Dear Friends,

Today we are releasing new firmware for the Odyssey7, Odyssey7Q, and Odyssey7+.

This is firmware version 2015.8 (August 2015)

This is result of over 10 months of work by our team.

This is a very significant firmware release, as the ability to record from the Sony FS700, or FS7 with the XDCA, to an Odyssey7Q or Odyssey7Q+, with our FS700/FS7 Raw Option in HD at 100/120/200/240 frames per second frees those that want to record High Speed from having to record in Raw.

The file sizes are much smaller, the recording times are longer, and the files are in Apple ProRes 422, in HQ, Regular or LT.

And for the same cameras with the same setup, we now support recording 4K or UHD to Apple ProRes 422 at 50 and 60 frames per second.

This is very important for those that are shooting commercials, as well as many others.

And for the FS700, we now support recording 4K at 100 or 120 fps in Apple ProRes 422. These are in Burst Mode from the camera.


We now offer a very accurate, very fast, and fully professional Color Vectorscope.

Many more features will be coming in future firmware releases.

Please remember that we provide live, knowledgeable customer support 24/7 every day of the year.




NEW FEATURES (ODYSSEY7Q+)

Canon XC10 support
UHD Apple ProRes 23.98p, 25p, 29.97p
UHD->HD SuperSample to Apple ProRes 23.98p, 25p, 29.97p
(Camera trigger & HDMI timecode in HD Only)


NEW FEATURES (ODYSSEY7Q+ / ODYSSEY7Q)

FS7/FS700 High Speed RAW -> Apple ProRes Support
(requires Odyssey RAW Bundle/Sony FS RAW Option)

FS7/FS700:
4K RAW -> 4K Apple ProRes, 50p & 60p added
4K RAW -> UHD Apple ProRes, 50p & 60p added
2K RAW HS -> HD Apple ProRes, 100p, 120p, 200p, 240p
(Only one SSD can be mounted for recording 2K HS Apple ProRes)
(Only Odyssey internal TC supported (Seed, Time-of-Day DF & NDF)

FS700 only:
4K RAW Burst -> 4K Apple ProRes, 100p & 120p
4K RAW Burst -> UHD Apple ProRes, 100p & 120p

Canon C300 MKII RAW Support
(requires Odyssey RAW Bundle/Canon RAW Option)
4K RAW recording up to 30p
QHD RAW recording up to 30p
4K RAW -> 4K Apple ProRes up to 30p
QHD RAW -> UHD Apple ProRes up to 30p


NEW FEATURES (ODYSSEY7Q+ / ODYSSEY7Q / ODYSSEY7)

Vectorscope
Analog or Digital Trace
Trace display in green or color (true CbCr)
Variable Zoom 1.0x - 15.0x (Finger Drag left-right)
Zoom Presets 1,2,5,10,15x (Finger Drag up-down)


FIXES & IMPROVEMENTS

FIXED Audio issues in 1080i59.94 playback
FIXED 4K to 2K/HD Downscale Line at the bottom of image.
IMPROVED Color Bars
IMPROVED Odyssey Menu Font
NOTE:
Updating firmware on an Odyssey monitor/recorder requires the use of an SSD.

If an Odyssey monitor/recorder is currently running firmware version 5.10.100 (March 2015), 2015.5 (May 2015), or 2015.7 (June 2015) then a qualified Samsung SSD as well as an Odyssey SSD can be used to perform the update.

Samsung SSDs require the Convergent Design SSD Handle kit to mount in an Odyssey monitor/recorder.

Odyssey monitor/recorders running earlier firmware versions prior to 5.10.100 must use an Odyssey SSD to perform the update.

Respectfully,

I have a 7q and a 7q+. Is the firmware the same or different for either of them? Do I need to download it twice?

Dear Chris,

You only need to download it once from our website.

Each download of 2015.8.1074 (which we call 2015.8) has firmware versions for the Odyssey7, Odyssey7Q and Odyssey7Q+.

Then when you insert the SSD into your device, the correct version for your unit will be used automatically.

This firmware download also includes manuals and other information.

Respectfully,

Dan, and can one can skip previously firmware updates that were not installed and just jump forward several versions to the latest firmware?

Dear Dave,

Yes!

You may jump forward to any firmware version.

And you may go back to any previous firmware version.

On the firmware download page, at the bottom ,is a link to our Firmware Archives, where you can download and install any previous firmware version.

https://convergent-design.com/odyssey7q-firmware.html

And please note that we provide 24/7 live, knowledgeable technical support.

You will find our emergency phone support number at the bottom of this link.

https://convergent-design.com/support/support-tickets.html?view=ticket&layout=open

Respectfully,

Great....

Can you point me towards info on 7Q compatibility and connectivity with the new Sony A7RII ?

Dear Dave,

We do not have a Sony A7RII in our lab at this time, as far as I know at this moment.

However, I feel that our Odyssey7Q+ will be able to record all of the formats and frame rates that the camera can output over HDMI.

All of these formats can be recorded in Apple ProRes 422 (in HQ, regular and LT).

No extra cost option is required for this camera, and any other camera that outputs video, as opposed to Raw.

As before, I do not expect the camera to output, via HDMI 720p100 or 720p120.

We are limited to recording 720p60 at this time.

Respectfully,

That's for the 7Q+, not the 7Q I have?

Dear Dave,

The Odyssey7Q+ is required to support HDMI speeds higher than 1080p30.

Thus, the Odyssey7Q+ is required for the following, via HDMI: 1080p50/60, Ultra-HD up to 30 fps
and 4K (4096 x 2160) up to 24 fps.

If the signal is via HD-SDI, then these restrictions on the Odyssey7Q do not exist.

Please feel free to call me if you wish.

seven one nine ----- nine three zero ---- one three seven six

Respectfully,

Hi Dan,

I just started to set up my FS/7 and 7Q+ gear this afternoon. Is it possible to be recording 4K RAW on the 7Q+ and 4K internally on the FS/7 at the same time? I have the 4K internal adapter mounted to the FS/7.

I only have the 7Q, not the 7Q+. Guess it won't work for the new A7RII. :( I should have upgraded.

Dear Dave,

Please call me.

seven one nine ---- nine three zero ---- one three seven six.

You may call me on the weekend or anytime.

Respectfully.

Hi Dan,

I just started to set up my FS/7 and 7Q+ gear this afternoon. Is it possible to be recording 4K RAW on the 7Q+ and 4K internally on the FS/7 at the same time? I have the 4K internal adapter mounted to the FS/7.

Dear James,

This sounds like such a simple and straight forward question.

I firmly believe that the answer is yes.

But, I have been attempting to find this information in the FS7 manual and have not found a clear, definitive statement that this is possible.

Again, I feel that the answer is yes.

We can run a test in our lab on Monday.

And those with the Sony FS7 + XDCA and an Odyssey7Q or Odyssey7Q+ should be able to answer this.

I am sorry that I can provide a definitive answer at this moment.

Respectfully,

Hi Dan,

This is somewhat (ok, largely) off topic, but this week Canon published a number of documents confirming that from a 4k monitoring stand point, the C300 mark II will only deliver a raw signal, which presumably is only going to be usable with monitors like their $20-30k reference monitors. Will the 7Q+ be able to act as a converter and output a 4k video signal from the c300 II via HDMI or SDI?

Thanks.

Dear Barry,

At this time, most monitors used on set are HD, 1920 x 1080, not the very expensive true 4K Monitors.

The Odyssey7Q and Odyssey7Q+, with our Raw Bundle can take in the Canon C300 Mark II and the C500's Raw data stream and then deBayer it, record it in Canon's Cinema Raw format (".rmf"), and display a proper image on our OLED Monitor.

And we also output an HD signal of these images via HD-SDI and HDMI.

We do not, at this time output a 4K (4096 x 2160) or Ultra-HD (Quad HD, 3840 x 2160) image over HDMI or HD-SDI (Dual Link 3G, or Quad Link 1.5G).

Thus, we do not feed a true 4K Monitor at this time.

But, our HD-SDI hardware does support this capability.

Thus, it would be possible for us to implement this in the future.

Respectfully,

Thanks for a great answer.

Realistically, I don't see us shooting 4k very much, but for the client that just won't take no, I was a bit surprised that the C300-II doesn't have the ability to run out to a consumer set via HDMI, and the monitors that accept 4k raw are simply out of the question in my neck of the woods. Good to know that it's possible with the Odyssey...I'm sure a lot of people will be asking this exact question of you once this thing gets in the wild.