wbrisett

That depends on who you ask. I try to run the latest version, and do so on productions. But I do give it a test run prior to the production. That said, for a lot of people and situations, that's not always possible. I would have to go back and reread the thread on the Deva list about the recording/not recording issue. I can't remember the problem there. Maybe somebody else can fill in the blank where my mind has gone blank. Wayne

The Deva writes continuously now. However, there is STILL one bug that prevents the Deva from mirroring immediately. It requires that one take be on the drive before it starts writing. In this situation, where the takes are extremely long, your best option is to do a very short "false take", mirror that take, then you start doing the mirroring process, everything works. Jim/Stacy. It won't work putting a PowerBook/MacBook in the Target mode. Remember the Deva wants to format that drive to a FAT-32 and not just any FAT-32. I've found it very picky about that and to be safe it is always recommended to format the external drive using the Format option in the mirror page. Stacy - I haven't updated the Deva manual in probably close to a year or year and half. Part of the reason is because so many new features have been added to the beta software, but Zaxcom has been a bit slow in declaring a version fully "baked". ;-) Wayne

There is no power draw on the Deva since the Mix-12 requires the use of it's own power source. Basically, it is a hardware interface into a lot of the features of the Deva. Wayne

Thanks Philip. Wayne

Next week I'm doing playback on a classical music video. We'll be using the Sony SDR-450WS camera, I see from the manual that it takes a BNC input for Time Code, which is pretty standard. However, I'm trying to figure out my best plan of attack for time code. I'm suppose to be picking up the master CD from the producer tonight, I'll record this on the Deva and strip it with time code. My playback output will have the timecode one of the analog outputs, which I planned to running to my slate, so it receives the constant time code from the point in the song that we are at. I also plan on placing that timecode on another output channel which I will run to the camera, so it is constantly jammed with proper time code. However, all my time code cables go from Lemo to XLR or Lemo to BNC. Is there a pinout for XLR to BNC that I can use to build a cable to go from XLR to BNC? Another option would be to go from XLR to Lemo to the Ambient Lockit and out the BNC from the Lockit. However, I'm guessing that the unit probably wouldn't sync up fast enough. Anybody ever try that? Any other ideas? Thanks Wayne

I agree. In fact, this was one of the reasons I lugged my MacBook Pro around with me on shoots (until some slime bag stole it on a shoot two months ago). It was very handy being able to put in a DVD-RAM disc and change file names, metadata, etc. after the fact. Plus it really does produce some very nice sound reports. Wayne

Wayne Brissette Austin, TX 512-577-5570 waynefb@earthlink.net

I know this probably isn't earth shattering news, but one of the issues Apple has been facing internally is trying to do more with less. When I went to work for Apple the last time (1999 -- my second stint there), there were various layoffs and downsizings. These continued throughout the five years I was there. According to the people I still know there, they simply won't hire additional people, and everybody feels overworked. Apple still hasn't learned how to operate in the non-starvation mode. Wayne

Nick: I have a single well charger that was made by IDX for a company that used them in cell towers. I bought it off eBay a few years back when they were liquidating them. The only problem is they only charge the older NiMH batteries. However, if you're interested in it, I'll make you a deal on it since I rarely use it these days since I was able to pick up a 4 bay unit. Wayne

So curiosity got the best of me and I tried it. It doesn't work. The iPhone/iTouch doesn't recognize that it is plugged in. Wayne

I'm with you Jeff. I'm not sure I want to try to suck 5v for a $<400 device from a $>13K device. Especially one that has had issues with the USB port. That being said, I have been VERY impressed with the recent work by Howy, Glenn, and Greg. They have really been improving the way the Deva works. Wayne

Larry: While I haven't tried it, the only thing the USB port is for is an external keyboard. However, those do require the standard USB 5V signal, so in theory it should work. Have you tried connecting up the USB cable to the Deva? Wayne

I tend to charge 1/2 rate for travel days. So, would you charge 1/2 rate for those days you're just on call? I'm currently on-hold for a week next month for one of the national news services, I guess I'm wondering how it's any different than that? I won't book anything during those days, but I'm not officially booked yet either. If they come back and say they aren't going to shoot. I don't expect them to pay me anything. Am I thinking about this wrong? Wayne

Just noticed this topic. Here is what I know about WriteUDF. It works with certain versions of Mac OS X, but not others. I forget the exact version, but at some point it did as Jim mentioned and basically stopped all discs other than UDF discs from being read. I had an email discussion with Software Architects and they told me that they knew it was broken and that they would get it fixed. However here we are in July of 2008 and they still haven't posted an update. All emails I sent are now routinely ignored. Basically, this application worked great when it worked, but like a lot of these type of applications, they must be updated when the OS gets updated and thus far, that has not happened. Wayne

I've got to do some additional discussions with the individual today, but from the sounds of it, an orchestra is not part of the video. Not exactly sure what they have in mind, but it didn't sound like a full orchestra was part of the production. Heck, I didn't even know music videos were still being done, regardless of music genre. Wayne

My two mics of choice in this range would be 8040 for interior shots and the Sanken CS-3E for exterior use. If the budget allowed for more, I would probably trade out the Sanken for Schoeps CMIT 5U, or the Neumann KMR 82i. The Neumann KMR 81i is in your budget (at least on the high end of it), so that's another mic you might want to look at if you want a short gun for outside use. Wayne

I'm using the 8040 instead of the 8050 for this very reason. I think it has a much smoother off-axis response, although I will say that I don't think there are huge differences between the 8040 and 8050, I think they sound and work more alike than they do differently from each other. Wayne

I've been asked to work on a classical music video. In this roll, I'll be doing things I've not done before. I have some ideas on how this could be done, but wanted to see if anybody here has worked on a music video before and how they did this. On playback, the producer has mentioned she wants to be able for this opera singer to see the words for lip syncing. She mentioned she doesn't think they need a teleprompter, but more of something which would show him how long to hold notes, etc... Honestly, I'm a bit lost on this one. My thought is to import the song and timecode strip it, so I can sync the slate to the song. As far as playback goes, a simply play it back via the computer to an amplified speaker. I'm sure there are better ways to do all of this, so if any of you have ideas, I'd love to hear them. Wayne

Here is what the Apple support staff sent him... Delete keychain items for iWeb and .Mac/MobileMe using Keychain utility. - Make sure you can log into the account from the website (www.mac.com which will reroute to me.com). - Try re-entering dotmac name and password in all lower case in the .Mac/MobileMe prefpane Let me know if after doing this, you still have problems, so I can ping them again for you. Wayne

OK, I have folks at Apple looking into it for you Scott. I'll let you know what I find out. Wayne

Scott, if you are still having problems, send me the details. I have already asked some of my former co-workers at Apple and they said if I can provide them details, they will look into it. Wayne

This has also been my experience. In fact, I went back to listen to a piece I still had on my Deva when I heard the rough cut of one recent project. The Deva audio sounded great, the audio on the QT file was really poor. When I inquired about the sound quality, I was told they weren't happy with the way it sounded, so they tweaked it. I asked if they used the DVD disc I gave them, and as you might expect, the answer was no. I explained again why they should use the other audio, the producer said he would do that next time. I hate when my name is attached to projects where the audio quality isn't up to where it could or should be, and where I can't do anything about it. Wayne

Thanks Jeff. The sad part is it looks like I'm probably going to India for a shoot in six weeks, so getting a new passport is my highest priortiy. I already called the State Department and had that one flagged. The insurance is next on my list, and then later, I'll try to sort out my business stuff. The truely sad part is I haven't backed up my MYOB data in months and recently I've been quite busy. The good news is I'm current on my invoices with the exception of yesterday's shoot, but now I have to make the decision to either put MYOB on my desktop at home, or go with plan B and really start using iBiz. But you're right about mutliple things. This really should be a wake up call for people to back up their data. Or at least password protect things a bit more. I was VERY lax in that department since I was the only person who ever used the computer, I never put a password on the login, so there are a lot of things open to the culprit should he, or she start going through it. The really strange part is yesterday, I almost left the computer at home since I didn't think I would have WiFi (I was right), but I thought I might have to convert the DVD-RAM discs, so I brought the computer. Oh well, I learned a very important lesson (and as my wife told me last night, "you're too trusting")... At least they left my audio gear alone. I really don't think they knew that the computer and iPod were a fraction the cost of many of the things we have on-location with us. Wayne

Well, yesterday I had a one day industrial gig. We were going to shoot at a local art theatre, then do finish it up at the University of Texas' student union theatre. We were taping and interviewing one of the many business motivational speakers. I had brought my laptop in case I needed to burn copies of the DVD-RAM onto standard DVD (on small productions like this, the post production people sometimes have issues with DVD-RAM). I also figured I would check my email if wi-fi was available. I had some time to kill while folks were still setting up things, and pulled out my laptop to check email. Turns out there wasn't any wi-fi hot spots available. Fine. I put my laptop back into it's case, and put it with the rest of my equipment. We do our shoot inside, and then the producer wants to do this impromptu interview outside because the bar next door had just opened up and the music was a bit too much. We do the interview (and now we're running late for setting up at UT)... I pack up and get into the car, with my gear in the back. We were rushing to get to the venue. I pulled into a parking space about a mile from our first shoot, as I start to unpack, it dawns on me. I hadn't seen my laptop bag. Calls to folks in-route and those who had just finished packing up proved useless. Several people remember seeing it, people double-check their stuff, I go back to the venue double and triple check stuff. Nope. Nothing found. The computer is only part of the issue. I had all my business records on that laptop because many times I create invoices and do things, and it looks like I'm headed overseas for a month long documentary shoot, in a little over a month, so I've got to get a new passport pronto! In ironic events, I put my iPod into my computer bag because I didn't want to leave it in the car, which was parked on the street. The iPod and MacBook Pro will fall under insurance, but data and passport replacement won't. This turned out be a very expensive and soon-to-be time consuming shoot. Wayne

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080712/NEWS01/80712010/1060 Gives more info. BTW, seems that club must be the hot spot in Shreveport. That's where the wrap party was for the project Ron Scelza and I worked on there. Wayne