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Pix240 Help with Scarlet

Nick Pasquariello

Nick Pasquariello

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I've got some filming tonight and tomorrow and, given the turnaround timeframe, I've rented a Pix240 so we can work directly with ProRes due to our limited CPU capacity. (I love R3D Raw files, and would prefer to use them. But given the constraints, this is the best choice for this specific project.)

Thing is, I'm getting black bars above and below the image. Is this just because I have it set on 4K and not 4K Quad HD?

And for audio, we'll be plugging the XLR from a Shotgun mic (not sure the brand/model at the moment) directly into the Pix. The picture is going over as HD-SDI (with Timecode and Rec Start/Stop working flawlessly so far), do I need to delay the audio 2ms? Is it Mic or Line input? Balanced or Unbalanced matter at all? Audio is, hands down, my weakest skill-set, so any guidance that would be provided would be GREATLY appreciated.
 
set it to 4khd with the latest software and you should lose the black bars. You do need to delay the audio but you'll need to test the amount of delay. Its a simple matter to slide the audio in post so not a huge deal. If you are plugging a mic directly into the pix, then it's mic input.
 
Shane Kelly said:
set it to 4khd with the latest software and you should lose the black bars. You do need to delay the audio but you'll need to test the amount of delay. Its a simple matter to slide the audio in post so not a huge deal. If you are plugging a mic directly into the pix, then it's mic input.
Click to expand...

Thank you Shane, SUPER appreciate the input.
 
you can manually set the audio offset in the pix 240 menus as well. I'd have your sound guy go over it. once it's set, it's pretty smooth. audio is exceptional on the unit.
 
yeah - other than being familiar with the menu settings in the PIX to configure the audio correctly, sound should not be an issue for you. Of course, SoundDevices is/was primarily an AUDIO tech company so they have the audio layout very well thought out. Make sure the PIX software is latest too, which is 2.0 I believe. Easy to upgrade.
Have a print-out of the PIX manual kicking around so you can quickly recall finicky (for newbies) things like what to push to access record level/meters, etc. on-set. And spend some time pre-shoot, to get with the menus to customize and configure the PIX. The Good/Bad is there is so much you can do to configure it to just what you need. Amazing bit of Kit.

Stu Aull
SX199
PIX 240
Alaska
 
Well, for Scarlet - so presume EPIC too - the LAST build (3.2.16) had the full raster. Now 3.3 also includes full _sensor_ too via LookAround, so slightly wider field of view fed to PIX via SDI.
Stu Aull
Alaska
 
stu aull said:
Well, for Scarlet - so presume EPIC too - the LAST build (3.2.16) had the full raster. Now 3.3 also includes full _sensor_ too via LookAround, so slightly wider field of view fed to PIX via SDI.
Stu Aull
Alaska
Click to expand...

This is amazing! Recording full-sensor to PIX will be great, and gives a better wide-angle with my 17mm Nikkor.
Waiting for RED to enable the full sensor for 24/25 fps internal recording (well, 2.4:1 aspect is OK!):emote_rainshower:
 
Man the Pix240 is nice . . . Red has their work cut out for them IF they are going to make a ProRes/DNxHD module.

I'm pretty sure I got everything that I needed at today's shoot. Fought daylight and battery life, but not the Pix. The only issue I have is getting an SDI cable securely onto the connector of the Scarlet. Because it's inset, I can't really grab the end of the wire to twist it enough to to lock it in place.
 
Nick Pasquariello said:
Man the Pix240 is nice . . . Red has their work cut out for them IF they are going to make a ProRes/DNxHD module.

I'm pretty sure I got everything that I needed at today's shoot. Fought daylight and battery life, but not the Pix. The only issue I have is getting an SDI cable securely onto the connector of the Scarlet. Because it's inset, I can't really grab the end of the wire to twist it enough to to lock it in place.
Click to expand...

Put one of these on it:

cinemasupplies_2216_37477782
 
I agree the inset BNC is a pain. The elbow is a great solution. How did you handle the offset for the audio? .My experience is 2 mlsec. delay. Love the Pix240
 
Yup, that would do it Matt. I'll have to get one; I often overlook the little things.

Ted, I used a 2 mlsec delay, and our audio was 3 frames off from the video. I didn't have a mic to test with the day before the shoot, and I didn't have time to test day-of shoot. But it was a solid and consistant 3 frames off the whole day, so we just slid the audio manually in Final Cut 7. Wasn't a big deal for us. Next time I get my hands on a Pix, I'll have to play with the audio delay a bit more.
 
Can you feed the PIX's audio into the Scarlet/Epic for (presumably really high quality) scratch audio that is pre-synced to the .r3ds?

Also, does the PIX come with batteries and is essentially complete (ala the Samurai - batteries, cables, chargers, etc.) or is it basically just the unit and you have to find the rest of the bits yourself (essentially making it go from ~$2500 to $3000 to be usable)? I'm having a hard time deciding between the two, but the XLRs of the PIXs (and the SD quality) are pretty enticing.

OH, how is the screen? Could you get away with using it as a field monitor, or is it pretty weak in that department?
 
Mike P. said:
Can you feed the PIX's audio into the Scarlet/Epic for (presumably really high quality) scratch audio that is pre-synced to the .r3ds?

Also, does the PIX come with batteries and is essentially complete (ala the Samurai - batteries, cables, chargers, etc.) or is it basically just the unit and you have to find the rest of the bits yourself (essentially making it go from ~$2500 to $3000 to be usable)? I'm having a hard time deciding between the two, but the XLRs of the PIXs (and the SD quality) are pretty enticing.

OH, how is the screen? Could you get away with using it as a field monitor, or is it pretty weak in that department?
Click to expand...

As there is a delay on the sdi picture in to the pix, you usually input a delay in the audio coming into the pix. If you are sending this back to the camera then it will again be out of sync with the picture. You could feed the camera from the audio mixer and it would be in sync.
The pix does need batteries - sony L-type, which are pretty cheap or there is a cable that powers it from a d-tap.

You can use it a a field monitor for focus, it's actually pretty good in this regard but the color is not great. The latest software introduced a zoom and false color modes.
 
I don't know what it comes with; I rented it for the weekend.

D-tap to Power is pretty nice. Or it uses batteries. It's a bit heavier than it looks. A Magic Arm can hold it, but you need a way to tighten the arm down in place.

You could feed the audio into Scarlet/Epic, and then everything out through SDI to the Pix. That would give you in-sync matching R3Ds and ProRes/DNxHD. Or just ProRes/DNxHD if you have the External Recording Only mode on.

I haven't used the Samurai, so I can't compare it. To me, the Pix was incredibly intuitive (I only had to look up in the manual how to turn it on/off. Everything else was intuitive and VERY extensive options) and it captured a really nice picture. I had some darker shots later in the day when we were moving fast to fight sunlight that were about half as light as the rest. Took the ProRes into Da Vinci, upped the Gamma and the Gain, and bam, it matched the other images. I was REALLY impressed how non-compressed/washed out the picture was after such a process.
 
Mike P. said:
Can you feed the PIX's audio into the Scarlet/Epic for (presumably really high quality) scratch audio that is pre-synced to the .r3ds?

Also, does the PIX come with batteries and is essentially complete (ala the Samurai - batteries, cables, chargers, etc.) or is it basically just the unit and you have to find the rest of the bits yourself (essentially making it go from ~$2500 to $3000 to be usable)? I'm having a hard time deciding between the two, but the XLRs of the PIXs (and the SD quality) are pretty enticing.

OH, how is the screen? Could you get away with using it as a field monitor, or is it pretty weak in that department?
Click to expand...


I D-tapped my 240 to the camera's VBrick to minimize bulk/simplify set-up. PIX (sound Devices) makes a custom D-tap cable for this. But the Sony-spec (?) rear mount batteries can be added anytime because the PIX comes pre-configured to use those if you want to.

I am personally not a big fan of touch-screen controls, esp for cold climate use here in Alaska where low temps and gloves make it useless. If you have actually TOUCHED a PIX you will be blown away by the construction quality and the materials used. Alloy chassis, nice REAL button-controls - fabulous well-thought-out menu system. This is a pro-unit from a company that has made pro-field gear for years. And the Tech support and regular Firmware updates make these better and better (like the RED updates).

Screen is actually good in daylight, tho a hood can help. I have no prob using it to frame shots or have the Producer's eyeball recordings. And obv Video AND audio can be reviewed instantly. Imagery in ProRez OR AVID files is excellent.
I run mine with a Noga 9" arm so I can reposition as needed. No issues there.

Stu Aull
SX 199
PIX 240
Alaska
 
Tough call. It requires SSDs, is that correct? Does it come with that d-tap cable, or is it a separate purchase? The other thing is that the PIX already uses the same name nomenclature, so swapping offline-to-online is ready to rock. Tough call.

The reason I don't want to go through the camera and then to the PIX (for scratch) is because I want to avoid using the camera's phantom power with the 3.5mm jacks (which supposedly makes them finicky.) That said, I don't know how you could adjust for delay (it'd probably be twice as bad going from the PIX to the camera).
 
Mike P. said:
The reason I don't want to go through the camera and then to the PIX (for scratch) is because I want to avoid using the camera's phantom power with the 3.5mm jacks (which supposedly makes them finicky.) That said, I don't know how you could adjust for delay (it'd probably be twice as bad going from the PIX to the camera).
Click to expand...

Hi Mike
The next PIX firmware release will add a feature to prevent the PIX's audio input delay setting from affecting its line output - this will allow you to delay the audio to match the RED's delayed SDI output whilst at the same time feeding the PIX's line output back to RED in sync with its picture . . . . if that makes sense!

Paul

Technical Development Manager
Sound Devices
 
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