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NEW: Timecode Systems | UltraSync One


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ultrasync1-800x763.png

 

Read more: http://www.timecodesystems.com/products-home/ultrasync-one/

From official Facebook page, about connectors:

"It's a mini COAX rather than a mini BNC. The official connector name is DIN 1.0/2.3 and is an off the shelf connector available from most electronics hardware suppliers. Two cables are provided in the box to BNC (for timecode and genlock) and more will be available."

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6 hours ago, John Blankenship said:

Someone must have convinced manufacturers that we have a burning desire to carry more and more specialty cables.

 

 

3 hours ago, Philip Perkins said:

You know, I just love making more gear-specific cables.  Almost as much as I love buying them.  I'm sure there was a very very important reason why they didn't go with connectors that are already in use for this purpose.  No thanks.

 

I totally agree with both of these sentiments. There's value in using standard connections. Lost/broken/forgotten cables? Every AC on the planet will usually have a spare shorty BNC. With this thing it's all on you. 

 

Id also rather have AAs. Even if I had to change them every day. 

 

Good for TCS for making something small with genlock though. No one else has that. 

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I'm not a huge fan of those DIN 1.0/2.3 connectors for a slightly different reason: they are kind of flimsy. These connectors are sometimes used for SDI video signals in on products where space is a concern or where a high density of connectors is needed (for UHD quad link SDI video, this allows for cramming 4 of those connectors in a very small space). Some of the Blackmagic Design products use them.

Let's just say I've broken a few of these DIN connectors, and overall I've found them to be far less robust than full-sized BNC.

The connectors do look fairly well secured to the unit in the UltraSync One mockups, but I'd still prefer something different, like full-sized BNC or LEMO. Even 3.5mm, while it is not a locking connector, at least the jack is recessed so there is less chance of damage. There's actually a Mini-BNC connector size as well, which looks like a full-sized, but is about 40% smaller:
http://www.amphenolrf.com/connectors/mini-bnc.html

Even these Mini-BNC connectors more robust than the DIN connectors, although they are a bit larger and share the problem that they are kind of non-standard.

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28 minutes ago, davedv said:

I'm not a huge fan of those DIN 1.0/2.3 connectors for a slightly different reason: they are kind of flimsy.... Some of the Blackmagic Design products use them.

Let's just say I've broken a few of these DIN connectors, and overall I've found them to be far less robust than full-sized BNC.

Dave,

Do you know if all DIN 1.0/2.3 connectors are flimsy, or just the ones on BMD products? Not a challenge on my part, just trying to figure this out. Markertek and Digikey suggest there are several makers of these connectors, and several BMD products have had problems with various connectors, e.g. their Decklink boards, in addition to their little video recorders. So maybe BMD is using a non optimal brand?Have you seen failures on non-BMD products, too?   Thanks!

 

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20 hours ago, IronFilm said:

This doesn't have a built in microphone, is the Tentacle Sync still the only tiny product like this out there with this feature? Even after the announcement of all these new timecode boxes.

Yes, only Tentacle has the option with built-in microphone; so far.

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What I think is weird about the new Mozegear box is it seems to be intended to be used powered from the cam's hirose connector (be it via cam itself or batt rig). The 4.5h batt life is short but if I get it right it's mostly intended to keep TC for lunch or brakes/moving sets.

Only "big cams" have this kind of power output now. Exactly the type of cams that stay on a tripod most of the times. So why this minimalistic box for those cams instead of FS7s and C300s of this world where "tiny" has a place to be ?

Maybe I didn't get the idea at all...

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5 hours ago, Boomboom said:

What I think is weird about the new Mozegear box is it seems to be intended to be used powered from the cam's hirose connector (be it via cam itself or batt rig). The 4.5h batt life is short but if I get it right it's mostly intended to keep TC for lunch or brakes/moving sets.

Only "big cams" have this kind of power output now. Exactly the type of cams that stay on a tripod most of the times. So why this minimalistic box for those cams instead of FS7s and C300s of this world where "tiny" has a place to be ?

Maybe I didn't get the idea at all...

The FS7 does have a hirose out on the XDCA back- don't think the C300mk2 does, though (however I've only worked with them once)

As far as the Ultrasync goes- I, for one, welcome out new overlords.  TCS seem to be doing a very good deal for a wave and a couple of these starting next week 

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On 4/20/2017 at 8:39 PM, Jim Feeley said:

Dave,

Do you know if all DIN 1.0/2.3 connectors are flimsy, or just the ones on BMD products? Not a challenge on my part, just trying to figure this out. Markertek and Digikey suggest there are several makers of these connectors, and several BMD products have had problems with various connectors, e.g. their Decklink boards, in addition to their little video recorders. So maybe BMD is using a non optimal brand?Have you seen failures on non-BMD products, too?   Thanks!

 

It's certainly possible that some of the DIN 1.0/2.3 connectors are better than others, but it's kind of difficult to determine which brand of connector is being used in a particular product (the female DIN jacks in particular all look fairly similar cosmetically). So I couldn't really say which brand is best.

I actually think the bigger issue than the brand of the connector is how the connector is secured to the device frame or housing. Some of the Blackmagic products just have the DIN connectors soldered to the internal PCB, with no retaining nut that secures the connector to the device frame/housing. Blackmagic often does the same thing with their BNC connectors (which isn't great either), but with the smaller DIN connectors it's way to easy to separate them from the PCB if that's the only connection point.

The UltraSync One seems to have the DIN connectors secured to the housing with nuts, which looks a little more robust. AJA does this with their products as well, and it's definitely better (only destroyed one connector attached this way, as opposed to several of the BMD ones).

But the bigger issue is a basic physics problem. The DIN 1.0/2.3 connectors are small, thin, and stick out from the device. That gives a fair bit of leverage for something to bend or damage the connector. Especially if there is something like a cable hanging off the end that someone could accidentally yank or trip over.

The plugs on the cable end have a push-pull locking mechanism, similar to a LEMO or Hirose connector. This works ok, although it's still not as secure as the BNC twist lock. I've broken the male DIN 1.0/2.3 connectors on the cable end as well, but at least those are cheaper to replace.

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