Jump to content

ABBloch

Members
  • Posts

    20
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    1

Posts posted by ABBloch

  1. 13 hours ago, Constantin said:

     

    No, I didn't envision a scenario, I was following your example where the TC box might end up unsynced on a crane.


    If you want to split hairs over who authored what part of the sceneario, Phillip came up with the crane, I added unsync'ed, and you added powered-off.  So, the final version of it was yours, which is what I'd meant by "envisioned".  Make sense?

     

    13 hours ago, Constantin said:

     

    The only thing I could come up with was that perhaps you had left the thing on the camera the night before or whatever, but still switched it off (or maybe camera crew did). Then next day it'd be already up on the crane and you could then wake it up with the wave. That was my question anyway. That would not have been an issue with forgetting something. 

     

    OK, that series of events tracks.   But technically, somebody would still have forgotten, the camera op.  Have we found our retiree? :D

    I think we've sufficiently beaten this part of our discussion to death by now, so I'm happy to move on from it, if you are. :)
     

    13 hours ago, Constantin said:

     

    You know, there is this TC box (I forgot which one), which can be powered by the camera and it will switch on and off with the camera. If you can sync that one wirelessly, you wouldn't ever need to touch it again.

     

    That is a cool idea.  I'm going to suggest it to Timecode Systems.

     

    As it is now, you could power the USO off the camera via a D-Tap to USB adapter.  You still wouldn't be able to turn it on or off remotely, though, unfortunately.  I'm wondering if TCS could make it work just with a firmware update, or if it would require a hardware change.

     

    13 hours ago, Constantin said:

     

    Not for me. I have the TC cable on the side of my bag and it won't stretch all the way to the camera from there. So when I am bagging, I am syncing straight away. Same as when I am on the cart, though.

     

    I bow to your superior non-butterfingers-ness, good sir.

    Before I went wireless, I preferred using coiled TC cables, which had no trouble stretching from the side of the bag to the camera.  The habit probably got left over from before I owned any sync boxes at all.  I'd jam the camera itself, directly from the bag, back then.

     

    13 hours ago, Constantin said:

     

    You know, the new Tentacle E can show you on your phone app whether or not a cable is attached.


    I like that feature.  It may be overkill on the USO, since the cables do lock on, but still, you can never have too many safety nets.  I'm going to suggest this to TCS, as well.

     


     

    13 hours ago, Constantin said:

    So neither of us should retire. 

     

    Agreed. :)

     

  2. Are we really gonna debate this one?  OK, wow.  Here goes.  :)

     

    1 hour ago, Constantin said:

    Well, maybe. This isn’t about forgetting, though.

     

    It isn't?  What IS it about, then?

    You envisioned a scenario in which the box is not on, and camera is not easily accessible, right?  What do you imagine, other than forgetting, could cause that circumstance?

    The only other cause I can think of would be a dead battery.  But that can't be what you were thinking, or you would not have asked the question of how to turn it on.  If the battery were dead, turning it on wouldn't be an option, obviously. 

    So, if it's not about forgetting, and not about power failure, then what?

     

    2 hours ago, Constantin said:

     

    But you were saying that the wireless sync option might be helpful in a crane scenario.


    I've found it's helpful in EVERY scenario, but do go on. :)
     

     

    2 hours ago, Constantin said:

     

    So what you were saying, then, was that you put a TC box on the camera and switched it on, but didn’t jam it?


    That's the situation I suggested, yes.  It doesn't happen often, of course, but it's not impossible.  Someone taps you on the shoulder, you turn to talk to them, the camera guy takes off, jam doesn't happen.

     

    You might ask, if a distraction like that can prevent a jam, couldn't it also prevent a power up?  Well, nothing's impossible, but it's highly unlikely.  Turning it on happens in the same motion as taking it out of the case and handing to the camera guy.  It's all one motion.

    You might also ask, why not jam it before handing it off?  If you're carting, then you probably would.  But if you're bagging and booming, it's often easier to jam after the box is already on the camera.  One less thing to hold.

     

     

    2 hours ago, Constantin said:

     

    And now you feel lucky, because now you can do exactly that again, but this time it won’t be a problem as you can sync wirelessly?


    Well, luck has nothing to do with it, but yes, I feel pretty good about the fact that I no longer need to jam anything at all, ever.  Everything syncs up automatically, without my having to lift a finger.  I'm not sure how that could be seen as a bad thing in any way.

    I challenge you to go wireless for a week, and then try to go back.  You'll feel like you're in the stone age.

     

     

    2 hours ago, Constantin said:

    Now, who should consider retirement? 

     

    Not I. :)

  3. 11 hours ago, Constantin said:

     

    How would you switch the unit on? Can you do that via the wave thing? 

    That would be really cool!

     

    Well, if someone's so far gone that they can't remember to turn things on, I'm not sure what to tell them.  Perhaps retirement?  :D

     

    To answer your question as asked, no, you can't remotely turn the USO's on (or off).

     

    3 hours ago, chrismedr said:

    And there's one aspect that has not been brought up so far: 

    What about RF interference? If every gadget on set starts to have wireless cababilities, then eventually getting clean radio mics up will become harder and harder.

     

    Good food for thought.  Yes, there's no question the airwaves are getting more and more crowded, and available whitespace for radio mics continues to be squeezed more and more.  However, the good news is that most non-mic gadgets that are made with film sets in mind don't tend to operate in the same frequency ranges as wireless mics do.  So, barring the occasional trick of physics (wave theory is complicated), interference from such things isn't much of an issue.

    TCS devices operate between 865.05 and 923.2 MHz.  The majority of (unlicensed) wireless mics in the US operate between 520 and 694 MHz (with much of the 600's range soon to be deprecated).  There are also some much higher frequencies that have recently been allowed for unlicensed operation, but those are relatively small ranges, sprinkled across the spectrum, and there aren't (yet?) a whole lot of devices that utilize them.

     

    I work a lot in the Great Lakes region, which is the toughest area in the country for radio.  The lakes are magnetic (especially Lake Erie), and they scramble frequencies like a giant blender.  I'm pretty sure if it works on the lakes, it'll work just about anywhere.

    (BTW, on a side note, nobody ever believes me about the lake issues until they experience them first hand.  Fairly recently, an AD laughed at me when I tried to warn him of the potential problem.  A few days later, he was tearing his hair out, as there was crosstalk across all the walkie channels.  "What do we do???  This is a disaster!"  Nobody was thrilled when I said the walkies were all going to have to be reprogrammed.  Making radio work in this area is a fine art.)

  4. 1 hour ago, chrismedr said:

     "why would you even need it" (just hand out your synch boxes jamed and fully charged in the beginning of the day and there's very little that can go wrong).


    Oh, there's plenty that can go wrong.  You're telling me you've never lost sync on set?  There's never been a time when you've had to re-jam?  Really?

     

    1 hour ago, chrismedr said:

    But what strikes me as odd is how you praise the USO like it was the only ultimate synch box,

     

    I really don't think that's what I've been doing.  I thought I'd made my intentions clear, in the first paragraph of my first post in this thread.

    For whatever reason, people who do not own the device keep suggesting imaginary problems that either don't exist or are so trivial that they might as well not exist.  Nearly every time I've replied here, it's been simply to correct that sort of misinformation.  Since I do own the device and use it every single day, I'm in a position to present experience, rather than imagination.

    After Drpro pointed out a very real potential problem (based on experience), I thanked him for it, and agreed that it's something worth keeping an eye on.  Perhaps you missed that?

    I've also stated several times that I'm often one to write about problems with gear in great detail, and that if I had encountered any issues with either the Untrasync One or :Wave, I'd be writing up a storm about them.  But since I haven't, I'm not.  It's that simple.

    Look, I have no agenda here.  I don't own any stock in Timecode Systems.  I have no reason to care what anyone else chooses to use or not.  I simply saw an opportunity to help by sharing a little first hand knowledge.  That's it, and that's all.  Anything you might be reading into it beyond that is a product of your own imagination.
     

    1 hour ago, chrismedr said:

    one has to wonder how people ever managed to make films without it ;-).

     

    No need to be sarcastic.  You appear to be implying a sentiment that was never there.  Best not to do that.

     

    1 hour ago, chrismedr said:

    sure it's a nice little unit with some extra features and advantages, but so are all the other little boxes


    I never disputed that, and neither did anyone else.  OF COURSE there are tons of good TC boxes on the market.  That was never in question. 

    The topic of this thread, however, happens to be just one specific box, not all of them.  If the title were "General Discussion of Timecode Sync Boxes," or "Let's Compare and Contrast Various Timecode Sync Boxes," anything else along those lines, then I'd probably have mentioned things I like and don't like about all kinds of others.  But since the actual title is "NEW: Timecode Systems | UltraSync One," I've limited my comments to that, with very few exceptions.

     

     

     

    1 hour ago, chrismedr said:

    I prefer having a built-in camera mic for a scratch track over Genlock and wireless synch for example).


    If that's the case, then you'd probably love the newer Tentacle units.  Great.  Enjoy.

    Me, I don't really see the point in the mic, for what I do.  On 95% of my jobs, I'll have wireless hops on the cameras, so the audio they're getting is as close a match to mine as possible. 

    The other 5% are DSLR shoots, in which the camera's onboard mic grabs the scratch, and timecode isn't even used.  I've thought about purchasing a Tentacle, just for those shoots, but every time I've asked the powers that be if they'd want to use timecode in post, the answer has been no.  So, I haven't bothered.  If the need ever materializes, I'll do it, of course.  But until then, it wouldn't be a sensible investment.

  5. 2 hours ago, Philip Perkins said:

    I'm sorry, but this sort of issue has been solved for a long time.  You jam sync two (or more) reliable TC boxes to the master recorder with good batteries, and everything stays in sync for 8+ hours.  The cameras can be on the other side of a metal wall, up on a crane, in a submarine underwater or in an aircraft flying overhead--sync stays good.  Why make this more complex with the addition of wifi or anything involving wireless transmission?


    I think you missed the point of the story, Phillip.  Yes, we're all aware that a physical jam sync is a viable option.  That's how we all did it for years and years and years, before wireless sync was a thing. :)

    The issue you seem to be envisioning is not the one I was talking about, nor one that would ever actually happen.  Perhaps I was less than clear on that.  Let me explain. 

     

    You appear to be under the impression that USO boxes do not maintain sync if they lose communication with the master.  That's not the case.  In fact, quite the opposite, they're among the most reliable TC boxes on the market.  Even without a wireless connection, an Ultrasync One will drift no more than one frame per 24 hours of continuous use (and battery life is about 40 hours).  With the wireless, they'll drift zero frames until the batteries die, since every device will be in constantly updated sync the entire time.

    The reason those cameras had initially been out of sync that day was because the camera guys happened to have finished setting up, a few minutes before I did.  They walked out before I'd turned my master transmitter on, so nothing had yet had the opportunity to sync up.  (In the non-wireless world, this would be the equivalent of their having walked away before you'd had the chance to jam.)  Had they been a minute or two later, everything would have sync'ed before they'd left the building, and the question never would have come up.

     

    The point of the story was just to illustrate that no physical connection was necessary to right the situation.  Once the master was in radio range, everything sync'ed up automatically, instantly.  Consider it an automated self-jam, over the air, if you will.

     

    You mentioned the scenario of the camera being up a crane.  Let's explore that for a moment.  Imagine your camera crew gets ahead of itself, and they send the camera up before you've had a chance to jam.  Since you need to connect physically, the camera now has to come back down.  Nobody's gonna be happy about that.  But with wireless sync, it's a non-issue.  There's no such thing as taking time out to jam.  Everything syncs itself automatically, and then stays in sync at all times.  The camera could be 500 feet in the air, and you'll still be able to sync it, without even so much as standing on your tippy toes.
     

    32 minutes ago, drpro said:

    I have reached out to TCS for I hope warranty repair as I have only had them for 32 days.

     


    In my experience, their customer service is excellent.  I'm sure they'll take care of you.

     

     

    32 minutes ago, drpro said:

    from the inside peek, the board level switches could be a problem.  Also there is no weather sealing around the switches, so this could be a problem unless you protect them from the elements.

     

     

    Hmm, that's definitely something to keep an eye on.  Thanks for sharing this info. 

     

    32 minutes ago, drpro said:

    Amen to the velcro not sticking.  I have cleaned the surface with denatured alcohol and gone to industrial strength velcro.  We shall see.

     


    Try my gaff tape pouch solution.  It works really well. :)

    Given what you said about the lack of weather sealing around the buttons, I think I'll be revising my design, to put clear plastic on the front, instead of just holes.  It'll be an easy mod.

  6. 4 hours ago, Constantin said:

    I have only handled a USO once briefly, but it felt like and was told it doesn’t hold adhesives well. So I was curious how you did it. Velcro as such doesn’t tell me much. Is it a special kind? 

    When I mentioned this earlier in this thread, the reply seemed to confirm my worry and the solution sounded more drastic than Velcro, but maybe I over-interpreted that reply. 

     

     

    You're right that not all adhesives will stick to that micro-textured surface very well.  Some just peel right off.  The heavy duty stuff sticks pretty well.  Just give it some pressure, and a few minutes to set.

    That said, I like my pouch solution better.  I made them out of gaff tape, in about five minutes.  It's really easy.  Here's how:

    1. Wrap a couple pieces tightly around the device, sticky side out, so that the tape does not stick to the device, only to itself.
    2. Then do a second layer, sticky side in.  No adhesive should be exposed at this point.  Again, the tape is only sticking to itself, not to the device.  The device will be able to slide in and out of the pouch freely (but not loosely).
    3. Cut out some holes in the front of the pouch, to expose the screen and buttons.
    4. Cover the back of the pouch with velcro.

    I've done this for all manner of devices, over the years.  It's an easy way to keep stuff protected, for almost no expense.  If you do it right, it looks very professional.  Most people won't even realize it's just tape.

     

    4 hours ago, Constantin said:

    No, I mean the case. I could squeeze it. And in fact I could press buttons just by squeezing on the back. Tough maybe, but not firm. Anyway, if you haven’t experienced any problems with this...

     

    I've never experienced this, no.  It sounds like maybe the particular unit you used was defective or damaged.  Sorry to hear that that was your first experience with it.

     

    4 hours ago, Constantin said:

    Yes, but from the adapter cable you need another cable going off to the camera - unless it’s BNC. You’re not so much adding to the case, but to the clutter in the camera. 

    This is not an argument for or against the USO, but rather for using dedicated cables. 

     

    I get what you mean now, but really, that extra few inches of cable doesn't add any clutter to speak of, in my experience.  As I said, if you're coiling the cable, you just coil it one more time, and if you're snaking it, you just snake it a little bit further.  Until and unless a camera op ever complains about it, I can't see it as cause for concern.  As I said, I've gotten nothing but 100% positive feedback from camera guys, so far, so I'm pretty sure it's all good.

  7. 7 hours ago, John Blankenship said:

     

    Are their Frames Per Second 59.94 or is that their Timebase?  The difference is often misunderstood. 

     

    For many years into the digital world, (I haven't confirmed if this is still the case on their very latest units) Panasonic cameras have operated with a Timebase of 59.94, and a FPS of 29.97 (some other cameras have too).  If you shoot 23.976 with these Pannys, the TB and FPS still remain 59.94 & 29.97 and it internally flags which frames will be used to output the 23.976 result.  It works fine as long as the person using it understands the system and knows what they're doing.  Isn't that the case, of course, with any of our gear.

     

    Well, that makes a heck of a lot more sense now.  They do indeed use Panasonic cameras.  Thanks for the info.

  8. 8 hours ago, IronFilm said:

    Why do they need that mix of settings?
     

     

    They explained their post pipeline to me once.  It's a bit of Rube Goldberg machine.  Apparently, their picture edit process, for reasons that I don't pretend to understand, requires an FPS of 59.94.  So, they shoot at 29.97, and then upsample in post.  Their output needs to be at 23.976, so then they downsample, and it all lines up.  Their production staff is fully aware that this is a confusing PITA, with a considerable chance of error on set, but they have no power to change it.  That post pipeline is there to stay, at least for the foreseeable future.

     

    Reality TV is just wonky like that sometimes.  A lot of these shows tend to use ancient cameras and unusual post pipelines.  I never encounter stuff like this in narrative TV or film.  Reality is it's own animal.

     

    3 hours ago, pindrop said:

     

    Do Ultrasyncs and master, use a choice of 3 different continental UHF bands with a choice of 14 different frequencies for each, for radio sync between each other? (not wifi)

    865.050 - 923.200

    https://www.timecodesystems.com/products-home/rf-channels/

     

    I think they might.....:) and I think this is what can give exceptional line of sight range, in my experience.

    Wifi gets used for metadata and to broadcast info for other purposes, wifi tablets etc.
    This is part of what makes the whole system exceptionally excellent as far as I'm concerned.


    Good question.  You've jumped beyond my knowledge.  I'm afraid I don't know a whole lot about how their wireless technology works; I just know that it does. :)

    There are several wireless settings to choose from, including different channels and types. It's all referred to as "wifi" in the menus, but it's possible they're using more than just that.

    I just went with the defaults settings for this.  They worked, so there was no reason to mess with them.  When I get a chance, I'll do a little research on what all the various settings mean, but it's not a pressing issue, so it might be a while. 

     

    If you're curious in the mean time, maybe download the manual, and see what you think.  It sounds like you know more about the technologies involved than I do.  

  9. On 1/12/2018 at 11:58 AM, Constantin said:

     

    QBit: $249

    USO: $299

     

    that‘s not 50% more, it’s about 16% LESS. 

     

    Tentacle is $289 (added just to round out picture) 

     


    Yes, you're right; I messed up on my price analysis.  Thanks for bringing it to my attention.  I'd inadvertently looked at the price of the set of two QBit XL's, instead of the single unit.  Gotham has the single available for $239.  I've edited my earlier post, to remove the error.

     

     

    On 1/12/2018 at 11:58 AM, Constantin said:

     

    There are a few things things I am curious about: 

     

    1) how do you mount the UCO? I asked this before in this thread, but I‘m curious if there are other options

     

     

    Velcro is the most common way.  There are two designated spots on the back of each unit, for attaching rectangles of self-adhesive velcro, without covering up any labeling.

    I've also used bongos or gear ties, for setups on which Velcro wasn't the most practical solution.

    On a side note, I'm not a huge fan of putting adhesive on gear, so I ended up making a couple of nice form-fitting pouches, with Velcro on the back, and cutouts in the front front for the screens and buttons.  It's totally unnecessary, but that's just me.  I like to keep my gear clean.
     

     

    On 1/12/2018 at 11:58 AM, Constantin said:

     

    2) how well can you read the read the display outside and in bright (sun-) light?
     

     

    Yes.  You can set the brightness via the phone app, or with the buttons directly on the unit.  Anything in the upper 50% is easy to read outdoors.

     

    On 1/12/2018 at 11:58 AM, Constantin said:

     

    3) the case feels very soft - wobbly. Does that concern you? 
     


    I'm not following you on this one.  Can you please explain?

    If by "soft", you mean the texture, then yes, it does feel soft to the touch, due to the micro-texture rubberized coating.  But that material is not actually soft for real; it just feels that way.  It's pretty tough stuff, the same type of material that a lot of phone cases are made of. 

    My current and previous phone cases have it, in fact.  Neither the cases, nor the phones, have ever been damaged, despite numerous drops on concrete and asphalt, skids across floors, etc.  I'm pretty sure if the stuff can protect a large 6-8 ounce phone that gets dropped all the time, it can also do so for a little 1.5 ounce box that spends most of its life either in a case or securely mounted to a camera.

    On the "wobbly" part, you've lost me, I'm afraid.  The Ultrasync boxes are quite solidly built, no wobble or flex or anything else along those lines about them.

     

     

    On 1/12/2018 at 11:42 AM, Constantin said:

     

    Then it‘s not working well and for more than $900 you SHOULD be nitpicking.
     

     

    Heh, perhaps. :)

    The app actually works very well.  It just can take a minute or so to find all the devices on the network.  That's a slight annoyance, but hardly a showstopper.  Given that it's the only thing I've found to complain about, I think I'm doing OK.

     

     

    On 1/12/2018 at 11:42 AM, Constantin said:

     

    So I buy this really tiny TC box and then increase the size again by all these dangling adaptor cables?
     

     

    You've lost me again.  The adapter cable simply extends from the connector, the same way any other cable extends from the connector of any other device in existence.  If that constitutes "increasing the size", then so does every other cable.  If you started with a larger box, the problem would be even worse, would it not?

    Of course, total cable length does increase by few inches with an adapter as opposed to without.  But that doesn't change anything of significance.  If you're coiling the cable anyway, then just coil it one more time.  If you're snaking it around, so you don't have to coil it, then just snake it a very tiny bit further.  Practically speaking, there is zero discernible difference.

     

     

    On 1/12/2018 at 11:42 AM, Constantin said:


    No, I would prefer the proper cables, which are quite pricey, but admittedly they would be for most other TC boxes as well, but here they do seem a bit more expensive. 
     

     

    They're around $45 each.  There's no shortage of similar cables available form other manufacturers, if you simply must have them, but you want to price shop first.  You can also make your own, obviously.  Coax ends are pretty simple to attach.

     

     

    For me, though, as I said, the simplest solution is also the most inexpensive.  A couple bucks worth of barrels, and done.

    I'll repeat that I just don't get why this a thing for anyone.  I use these boxes and cables every day, and it's such a non-issue, I never ever would have thought about it in a million years, had people here not brought it up.  But to each his own.

     

     

    On 1/12/2018 at 11:42 AM, Constantin said:

     

    Also, TCS seem to sell them with a straight connector only. A right-angle version would make so much more sense - to me anyway.
     

     

     

    If you really want a right-angle cable, there are other manufacturers that make them.  Markertek has a large assortment.  Just search for "din 1.0/2.3 cable" on their site.  Alternatively, you could also simply replace either or both ends of the Timecode Systems cables.  Right-angle ends are just a few bucks.

    But as far as I'm concerned, this is why God gave us right-angle adapters.  I prefer to have the option of right angle or straight, at all times.  With a straight cable, you can always go right-angle, but with a right-angle cable, you can never go straight.


     

    On 1/12/2018 at 11:42 AM, Constantin said:

     

    The straight connector effectively increases the size of the box again. 
     

     

    ...And you've lost me again.  Sorry, but I really don't understand what you mean by this. 

    If you mean you're adding the length of the connector to the height of the box, then wouldn't you also have to add the length of the right-angle connector to the width or depth of the box?  Considering there are an infinite number of angles at which the box might be mounted to all manner of different cameras, I fail to see how either the right-angle or the straight could be an automatic winner, in this regard.


    In any case, the bottom line is I've been using these for months now, and the problems you seem to be imagining have just never manifested in reality.  I hope that information is helpful. :)

  10. Nah, it's not heated.  It's been a useful exchange of information.  I think we've all remained in a good mood, throughout.  :)

     

    I see your point on minimizing potential failure points, but in 10 years on the job, I've never once had a barrel fail.  It's just a hunk of metal, after all, not much opportunity for mechanical strain.  I've got a bag of them in my kit.  If one were to fail, it would hardly be a big deal, but as I said, it's never happened.

     

    Cables do sometimes go bad, of course, but I've never seen or heard of any statistically significant difference in failure rate when utilizing barrels than when not.  I can't remember the last time a TC cable failed on me.

     

    If anyone does want to spend the money, Timecode Systems has a full assortment of Ultrasync cables available now.  But I'll repeat one more time, they're completely unnecessary.

  11. I'm pleased to report. the 0.89 mm hex wrench did the job.  Man, that thing is tiny.  I dropped it and had to go hunting for it, twice.

     

    I've tightened up all the other knobs.  I feel so much better now.

    Thanks for the help and suggestions, everyone who replied.

  12. 32 minutes ago, afewmoreyears said:

    That dial does not normally move... 99% of my stuff is 23.976

     

    Interesting.  My stuff tends to be pretty evenly divided between 23.976, 24, and 29.97.

    I've also got one series that cross jams.   Camera needs 29.97, while sound has to be 23.976.  That one's annoying, but it's also one where the system really shines.  I set the :Wave as the master, at 23.976, and set my mixer to ignore incoming FPS data while respecting incoming timecode.  The mixer takes FPS from its project settings.  It beats the hell out of resetting every device manually.

    For all my other shows, the mixer is the master, and everything else syncs up automatically, as soon as I tell the mixer what's what.

     

    32 minutes ago, afewmoreyears said:

    I can see the TC on my monitors, it's also on the camera... no issue at all..  Never had a problem

     

     

    Ah, sounds like you're a cart based mixer.  That would seem to explain many of the differences in our approaches.  I used to be a cart guy myself.  A few years ago, I transitioned to a one-man-band, and I've never looked back.  On most of my gigs, I'm bagging it, and I'm booming.  I really love utilizing my full skill set in this way.

    When I'm on union shows, it's one or the other job, of course 'cause them's the rules, and that's fine.  But most of my shows are non-union, so I do it all on them.  This is why the ability to adjust as many things as possible, right from the bag, is so important to me, as well as why I like to have screens on everything.  I'm not always in a position where I can see a monitor.

     

    Different tools for different needs. :)

    32 minutes ago, afewmoreyears said:

    Well, you better tell that to Charley and the rest of the nice folks at Denecke I just visited in Valencia Ca.  2 days ago while they built all their units right in front of me..

     

     

    My mistake.  Thanks for the correction.  I'd thought they were made in Europe, for some reason.  Not sure where I got that notion.  I've edited my earlier post, to remove the mistake.

     

    32 minutes ago, afewmoreyears said:

    Looks like you were off base on a few things...lol

     

     

    Just two.  And they were only peripheral things.  It happens to the best of us.  That's why we have discussions, to learn from each other. :)

     

    32 minutes ago, afewmoreyears said:

    I'm just not an adapter guy... I would rather have a dedicated cable without adapters whenever possible...

     

     

    At $40-150 per cable, vs. a dollar or less per barrel,  I'm totally OK with the barrels.  If there were anything to be gained, performance wise, from buying new cables, I'd do it.  But there isn't, so it doesn't make sense to me.

  13. You raise some fair points, but I disagree with many of them.  Allow me to respond to each.  Apologies in advance if this turns out to be a lengthy reply, but I'm enjoying this discussion of our differing points of view.  :)
     

    3 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

     

    I really like the Ultra Sync One...It's just not for me...  I was just commenting on the fitting of the BNC on a small unit... 

     

    Fair enough.  But as I said, the dimensions are a little different.  It's not a 1:1 comparison.

     

    So, yeah, you COULD fit a BNC on the Ultrasync One, if you stretched the box to be a little thicker, and if you ripped out some of the elctronics. :)

     

    3 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

    This is all exactly what I like about the unit...  One switch...one dial... done...works perfect... No headaches...

     

    To each his own.  If you're after simplicity of the device itself, then yeah, you've definitely got it. 

    I'd be curious to know, though, what headaches you've actually encountered, or suspect you might encounter, with the Ultrasync or similar systems.  I've had none.  (If I had, I'd be vocal about them.)

     

    For me, the lack of features on something like the QBit is what creates headaches, for several reasons:

    1. There's just too much margin for error for my comfort, when devices can't communicate with each other.  If you're on a multicamera shoot, and you fail to notice one of the dials is set wrong, you're hosed. 
    2. So don't fail to notice, right?  Well, there's also the "intern effect".  Even after you've set everything correctly, some idiot can come along, and start messing with things like exposed dials.  That doesn't happen often, of course, but it does happen.  I've seen it a few times in my career.  They always think they're being funny.  (This is where summary executions really should be legal.)
    3. If you do find you need to make an adjustment, you need to physically approach camera.  There's not always opportunity for that on a busy set, at least not without rustling a few feathers on occasion.

    In the other thread on this topic, I shared a story that illustrates this point well.  I'll re-tell it here, quickly. 

    I was on a reality TV shoot last week, two cameras.  Staging was in a metal barn/machine shop, and set was in the building nextdoor.  On day one, I got the usual, "Wow, these are so cool!" exclamations from the camera crew, upon seeing the Unltrasyncs.  (I'm used to that, by now.) On the morning of day two, as I was still setting up, the DP came rushing in, to inform me the two cameras (in the other building) were out of sync with each other.  I said, "No worries.  The wifi just can't make it through these metal walls.  As soon as I walk in there, they'll sync right up.  You'll see."

    A few minutes later, the guy's eyes about popped out of his head, when my promise came true.  "That's AMAZING!" he said.  I just smiled and nodded.

    To me, that's the epitome of "done... works perfect... no headaches...", as you put it.  I didn't have to touch either unit at all.  The only thing I had to do was set foot in the building, and the sync happened automatically.

     

     

    3 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

     

    No phone needed...  (or wanted)

     

     

    Just to be clear, the phone app isn't actually needed.  It's just a handy tool to have.  You can forego it if you want, and the system will still work just fine.  You'll just have to push buttons on the units themselves is all.  The same settings are available, either way.

     

    3 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

     

    Display not necessary for me.  Just a TC box...

     

     

    I'm a display junky.  For me it's the only way to feel comfortable that everything is working as it should.

    A blind system MIGHT be doing the job perfectly, or it might have failed 2 seconds after I set it up.  Unless I can easily verify it a hundred times a day, I get nervous.  I like my security blankets. 

    If monitor isn't visible from where I need to stand, then the screen on the Ultrasync probably is.  If neither is visible, then I whip out the phone.

     

     

    3 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

     

    And is local to me here in the US.

     

     

    I do like that QBit stuff is all US made.  I'm not sure where TImecode Systems products are made (I think the company started in the UK), but the people at their US headquarters are great, which is important.

     

    3 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

    I have a few Denecke SB4s if I want the display...

     

     

    I'm sure I don't need to tell you, those are bigger, more than 3 times the weight.  No wireless sync or remote control capability, so I wouldn't want them at this point.  They've got the dial you like, though, so I can see why you bought them.

     

    3 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

     

    Bought it for simplicity, build quality and size...  Fits the bill...  It was pretty inexpensive.. Price was @$220 XMAS SALE ONLY..  So, don't know about the price issue... A far cry from a few years ago sync box prices...

     


    Looks like I may have been incorrect on the current pricing.  I'll double check, and correct my earlier post if I need to.  But yeah, it really is amazing how affordable these things have gotten, isn't it?  It wasn't long ago at all that it was a grand or more, per box.

     

     

    3 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

     

    I have not used Genlock in YEARS!!

     

     

    There's not a lot of call for it these days, agreed.  But I'm always in the camp that it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

    I would have bought the Ultrasyncs and the :Wave with or without genlock.  All the other features are what sold me.

     

    3 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

     

    Did you factor in the new cables you may need??   I know it comes with one TC out... and a genlock..  but we always need more...

     

     

    How many times do I need to keep repeating this?  No new cables are needed.  None.  Nada.  Zip.  Zero.  Goosegg.  Average of 1 and negative 1.  Zilch.  IQ of Trump.  Nix.  Null.  Naught.  Zot. Nil.  Nothingness.

    DId I miss any?

    The unit comes with two short mini-coax to BNC adapter cables.  Throw a barrel in the BNC end, and every BNC cable in the universe will work.  As I said before, I still use all my pre-existing BNC to 5-pin, BNC to 4-pin, and BNC to BNC cables.  They all work perfectly with the Ultrasyncs.   I've said it umpteen times now; I just don't get why this cabling thing is even a thing.  It's a complete non-issue.

     

     

    43 minutes ago, Constantin said:

     

    QBit: $249

    USO: $299

     

    that‘s not 50% more, it’s about 16% LESS. 

     

    Tentacle is $289 (added just to round out picture) 

     

    Looks like I was mistaken.  Thanks for the correction.  I'll edit my earlier post.

    I'd thought the price of the Qbit XL was $448.  I didn't realize I was looking at the set of two.

    I see Gotham has the single unit priced at $239.

  14. 12 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

    I don't know about that....

     

    I'll repeat that it's difficult to know what you're really talking about, without having seen and handled the device in person.

     

    The QBit XL you've got pictured is 15% thicker than the Ultrasync One.  It's a small difference, but it's enough to preclude the larger jack from fitting on the thinner unit.

     

    And to be fair, it's also not exactly an apples to apples comparison.  The QBit barely has any features, compared to the Ultrasync.  It doesn't do genlock, it has no screen, no wireless sync, no remote control.

     

    The lack of features translates to a simpler set of internal electronics, which presumably also frees up some room for the larger jack.

     

    Really, the QBit's only significant selling points are that it's small and light.  In total volume, it is 4% smaller than the Ultrasync, so technically it wins, ever so slightly, in that regard. But it's also 6% heavier, so I'd call it a wash.

     

    If the extreme lack of comparable features is worth it to you, in order to have that BNC connector, then go for it. 

     

    As for me, the feature set is why I bought this system.  The connector type didn't factor into that decision at all. 

     

    I really don't understand why the shape of the jacks is such a sticking point for some people, especially considering that the unit comes with excellent adapters.  It's trivial, as far as I'm concerned.

  15. I've read through this thread, and it seems to be a chock full of speculative misinformation, assumptions, and guesswork, from people who do not own this device. As someone who DOES own two UntraSync Ones, as well as the :Wave generator, please allow me to set the record straight.


    1. The connectors are NOT fragile.

    There appears to be a lot of worry that the mini coax connectors are flimsy or delicate. I can assure you, they are anything but. These little units are tough. In the several months that I've owned them, it's never once even occurred to me that one might break. While plugging and unplugging cables every day, coming up with various creative ways to attach the boxes to all manner of camera, the connectors have never felt anything short of rock solid.


    2. There's a very good reason for mini coax, rather than BNC.

    The Ultrasync One is incredibly tiny. A BNC connector simply wouldn't fit, physically. Notice in the picture that the mini coax jacks, which are themselves very small, look absolutely huge, compared with the box itself.

    Needless to say, that miniscule size is a great thing. Camera ops love it. I've experienced nothing but praise from camera guys, as soon as they lay eyes on these things. The boxes add neither weight nor bulk to any camera rig.


    3. The "specialty cable" discussion is off the mark.

    Sorry guys, but I can't for the life of me understand why anyone has made this "having to carry specialty cables" thing into a thing at all. They're just adapters, people. It's not like you have to replace your existing lineup of cables. Just throw a barrel on the BNC end of the adapter, and then you can attach any other BNC cable to it, just like you've always done before. It couldn't be more simple.

    Inside the case where I store the Ultrasync boxes, I keep the exact same assortment of cables I already had (BNC to 5-pin for Arri, BNC to 4-pin for RED, BNC to BNC for most everything else, etc.), right along side the (short) mini coax to BNC cables that came with the Ultrasyncs. I didn't have to rework or rebuy anything at all.

    I have to say, I'm a bit confused that some of the posts containing complaints about this "specialty cable" nonsense also sing the praises of Tentacle. Let's apply a little logic to this, shall we? If the Ultrasync's mini coax to BNC is a "specialty cable", then surely the Tentacle's TRS to BNC is, as well. Why is one OK, but not the other? Could it be that knocking one product can sometimes just make a person feel better about having purchased the other?

    In reality, neither cabling setup is a problem in any way. For cameras that have BNC input, simply plug the adapter cable in, directly, and you're all set. For ones that have other types of inputs, simply barrel-connect the adapter cable to whatever other cable is appropriate. This procedure is the same, whether you're using Ultrasync, Tentacle, or really anything else involving BNC for timecode. It's hardly rocket science.


    4. The included adapter cables are quite good.

    The mini coax cables that come with the Ultrasync units are self-locking to the jack posts, and attach very solidly. There's virtually no way to disconnect them by accident. I've let the boxes dangle, I've swung them around, I've yanked on them. They stay put.

    When you do want them to come off, just pull from the collar, and they release, effortlessly. The feel of it is very similar to that of using Lemo, except you don't have to worry about pin alignment.




    Now that all that is out of the way, I'll state unequivocally, that the Ultrasync and :Wave combo is the best timecode setup I've yet encountered. I've used Ambient, Betzo, Tentacle, etc., and I really do like these best. I consider this system to be one of the best investments I've ever made. These little guys pack more features than most units many times their size, weight, and price point.

    The phone/tablet app to control the units remotely works very well. (My only complaint is that it can be a little slow to load, but that's really nitpicking.)

    The desktop app for updating firmware is incredibly smooth.

    The company's customer service has been great. I needed their help diagnosing an initially defective unit, several months ago. It worked just fine for timecode and sync, but it was displaying some slightly funky information on its charging screen (most likely due to a bad battery). The unit was perfectly usable, just a little nervous-making if you know what I mean. The company was responsive, very happy to talk to me over both phone and email, eager to help figure out what was going on. The unit in question was then replaced within days.

    Look, I'm often the first to draft long lists of highly detailed complaints about gear when there actually are things to complain about. If there were indeed anything bad to talk about with the Ultrasync One and/or the :Wave, I'd be all over it. But there just isn't. These things work, and work very well.



    If anyone has any questions, feel free to shout 'em out. I'll do my best to answer.

  16. I have two of these, plus the :Wave generator.  I absolutely love them.  Been using them a few months now, and have had no troubles, whatsoever.

     

    I've gotten nothing but praise from camera ops, as soon as they lay eyes on these things.  The boxes are so small and lightweight, it's almost impossible for them to get in an op's way.

     

    Further, these units pack more features than most that are 2-3 times their size and weight. 

     

    The wifi connection between the multiple devices has been flawless every time, even over some fairly long distances.  The closest thing I've had to a problem with this (and it was NOT actually a problem at all) was on my most recent shoot.  Staging was inside a solid metal barn/machine shop, and set was in the building next door.  I was in the middle of setting up on day 2, when the DP came rushing in to let me know that his camera was out of sync.  I said, "No worries. The wifi can't make it through these metal walls.  As soon as I step into the other building, it'll sync right up.  You'll see." 

     

    You should have seen the dude's eyes pop out of his head, when that promise came true.  "That's amazing!"  I just smiled and nodded.

     

    My only (very minor) complaint is that the phone app can take a while to show all the connected devices.  Once they do load up, it's really easy to check and change settings remotely, which is great.  However, as soon as you turn the phone screen off and back on, you have to wait again.  This is annoying (but hardly a showstopper).

     

    I count the Unltrasyncs and the :Wave among the best gear I've ever purchased.  They've already paid for themselves, easily.

     

     

    Unfortunately, there's another thread on this forum, chock full of people who do not own the device, complaining about the connectors.  People are under the impression the jacks must be fragile, for some reason.  They're not.  People think mini coax rather than BNC is a bad idea, just because, well, no compelling reason given, by anyone. 

     

    The reality is the unit is physically too small for BNC.  That smallness is a very good thing. (Notice the mini coax jacks, which are tiny, look huge on it in the picture.)

     

    The box comes with a pair of short mini coax to BNC adaptor cables, which work perfectly.  If you simply must use your old cables, just throw a barrel on the end of each adaptor cable, and call it a day.

     

    I don't know about you, but I'd rather have a small, sleek, modern box that works well and keeps camera dept. happy, but requires an adaptor, than an outdated giant clunker that adds weight and bulk, just to skip said adaptor.  People need to think a little, before they blindly jump on the speculative complaint wagon. :)

  17. The Alexa Mini is uniquely finicky, in my experience.  Not every "standard" 5-pin lemo will work, only certain ones.  If I remember correctly, cables listed as bidirectional will not work.  It needs to be a one-way cable.

     

    If the cables you have were not specifically listed as compatible with the Mini, then that's likely your problem.  Order a cable that does have that in its description.

     

    Once you're certain you have the right cables, I'd also suggest trying different output levels for your TC send, if your gear has that capability.  Start with the highest level possible (which is what most cameras want), and then back it off if that doesn't work.  I don't remember off hand what level the Mini likes best.

     

    It's also possible that the port on that particular Mini has gone bad.  Since you said you've had similar troubles with two of them, it's unlikely, but still possible.

  18. Hey Pat,

    Long time, no see, man. Hope all is well.

    I was happily surprised by Tascam Customer Service, a little while ago. I'd thought they'd closed the matter, under the "we just can't answer that at all" category, but apparently someone over there kept going, and managed to find an answer. They emailed me to say they'd reached out to somebody in Japan, who had reported back that the magic number is 0.89 mm hex.

    I've ordered that size wrench from Amazon, as not a single local hardware store has one even remotely that small. The smallest any store in the area has is 1.5 mm. If any had had smaller sizes on hand, then yes, I certainly would have discovered by simple trial and error which wrench fit, and all of this phone calling around the world would have been avoided. :)

    Once the wrench arrives, I'll reply here again, to say whether it works or not, in case anyone else has the same problem.


    Rick, thanks for the suggestion, regarding Tom Duffy. His posts on this forum were actually part of what initially had convinced me to buy the HS-P82 in the first place. I did PM him yesterday, but haven't heard back yet. I'm not sure if he had a hand in pushing Tascam for an answer or not. If he did, I'm grateful.

  19. One of the trim knobs has fallen off my beloved Tascam HS-P82.  Ordinarily, I'd simply put the knob back on, and tighten the set screw, just as with any other knob on any other device on this planet.  However, the set screw on this particular knob is inceredbily tiny, by far the smallest I've ever seen, and I do not have a tool that fits it.

     

    I tried calling Tascam, to ask what size the scew is, but nobody over there has any clue.  This is their flagship product, the most expensive thing they make, and not one person in their company can tell me the size of a simple screw.  That's mindblowing.

     

    Fine people of the JW community, does anyone here have any idea what size this screw is?  I know there are other HS-P82 users here.  Have any of you encountered this issue, and found a solution?

    Thanks in advance for any answers.

×
×
  • Create New...