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Alexa Mini TC sync


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On 26 Sep 2016 at 11:26 PM, soundpod said:

yes it's standard lemo timecode connector. But it's in a really awkward position, therefore a right angled one would be great to have, if the angle comes out in the correct orientation.

I think the only angle that really would make sense is horizontally to the right left (when looked from the back of the camera), i.e. so it goes over the fan - if it goes up, or right, it extends outside of the body, downwards it will cover the card slot.

As Jim noted, most shoots where absolute compactness is not needed will leave room to the back to open the card slot anyway, so a straight connector works well in those cases.

 

 

Edited by chrismedr
clarification on orientation
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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 7 months later...

Hi guys

I'm going to work with an Alexa Mini next week. Reading about the need for angled cables, I'm going to order the Remote Audio sound cable.

Regarding having a TC cable with angled LEMO-connection, I have found that Ambient makes TC cables with angled LEMO connections in several orientations.

I plan to send the Alexa TC to a Time Code Buddy TRX - with camera set to REC-RUN.

In your experience with the Alexa Mini, which TC cable would be best to buy? Which angle would be the best?

http://ambient.de/en/product_custom_cat/timecode-cables/

 

Thanks in advance

Frederick

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Just now, RPSharman said:

My advice is have the camera department jam the camera in the morning and after lunch. Worked for me with 3x minis for 5 months. 

Good to know, that's what I'll do if my current TC cable gets in the way of the camera configuration.

Still, when working with one camera productions, I prefer having the camera set to REC-RUN and automatically slave my 664 REC to the incoming TC.

That's why I want a TC cable that's not in the way.

Checking the prices of the angled Ambient TC cables, they are quite pricey. Ahh well...

Which audio cable did you use by the way? The Remote Audio with angled LEMO?

 

Cheers

Frederick

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7 minutes ago, RPSharman said:

My advice is have the camera department jam the camera in the morning and after lunch. Worked for me with 3x minis for 5 months. 

I second RPs advice from experience, this works well. Don't care whether it's the camera dept, or us , and re-jam after frame rate changes, and battery reloads and all should be well.

 

Regards,

Jim Rillie

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11 hours ago, ninjafreddan said:

In your experience with the Alexa Mini, which TC cable would be best to buy? Which angle would be the best?

as mentioned above the only one that makes sense imo is if it goes left over the fan:

alexa-mini-back.jpg

but if it's not for gimbals or drones the camera dep will leave a gap to the batteries so that they can change cards easily, in which case just use a straight cable (or jam once and keep in free run)

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4 hours ago, chrismedr said:

but if it's not for gimbals or drones the camera dep will leave a gap to the batteries so that they can change cards easily, in which case just use a straight cable (or jam once and keep in free run)

Okay, then I should be fine using a straight TC cable. Thanks for the information. :-)

 

Cheers

Frederick

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On 7.6.2017 at 9:20 AM, mikewest said:

Done the right angle thing OK

This week working with a Mini that will not go to Ext TC in the menu ???!!!

So cannot jam but just leave a tc bow on it every day !!!!

mike

Had the same problem recently. Don't remember what the reason was, but it was one setting in the menu that wasn't set right. It wasn't the frame rate was it?

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13 hours ago, Johnny Karlsson said:

4 weeks in to a show shooting on two Minis and occasionally an Amira as camera C - jam in the morning and after lunch. We are also slating with a TS3. So far no complaints. Cameras are consistently 2 frames off, but that's a known "issue". 

Sync boxes on cameras, or not?

 

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I've also been coming around to this, and so far DITs are happy (and they are aware of any hitches in sync if they are doing their job) which makes production happy. Frame rate changes and camera reboots are another matter. Funny that the "known issue still hasn't been dealt with.

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On 06/06/2017 at 7:40 AM, RPSharman said:

My advice is have the camera department jam the camera in the morning and after lunch. Worked for me with 3x minis for 5 months. 

Do you just hand over the TC boxes and trust they'll do it, or do you supervise it every time?

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On 15/06/2017 at 11:44 PM, IronFilm said:

Do you just hand over the TC boxes and trust they'll do it, or do you supervise it every time?

If the boxes are mine, on prep day or day 1, I'll be sure they work. After that, I hand over the TC boxes and couldn't care less about what they do. If they're not mine, I check the box settings are correct and jam the box. 

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  • 4 weeks later...

I will hand camera dept. boxes and slate, checking before first roll to be sure boxes are riding on camera and TC is being transmitted. 

In terms of working with the mini, I have always used a straight lemo. I have also seen that alexa mini lemo TC in cables are almost always sold as 90 degree lemos. This is fully dependent on how the camera is being built, but I have never had a problem connecting a straight lemo.

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12 hours ago, mikewest said:

Then fight the Mini menu

I synched TC on a mini last week: straight lemo connector worked (but was tight), jammed on morning and on lunch.

took like 4 clicks and 20 sec to jam, but then I know the menus quite well from the amira. 

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