Mobile Rocket Malfunction > Have you seen this?

[Ryan Dean]

Hey,

I just got off of a 3 day commercial and was all excited about breaking in my new Mobile Rocket, but much to my surprise it was all but satisfying.

I installed new drivers and firmware, even put it in safe mode, but nothing seem to work. The Mobile Rocket played the clips pretty well, but when it came to transcoding most of my clips came out like this... Check it out and please let me know if you've run into this and what you did to fix it. Thanks!

 

[Eric Santiago]

whats your specs? were looking into getting one.

 

[Jamie Metzger]

I know there are DIP switches inside the Box that holds the rocket. They need to be in a certain order depending on how you use it. I'm sure Maxx Digital has that info.

I'm using one right this moment on my macbook pro and can't think of what caused this.

 

[Jamie Metzger]

I know there are DIP switches inside the Box that holds the rocket. They need to be in a certain order depending on how you use it. I'm sure Maxx Digital has that info.

I'm using one right this moment on my macbook pro and can't think of what caused this.

 

[Peter Matthes]

Hey,

I just got off of a 3 day commercial and was all excited about breaking in my new Mobile Rocket, but much to my surprise it was all but satisfying.

I installed new drivers and firmware, even put it in safe mode, but nothing seem to work. The Mobile Rocket played the clips pretty well, but when it came to transcoding most of my clips came out like this... Check it out and please let me know if you've run into this and what you did to fix it. Thanks!

Is it a Mobile Rocket, or a Mobile Rocket Raid?

 

[Ryan Dean]

I knew about the Dip switches, but the specific configurations didn't help.

 

[Ryan Dean]

It is a mobile rocket. I spoke to Devon over at Maxx Digital (very nice dude), and he told me that the mobile rocket was designed for playback only and not to transcode. I guess I missed that somewhere in the fine print. It's unfortunate because using the mobile rocket on set for transcoding would be a huge plus. Looks like I will put the rocket back in my Mac tower... and put the Maxx Digital box and components up for sale. Having said that... contact me for details.

Thanks!
Regards,

ryan
407.810.0753
ryanpdean@gmail.com

 

[ericyoung]

It is a mobile rocket. I spoke to Devon over at Maxx Digital (very nice dude), and he told me that the mobile rocket was designed for playback only and not to transcode. I guess I missed that somewhere in the fine print. It's unfortunate because using the mobile rocket on set for transcoding would be a huge plus. Looks like I will put the rocket back in my Mac tower... and put the Maxx Digital box and components up for sale. Having said that... contact me for details.

Thanks!
Regards,

ryan
407.810.0753
ryanpdean@gmail.com

Whaaat? That's the main reason for having a Red Rocket! Are you sure?

 

[Peter Matthes]

the mobile rocket was designed for playback only and not to transcode. I guess I missed that somewhere in the fine print. It's unfortunate because using the mobile rocket on set for transcoding would be a huge plus.
ryanpdean@gmail.com

That was the reason for my question.

From what little Information I have gathered so far, this issue has been solved in the Mobile Rocket Raid.

However, you should do your own research before purchasing either.

 

[Jamie Metzger]

You guys are crazy. I'm using the Mobile Rocket right now to transcode roughly 150GB's worth of data/day. I'm also using it hooked up to my FSI 17" monitor to set one light looks for the transcodes.

It's meant for transcoding more than playback.

jamie

 

[ericyoung]

You guys are crazy. I'm using the Mobile Rocket right now to transcode roughly 150GB's worth of data/day. I'm also using it hooked up to my FSI 17" monitor to set one light looks for the transcodes.

It's meant for transcoding more than playback.

jamie

Just to clarify - you are doing accelerated transcoding of R3D files to another file format for post-production, like ProRes, DNxHD, etc.

 

[Jamie Metzger]

Just to clarify - you are doing accelerated transcoding of R3D files to another file format for post-production, like ProRes, DNxHD, etc.

Yes, ProRes422HQ. Why do you ask? It's about a 3:1 ratio for GB/HR.

 

[ericyoung]

Yes, ProRes422HQ. Why do you ask? It's about a 3:1 ratio for GB/HR.

That's what I thought, and expected. On another thread, someone was confusing debayering with transcoding, and just wanted to double check. Especially as I am probably going to be buying a Rocket soon!

Thanks Jamie.

 

[Jamie Metzger]

I've never used the mobile rocket for playback til this shoot.

The footage looks great on the monitor, but there is a lot of lag between selecting the monitor out and the Mobile rocket actually outputting. took a bit of work to get the monitor out working and it's a bit finicky. I make sure it's working before I invite the DP down to look at the footage and set looks.

Pretty neat.

 

[Peter Matthes]

It's meant for transcoding more than playback.

Jamie ... I am sincerely glad that it is working flawlessly for you.

However, if you call and talk to the guys at Maxx Digital ... like I did about an hour ago ... you will find that the exact opposite is true.

The Mobile Rocket is intended primary for setting looks and realtime playback. That doesn't mean that the Mobile Rocket will not work in that capacity most of the the time. It just means that there will be other times when it will produce banded clips like the ones provided by Ryan.

Apparently, the Mobile Rocket Raid has a completely different architecture, and this rainbow banding problem has been resolved. Red has been hammering a beta unit of the MRR for weeks, and apparently they have not had a single issue yet.

If you don't believe me, call Maxx Digital directly.

I hope this helps you Ryan and Eric.

 

[Jamie Metzger]

Ryan, check the appearance of the red rocket card. I had a card that gave me some similar issues and it was because of a tiny transistor that broke off. Contact deenan.

 

[ericyoung]

Jamie ... I am sincerely glad that it is working flawlessly for you.

However, if you call and talk to the guys at Maxx Digital ... like I did about an hour ago ... you will find that the exact opposite is true.

The Mobile Rocket is intended primary for setting looks and realtime playback. That doesn't mean that the Mobile Rocket will not work in that capacity most of the the time. It just means that there will be other times when it will produce banded clips like the ones provided by Ryan.

Apparently, the Mobile Rocket Raid has a completely different architecture, and this rainbow banding problem has been resolved. Red has been hammering a beta unit of the MRR for weeks, and apparently they have not had a single issue yet.

If you don't believe me, call Maxx Digital directly.

I hope this helps you Ryan and Eric.

Not that I don't believe you, but it is news that a Mobile Rocket is NOT intended for transcoding use. And a rainbox banding problem is not mentioned anywhere on the Maxxdigital site that I can see, and certainly has not come up in any Mobile Rocket Reduser thread that I can find on a Google search.

If this is a integral fault or flaw in the design they should not be selling it without that caveat!!

But this thread:
http://reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?p=641013&highlight=mobile+rocket#post641013

and others indicate that it's fine for transcoding.

And the Red Store has this description of the Red Rocket "Decode and debayer 4K R3D files realtime. Hyper-accelerated transcode to any system codec."

 

[Jamie Metzger]

The Mobile rocket is totally fine for transcoding. I've used it on many jobs.

You guys should remember that the Red Rocket is basically a video card on steroids. Red is making it do more than what is demanded from most video cards. There is a lot of instability with the RR card.

Ryan, Like I said; contact Deenan. He knows about these issues way better than us.

 

[Peter Matthes]

There is a lot of instability with the RR card.

That's funny. That's not mentioned anywhere on the Red site.

Has the RR card proved unstable in Mac Pro towers?

Deenan ... Do you feel this is a Red Rocket issue?

Again ... if you find that you are reliably transcoding with the Mobile Rocket , then power to you. Some people don't work under deadlines or with maniac clients. For your average user a rainbow banded clip here and there might not even be a problem. You simply run it again.

What I am telling you is that Maxx Digital is telling me that the Mobile Rocket is not primarily intended for that purpose.

Just because something can do something, doesn't mean it is it's primary purpose or a 100% reliable soultion.

Again ... Don't take my word for it. Pick up the phone. Call Maxx Digital.

I have found them to be very straight forward, honest, and generous with their time.

 

[Peter Matthes]

If this is a integral fault or flaw in the design they should not be selling it without that caveat!!

But this thread:
http://reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?p=641013&highlight=mobile+rocket#post641013

and others indicate that it's fine for transcoding.

Eric, I was under the same impression.

Then I noticed this.

http://reduser.net/forum/showpost.php?p=669980&postcount=1

... and this second one was still new in the box.

http://reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=51955

Perhaps you should ask Andrae about his experience with it.

Or better yet ... give Maxx Digital a call and ask them directly.

Once again ... I am not by any means saying that this is not a great product. We all know that it is. I am just suggesting that if you need to use this professionally ... and your primary need is its on-set transcoding ability ... you might want to ask Maxx Digital about the newer Mobile Rocket Raid.