How modular is "modular-design"?

[f92mlu]

Hi!

I've been reading the latest interesting discussions about framerates, compressions and codecs.

Graeme mentioned that one of the limitations for the framerates are the compression chips limitations on dataflow through them, if I have understood things correctly.

This got me to think about when I have gotten my red camera, and a year later the smart red guys design a better compression chip, maybe add some other features etc...how easy will it be to upgrade your existing camera. Red writes on their website:

"Modular and upgradeable, the RED ONE™ camera is a future-proof acquisition system you can build upon. RED ONE™'s modular design means you can upgrade with us as we add new features, accessories and improve system specifications."

1) What I'm trying to ask is what does "modular and upgradeable" really mean? Is it down to "chip" level?

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Second question, if I read the specs right and the format options, when shooting 4,5k, the S35mm option, REDCODE is not possible. Yet beneath one of the images in the gallery RED writes:

"This frame grab was shot 4.9K REDCODE RAW 12 bit"

This seems to imply that the compression can handle the 4.9k dataflow.

2) Was the compression done with computer software after shooting and storing on a RAID of some sort?

Thanks in advance.

/Marcus

 

[Graeme_Nattress]

1) sensor is upgradable. Firmware running on the chips inside the camera is upgradable. Beyond that, Jim knows much more about the modular design than I do. How upgradable is upgradable? How long is a piece of string? So yes, there will be limits and yes there will be upgrades that can go beyond them in certain areas. Think of the camera as a canvas. You can paint different pictures on that canvas, but if you run off the edge, it's back to the art shop for a larger canvas.

2) Compression was done in the software version of REDCODE RAW from uncompressed 4.9k data. Yes, large RAID.

Graeme