Schedule Dates - what do they mean?

[Luke Boyce]

When those number of units should generally be shipped by. Anything else doesn't make sense.

But again, it's a tentative schedule. So don't plan on shooting with the RED One without any backup plan!

Why would it not make sense that that could be the date that those units begin shipping?

 

[Adrian T.]

Why would it not make sense that that could be the date that those units begin shipping?

Because Jim doesn't plan the shipment, he plans the production of the cameras. And target dates in production are always meant to be the finish line.

 

[OwenR]

Realisation......

Wed planned to rent to shoot in October 2007....

But i wouldnt advise on planning shooting anything Red until......2008.....

And because so many red rental houses/places dont have any alternative to offer.......

Everyone has delays for x reasons....

 

[Luke Boyce]

Because Jim doesn't plan the shipment, he plans the production of the cameras. And target dates in production are always meant to be the finish line.

See, now that's something I wasn't aware of and would have totally helped in understanding this schedule. Someone could have just mentioned that awhile ago instead of lightly accusing me of trying to force more info out of Jim.

 

[SF Geek]

Iboyce, Don't make any plans by this tentative shipping schedule. That's the main point. You shouldn't go by this schedule because anything could happen. The camera has just been retooled and is out being tested. There could be any number of unforseen issues. Remember that it's Red's first camera. If you plan on starting your documentary this fall, then you better plan on using a different camera.

 

[Luke Boyce]

Iboyce, Don't make any plans by this tentative shipping schedule. That's the main point. You shouldn't go by this schedule because anything could happen. The camera has just been retooled and is out being tested. There could be any number of unforseen issues. Remember that it's Red's first camera. If you plan on starting your documentary this fall, then you better plan on using a different camera.

I've already stated that my inquiry isn't about solidifying a date. I mentioned previously that our planned start date for our doc is basically whenever we get the RED, whether that be fall, winter or even spring next year. I'm not really worried about it. No plans are being made. Just wanted clarification. I stated that at the beginning.

 

[ChristopherKenworthy]

I think, after all this discussion, and Jim's silence we have to assume that the latest schedule was meant to be really, really vague and has an inbuilt ambiguity. Otherwise it would have been really easy for Jim or somebody else to say "the listed date is a tentative START date" or "the listed date is a tentative COMPLETION date" for a given batch. They haven't said anything, so they must want it to remain ambiguous by a month. As well as tentative. And if that makes them happy, great. Tentative, ambiguous shipping dates must make them feel a lot safer. My solution - look at the date attached to my batch and add two months. I feel safer that way. Not happier, but safer.

 

[Brook Willard]

Because Jim doesn't plan the shipment, he plans the production of the cameras. And target dates in production are always meant to be the finish line.

See, now that's something I wasn't aware of and would have totally helped in understanding this schedule. Someone could have just mentioned that awhile ago instead of lightly accusing me of trying to force more info out of Jim.

I think we ought to let Jim speak for himself.

 

[ChristopherKenworthy]

I think we ought to let Jim speak for himself.

But he isn't doing. Which is what makes me think vague dates are all part of his big plan to get the cameras to us a month earlier than we expected. It's bed time where I live, so I can dream.

 

[HD Hildebrand]

Assuming 6 workdays a week, 12 hour days, and a linear output, you can expect your RED to be shipped on Tuesday, October 23rd, at 2:22 p.m. sharp.

- tentatively, of course... :wink:

Wow, Big Lebowski, I like your precise calculations. Could you figure that out for Camera #423 - this way I could have the set fully lit and rehearsals timed to the last nanosecond. Also, if I work it out with FedEx I may also be able to get the aerial shot as the camera is coming in for a landing.

 

[Rob Powell]

Assuming there are no major issues in the beta tests, the schedule will only have real meaning after the first 100-200 units come off the line. By then the process will be rolling and the QC verified. If Red delivers the first 200 on-time, the rest of the schedule will probably be pretty accurate.

I don't think bugging Jim to elaborate the semantics of each word of his schedule post is really going to supply any meaningful emotional comfort.

RA

 

[Michael Hastings]

Not an unreasonable question?

Not an unreasonable question?

guys, I think you need to chill. The only one who might know the answer is Jim. He gave you a "tentative" schedule, I'm sure as soon as he knows the anwser you will be the first to know. Until then cut him some slack, he gave us a very nice estimated timeline, which is far more than most manufactures at this stage of production would provide.

Could we please find out what the schedule dates mean.

Does the date mean that the quota cameras will

1) Start shipping on that date 1 at a time (how many per day)
2) The complete quota would have shipped by this date
3) The complete quota will ship on this date

Regards
Rory

So should I just assume this question isn't going to be answered honestly? Cause it's been asked a few times and still not been answered.

No, okay. Let me try to explain this one more time. We're NOT asking for any more SPECIFIC details regarding shipping. I completely understand that they're tentative and I could not even possibly get mine till the beginning of next year. That is fully understood!

But the schedule that Jim presented is confusing in it's actual form. When Jim wrote those dates they HAD to mean something. Either dates that shipping for those particular units began or dates that shipping for those particular units completed. What did Jim mean by those dates? We're not asking for any EXTRA information here! We're asking for CLARIFICATION of something Jim already stated.

I think that people on this board are a little too scared about other people biting the hands that feed them, but that's not what this is. We're not whining about getting any MORE information. We just want clarification.

What do the dates mean. That's the question. It's a simple question. Jim knew it when he wrote them, he just didn't clarify enough what they meant specifically. No disrespect. Just an honest question.

As a manufacturer myself I know that there are a lot of unreasonable questions on this board. But I don't think this is one of them. As lboyce says this is just a clarification. We all know that dates are tentative but for instance I am #206 so given Jim's range of 100-300 or October 10th it wouldn't be unreasonable to make some projections if they do they previous two releases as scheduled (or even do some refiguring based on whenever they do ship the first two releases). It would make a significant difference if they are assembling themselves and QC/shipping happens as completed throughout the month - or if they are being assembled/packaged elsewhere and they receive them as a bulk shipment to be shipped out essentially as one group.

To further amplify, I was told at NAB that RED is not doing their own CNC machining of the main body. This surprised me a bit given the volume of cameras already ordered and their fairly close proximity to Haas Automation - a major manufacturer of CNC machining centers - and since for example all of the makers of underwater cases such as Light and Motion, Gates, AquaVideo, Amphibico, etc. do their own CNC machining. (Take a look at a Light&Motion or Amphibico housing and see how similar it is to a RED body in terms of machining). And these companies are much lower volume, with lesser resources than RED.

If this is the case then it is more likely that RED will get a substantial number of bodies at one time rather than a continuous flow, and it may mean it is more likely that they are subcontracting assembly, again meaning bulk shipments rather than continuous flow.

My point is: I don't think it is an unreasonable question, and communication could be served by simply answering or (and this would be reasonable too) just saying that he would rather not answer that. There were multiple posts regarding this on the original schedule thread and now an entire thread. It seems that even a response of "I prefer no comment" would be better than no response at all.

I don't think bugging Jim to elaborate the semantics of each word of his schedule post is really going to supply any meaningful emotional comfort.

RA

No, but it might put this thread/discussion to rest.

 

[Michael Hastings]

bump..

bump..

bump..

 

[Mark L. Pederson]

No, but it might put this thread/discussion to rest.

Or ... a moderator could just lock this one down ... it's a yawn fest.

 

[Jonathan L. Bowen]

*crickets*

*yawn*

 

[Brook Willard]

If you guys are done talking, stop talking.

 

[Adrian Correia]

yes....right....now.