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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

element technica breakout box first look...

Begs the question then...

Why didn't RED make it this way?

Mitch
 
Mitch Gross said:
Begs the question then...

Why didn't RED make it this way?

Mitch
Click to expand...

Because it doubles the weight of the camera. :bleh:

Breakout boxes are DENSE.
 
^^^^ what?

the difference between mini bnc and full size would have been ounces at best.
 
Mike Prevette said:
^^^^ what?

the difference between mini bnc and full size would have been ounces at best.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I was speaking tongue in cheek. :biggrin:

Back to the original question I guess.

Trying to keep the design as slim as possible in the most stripped down configuration? Maybe it doesn't fit within the cage?

Can someone speak to the advantages of mini-BNC?
 
lordnumberzero said:
Can someone speak to the advantages of mini-BNC?
Click to expand...

Hanging delicate adaptors hanging off of equally delicate connectors? Nope, that's not one.

Losing signal strength with each adaptor in the chain? Nope that's not one either.

Rendering 67 years worth of existing cables obsolete?

Adding additional expense and failure potential to every monitor you hook up?

Increasing service costs?

...still searching...
 
My guess is circuit board space...
There might be enough room for the connectors on the outside but not on the circuit board underneath, that is unless you would have preferred to eliminate the dual-link HD-SDI ports, or the Genlock and Preview outs.
 
You can't make an argument for space. They should have just designed around the correct plugs. I think the Red team has done a great job, and frankly, I can't understand how they managed to fuck this one thing up.:glare:

Nick
 
HAHAHA sorry lordnumberzero I hadn't had any coffee yet.

I think the circuit board excuse is a little weak. Heavy use plugs should never be mounted to the circuit board. When they are they risk damaging entire boards if they misused. A plug with leads to the circuit board is a much safer option that doesn't take up much more space.

Plus all they had to do to add space was not put the recess into the body in the first place.
 
I do recall them saying last year that it was indeed the amount of space that the connectors would take up inside of the body. Something like it's not just how big the connectors are on the outside, but you have to factor in an equal amount of space on the inside. I also remember Ted saying something about the mini-BNCs being something that the industry would or should shift to, or something like that... don't quote me...
 
Jarred Land said:
Element is one of the few companies that we (RED) actually does the Industrial Design for on some products... this is one of them :)

1_cm-capture-11.jpg
Click to expand...
Awesome... does that mean Matt is reasonably responsible? :bleh: He really does phenomenal work.

I know a lot of people are questioning why RED didn't do something like this themselves from the beginning, but seeing that the cameras are the way they are, I hope Element makes it easy for current users to get their hands on one of these - and soon. It actually looks like it *belongs* there, IMO.
 
CrewPix.com said:
Why won't Red just admit they put the wrong connectors on the camera? I find it hard to get excited about a box that fixes a design flaw.
Click to expand...

Holly crap B, why are you so grumpy? :ohmy: Are you buying a camera?

Any way I hope you are enjoying the holidays, happy New Year.

Method
 
I like it! Hopefully it's roughly the cost of four BNC connectors or less.
 
I'm personally happy that it doesn't cover the audio. I think that the audio should be saved for a separate breakout box. A big, full-size XLR breakout may be great on sticks or a dolly, but I'd hate to have the extra weight when handheld or flying. Hell, I personally think that second system audio is still the best way to do it. :)

Being able to have separate breakout boxes lets the user decide when they need BNC and not XLR, XLR and not BNC, neither or both.

Hey Jarred, any word on how secure the breakout box is without the mounting screw? For example, could I leave the breakout box hooked onto the BNC cables and just pop the box off like a big connector... move my camera... and pop it back on when I get there? One big "connector" is a lot nicer than two or three BNCs!
 
I just hope it is more secure than the old AJA box that stuck onto the side of the F900 to downconvert off the component connectors. I think it had one screw holding it on and it ended up breaking the connectors all the time in heavy use. The video monitoring out connection probably gets the most abuse on any camera.

It looks like they used the recessed body housing of the camera function as a cradle for the box, which one hopes would keep pressure off both the mini-BNCs and the lockdown screw.

I doubt it would be a smart move to keep pulling that box on and off the camera. You'll likely damage the mini-BNCs after a short time.

Mitch Gross
Technical Director of Rentals
Abel Cine Tech
 
Jarred Land said:
Hector dropped by RED today with their new breakout box. This thing pretty much kicks ass in every way...

1_box44a.jpg
Click to expand...

A lot better than little wires to big connectors and gaining a little weight doesnt mind when it gets more reliable, now the sound part.

Robert
 
Mitch Gross said:
I doubt it would be a smart move to keep pulling that box on and off the camera. You'll likely damage the mini-BNCs after a short time.
Click to expand...

Having disconnected the mini-BNCs on many RED bodies hundreds of time per camera, per connector on dozens of sets... I doubt it. They're surprisingly resilient.
 
why so grumpy?

why so grumpy?

"Why won't Red just admit they put the wrong connectors on the camera? I find it hard to get excited about a box that fixes a design flaw."

I think Crewpix is not afraid to "tell it like it is". He doesn't have a camera on order, but being one of the best focus pullers around, he will be using a lot of them. He is a professional trying to interact in this forum that "says" it wants critical feedback on development.

Even all of the "converted" here say they are going to order this break out box, which again, begs the question...why wasn't it done that way in the first place?

I know one group that has 50 cameras on order who are also shaking their head at the mini BNC's and are planning their own breakout box.

My guess is, at this point, RED needs to get the cameras out!

The breakout boxes will be the norm until the "RED TWO", when i bet they will come around.

Love ya RED...but I don't get the mini BNC's?

Dylan Macleod, CSC
Toronto, Canada
www.dylanmacleod.com
 
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