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What is Sound Devices Doing Today?


myke2241

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I recently sold of my trusty SD 744t. it was a fantastic deck and will server the new owner greatly. one of the reasons i sold the deck was that i thought it was a bit limited when comparing it a 788.... wait before you get in a huff! i am talking dollar to feature ratio. 744 retails for $4100 where the 788 costs $6000 (starting). as you can see you are getting a lot more for that $1900 difference in price. Although the 702 - 744 are great recorders i feel like there is a good amount of area they could improve on.

What has me a little worried is that we look at SD last few years of product releases, which have been mainly focused on video. Has SD forgotten about us audio guys?

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A couple of 744s sold around here recently for well under $3k--there's no real reason to look for a new one if you want to save some money. Lots of people like you have been upgrading to newer recorders, so there seem to plenty of used ones around. The folks @ SD are radical thinkers, so I would bet that they are thinking less along the path of extending their present product line and more about how movies will be shot in the future given other new technologies becoming available, and what tools will be needed to accomplish that. I have a strong feeling that the Pixies are only the beginning of this.

phil p

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A couple of 744s sold around here recently for well under $3k--there's no real reason to look for a new one if you want to save some money. Lots of people like you have been upgrading to newer recorders, so there seem to plenty of used ones around. The folks @ SD are radical thinkers, so I would bet that they are thinking less along the path of extending their present product line and more about how movies will be shot in the future given other new technologies becoming available, and what tools will be needed to accomplish that. I have a strong feeling that the Pixies are only the beginning of this.

phil p

Well said.

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This was hotly discussed back in April, following their new introductions at NAB.

BTW: Sound Devices regularly monitors this forum and participates.

A couple of 744s sold around here recently for well under $3k--there's no real reason to look for a new one if you want to save some money. Lots of people like you have been upgrading to newer recorders, so there seem to plenty of used ones around. The folks @ SD are radical thinkers, so I would bet that they are thinking less along the path of extending their present product line and more about how movies will be shot in the future given other new technologies becoming available, and what tools will be needed to accomplish that. I have a strong feeling that the Pixies are only the beginning of this.

phil p

I am well aware there are a couple SD monitors on the forum. which is only a good thing if they are listening and applying customer wants to their up coming products.

As far as " radical thinkers " goes... too radical and you can miss the mark then lose customers. waiting to long to release new products your base loses faith and you lose customers. which we are already seeing a little of with the Nomad.

I havent seen the thread John was referring but i am sure there was a lot of shared disappointment after NAB. i am saying all of this because i really like SD and would like to reinvest in them but i also want to see or hear some reinsuring words that they have some great things to come.

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What we have been up to is exactly what we have been up to since 1998, listening, designing, building.

What has changed is that SD products, like many other companies products, are equally defined by software as they are by hardware. We know that software updates are not as exciting to the market as a new piece of hardware, but often they can bring new functions to an existing product architecture. In many ways, these software updates are far more resource intensive for a company than a new hardware update, depending on the hardware architecture.

Back before we introduced the 788T, we had a couple years with no new hardware, just software updates for the 7-Series. Those software updates were and are essential for the product and customers, but not particularly sexy. Going to shows was tough because we really wanted to talk about the exciting hardware we were working on, but it made no sense to present something that wasn't complete. It only helps our competitors.

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What we have been up to is exactly what we have been up to since 1998, listening, designing, building.

What has changed is that SD products, like many other companies products, are equally defined by software as they are by hardware. We know that software updates are not as exciting to the market as a new piece of hardware, but often they can bring new functions to an existing product architecture. In many ways, these software updates are far more resource intensive for a company than a new hardware update, depending on the hardware architecture.

Back before we introduced the 788T, we had a couple years with no new hardware, just software updates for the 7-Series. Those software updates were and are essential for the product and customers, but not particularly sexy. Going to shows was tough because we really wanted to talk about the exciting hardware we were working on, but it made no sense to present something that wasn't complete. It only helps our competitors.

Thanks for responds Jon. This is tough. i think everyone here understands SD doesn't want to share whats is going to be in their next special sauce. At the same time you need to try to convince customers like me that its worth sticking it around after seeing three picture related products and only one audio related product in the last couple of years.

the perception is a shift in focus.

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. Going to shows was tough because we really wanted to talk about the exciting hardware we were working on.

I love SD, I wouldn't change my 552, or 702t one but. It sounds and feels incredible. It's obvious how well SD thinks through there product design, implementation and there incredible commitment to their existing product line support from a hardware and software stand point.

Thinking of a 788-SSD but trying my best to hold off, thinking something's coming soon. I can feel it :) Probably will get an MM1 next another 411 / SMQV to hold me off for a bit. Thank god for understanding wives, with this gear acquiring habit of mine.

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Hey Jon and the SD Folks,

How about a software upgrade to the CL-WiFi App? There are a few features I'd like to see:

1. The ability to enter sound report information and edit reports via the App. I love how easy it is to name tracks and all that with the current app, but was somewhat surprised that I had no access to the Sound Report menu and information such as Production Company, Job, Boom Op, etc. Seems like you'd want to be able to use the App to enter alpha-numeric data in any of the fields in the 788.

2. I wish the CL-WiFi app would somehow remember my track names like the machine does. Sometimes I need to swap the name on track 1 with the name on track 3 for instance. If the track names were memorized in a list within the App, like they are on the 788 itself, this would make the app even more functional for quick name swapping rather than re-entering everything.

3. Finally, this is kind of a long shot, but a free app that was purely a timecode reader that read timecode from the Wi-Fi link on the 788 would be AWESOME for PA's and Scripty folks who want to keep track of timecode for a shot log. I say free because they could just download a limited app (similar to what Denecke or Ambient has) that would read the incoming WiFi timecode and then everyone on set could potentially have it on their phone for keeping track of timecode without being asked by the sound department to buy an app. This would be GREAT on reality shows where you may have 3 people doing different timecode note-taking. Besides, as I mentioned, Denecke and Ambient already have free apps, but they don't read incoming WiFi timecode from the CL-WiFi as far as I know.

Just some thoughts. Thanks!

-Matt

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What we have been up to is exactly what we have been up to since 1998, listening, designing, building.

What has changed is that SD products, like many other companies products, are equally defined by software as they are by hardware. We know that software updates are not as exciting to the market as a new piece of hardware, but often they can bring new functions to an existing product architecture. In many ways, these software updates are far more resource intensive for a company than a new hardware update, depending on the hardware architecture.

Back before we introduced the 788T, we had a couple years with no new hardware, just software updates for the 7-Series. Those software updates were and are essential for the product and customers, but not particularly sexy. Going to shows was tough because we really wanted to talk about the exciting hardware we were working on, but it made no sense to present something that wasn't complete. It only helps our competitors.

C'mon. Software updates which bring new features ARE sexy! I installed 2.18 for my 788 today coming from 2.14, it WAS sexy!

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Hey Jon and the SD Folks,

How about a software upgrade to the CL-WiFi App? There are a few features I'd like to see:

1. The ability to enter sound report information and edit reports via the App. I love how easy it is to name tracks and all that with the current app, but was somewhat surprised that I had no access to the Sound Report menu and information such as Production Company, Job, Boom Op, etc. Seems like you'd want to be able to use the App to enter alpha-numeric data in any of the fields in the 788.

2. I wish the CL-WiFi app would somehow remember my track names like the machine does. Sometimes I need to swap the name on track 1 with the name on track 3 for instance. If the track names were memorized in a list within the App, like they are on the 788 itself, this would make the app even more functional for quick name swapping rather than re-entering everything.

3. Finally, this is kind of a long shot, but a free app that was purely a timecode reader that read timecode from the Wi-Fi link on the 788 would be AWESOME for PA's and Scripty folks who want to keep track of timecode for a shot log. I say free because they could just download a limited app (similar to what Denecke or Ambient has) that would read the incoming WiFi timecode and then everyone on set could potentially have it on their phone for keeping track of timecode without being asked by the sound department to buy an app. This would be GREAT on reality shows where you may have 3 people doing different timecode note-taking. Besides, as I mentioned, Denecke and Ambient already have free apps, but they don't read incoming WiFi timecode from the CL-WiFi as far as I know.

Just some thoughts. Thanks!

-Matt

Not exactly the point of my thread there.

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Hey Jon and the SD Folks,

How about a software upgrade to the CL-WiFi App? There are a few features I'd like to see:

1. The ability to enter sound report information and edit reports via the App. I love how easy it is to name tracks and all that with the current app, but was somewhat surprised that I had no access to the Sound Report menu and information such as Production Company, Job, Boom Op, etc. Seems like you'd want to be able to use the App to enter alpha-numeric data in any of the fields in the 788.

Just some thoughts. Thanks!

-Matt

I agree here on the first point as well and while we are at it, how about a "save as PDF or email PDF" of the sound report.

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The shop is shut down as they monitor our every whimper, whine, and pleading for various minor change to their fine product. They are waiting with baited breath for our next utterance. They are also wondering why we aren't working today.

Thanks so much for my LOTD!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but so is your last sentence!

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Get out much?

:)

Not really, my gaff is sexy too ;) .

Now seriously, automix is going to do me very good for the reality stuff, and it comes as a software update. The way I see it it's a good sign we are asking for functions to be added to the ios app, which I guess we weren't counting on when we bought the 788 (at least 3 years ago), or tweaks to the automix function which has recently come as an unexpected update ( for me). I meant to tell John that there are a few of us that will appreciate that kind of thinking and company behaviour, and actually enjoy updating and checking the new functions, today I felt like I had a new mixer for one man band gigs.

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I actually like the fact that SD devices are solid and stand the test of time- nothing sucks more than to drop a few $1000s on a piece of gear only to find that it is outdated or superseded a few months later. I do love the fact that SD continually put out firmware updates that increase the functionality of their products without having to spend a another chunk of change.

If they were to release a new product- I would suggest maybe an 8-16 track recorder with mixer incorporated (something like the 788t and CL8 as an all in one device maybe).

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I actually like the fact that SD devices are solid and stand the test of time- nothing sucks more than to drop a few $1000s on a piece of gear only to find that it is outdated or superseded a few months later. I do love the fact that SD continually put out firmware updates that increase the functionality of their products without having to spend a another chunk of change.

If they were to release a new product- I would suggest maybe an 8-16 track recorder with mixer incorporated (something like the 788t and CL8 as an all in one device maybe).

i think they should drop the 702 line, add two more mic pres to the 744 and add a deck that competes directly with the nomad. and maybe shift the pricing downward a little so the Somad fits in at the top. this was the original point i was trying to make. SD is great stuff but their is a huge gap in the recorder lineup.

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