i am interested in the Mini SI-2K solution as it can be taken to places where the DVR body combination may bring a flinching effect on the subject.
i have the Asus W7s notebook, and the specs seem to match the requirements perfect.

what i have understood thus far, is, i can basically hide the main processing unit (laptop) in my bag and no one will know i have got hollywood in my hands.

scenario: since all the controls are now tucked away in my bag, i will need a wireless trigger device (maybe even a wireless 5 button mouse) for program specific controls for the most essential features. [PAUSE]/[F.STOP UP]/[F.STOP DOWN] (please fill me in those parts that i have missed. i have intentionally negated shutter control as the f/stop can be used for exposure control)

then i will need to hook myself up to a viewfinder like this? http://www.myvu.com/Products/shades/
this may not be a solution for critical focusing? but can it be an ample guide for exposure metering?

im probably missing a chunk of information here, but is this scenario achievable?

Hi Owen,

There is already a trigger mechanism, and there is a second multi-stage programmable button that will let you swap through different functions on the camera (such as exposure meters, focus zoom, etc.) . . . you can program the multi-stage button however you need. So with these two buttons, you should have about 90% of the work done for you.

So yes, the laptop in your back-pack should work fine, although there still could occasionally be some heating issues depending on the out-door environment (i.e. really hot).

I would purchase a fast laptop, like something in either the 2.5Ghz or 2.6Ghz range . . . I know the specs say 2.33Ghz, but that's minimum . . . with the new processors out there, having more processing power available for some overhead is better, especially when shooting at 2K resolutions.

One could 'hide' the mini in an old VHS camcorder body. A bit of work with a Dremel tool would do it.
For the DVR I'd imagine the same boards as in the full camera could be used to build a backpack friendly PC. Rather than fan cooling perhaps heat pipes could feed a small radiator that was discretely outside the backpack. It could take the form of a water bottle in a mesh holder. Instead of a spinning disk a SSD could be used to record to.

If you plan on putting a laptop in a back pack, maybe try putting some of those ice packs at the bottom or beside the laptop. When we were filming in the desert we had a few problems with the laptop overheating until we raised it on a laptop stand and put ice packs or cold pop cans underneath it. This worked until we could rig up a fan.

So the camera head plus mini rig, start stop switch and EVF tethered to a liquid cooled laptop hidden in a backpack…..Sounds like a sweet set up :-)

-John

I've been using the mini-2k head with myvu 301 Shades. Works great. Just need a VGA>RCA adapter to convert the signal. (which can probably be powered off the USB on the CPU)... or a simple battery pack of 4 AA batteries will do the trick.

Pics here:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wrIRoS5Mkp8/ScW4XoUEYtI/AAAAAAAABEk/T1Vd6R3721U/s1600/003.jpg

FrameDiscreet.com <br> transfers // cinematography (http://www.framediscreet.blogspot.com)

Best!


Justin
Cinematography//film.transfers
Frame Discreet - regular 8mm, super 16mm, super 8mm, film transfers to dvd toronto (http://www.framediscreet.com)
FrameDiscreet.com <br> transfers // cinematography (http://www.framediscreet.blogspot.com)

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