Color LCD on future nanoFlash?

[Steve Brown]

This is just something for the wish list. especially for those of us who have cameras without LCDs or color viewfinders (HDX900 in my case). It would be great to be able to see color playback (and E-E) with a color LCD on the front of the nano.

I suppose it could be very basic... not a high res monitor. It would serve as a menu screen as well as a confidence monitor.

I hope this hasn't been posted a thousand times already... I did a search before making this post and didn't see anything.

Thanks for all you guys do!

Steve Brown

[David Issko]

Steve,

I asked CD how hard it was to see the nano's menu on an external monitor via the SDI or HDMI o/p some months ago. At that time, and I suspect nothing has changed, it was not a feasible option - unfortunately as I have a SmallHD DP1x monitor that I use via the HDMI o/p of the nano.

I agree with you, it's nice to have that as part of the "wish list", but I do look forward to hot swapping the CF cards (gentle reminder Dan - and I know you are working on it) as a priority. Just a "heads up" visual indication as to how much card capacity is left before swapping it/them out would be great.

I do have a number of jobs that require long and continuous recordings, like pretty much most of us on this forum and it is not always practical to, in some cases, move around to check the nano's display.

I do, however believe that if CD could deliver a menu viewing option, that the operator would need to provide their own monitor to suit their requirements.

What are your thoughts?

[Lance Librandi]

Hi David,
I agree with you on hot swap and menu display on long form work. I always seem to be stuck at the rear of the venue against the rear wall which make it impossible to see the Nano display.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Steve,

I agree that a nice full color LCD would be a nice addition to the nanoFlash.

Dear David,

The nanoFlash is not capable of an on-screen display (text). While it sounds so simple these days, we did not design this into the nanoFlash as we considered other features more important.

In the next firmware release we will have a "Record Indicator" that puts out a red bar at the bottom of the external monitor. This is a menu option so that those that do not want this can turn it off.

Yes, "Hot Swapping" is still on our roadmap. Sorry, but I do not know, at this moment, when we can deliver this. We have spent a great deal of time working on this and some of the code will be in the next release.

Dear Lance,

I know some that use the Hotshoe Ball Mount and others an arm to position the nanoFlash in a viewable position.

[Andrew Stone]

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

In the next firmware release we will have a "Record Indicator" that puts out a red bar at the bottom of the external monitor. This is a menu option so that those that do not want this can turn it off.

As someone who shoots about 80% of the time with a Steadicam using an external monitor this addition is most welcome. Having a menu option for "display audio levels" on the external monitor output would be helpful as well.

-Andrew

[Piotr Wozniacki]

The record indicator on loop-through monitor, card hot-swappability, and ability to combine embedded SDI audio with the extra analogue channel(s) are currently highest on my wish-list.

While we're at inability of displaying a full control/information layer on top the loop-through picture: Dan, Mike and Tommy, let me ask you this question:

Are Convergent Design in a position to pass to Sony the idea of, and press them a little to implement in their future EX1 firmware updates, the ability to selectively turn off data display - i.e. separately from the SDI and Component outputs?

Should this prove possible, one could connect his external monitor via both Component (with menu/data ON) and SDI/HDMI-out from the nanoFlash (while the output the nano is recording from, has the menu/data display OFF, of course). This way, just toggling the active monitor input between Component from camera, and say HDMI from the nano, one could always have full control!

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Andrew,

I too would like audio level meters on the HD-SDI/HDMI outputs of the nanoFlash and Flash XDR.

We are taking our initial steps with the "Record Indicator".

Our main problem is finding room, in the nanoFlash for these features. As such, we are careful in what we promise and implement.

Dear Piotr,

I like your idea. However, it could very well be that the function that adds the viewfinder data is prior to the function that outputs the signal to both the HD-SDI and component outputs.

I doubt that the hardware supports turning it on for one and leaving it off for the other.

But, of course, I am only speculating.

I will see if we can ask Sony.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by Dan Keaton

I doubt that the hardware supports turning it on for one and leaving it off for the other.

But, of course, I am only speculating.

I will see if we can ask Sony.

Of course, this is not supported currently - and I realize you might be right this could be more complicated than just a simple firmware addition. Nevertheless, I'm counting on you to ask Sony... After all, by incorporating Sony's own encoder chips in your products you are their valued partners, so you should be entitled to ask of things like this... Not to mention that your products leverage many Sony cameras to even higher level of features and quality!

Thanks, Dan.

Piotr

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Piotr,

Yes, we will try to ask Sony about this for you.

[John Richard]

Originally Posted by David Issko

Steve,

I asked CD how hard it was to see the nano's menu on an external monitor via the SDI or HDMI o/p some months ago. At that time, and I suspect nothing has changed, it was not a feasible option - unfortunately as I have a SmallHD DP1x monitor that I use via the HDMI o/p of the nano.

David: I've not been able to correctly setup the nano's HDMI out to the DP1. Could you detail your settings in both the nano and the DP1.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear John,

I believe the problem lies with certain video modes when using the SmallHD.

We reached out to them at NAB. They were suprised that we were reporting that certain video modes did not work.

The next day they came to our booth, we hooked up their monitor and showed them the error message. The offending modes are ones that work on other monitors.

[David Issko]

Originally Posted by John Richard

David: I've not been able to correctly setup the nano's HDMI out to the DP1. Could you detail your settings in both the nano and the DP1.

Quite simple, really. As the nano outputs both SDI & HDMI at the same time, I just connected the HDMI nano output to the HDMI input of the DP1x and selected HDMI input on the menu of the DP1x. I then adjusted the picture size on the DP1x to suit my camera's image size.

The April 2010, version 1.5.xx nano instructions state not to connect anything to the HDMI output port until after the nano has been powered up. Have you tried that?

However, the image loop through worked first off and has worked every time since. No problem.

Sorry to be posting the obvious but I have not known of any issues.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Originally Posted by David Issko

The April 2010, version 1.5.xx nano instructions state not to connect anything to the HDMI output port until after the nano has been powered up. Have you tried that?

Next to the abovementioned statement, the manual says "version 1.5.31". Does it mean it's a valid recommendation for this firmware only, or does it stay valid with the current firmware as well?

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Piotr,

This indicates that this statement was first added to the manual when 1.5.31 was released.

It applies to subsequent firmware versions also.

I was not aware of this advice. If you have the HDMI cable and monitor plugged into the nanoFlash, and then power up the nanoFlash and it works, then you are ok.

If for some reason the monitor does not come up, then I would power down the nanoFlash, unplug the HDMI cable, power up the nanoFlash, then re-instert the cable.

[Piotr Wozniacki]

Dear Dan,

I wasn't aware of this reservation , either - my HDMI monitor usually works just OK, being connected permanently when I'm working with the full rig for a prolonged time.

However, this made me think if what I described in another thread (HDMI-out dead after sleep mode) has something to do with it.

What do you think?

PS. I'm somewhat reluctant of connecting devices after they're powered on....