may be a card's header error. Or a card's memory failure. 3. my 744T's firewire 400 port can't recognise from my PC/Windows (I think XP era. Now I completely abandonned this method, never tried connecting to newer computer). I assume it is a FW chip mismatch thing. Newer MBP is now not equipped with Texas Instrument's chip, which caused some problem with for example Firewire equiped audio interface. So it also could be a problem too. 4. Firewire's high voltage may damage its port. It has been reported several times. I hope it helps. Masaki

What's the theory behind it so that you get better range with longer whips?

If I remember well, Amira's menu was not so complicated. With a dedicated fader rotary fader, clear enough meter indication, -20dB was very easy to align from the left side of the camera, no need of entering in the menu. What I wonder is how they integrated the Amira firmware to this Mini box where there's less button outside... (In general, bigger fan makes lesser noise. I personally think it is better designed than the other one who puts a loud 4 cm fan in front of the camera)

They have to put the battery on the right side of the camera, if they tend to be an Aaton like shape!

Thanks folks for these inputs. For those who haven't used the Piano Windshield, it is L=40 cm (15.75"), W (diameter)=17.5 cm (6.89"), around 20 cm (7.875") with swivel XLR plug. It's huge, compared to "traditional" Rycote windshield (especially I use the size 2 for CMIT with shortend XLR end and it works well). Is there anyone using camera bags like Petrol or other company for these purpose? Wondering if PC300 (seems like it's now Sachtler Bags SC300)from Petrol is suited for our job.

How do you guys carrying these voluminous and rather fragile cages? Their original case is sophisticated, very frenchy but not so practical. I am looking for a backpack which is easy to carrying Cinela Zephyx or Piano windshields for documentary style shooting. It seems those DSLR camera bag is too small, too many deviders which is useless for us. I really appreciate If you guys have any recommendation. Masaki

This is what is recommended for non LSD (Low Self-Discharge) type of NiMH batteries due to its high self-discharge rate, which needs trickle charge after have been full charged. But needless to say, that's the point where Eneloop has or may have its advantage. By the way, though the number of mAh is important, Eneloop pro's discharge curve is very good at high current. So it drives way longer than other high capacity batteries (in my case Sanyo's 2700mAh (HR-3U)

Thanks all for these very useful tests and informations. To add some information, mine is still a Sanyo brand Eneloops, HR-3UWXB 2450mAh (I think this is the 3rd gen. as Sanyo has been acquired by Panasonic recently). From my experience, it doesn't keep its capacity so long as indicated on the package, rather worse than white 2000mAh "standard" Eneloop. Probably due to its high capacity, condenced cell structure. I have not tested precisely but the voltage falls rapidly after left from the charger, like two days after or so. I also need a serious test but with my TRX900LT, it last longer than Sanyo's 2700mAh (HR-3U) high capacity battery probably because of its better voltage curve. Also I think its lifetime is shorter than it indicated, mine has last less than 500 times of recharge (but well I never counted how many times I discharge/recharged of course). It is also due to our TX's high current discharge process. (Sorry Senator and folks, for this vaguely estimate information, but from my on set experience) Masaki

I don't see the point why they want Vintage Sound with a Red Scarlet... How about using a Sony PD150 with it's onboad sound for a budget shoot? Or, I remember we still shot with S16mm back then. Masaki

By the way, this same type of battery was choosen for Aaton's Cantar X3 I believe. Though the recorder could not made Rado excited . They integrated to the bottom of recorder (which is, not so convenient for bag based work, I suppose...).

So, someone cloned Howy?

Maybe same as this one ? It is easier to order from Europe... http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEMO-FVB-00-303-NLA-COMPATIBLE-CONNECTOR-NEW-/321457099456

Oh, sorry, I mean, that was what I reported on post #129.

Vincent, that was what I reported on post #136 I wondered if someone in France does know why JP has quitted from development. FWIW, the company Aatium have been founded in November 2013 just after his departure from Aaton Digital, but ceased activity in April 2014... Is he retired from film industry?

Jeff, again from the AFSI's last year's "News" : http://www.afsi.eu/news/jean-pierre-beauviala-n-est-plus-avec-transvideo? I don't know about detailed story but at the time when Transvideo acquired Aaton, Jean-Pierre was enthusiastic about the future, as a consultant of the new company. My guess is there's something happend well after three months... Maybe our French colleagues knows the detail? Masaki

There's an article on AFSI's news page about X3, though in French... http://www.afsi.eu/news/les-artisans-du-x3