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Zaxcom Nomad - operating questions, plus tips & shortcuts


Jack Norflus

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ALERT: I can't find anywhere where someone else has had this happen but...if you find that your IFB/ZAXNET connector on your Nomad or probably your MAXX becomes loose DO NOT TURN IT. I thought while in the field that my ZAXNET antenna was just loose BUT it was the connector itself. The cable immediately behind the SMA connector inside the unit snapped in the process...definitely a design flaw as once the screw came loose on the outside there was nothing to stop the connector from continually turning and snapping the cable. The screw is some sort of brass or copper and broke pretty easily under any kind of stress from tightening and it disintegrated in my hands.

 

If that area was easily accessible on the Nomad it would be an easy repair for anyone, but it isn't easily accessible and would require a lot of dismantling and possibly hurting the unit in the process. If anyone else has had this issue feel free to comment. I am sending it in tomorrow, hope it does not cost a lot of $. Thanks!

 

Tim

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My SMA jack came loose after a relatively short time. I tried to tighten it by truning but that eventually damaged the cable inside. Since my dealer fixed it it has never come loose again.

I suppose it is due to the jack's position and the strain "being bent around the corner", and I would guess that on the Maxx this doesn't happen that easily because the jack is on the face rather than the side of the machine.

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I wish my zaxnet antenna was on top of my machine à la maxx not on the side. It is too exposed and i also fear that it will break. If their was an upgrade for that, i d pay for it.

I wish my zaxnet antenna was on top of my machine à la maxx not on the side. It is too exposed and i also fear that it will break. If there was an upgrade for that, i d pay for it.

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This works well. no need to ever take it off once it's on.

attachicon.gifImageUploadedByTapatalk1382378598.459008.jpg

Great thanks, do you get just as good range with it, have you done any comparative testing?

Who is it made by please?

Also got me thinking about SMA extension leads which I've used successfully with 850Mhz but never tried with 2.4Ghz. Anyone know whether 2.4Ghz is likely to be OK with a short SMA extension lead?

Thanks.

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This works well. no need to ever take it off once it's on.

attachicon.gifImageUploadedByTapatalk1382378598.459008.jpg

 

+1

 

I use this equivalent antenna as well and it is great. I have not directly compared range, but it's good enough with the 'shorty' that I haven't even had the desire to do a range test. I also just leave it on all the time in my bag. 

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+1

 

I use this equivalent antenna as well and it is great. I have not directly compared range, but it's good enough with the 'shorty' that I haven't even had the desire to do a range test. I also just leave it on all the time in my bag. 

Wow surprised you guys wouldn't get severely reduced range from that stubby, but if it works great then sweet. I think the standard antenna included with my Nomad has gone bad, it got bent at some point and my IFB currently cut out at around 1 foot from the antenna...

 

Also update on my situation. I was too close to a job and overnight shipping from where I was in excess of $200 bucks!...so I fixed the situation myself. Fortunately I missed something at my initial analysis, there was extra cable that was easily accessible to solder a connector to and put back in its place. Unfortunately with the normal connector the cable snapped off right at the base of the connector so I couldn't salvage it. Luckily I went down to Radio shack purchased a SMA female connector to a BNC female and lopped off the BNC and soldered it to the very small connecting cable that goes to the amplifier or whatever. Although short, the female connector went through the hole in the Nomad and successfully terminates. I then connected a SMA male to male connector to the female protruding connector.  The center swivels on the male to male SMA, so that corrects any problem of turning something too far/much. Will probably adopt a right angle option like what Jack suggests. Thanks for ya'll replies. I'm getting the same putrid range as before but at least I know it is working. I added the 1 watt amplifier I have for it and it increased the putrid range to just being about 6 - 7 feet away from the antenna, pretty sure it is the antenna. Anyone else have a problem with breaking the antenna and finding reduced range?

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I did two separate walk tests with the stubby (made by Ambient) antenna available at Trew audio and B+H,

I notice an approximate 10% reduction in solid link range. Some times less sometimes a bit more. All very acceptable, especially if you are primarily only sending timecode. I also keep the stock antenna in my gear bag as a back up. I now consider this antenna as my stock antenna, and if I need a boost I pull out the original stock.

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Yes not bad, but I don't use them for TC...but IFB. Still don't quite get the whole ERX tc and hop arrangement...since the ERX is neither an adequate lockit box nor hop. Understand less tc because most shooters shoot nonstop and most of these new cameras hold tc sync for not very long without a per frame accuracy...and hop is not two track and doesn't sound that great...personally wouldn't use it with pluralize. Anybody using that system and have heard from post that it has saved them or rather the opposite?

Tim

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Yes not bad, but I don't use them for TC...but IFB. Still don't quite get the whole ERX tc and hop arrangement...since the ERX is neither an adequate lockit box nor hop. Understand less tc because most shooters shoot nonstop and most of these new cameras hold tc sync for not very long without a per frame accuracy...and hop is not two track and doesn't sound that great...personally wouldn't use it with pluralize. Anybody using that system and have heard from post that it has saved them or rather the opposite?

Tim

 

Why exactly do you consider an ERX an inadequate lockit box? The lack of Genlock? For most 'normal' applications it's perfect. I've been using it on cameras for well over a year and never had a complaint.

An ERX is not a 'hop'. It's scratch track only. I've had them on 5Ds and the like to be married with Pluraleyes in post with equal success.

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Yes not bad, but I don't use them for TC...but IFB. Still don't quite get the whole ERX tc and hop arrangement...since the ERX is neither an adequate lockit box nor hop. Understand less tc because most shooters shoot nonstop and most of these new cameras hold tc sync for not very long without a per frame accuracy...and hop is not two track and doesn't sound that great...personally wouldn't use it with pluralize. Anybody using that system and have heard from post that it has saved them or rather the opposite?

Tim

Used an ERX on a 5d for scratch audio. Plural Eyes synced no problem.

 

Considering that ERX re-jam their timecode from the ZaxNet signal multiple times a minute, I think it's an excellent sync source.

 

Mark O.

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Yes not bad, but I don't use them for TC...but IFB. Still don't quite get the whole ERX tc and hop arrangement...since the ERX is neither an adequate lockit box nor hop. Understand less tc because most shooters shoot nonstop and most of these new cameras hold tc sync for not very long without a per frame accuracy...and hop is not two track and doesn't sound that great...personally wouldn't use it with pluralize. Anybody using that system and have heard from post that it has saved them or rather the opposite?

Tim

The ERX works great for both timecode sync and scratch track (choose one or other or both), and it's very light, small, and self powered, with control over audio and timecode output levels, and as Mark has pointed out super accurate for TC.

It's not a $2000 two channel camera hop no, but with a variety of small cameras 5D, very mobile C300, both of which have no DC power output, it's perfect.

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That's all she wrote? Might do a test with one camera getting fed consistent TC from zaxnet and one getting genlock and tc from a lockit box and leave them each recording for an hour...and see which or if both are more accurate.

Have you done this test? If so, what was the result?

, Thanks.

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