Dragon Update

[william howell]

I love this company... at least we're not in limbo wondering if what they said they were going to do is what they are doing..

giving us updates on production woes, headaches in testing, etc... THAT is the business model of the future...

especially when we are all willing to take out a second or third mortgage to purchase one of their products...

UNLIKE a computer company that has been extremely secretive to their professional customers in the past few years, of which I have been rather vocal about recently... i won't name names... but... they're not in Redmond.

 

[Jason Wingrove]

Do you mind pointing to the source of this info?

Cause the last I have seen posted by Jarred was that:
- sensors and ASICS are all finished and good to go
- all other HW parts are also finished and good to go
- the only thing they were waiting on was the new color science (firmware) to be fine-tuned

Did I miss anything?

P

yes you missed the next sentence "its all down to the bottom end noise that was found in the power supplies, which have been redesigned and we should see those come in from manufacturing in a couple weeks"

That was a week ago so the redesigned power supplies are yet to come in.

 

[Peter Majtan]

I love debates over grammar and context.

Ivan, with all due respect in this context the grammar made all the difference. With the power supplies having been redesigned we are simply looking at two weeks from the 4/27 date (less then a week now) and as such could feasibly expect to see Dragon imagery and "normal mortal's" cameras being upgraded in this month. The past tense signifies that they have found the problem AND solved it. If we were however in the "redesigning stage" - that would mean they are still looking into finding the solution to the problem, which would precede any actual manufacturing of a replacement parts. This would mean possible several months of delays. I was not picking on anyone's grammar per say - my English isn't native either - I simply wanted this information to be clarified as we have seen on a number of occasions in the past such a (even unintentional) info becoming the seed of FUD waves all over the Internet. RED is now being watched more closely then ever...

P

 

[Jack Smith]

So what happened to people who have their camera in for Dragon upgrade at NAB Booth? Does it mean they will have to wait for RED to sort all issues with Dragon sensor upgrade before having their camera back? Have anyone had their Epic upgraded to Dragon after all? I'm pretty confused..

 

[Bob Gundu]

Let's not look behind that curtain. The great OZ has spoken! "Bring me the new manufactured parts before you're able to take these dragons home!"

So what happened to people who have their camera in for Dragon upgrade at NAB Booth? Does it mean they will have to wait for RED to sort all issues with Dragon sensor upgrade before having their camera back? Have anyone had their Epic upgraded to Dragon after all? I'm pretty confused..

 

[Nick Fury]

Let's not look behind that curtain. The great OZ has spoken! "Bring me the new manufactured parts before you're able to take these dragons home!"

Where is that Khaleesi, Mother of all DRAGONS, when you need her.

Actually, she'd come in handy pretty much all the time...

Thank you very much

Fury

 

[charles lim yi yong]

Let's not look behind that curtain. The great OZ has spoken! "Bring me the new manufactured parts before you're able to take these dragons home!"

I thought some lucky owners at NAB13 got a speedy upgrade. This doesn't sound good.

 

[Bob Gundu]

There were definitely cameras getting sensors swapped at NAB and that assembly line was totally legit. But.. I can't imagine you being lucky though to have your camera sitting at RED instead of with you while wrinkles get ironed out. It's not pubic knowledge who the owners of those cameras were. In any case, the lab was still the coolest stunt at NAB.

I thought some lucky owners at NAB13 got a speedy upgrade. This doesn't sound good.

 

[Jack Smith]

I guess it would be not so great for epic owners who have their epic in for dragon upgrade at NAB booth as they will not have camera to use until RED finish the upgrade. I wonder what's the whole idea about NAB dragon sensor assembly line at NAB if RED Dragon is not yet ready.....

 

[Bob Gundu]

Sensors are apparently done and ready to go. It's all the firmware side and until recently some power humming modifications. Let's face it, it was a visual way of proving that Dragon is almost here. Since no Dragon footage was shown at the booth, I would say that bringing the lab was probably the next best idea.

I guess it would be not so great for epic owners who have their epic in for dragon upgrade at NAB booth as they will not have camera to use until RED finish the upgrade. I wonder what's the whole idea about NAB dragon sensor assembly line at NAB if RED Dragon is not yet ready.....

 

[Jack Smith]

Sure it looks like a cool stunt but I guess RED should have warned the owners about the Dragon upgrade delay in advance.

 

[Bob Gundu]

I'm sure things at RED change on a daily basis. Specs were trickling in on the sensor during the show. If there was no NAB, I'm sure information would have been dealt differently. Thats the nature of using trade shows to announce products. Those yearly cycles can be a real hindrance for the marketing teams.

Sure it looks like a cool stunt but I guess RED should have warned the owners about the Dragon upgrade delay in advance.

 

[Rama Prasad]

Sure it looks like a cool stunt but I guess RED should have warned the owners about the Dragon upgrade delay in advance.

100% agreed. Fake publicity will lead to adverse popularity...

Being on top doesn't mean you will stay there forever... American corporates have been very shaky... If you don't remember the past - just turn back the pages a little - Tech Mammoths have fallen down like winged termites in the past and I don't have to specify names here, you all know...

Just BE TRUTHFUL to your HONEST CUSTOMERS...

 

[Jack Smith]

RED did not need to create fake publicity stunt like that. I don't see any reason why they have to jump the gun to announce that Dragon sensor is ready for upgrade and then retract the fact that it need some fine tuning for it to really works. They could have had their Dragon sensor prototype displayed and start taking name of people who want to the upgrade instead of having their cameras sent in. Don't want to bash the whole idea about assembly line at NAB but i think that's too much marketing gimmick.

 

[Scott Summers]

I love debates over grammar and context.

They bore me.

 

[Bob Gundu]

Rama, I'm curious where do you feel RED has been untruthful? RED more than most tech companies have been pretty transparent. I'm also not suggesting that the assembly line idea happened because of lack of footage either. Had Dragon been ready it just would have been double cool to see those eggs falling off the line into customers hands. In any case, I feel people are just anxious for updates and naturally when peoples expectations exceed reality, fingers start pointing and calling foul.

100% agreed. Fake publicity will lead to adverse popularity...

Being on top doesn't mean you will stay there forever... American corporates have been very shaky... If you don't remember the past - just turn back the pages a little - Tech Mammoths have fallen down like winged termites in the past and I don't have to specify names here, you all know...

Just BE TRUTHFUL to your HONEST CUSTOMERS...

 

[Scott Summers]

RED did not need to create fake publicity stunt like that. I don't see any reason why they have to jump the gun to announce that Dragon sensor is ready for upgrade and then retract the fact that it need some fine tuning for it to really works. They could have had their Dragon sensor prototype displayed and start taking name of people who want to the upgrade instead of having their cameras sent in. Don't want to bash the whole idea about assembly line at NAB but i think that's too much marketing gimmick.

It wasn't fake. The people were real. The workstations and assembly line were real. Most importantly the cameras and Dragon sensors were real. If something internally is causing an issue with noise, give them the benefit of the doubt and let them fix it.

 

[Greg M]

RED did not need to create fake publicity stunt like that. I don't see any reason why they have to jump the gun to announce that Dragon sensor is ready for upgrade and then retract the fact that it need some fine tuning for it to really works. They could have had their Dragon sensor prototype displayed and start taking name of people who want to the upgrade instead of having their cameras sent in. Don't want to bash the whole idea about assembly line at NAB but i think that's too much marketing gimmick.

Jack,
Based on your sig you dont have an Epic...so what are you whining about?
I dont hear anyone who had their Epic upgraded at NAB complaining, so why are you so worried about them?

Chill out, the Dragon will get here soon enough. What other manufacture even offers this type of an upgrade?

 

[Rama Prasad]

Rama, I'm curious where do you feel RED has been untruthful? RED more than most tech companies have been pretty transparent. I'm also not suggesting that the assembly line idea happened because of lack of footage either. Had Dragon been ready it just would have been double cool to see those eggs falling off the line into customers hands. In any case, I feel people are just anxious for updates and naturally when peoples expectations exceed reality, fingers start pointing and calling foul.

OK. I was little bit harsh in my earlier comment...

But think about it - If Apple or any other public company have faltered like this in their product release timelines then what would have been the drops in their stock price during all the excuses in the past one month or so. Other tech companies are so concerned and less transparent becos most of them are public and they have to answer their stockholders and board members for every mistakes like these... Red being private and being in the business (since Red one) for 6+ yrs should act a little more matured on what facts to release and what not too...

There is not a single footage yet from their future flagship product, but their existing bread winners have fallen more than half the price, there by killing any rental market they might have had during these days... And you are saying all these delays are due to manufacturing issues... Hard to Believe Bob!

 

[Sergio Perez]

Sincerely, with the current MX Epic shooting The Great Gatsby, the Hobbit, Total Recall, Prometheus, etc etc. I am not in a hurry at all. Haven't even ordered the update yet! it comes when it comes, and it will surely deliver. When has it not?