Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Log in
  • 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 :)

Sound Devices PIX 240 Testing

C

Cory Allen

New member
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Location
New York, NY
scaled.php


Sound Devices recently started shipping the PIX 220 & PIX 240 video recorders. With HDMI and HD-SDI inputs, a timecode generator, the ability to record Apple ProRes & DNxHD codecs direct to CompactFlash and SSD, it seems like the perfect matchup for an EPIC.

Our PIX 240 will be back in from field testing next week, and I invite anybody in the New York City area to come in to Gotham Sound's office and check it out! Bring in your camera and see how well it plays with the PIX. We're very interested in hearing your ideas on how this fits into a RED workflow, and how valuable something like this will be on set.

Gotham Sound
330 W. 38th Street #105 (Btw. 8th & 9th Aves)
(212) 629-9430
 
It doesn't retain the filename metadata off a red or epic correct? hopefully Sound Device can compete with AJA and get that going too. more options the better.
 
Could something like this be used to do a duel system video recording so an offline edit in say ProRes 720p (off of PIX240) can be used to edit quickly and later be matched up via timecode to the 3k red files recorded to the camera? I do not own a Red camera (yet) so I have no idea if such a workflow would be possible.
 
pix240 can provide high quality mic preamps and audio recording (as ProRes or DNXHD) while syincing to timecode and genlock. yes I hope Sound Device competes to AJA big time. Also, I'm hoping PIX240 provide cross conversion in realtime.
 
Kemalettin Sert said:
im wondering the same..why do i need this device since epic recording all data on own ssd
Click to expand...


instant dailies or offline editorial bypassing the need for rocket or computer transcoding all together. than do a final online to r3d. but to do that the files created have to have all the metadata that the r3d has too. if it doesn't than it's a pointless venture. of course it's more elegant to have a tower with rocket on set if client needs to walk with editorial files, with on set color, etc, same in post, but not every job is the same, and every job has different needs. options are the key.
 
Kaku Ito said:
pix240 can provide high quality mic preamps and audio recording (as ProRes or DNXHD) while syincing to timecode and genlock. yes I hope Sound Device competes to AJA big time. Also, I'm hoping PIX240 provide cross conversion in realtime.
Click to expand...

it claims all kind of up, down, and cross conversion in real time, plus advanced pulldown removal. I pre ordered my unit, should be in early Oct. will give my full review when I can. Anybody got an Epic I can test it out on? :D
 
Tom.Wong said:
instant dailies or offline editorial bypassing the need for rocket or computer transcoding all together. than do a final online to r3d. but to do that the files created have to have all the metadata that the r3d has too. if it doesn't than it's a pointless venture. of course it's more elegant to have a tower with rocket on set if client needs to walk with editorial files, with on set color, etc, same in post, but not every job is the same, and every job has different needs. options are the key.
Click to expand...

yeah you are right but Pix 240 is around 2800$ and plus ssd,its almost redrocket price
 
Kemalettin Sert said:
yeah you are right but Pix 240 is around 2800$ and plus ssd,its almost redrocket price
Click to expand...

but a lot smaller than a tower on set :)
or great when you have situations you can't offload with laptop setup etc. u just need to record all day on lots of ssds, on camera, and on the recorder. i can list off all day, plus the practicalities for using a offboard recording for other shooting productions too. it's got multi usage. Not trying to argue anything, just saying it has a lot of practicalities to it. no biggy :)
 
Kemalettin Sert said:
im wondering the same..why do i need this device since epic recording all data on own ssd
Click to expand...

Because sometimes clients just want a 1080p RGB deliverable.

They don't want anything they might gain from the R3D workflow ... no matter how "better" it might be, because it costs them money and/or time. And they don't care.

So, when I have those clients I want to be done with them ASAP ... and that does not include heading out to transcode and do a base grade on their footage. Just shovel them some ProRes or DNxHD and get out of dodge. That's all they are paying for anyway right?

Oh, and nobody at that sort of client cares about conforming back to the R3D, so in that situation who cares about Red metadata?

I agree that getting metadata would open up more workflows ... I'm just answering the question of why you might need a device like this.
 
well until it doesn't retain the naming and start stop infos I don't see much use in it... though I must say that it's a nice piece of equip.
 
Geeked up

Geeked up

The PIX 240 essentially offers a 7 series Sound Devices mixer/recorder plus a timecode generator/reader for under $3K. If I jam the TC from the PIX 240 into the Epic, then even without full metadata support the conform should be reasonably easy.

Obviously metadata support would be VERY welcome, but unless I am missing something, if the PIX 240 is the master clock then Bob's your Uncle.

+1 for the PIX 240 offering a dead simple option for clients who are going to finish from the ProRes or DNxHD files anyway.

FWIW I have been resistant to pushing "look" files into the camera to make the monitor look like the hero deliverable since the monitor path has never been truly WYSIWYG to start with. With the PIX 240 it starts to make sense to diddle the image metrics of the monitor output so that the combo hero/editorial (online/offline) media has at least a "one light" look baked in. IMO effective grading of lower bit depth material is far more practical when the starting point is closer to intent.

I am in SoCal and have my Epic-X in hand, if anyone has a PIX 240 to test with it just reach out.

Cheers - #19
 
Blair, please check if PIX240 does realtime cross conversion to 720p.
 
Very compelling device.
Tomorrow I'm going to check one out at Audio Services Canada. They have a demo in.
 
sound devices has a video on their website showing how to get red metadata and start/stop functionality from the Pix 2400
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top