Connector orientation.

[Charles Perkins]

but your camera warranty will go bye bye.

ok, this i understand but, what happens if you do intentionally open your red and you void the warranty.

if stuff brakes can you still get it fixed by paying for it to be fixed, or will red simply not touch it?

 

[Andrew McCarrick]

What about one cable that has a longer L connector on it? So it comes out above the other one.... So it basically be L__(long L connector, longer straight piece coming from the camera before it turns) over top a L (regular L connector). Does Lemo make Male to Female adapters (or could one be made?), because that's all you should need to extend it right? So you'd have to plug in the shorter L cable into into the power input, then the adapter into the drive port and then the second L cable into the adapter.

 

[Brent J. Craig]

This entire discussion tells me that right-angle Lemo connectors are to be avoided at all costs. No matter how careful you are they are always going to end up blocking something or not fitting.

When I check out a camera package I swap out any cable that has a right-angle connector.

 

[Finner]

Like I said...



Nobody get any stupid ideas.

I question if you have you actually read posts on this forum Brook? For people not to get any "stupid idea's" Jarred would have to ban at least 20% of the members if not more?

 

[Finner]

This entire discussion tells me that right-angle Lemo connectors are to be avoided at all costs. No matter how careful you are they are always going to end up blocking something or not fitting.

When I check out a camera package I swap out any cable that has a right-angle connector.

This approach seems a little crazy to me. I always tested cables, marked with colored tape what goes where and never have had a single problem with things not fitting. Spare straight angle options are always good to have to cover for strange car mounts or accessories.

 

[Wes Printz]

Oh, I see.
They just seem to have rotated it the wrong way :-(

Well, I hope Jarred can persuade the LEMO guys...

Anders, It's not the LEMO guys.. it's the RED Guys... Placement of the connector in the back cover...

 

[Jannard]

As Jarred said... we are looking into it.

Jim

 

[Anders Holck]

I know Wes
Jarred said the angle key is dictated in the chassis mould, the workaround could be to have LEMO make a custom angled plug.

 

[Petros Nousias]

Got my camera 2 days ago, and was very surpised when I noticed that both the drive and power plugs are not angled... Big mistake, since now the cradle needs to be further away, meaning the rails have to go further to the back, meaning that they are probably not long enough any more to hold the matte box in the other end of the camera.

 

[Brent J. Craig]

...now the cradle needs to be further away, meaning the rails have to go further to the back, meaning that they are probably not long enough any more to hold the matte box in the other end of the camera.

You have a mattebox that mounts to the top rails? Upside down?

 

[Jarred Land]

Anders, It's not the LEMO guys.. it's the RED Guys... Placement of the connector in the back cover...

The orientation is in the body.. Stuart put it at the angle he did for a reason (cant remember right now what that was) but The intention was never to use right angle cables off the back, only on the drive side. Thats why we ship a cable with one straight and one Right angled.

I really dont think you guys want us to make a new mold to do this, because that would require you all sending your cameras in and paying a pretty penny for a complete new back plate, just because you want to use right angles off the back.

The better solution that we are engaged in, and you guys can correct me if I am wrong, is to get Lemo to get a batch of cable side connectors keyed different, so for those who want to make that choice, you can just buy a double right-angled cable.

Agreed?

 

[sparkhope]

The orientation is in the body.. Stuart put it at the angle he did for a reason (cant remember right now what that was) but The intention was never to use right angle cables off the back, only on the drive side. Thats why we ship a cable with one straight and one Right angled.

I really dont think you guys want us to make a new mold to do this, because that would require you all sending your cameras in and paying a pretty penny for a complete new back plate, just because you want to use right angles off the back.

The better solution that we are engaged in, and you guys can correct me if I am wrong, is to get Lemo to get a batch of cable side connectors keyed different, so for those who want to make that choice, you can just buy a double right-angled cable.

Agreed?

but perhaps the design could be modified for later production runs? Say cameras above 3000? :shifty:

 

[Wes Printz]

The better solution that we are engaged in, and you guys can correct me if I am wrong, is to get Lemo to get a batch of cable side connectors keyed different, so for those who want to make that choice, you can just buy a double right-angled cable.

Agreed?

In saying this, how would this affect the position of pin #1 which in every other LEMO in the world is located at the key. Then the normal straight plugs as the system was designed, would not fit.

The only reason I could think of for Stuart changing the keying position on the "X" revision, is to ensure people plug the right angle into the drive and not the body???

The alternative, since the EGG connector rotational position is set by the rear casting, as stated. The connector has two flats for positioning why not remove and rotate the drive connector 180 Deg placing the key in the 7 O'clock position. Then, if someone wanted to use a right angle LEMO there, the cable would run up and follow the contour of the rear panel display.

This would be the most cost effective solution, then LEMO does not have to make a custom product to adapt to someone elses design, that incorporates their connector, and the RED team can get back to building cameras.

 

[Jarred Land]

Pana-tech.. I like the way your thinking.. and rotating it 180 degrees is on the table, but it would mean the cable would be exiting pointing upwards at a rather odd angle, requiring the cable to do some interesting bends back and down. It would also require us to open up peoples cameras to do that modification.

As for your question about pins.. there is no way we would change the actual pin 1 location of the connector, that would be a little retarded of us to do, and make 3rd party cable guys like yourself that follow pin diagrams pull their hair out.

The intention is not to do that, but instead to just modify the one sleeve (and its matching collet) of the Lemo that dictates the exit angle of the cable. That way Pin 1 is at the same relative location as the key, and its just the exit angle that is changed.

That said.. Im looking for some feedback here, where would you guys like that to point? 5 oclock? 3 oclock? 7 oclock? I had the same thing as Anders did in my head, but Im open to suggestions.

Thanks guys.

 

[Wes Printz]

Thanks Jarred... Keeping in mind maybe a handful of users would use the right angle drive connector at the camera, as most would use the straight on camera, and R/A on drive as the system was designed. With the connector rotated 180 Deg, it would not matter with the straight plug.

I'm thinking mainly for Steadicam ops who may want to reduce the rear profile of the camera. I recently made some Steadicam power cables with right angles on request just for this reason. Some ops may mount the drive across the top cheese plate and keep the rear panel free from obstruction.

Not only would the Connector housing require redesign but the internal locking sleeve AND the pin insert carrier.

My vote is for rotating the current connector 180 Deg, to reduce RED's costs on this since the casting has been made. Obviously the main goal is uniformity, if cameras start showing up on sets with different plugs, it could become a nightmare.

The nightmare would be with the various Camera mount rigs, Cranes, heads, helicopter, underwater etc...

 

[James T Mather]

I liked the way anders piccy looks - facing in opposite directions - is that possible? - so 4/5 oclock and 7 oclock respectively seems good (also less torsion/gravity pulling at the connectors which are always the first things to go on any camera system)

If this is prohibitive to do at red - is there a custom cable builder who can do this?

 

[Wes Printz]

With LEMO connectors, the position is fixed and NOT adjustable as XLR right angle connectors are. With the right angle LEMO connector, the cable exits opposite the keyway.

No matter how good your cable builder is, they can't change this direction on LEMO connectors.

 

[James T Mather]

it's an outrage!:biggrin: - straight it is then.

 

[Georg Misch]

I would like the position that Anders suggested.

And while you are at it, look at the aux power connectors as well...

Georg

 

[Anders Holck]

I recently made some Steadicam power cables with right angles on request just for this reason. Some ops may mount the drive across the top cheese plate and keep the rear panel free from obstruction.

Guess who you made those for.....